26 and 26…what a difference each day makes!

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Hi Everyone, and thanks for stopping by!

Welcome to our Build a Line Master Challange Blog Hop 2016!

This is our second of 3 blog hops. This time, I wanted to talk about what inspires me.

It’s true, birds and nature inspire me, but that goes for most of us Islanders. How did I get into jewelry, and stay inspired the last 25 years?

Well…. perhaps it’s because I always wanted to be a Pirate. Yes, it’s true! I know, I know, but without the eye patch. And the wooden leg…. The exciting part that  always inspired me was  the big fat chest of gold and jewels! And I wager I’m not the only closet-wanna-be-pirate in this group! That chest always made my heart pitter patter. Now I’m a grown up Pirate, and I get to work with beautiful shiny metals and jewels every day. And I am blessed.

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What has kept me inspired, through the past 25 years of making jewelry, is my friends, family, and peers, who are a constant inspiration to me. Each day, I get to recharge myself on their beautiful pieces, and for a moment, see the world through their eyes.

We have been making collages of our work in class, to teach us to look at it objectively. To be able to stand back and squint. To begin to see what our personal artistic style is. And to use that info as the baseline for future growth. And okay, they’re fun too! Here’s a recent one of my work:

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I learned a lot about my style from this collage. I learned that I liked color, that I used a lot of drops, that I was being influenced by Victorian style, and that I liked gemstones. Now you think that I’d know some of those things, being the person who actually designed and made the jewelry. But, no. As usual, I was the last to know. The Victorian part totally shocked me. Is that what I really wanted to be doing? The answer is yes, I think so. At least for now!

 

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I’d like to introduce you to the second piece in my line of bracelets. It’s called The Silver Raven. He sits on a large rusty black B’Sue vintage filigree oval, and B’sue rings, chain, clasp, drops and crystal flower. Ravens are my favorite bird.

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As part of our class,  I have had to ask myself,  am I a hobbyist, a maker or a production designer? I have been a hobbyist for a good 23 years. I am now a maker, with hopes to be a production designer. I’d love to see my work on the runway. That has been my dream since I was 14, and got a hold of these great earrings that would swing when you walked. That was the moment the seed was planted. I wanted to make earrings and jewelry that moved. That swung gracefully when you walked. Since I started this Build a Line Master Challange course, I finally feel that this dream might be possible! Full steam ahead….arrrrrrrgh!

 

Please continue to hop hop hop, and visit my list of friends below:

 

Brenda Sue Lansdowne Jewelry Making Outside the Box

http://www.bsueboutiques.typepad.com

Diana Buynak Butterfly Emporium Ceramic Studio

http://butterflyemporium.indiemade.com/blog

Irene Hoffman, Heart’s Desire by Irene

http://heartsdezirebyirene.wordpress.com

Clare Wells Nemeth, Creative Magick

http://www.craftingmagick.blogspot.com

Mary Reckmeyer, Afrayed Not

http://www.afrayedknot.net

Marcia Tuzzolino, Aurora Designs

http://auroradesignsjewelryblog.me

Elizabeth Wilks, Wearable Art by Lizzie

http://wearableartbylizzie.blogspot.com

Jeanette Rose Belmont, One Canvas At A Time

http://www.onecanvasatatime.com

Lyn Joy Reeve, A Journey From Jewels To Jubilation

http://lnreeve00.blogspot.com

Belinda Reed-Ingle, Vogue Rocks

http://voguerocks.blogspot.com

Beth Trubman, The Journey of Jewelry

http://thejourneyofjewelry.blogspot.com

Carole Carlson, Bead Sophisticate

http://beadsophisticate.wordpress.com

Jann Tague, Clever Designs by Jann

http://janntague.wordpress.com

Shari Gardner, SLG Jewelry Designs

http://slgdesigns.wordpress.com

Susan Bolton, Fern’s Place

http://www.fernsplace.org

Chris Kemp, Noodle Pie Bracelets

http://noodlepiebracelets.com

Barbara Kelley, Angels’ Keep

http://angelskeepbandbdotcom.wordpress.com

Susan Bowerman, Woodside Wireworks

http://woodsidewireworks.com/

Pamela Anger, Novegatti Designs

http://novegattidesigns.blogspot.com

Joan Donovan, Hailey’s Cottage

http://haileyscottage.com/

Alison Huie, Ally’s Baubles

http://www.allysbaubles.blogspot.com

Sharon Palac, Sharon’s Jewelry Garden

http://www.sharonsjewelrygarden.blogspot.com

Erica Olmos, Beeb’s Closet

https://beebscloset.wordpress.com

Erin Whitacre, Shattered Time Jewelry

https://shatteredtimejewelry.wordpress.com

Fran Sitton, Sitton Up Front

https://sittonupfront.wordpress.com

Ginger Hammond, Lynn Leigh Designs

https://lynnleighdesigns.wordpress.com

Paula Gaskill, Lovely LaylaBug Jewels

http://www.lovelylaylabugjewels.com/Blog.php

Mary Deis, The Rose Sword

http://theroseswordmdeis.blogspot.com

Renee Webb Allen, Small Stuff Design

http://smallstuffdesign.com

Valerie Tilghman, ArtJewelsandGifts

http://www.artjewelzdimensions.blogspot.com

Chris Cravens, Vintage Cravens

http://christinecravens.blogspot.com

Leslie Carver, Adorn Divine Designs

http://www.adorndivinedesigns.blogspot.com

Donna Parry, JewelryDonna

http://jewelrydonna.typepad.com

Gina-Marie Hammer, Tangles, Twists and Treasures

http://tanglestwistsandtreasures.com/blog/

Kelly Wymer, Winged Wisdom Enchantments

https://wingehttp:dwisdomenchantments.wordpress.com/

Sponsored by: B’Sue Boutiques

With sincere thanks to our Teacher:  Brenda Sue Lansdowne

 

Kindly leave me a message if you feel inspired!

