Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you’ll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
Last week’s winner is Dale! Congratulations! You have won reproduction button. Send an email to Lynn and she will send it right out to you.
Welcome to the Studio of Cindy Gimbrone!
Time is flying by, I can hardly believe it’s October and into the full flush of the fall foliage. It hardly seems a year has come and gone almost since our family vacation to New York City for Thanksgiving. That’s where I was struck by the architectural medallion hanging on the front of Radio City Music Hall like a necklace around the neck of a runway fashion model. My mind started racing and I knew this had to be one of the inspiration pieces for the Art Bead Scene Challenge. I stood on the crowded sidewalk on that Thanksgiving Thursday snapping away trying to keep my excitement at bay. For me, the inspiration was in the metal, the hand forming and enamel of the piece.
There is alot in the piece to be inspired by, technique, materials, style, color. To over use a Thanksgiving reference, it’s a cornucopia of ideas!
Taking a cue from the materials, I ran home and created a necklace with metal clay.
I premiered Hiding Withing Myself on my blog with the intention to write a tutorial for ABS. It’s a very easy beading/stringing project to make:
Supplies:
1 Stile Floreal: Sunflower Pendant
1 Vintaj 40mm donut
1 15mm Vintaj jump ring
7 Vintaj 4.75 jump ring
1 10mm Vintag jump ring
2 5mm x 9mm Swarovski pink crystal briolettes
2 4mm round periot beads
10 inches 22 gauge brass wire
1 12mm Vintaj lobster clasp
18 inches Vintaj 6.5mm x 9.5mm etched chain
Required tools:
Chainnose pliers (2)
Beading Skills Required:
Opening and closing jump rings.
Making eye pins.
Directions:
1. Attach the 12mm lobster clasp to the chain using the 4.75 jump ring.
2. Assemble the pendant. Attach the Stile Floreal Pendant to the 40mm donut with the 15mm jump ring. Close the 15mm jump ring.
3. Optional: Make an eyepin by creating a loop at one end of the 22 gauge wire. String on the periot bead. Make a loop at the top. Repeat with the second peridot bead. Open one of the 4.25 jump rings and string the pink briolette onto it. Close the jump ring. Repeat with the other briolette.
3. Find the middle of the necklace/chain. This is where your pendant will hang. Open the 10mm jump ring and string on the peridot, pink briolettes and the pendant. Attach the 10mm jump ring to the center of the necklace.
The Vintaj donut is a perfect frame for the Stile Floreal pendant – wear it and enjoy!
So today’s question is, what project is on your design table today? Please leave a comment and you’ll be entered to win two (2) feet of Vintaj 6.5mm by 9.5mm chain.
I look forward to reading your comments!
Alice
October 16, 2010 at 1:11 pmBeautiful piece! Thanks so much for the tutorial.
I have several unfinished projects on my work table, most of them due to the fact that I ran out of the basics such as crimp beads or a certain sized closed jump ring. But the most unusual unfinished project is a pair of bejeweled sandals that a lady gave me to create two necklaces from in honor of her deceased mother. The sandals belonged to her mother. I'm struggling with what to make, as the jewels are cheap, cheap, and attached to even cheaper gold coated plastic. I am not inspired.
JeannieK
October 16, 2010 at 1:13 pmHi Cindy. This pendant is one of my favorites of yours.
I have two things going right now. One is a custom necklace for someone and the other is art work of the mix media kind.
Have a great weekend everyone.
sharon
October 16, 2010 at 2:22 pmI love all the texture in your piece, it really makes a beautiful statement!
On my table are 7 handmade pendants using copper, vintaj brass, rivets, solder, and ice resin! It's been a wonderful class I have been taking online with Deryn Mentock and Sharon Tomlinson…today will tell if the ice resin is okay…fingers crossed. I am loving the mixed media!
Erin Strother
October 16, 2010 at 3:37 pmActually, I'm working on a an ABS challenge piece today. Plus a necklace and earrings for submission to bead trends, and another piece for ornamentea's customer showcase. Of course they won't all get done, but I usually work on more than one piece at a time. (beading A.D.D., you know.)
