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.
This week’s winner is Nicki in Cologne, Germany! Congratulations!!
You have won a snowflake pendant from Heather Powers at Humblebeads!
Please forward an email to Heather with your address so she can send your snowflake beauty to you!
This week we’re in the studio of Lynn Davis, lately she’s been thinking ornamentally.
I’ve been casting some pewter with a medieval or ancient feeling, thinking about making ornaments for the house rather than wearable ornaments. But then I thought – why couldn’t they be a bit of both.
So I created some pieces that look a bit like medals or medallions, with ancient writing on them. The first photo is an oval and heart-shaped ornament that has two holes at the top and one at the bottom, for a bright dangle to be added.
This one has a shape like an iron cross, with a spot in the center where a bright rhinestone could be added, for a little extra bling if you like. And a hole at the top and bottom for a dangle or to add heavy chain.
With a hanger added, I thought they’d be pretty on the tree or on a wreath.
I even thought about framing some velvet, so that when they’re not being worn, they could be decorations for the wall as home decor. I love things that are multi-purpose, don’t you? To be enjoyed and worn outside the house, and not tucked away in a drawer when not being worn – to keep them visible and enjoy them all the time.
This is a necklace with a very long strand of costume pearls that I can wear by slipping over my head. But it also can be hung around a bannister for a stairway, or draped over the knob on an antique dresser as a kind of simple ornament, when it’s not being worn.
So here’s my question for this week’s Studio Saturday giveaway:
Have you thought about combining wearables with decorations for the season? How would you picture using art beads for a multi-purpose effect? Do you decorate your home, holiday table or giftwrap using art beads?
Reply to the question by posting a comment on this post and you can win one of my medieval style hand cast pewter ornaments, and you can decide whether to wear, decorate – or both!
Cindy Gimbrone
November 27, 2010 at 1:21 pmHi Lynn!
Love the new pieces and the dual purpose. Yes, I'm always thinking about how to use art beads and glass in home decor. Ornaments are one and then I think I small things like napkin rings, wine glass charms, knobs and lamp pulls.
Thank you for the peek into your studio! I've enjoyed myself 🙂
Cindy
Elaine
November 27, 2010 at 1:29 pmYep! Most of my ornaments on my tree are larger versions of my art beads (clay is flexible!). We also make beaded napkin rings, glass charms… and I'm known to wear one of my smaller clay decorations on a ribbon as a necklace at shows.
Imaginative Jewelry
November 27, 2010 at 2:21 pmI have some beady decorations in my house. I have also used beads to decorate presents.
Thanks for this post!
Brenda
November 27, 2010 at 2:58 pmHi Lynn.. I like things that don't scream holiday yet make a room/object just a bit more special. I like to add a string of beads on a plate or dish with a candle(s) in the middle, hung with wire on the tree, draped here and there in a mantle garland. Usually I have to be restrained! Happy Holidays to you and yours.
Brenda
LOVE,LOVE,LOVE your castings!!
Alice
November 27, 2010 at 4:09 pmVery pretty! I've not really though about making jewelry with a dual purpose but it's a great idea! I have a freind who put together a short strand of shiny beads as a garland for a small tree which could also be worn as a necklace.
Erin S
November 27, 2010 at 5:05 pmI have never really thought about the dual purpose, but I do have quite a few holiday ornaments and decorations I've made with beads. Would love to win one of the pewter ornaments!
Erin S
Tally
November 27, 2010 at 5:16 pmI've not thought about using my beads in home decor but I love the idea of using them to decorate the tree for Christmas. The castings are beautiful!
For My Sweet Daughter
November 27, 2010 at 6:07 pmI have never thought about using my jewelry as a decoration although I have several pieces hanging on pegs or sitting in dishes around my home so I suppose they are.
I would love to win, your pieces are beautiful!
Shannon C
Sabine
November 27, 2010 at 6:08 pmI have several large dangly earrings that I bought at MOMA in the eighties. They are really ornaments, but I wear them occasionally as earrings. They are large aluminum triangles. I also wear a glass heart that was an ornament given to me as a gift as a pendant on a velvet ribbon.
Ann
mycriticaleye.com
Nadiaher
November 27, 2010 at 8:46 pmc'est vraiment un magnifique travail! je suis admirative!
Klassy Joolz
November 27, 2010 at 9:56 pmI use beads on my ink desressed gift tags that I make for my http://www.LilLoveNotes.etsy.com site (I also sell on Sundays at an indoor swap meet)…they sell out really quickly. I use them on gifts, too.
You know I love your pewter pieces!!! So of course I would love to win
Thanks, Pam
Gail W.
November 27, 2010 at 10:50 pmI've been giving jewelry as gifts for a couple of years,this year I got them matching pjs.Some of the ornaments that I've made have become permanent dislays year round in the house.I use oddball beads to decorate gifts,as I can't think of anything else to do with them.
m.e.
November 27, 2010 at 10:55 pmI love multipurpose !
Ever since I started making pendants I have used them ,not just on necklaces ,but as ornaments and present tie-ons too. My mother-in-law used to stick those silly pre-made bows on top of her head just for laughs!The first year I discovered polymer clay she only had to run her gift's ribbon through my tie-on bead for a bit of a better look!!!
How much better is that new sweater if you include a matching pendant on the gift box !
My beads also live in my garden as ornaments.I can always "pick" them out of my garden to wear on a necklace if I want to. No end to what a bead can be !!! m.e. 🙂
rockcreekcreations
November 28, 2010 at 3:50 amI routinely forget to put a necklace on in the morning. I keep a black & white necklace on my rear view mirror for these times. Then I always remember to hang it back up there. It catches sun when I'm not wearing it!
LLYYNN - Lynn Davis
November 28, 2010 at 4:06 pmThose are all great ideas, and I especially love the thought of having some ornaments in the garden. I am also thinking of using cast charms as stitch markers for my knitting, and putting them onto barrettes for hair ornaments. Home, hair, garden and holiday decorations- art beads should be everywhere!
Kinderhook
November 29, 2010 at 7:10 pmIt's amazing to me how many bracelets and earrings and even necklaces make good Christmas tree decorations. I sent most of our ornaments to our kids when they grew up, and I didn't want to do trees anymore. But then I decided I needed to do one. Voila! The newly made jewelry! Perfect!!! I hope to win your beautiful pewter ornament, and I guarantee it will do double duty at least until January lst! –SallyA
Susan Z
December 1, 2010 at 4:47 pmwell I think it would be neat to use an art bead as part of a holiday bracelet then use it as a napking ring for your holiday table. The table would look great and your guests would have a gift to take home.