Victorian Mourning Jewelry and Fundraising Necklace

 This week, for The Alchemy of Objects workshop lesson 5, the challenge was focal pieces. For this challenge, I paired a Victorian mourning brooch with a coordinating black cross pendant. I then used faceted, black beads to pick up on the faceted nature of the brooch and cross. The back has a vintage rhinestone clasp and a vintage Medal.

I used a Victorian Mourning Brooch paired with a black cross as the necklace focal. 

This week, I also created a necklace to donate to my son's school for their silent auction fundraiser. It features a handmade clay bird from Firefly Design Studio. I used marbleized agate stones that compliment the green of the pendant.

I also drilled a hole in the bottom to add a coordinating charm dangle. The back features a vintage box clasp and bronze bird dangle, picking up on the bird theme.

A bird necklace crafted for a silent auction. 

Alchemy of Objects Design Challenge One

My photograph and the color palette generator. 

As part of our first Alchemy of Objects workshop design challenge, I used the above photograph I took this spring of the Bougainvillea in the garden of my in-laws, to generate a color palette for a piece of jewelry.

 
Here is the necklace I designed using this color scheme. I feel like there could be more of the pink beads from the front throughout the necklace, but this was all of the pink ones I had in my supply stash!

Designing with Deryn (Mentock)

Spellbound by the allure of a glittering vintage rhinestone paste brooch or an antique buckle?  Want to work magic with that unique lock or old metal flower?  In this workshop, I'll help you transform your treasured vintage and found objects into a beautiful one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry. -Deryn Mentock.

via somethingsublime.typepad.com

Here is a sneak peek from Deryn!


Am I spellbound by glittering vintage rhinestones? Yes! Do I have lots of vintage and found objects I want to design with? Yes! Do I feel like I still have things I can learn about the jewelry design process? Yes!

Some of my vintage stash of jewelry!

These are just some of the reasons I enrolled in Deryn Mentock's newest online workshop, The Alchemy of Objects. I took two of her previous workshops, which you may recall if you follow my blog.

I am very excited to begin this workshop, especially because of the stress on aspects of design. I am fascinated by the jewelry design process!  I am also looking forward to learning more about the best practices for working with rhinestones (of which I seem to have many). And, of taking another workshop with one of my favorite designers, Deryn!