Wirework - practising for FSOJ

I am all signed up for the Four Seasons of Jewellery 2006/07, I am excited but a bit nervous although 1 piece a week shouldn't be a problem but keeping to the themes might. I know the themes are optional but I do want to try & stick to them as a way of improving my design skills. I have participated in 2 challenges on the Bead & Button forum & have found sticking to someone elses guidelines both challenging & a great learning experience, knowing that my pieces will be posted in a gallery with others by very talented people does seem to make me try new things & think a bit more about the design so hopefully I will build on that with FSOJ.

I mostly use beadweaving techniques & the FSOJ is an offshoot of the creative wire jewelry forum so I have been practising with wire, here are some of the results.

Spiral Rope Bracelet

Spiral Rope Bracelet
Originally uploaded by sarahjt1.

Here's a very quick & simple spiral rope bracelet I made last night using Size 11's, size 8's & cube beads, the beaded beads on the end are simple wrapped beads. I love spiral rope, it is so versatile & quick to make.
I shouldn't really have made it though as I have a lot of other stuff to do,a bracelet for a forum swap, a victorian & variations style necklace in brown & gold that's in progress, I have just signed up to FSOJ 06/07 so I need to start thinking about that & I have also just signed up to do a victorian style necklace for another forum challenge. I think I'll try to design my own for the victorian challenge, I've got some lovely white opalish seed beads & moonstone rounds that I think will be nice for it.

Purple & Silver Choker

Purple & Silver Choker .

I just finished this choker today. The medallion pattern is in Suzanne Coopers Victorian & Variations. I used silver glass pearls, purple velvet swarovskis & delicas. I've used this pattern a lot, it is quick & easy & looks great in all sorts of colourways. I am also making it using brown & gold colours for a friend, I'll post that when it's finished.

First Post

Wow, I can't believe I've finally done this, I've been talking about it for long enough. I am thinking about signing up for the Four Seasons of Jewellery 2006/07 Project & figured I might as well go the whole hog & set up a journal.

Just to test this out here is a photo of a bracelet I created for the seed bead bracelet challenge on the Bead & Button Forum.