Erin S
Imaginative Jewelry
October 16, 2010 at 3:39 pmI am actually heading to Michael's to buy the beads to enter Lori's Michael's Bead Challenge. That is my project for today.
Malin de Koning
October 16, 2010 at 3:59 pmOn my table today is a necklace for my daughter who is 7 on monday. It has been there for a week without me doing anything. I am stuck, drawn between what I believe she likes, and what I myself think goes well together.
It is a pendant of Darth Vader made of a beach stone with drillings in it. Cleverly made by StoneMe. I blogged about it some time ago in a post called "sucker for cuties".
I have this chain that would work perfectly. But then I would like to add something else, a more feminine touch, she is after all a girl, you know loves princesses and stuff like that, but she is also very much into Star Wars. So only last night I came to think I could make a heart in silver wire hammer it a little, and let it hang behind Darth to kind of give him a softer background, and also add to his complex personality from his time as Anakin.
Oh now I got all excited so I will go to my studio and give it a go. I can picture it in my head now. Thank you Cindy!
All my best,
Malin
Malin de Koning
October 16, 2010 at 4:03 pmJust want to add – I have three scetches for 3 different necklaces for this months ABS challenge. Just don't know if I will have enough time to finish any of them off. First task is to choose which one I shall make …
steufel
October 16, 2010 at 4:37 pmA necklace with a radio tube and some sari ribbon. Love your Necklace.
Happy weekend Stefanie
Eileen Bergen
October 16, 2010 at 9:34 pmI love the pendant necklace, but where is the metal clay you mentioned?
Today, I have a piece of mail art in process on my work table.
rosebud101
October 17, 2010 at 12:51 amOrnaments! Lots and lots of ornaments!
Dale
October 17, 2010 at 6:49 amwow! I am so excited that i won last week's challenge! thanks again for hosting these wonderful weekly draws. I sent lynn an e-mail.
As for what's on my desk, i'm just finishing off a second pair of 'webtangle' earings. Previously made a pair earlier last month, you can see them on my blog now. Had so much fun posting them, decided to make a second pair with squares instead of rounds.
Connie
October 17, 2010 at 9:08 am…coincidentally i'm playing with bronze metalclay – making some skellybirds and skelly clasps….
Shaiha
October 17, 2010 at 7:28 pmI am working on a Goddess charm bracelet and earrings right now.
TesoriTrovati
October 17, 2010 at 10:00 pmI have scores of things on my beading table that are undone. I decided that I have been hoarding my Gaea and Chinook pendants for far too long and took them all out until I make something with them. If I put them away they may never see the light of day or find someone to love them!
I love the focal you created. That is certainly a piece that I would love to wear.
Thank you for sharing.
Enjoy the day!
Erin
Cindy Gimbrone
October 19, 2010 at 1:19 pmThank you for commenting, All 🙂 I love the bronze as an alternative to the super expensive gold. The metal clay is so much fun to work with once you get the hang of it.
The high contrast between the patina of the Vintaj findings and the gold luster of the bronze seem to sing together. The size of the metal clay Stile Floreal pendant was just perfect for the Vintaj donut. Makes a great frame – it's a new favorite!
Seems that you all are busy with projects on your design tables. What with holidays coming up, I'm sure we'll have plenty handmade gifts to create!
Beadfully yours 😉
Cindy
Off the Beadin' Path
October 20, 2010 at 1:57 pmMy top-of-the-list project today is a custom necklace with 5 strands of seed beads! Put them in a shallow bowl and keep stabbing into it with the wire, goes rather quickly. I read your creative process with great interest. Metal clay is awesome and your necklace is elegant!
Anonymous
October 20, 2010 at 4:27 pmOn my table today is a glitzy pendant that I learned how to make at my local bed shop. It is too big for my taste, so I'm going to deconstruct it and tinker with it a bit, till I get a design and size that I like.
I love your pendadnt, I would wear it all the time!
Cindy Gimbrone
October 22, 2010 at 11:40 amThank you Beadin' and Anonymous 🙂 Sounds like both of you have interesting projects on your design table!
Keep creating!
Cindy