Jewelry Designs from Nature Challenge

Twilight Woodland

Dreamily over the roofs

The cold spring rain is falling;

Out in the lonely tree

A bird is calling, calling.

Slowly over the earth

The wings of night are falling;

My heart like the bird in the tree

Is calling, calling, calling.

"Twilight" -- Sara Teasdale

I was thrilled to find out I was one of the lucky winners in the ArtBeadScene Jewelry Designs from Nature Challenge drawing on May 30!  I received this charming pendant focal by Heather Powers, entitled "Woodland," along with a beautiful image of a solitary bird silhouetted by branches at nightfall, and this evocative poem by Sara Teasdale.

Because of the colors in the focal, I knew I wanted to use antiqued brass, and beads in olive green and violet. I wanted to create some kind of yoke or bail for the pendant that evoked branches. I fashioned this from three lengths of heavy brass wire, the ends balled in my torch, lashing it together with finer wire. In the end, it looked more Japanese to me than branch-like, which was fine by me, as I have always associated trees and blossoms with Japanese gardens.

I wanted to keep the palette fairly dark, in keeping with the picture, so I let my brass darken a long time in the ammonia fumes, and eventually settled on some dark violet leather for the necklace portion of the piece.

I kept it fairly long, so that the two beaded links attached to the yoke would hang straighter:

I like how the matte finish of the clay contrasts with the soft shine of the metal and the transparent glass.

Check out the other participants' fabulous designs, and view today's ABS post here!

Alicia Marinache
Shelby Foxwell
Lisa Cone
Marlene Brady
Cece Cormier
Amy of Amy Beads
Marlene Cupo