 

59 thoughts on “26 and 26…what a difference each day makes!”

  2. You always make me laugh. I will never forget that little pirate – or you equating your love of jewelry with the pirate’s treasure! I bet that’s true for so many of us. I know I played pirate quite often for that treasure. 🙂 Wonderful writing and I love your anecdote about the earrings that “swing when you walked”. I could see you at 14, coveting those earrings!

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    1. Thank you dear friend. I’ll tell you a secret, I still have those earrings! My bestie was going through her jewelry box with me, and there they were! She said, “oh those…I never wear them.” And I told her they were mine, and could I have them back? I told her that t
      they were very special to me. I thought they were long gone…now they are finally home again. With me!

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  3. What a beautifully written blog. I love having this glimpse into your world! Your silver raven bracelet is wonderful and I think you are well on your way to seeing those earrings sway down a runway. Being here was my pleasure! Thank you!

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  5. Oh wow Chris I loved your story and about being a closet pirate! I’m with ya!LOL! Your bracelets are beautiful, and I love your cuff, it is gorgeous. I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us in April. ;D

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  9. Great post, Chris! LOVED the photo of you hard at work, I hope we will see more photos like that as we go along. When blogging, it’s important to share YOURSELF in the midst of the process. Of course, I need to take my own advice as there are few pix of ME on my blog! But I guess I can defer to there being over 10 videos over the last six years. That’s not prolific, but it’s a nice little audience and they get to see me, warts and all. And….you mentioned the discoveries you are making about yourself as the class unfolds. I’m seeing that a great deal as I read along. It really makes me happy…..because that’s what this class is all about. DISCOVERY! So keep discovering, keep digging and diving for pirate’s treasure…and in one form or another you will get what you want for your investment in time and quality supplies. XOXO

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  18. I enjoy reading your posts Chris and getting a glimpse of your process and where you live. I think I need to do more of that. Your bracelets are coming a long nicely….good luck on that pirate’s booty!!!

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  19. I know what you mean about being the last to know. 🙂
    Loving the pirate aspirations, we really do sit on treasure, don’t we?
    The bracelet is just *beautiful*, and I want to see more!

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    1. Thanks for visiting Leslie. Before we know it the class will be over, and all my birdie creations revealed. I’ll let you know if I find the pirate’s booty in the mean time!

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  20. Chi’s I love your story and I used to love to draw pirates ands parrots as a child so I guess were dule pirate spirits, always loved a good pirate chest myself. Love your line your creating it just gorgeous and I can’t wait to see the rest! Love ya bunches XOXO!

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    1. Thanks for visiting my blog Kristy. That’s so cool you liked (like) pirates too! Let’s keep digging for that chest! Thanks for the compliment. I hope I can do it justice on the reveal…

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  24. Hi Chris, loved your post, as always. Can’t wait to see your finished pieces. This class has been fun and I love learning all the stuff that I didn’t know I needed to know. But, its also has some tough spots, like trying to determine if we are hobbyists, makers, or designers. I still don’t really know where I fall in those categories. I have a store and I am selling a few things here and there, so I don’t think I would qualify as being a hobbyist anymore. I want to sell my work, so I believe I am a maker, but as for how far I want to go, I don’t know. I’m not sure I would be up for all the pressure that comes with being a production designer. So, I truly wish your dream comes true and we can see your jewelry draped around the necks of movie stars on the red carpet.

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  26. I think my grandmother was born close to where you are from. That brings up good memories of visiting there when I was a little girl. I love the name, Noodle Pie Bracelets. It is one of those names that is hard to forget. I collect bird figurines, and love it when birds are in jewelry. The raven bracelet is really pretty. Thank you for sharing a little bit of your world. I really enjoyed your blog.

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    1. Oh, you’ve intrigued me now. Whereabouts was your grandmother born? My nickname has been Noodle, most of my adult. Dating to a day that I made, and brought these cookies to work, made with Chinese noodles…I have a company name with my family name in it. But I wanted something fun for my bracelets. And that’s how Noodlepie Bracelets was born! Thanks very much for your visit Donna.

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  28. Haaaar Matey, me loves ye raven cuff! If I happen to sail near ye port, I’ll be stealin’ it for sure! Ha ha! Love your cuff and can’t wait to see what sails through the next blog hop!

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    1. Hi Sue, Thanks so much for visiting my blog!
      I am going to begin working on my showstopper piece this week, after much thought.
      Hope it ends up looking like the version of the one in my head!

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