The theme for the July Challenge is Beautiful Butterflies, Birds and Bugs.
All jewelry design projects are a challenge, and many begin this way: first playing with components on a work surface, gathering more, trying this, then trying that.
It's even easier when you have a clear idea, a THEME, of what you want to do first. That's why we have our design challenges every month at B'sue Boutiques .....it can provide you with direction, impetus, new and better outside-the-box thinking.
Our B'sue Boutiques Design Team (find them here: http://www.bsueboutiques.com/Articles.asp?ID=289 ) now actually plans a path for all twelve months of the year. I'm now announcing three months ahead what the challenges will be at the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group so you can plan further.
It's also good for me a supplier, since I can check that list and be certain that we have the sorts of things you'll be wanting to go down that path with us!
TO PARTICIPATE: If you are not on the Creative Group, why not join us?
If that's not for you at this time, I'll be posting the themes here on this blog and you may view it as a personal challenge....see what YOU can come up with. Perhaps it will lead to you to a whole new line!
Susan Killam from Killam Creative participated in the BUILD A LINE CHALLENGE last winter, and her design line theme was built around a hummingbird stamping which she named Fancy:
Over the course of a few months (that challenge was a special one, apart from the monthly challenges) she formed a line all around Fancy:
Generally, though, you'll have more impetus as a maker/designer if you join a group who is involved in a similar effort, so my fond hope is that you WILL come and join us at Facebook. Post photos, bounce your ideas off the others, ask questions.
You may also post your photos at our Challenge Board at Pinterest:
B'sue Boutiques Creative Group Challenge Board
At the end of the month there is a random number generator drawing from among those who participated and pinned their work, and nice gift of goodies from B'sue Boutiques is sent out, wrapped up pretty and made very special.
For this challenge there are not a lot of rules.
Simply create a piece of jewelry---can be anything, earrings, bracelet, necklace, hair jewelry, brooch, or better still a set of jewelry---or for the ambitious, a small line of jewelry like Susan made!
Your piece must feature some goodies from the B'sue Boutiques website but you can mix them in with found items, things you already have, fiber, polymer clay, paper, metal bits, however it works out for you.
Put your heart in it if you can. Dig your heels in and tell yourself, I'm not doing this just to get something done....I'm doing this to find a new path, have a happy accident, discover something about myself or my abilities....GROW.
To get you started, I can't think of anything better than to just offer you a bunch of photos of great pieces created by members of the Group from our Galley of Inspiration that feature butterflies, bugs and birds!
From Judy Jones King of Apt to Wander (and a Design Team Member):
From Cynthia Wainscott, also a Design Team member, featuring a lovely dragonfly:
From Cindy Peterson, of Howling Dog Jewelry at Etsy, a prolific polymer clay and assemblage artist.....she's featured a colorized dragonfly cameo:
Harry Wood made this amazing OWL brooch some time ago, in fact there is even a tutorial on our website on how YOU can make one:
Steampunk Owl Tutorial by Harry Wood of Oscar Crow
Robin Taylor Delargy crafted this amazing chatelaine brooch (a favorite jewelry style of mine, that!) along with accompanying tac pin:
I made the following beetle brooch quite some time ago. It's fun yet the pretty vintage style still holds up nicely! We still carry the beetle stamping as well as many malleable brass flowers that you can form around and about it.
Cuffs will figure big in Fall Fashion, I've read. Here is a beautiful one of layered filigree made by Joan Williams of Lil Ruby at Etsy. What a great idea to cover the cuff with lace first! The butterfly and filigree are still available at B'sue Boutiques
Look closely at Joan's design and you will discover that she has etched the INSIDE of the cuff, too.
Your design can and should blend with other elements to make it pop. For those of us that design to sell, this will get your pieces out there and into collectors' hands sooner!
Look at how Cynthia Wainscott of Exotic Peru (and B'sue Design Team member) has done that with the addition of a little hummingbird charm inside a pie crust bezel surrounded by colorized maple leaves, all from B'sue Boutiques
It's an honor and a responsibility to be a handmade jewelry maker, and our challenges are designed to bring out the best of your abilities while using quality products combined with your own creativity.
They say that jewelry lines can no longer be profitable if made in the US. That is why almost all of the commercial lines we knew as quality are gone from US manufacture. They do not use quality US made product anymore, and the history as well as soul have gone out of them.
They have simply become throw-away jewelry, not jewelry that endures and can be collected, as the vintage lines were.
Our responsibility as handmade artists who design is to show this notion to be false. We use our ingenuity to make something with life and light inside it. Those who choose our jewelry will appreciate the difference between it, and something not grabbed off a rack in the mall.
Our pieces are our hearts and our energy, the best of our constantly-improving techniques. Make your pieces to last, use the GOOD STUFF to craft them, and be clever. There is still a fine market for quality handmade jewelry out there. Start with a great new design, give it everything you've got....
And see where the road takes you. You may surprise yourself this month when you meet the challenge! A new window may open for you!
Just like a bird, you may find yourself FLYING!
Love them all!! Starting to work with what I have until I get my newest B'Sue order!
Posted by: Karen Eaton | July 07, 2015 at 11:32 AM
Amazing insiration. These talented designers are creating such beautiful work with the components from BSueboutiques.com. I just love your American made brass stampings.
Posted by: Mary Reckmeyer | July 07, 2015 at 11:50 AM
Wonderful post, and such beautiful and inspiring jewelry! I love birds and bugs, and am already working on some designs with more in mind. ;)
Posted by: Pamela Anger | July 07, 2015 at 11:58 AM
As always an amazing newsletter .. I love reading them and seeing everyones designs .. Fancy was one of my favorites and Susan had such a sweet story to tell with her design .. <3
Posted by: Jann Tague | July 07, 2015 at 12:03 PM
All beautiful pieces! I've enjoyed creating with many of these wonderful B'Sue components for years, and I especially love the birds & bugs :)
Posted by: Joan Williams | July 07, 2015 at 08:51 PM
Awesome, Brenda! Thanks for including my blue bird and components photo! :)
Catherine Shattuck
www.VRBBoutique.etsy.com
Posted by: Catherine | July 08, 2015 at 12:17 AM
It warms my heart to see the beautiful jewelry made by the group. I don't know how you find the time to do it all, but I appreciate you for all that you do. And your staff and design team, too.
Posted by: Charlotte | July 08, 2015 at 01:41 AM
Thank you so much for sharing my dragonfly bracelet. I just love how all the colors work together.
Posted by: Cindy Peterson | July 08, 2015 at 02:26 AM
Brenda, wonderful blog post to provide inspiration to the current group members, but for encouragement for others to join and be inspired. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Posted by: Marcia Tuzzolino | July 08, 2015 at 02:02 PM
This is such an inspirational blog. I love the pieces you've selected to show us for inspiration. They're all so well done!
I'm not a big bug fan (other than butterflies, bees and dragonflies), but I'm going to give the challenge try. Who knows what I'll come up with. There's so much to choose from at B'Sue Boutiques!
Posted by: Lynda O'Mara | July 10, 2015 at 04:20 PM
Muchas gracias mi amiga linda por compartir mis diseños, me siento muy halagada de poder ser parte del "Design Team" siempre estoy dispuesta a ayudar y no te olvides que B'Sue Boutiques It's the heart of Exotic Peru Jewelry!
Posted by: Cynthia Wainscott | July 18, 2015 at 12:34 PM