The Winner of February's Parisian Valentine Pendant

Wow, I'm overwhelmed to have 36 comments for this month's drawing! Several of you commented again this month and we had several new friends join in, too. Awesome!

Here are the names of the people who left a comment, either about the pendant or about their Valentine's Day traditions:

1) Terry Biz
2) Nena
3) B-Lee Kreations
4) SueBeads
5) Viv’s Visuals
6) Ms. Lahtidah
7) Lois Moon
8) Adventures with Millie Making Jewelry
9) Doreen
10) Elisabeth
11) Patty S.
12) M. E.
13) LauraBee
14) Janetfaye
15) Moon Bell
16) DebDGrammyChick
17) Moon Rae
18) Jeanne a/k/a Gem Chick
19) Michelle
20) C Clark
21) Julz
22) Kathy B.
23) Boot-C
24) Betty
25) Anne B.
26) Bleubeard and Elizabeth
27) Lynda Howells
28) Rhonda
29) JuLee
30) Sharon
31) Lorraine Vogel
32) dgibson
33) JEMSstones
34) Deci
35) Cheeky Jewels by Sonja
36) Pretty Things

And the winner chosen by random is: #16 DebDGrammyChick

Congratulations, Deb! I will be contacting you for your mailing address shortly so you can receive this in time to wear for Valentine's Day, if you wish.

Thanks again to everyone for playing along. i hope you will all come back next month, because you are in for a special treat. My friend Mary Ellen Parker, she of BeeTreeByMe fame, and I are collaborating on a giveaway prize: A necklace featuring one of my image transfer pendants and Mary Ellen's beautiful polymer clay beads. To see more of her gorgeous work, please visit her shop. She's a sculptor extraordinaire and works magic with clay, AND the nicest woman in Maryland!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Lynda

February Giveaway Drawing - Win This Romantic Parisian Valentine Pendant!

Okay, friends. Here it is! The piece I designed for my February drawing, this romantic Parisian Valentine Pendant. To have a chance to win it, just comment at the end of this post. That's it! There is nothing to buy, just leave a comment about the pendant or your Valentine's Day traditions, if any, or the weather, whatever floats your boat, just keep it clean, please. Hee Hee.

I will leave the comments open until Jan. 31 and announce the winner on Feb. 1st using a random generator. I will then notify you by email and ask for your snail mail address (so please put your email address in the comment if you don't have email enabled on your blog or website) and as soon as I get that, I will send the pendant out to you wrapped in this sweet Paris gift paper, in time for you to enjoy wearing on Valentine's Day or to give as a gift.

The pendant is signed by me on the back, your guarantee you are receiving a Diva Designs exclusive piece of wearable art! The back also is finished in a gorgeous silver metallic clay which I embossed with a pretty filigree texture sheet.

Thanks, everyone!

More Embellished Medieval Jewels

The weather this past weekend kept me inside where it was warm and dry and cozy. I love the rain, but rain in Winter sucks. It's not the gentle, light rain that cools down a Summer day in the deep South. It was one of those days where it felt like it was only raining on my house.

I decided to make the best of it and got out my bail-making pliers and twisted some Vintaj and other brass stampings. My shipment of faux gemstone glass jewels came in, and I was very excited to see what I could do with them. They are a little smaller than the citrine I used in the other pendant (see below), and I had to get creative about raising the profile to fit the Vintaj window frame, but by the second one, I had the process down pat.

I chose not to use polymer backgrounds with these, but you could certainly add another pendant behind this one if you wanted a backdrop to frame it. I did one in amethyst and brass and one in amethyst and silver (which my Mother appropriated for herself before I could photograph it) with no additional charms or drops and these with some Vintaj and crystal blinginess.

Then I spied this cathedral-shaped polymer pendant that I made a couple of months ago in the "to be made into something spectacular box". I had just purchased some gold, pear-shaped Swarovski pearls and thought they would look pretty paired with the silver and bronze/gold tones of the polymer pendant. I added some Black Diamond Swarovski bicones, too.

My Aunt Audrey, Momma's next-to-youngest sister, asked me recently if I made bracelets. I have not. I don't use a bead board to make my necklace designs. I have an unconventional way of string beads that drives my jewelry designer friends nuts. I don't sit there and calculate how many 10mm beads I will to go with how many 8mm beads and yada yada yada to get a 7 1/2" bracelet. Math isn't, and never has been, my thing. The bottom line is that the length never works out so the pattern is even, which it must be to appease my OCD self.



But, wanting to please and knowing I needed to branch out to bracelets, I decided to try one, with the Vintaj and other brass filigree I had on hand, and one of the medieval framed gems.

It took four times as long as it takes me to make a necklace or a polymer clay pendant. I re-worked it several times and fiddled with it for what seemed like forever, but here it is. Sigh. There may never be another, but it's pretty, don't you think?

Now it is back to the present and time to put the time machine away for a bit so I can finish all the other things I need to do!

Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Party

Last year, I was pea green with envy over the luscious bead goodies my friend Laurel Steven received in the last Bead Soup party sponsored by Lori Anderson, a very talented jewelry designer and one of the ladies behind Art Bead Scene. It was too late for me to join in that time, but I have been watching for it this year, and Laurel helped by asking me a couple of weeks ago if I was going to participate. YES! Yay!

I was assigned my bead partner over the weekend, and I've talked to her (not sure if I can say who it is, but I think I'll keep it a surprise for now) and we've discussed likes and dislikes, colors and styles, etc, and I am very excited and anxious to get started on my ideas for her cup of bead soup.

Lori has created a flickr photogroup so that everyone can post photos of the jewelry we create with the beads, so you can see all of them (hopefully, everyone will post) as they are created. I think I am as excited to see everyone else's designs as I am to get started on mine.

The next week is going to be JAMMED with everything I have to do, several deadlines to meet and orders to complete, but I am so looking forward to getting back to the clay again and creating something really special for my cup of the bead soup.

Thanks, Lori, for letting me play along!

Anne, meet Catherine... She Came On The Scene After You Lost Your Head

The whole Medieval time travel thing actually began with a request for two pendants from my friend Sarah, a/k/a FaeryGothMother, who lives in Belgium. Sarah requested I find some Waterhouse images for two pendants she would like to have. She also wanted them embellished a little bit, and knowing Sarah's style and her flair for color and composition (she makes gorgeous jewelry herself!), I tried to envision some designs for her that would be edgy but romantic and old world, too. That's what got me started on the Medieval era and what led me to jump in the time machine and do some research on period costumes and jewels appropriate for the middle ages.



I can't wait for Sarah to see these. I found a collection digital images at Etsy which feature Henry VIII's poor, unfortunate wives, including the tragic Anne Boleyn, and I just had to have them. The rich crimson red in the images for Anne and Catherine Parr just spoke to me. It was also another chance to use my new favorite Swarovski crystal, the luscious, dramatic blood red Siam color... and how appropriate for the tragic Anne!

I also had another wild hair moment and spied this Berbier pendant, which I made a couple of months ago weeks ago for an Art Bead Scene Challenge. I ran out of time and didn't get a necklace made to enter, but I love the Art Deco/Art Nouveau shape of the pendant; and it was conveniently sitting on top of a piece of brass stamping and naturally, I picked it up and started playing with it. I LOVE the result, I must say. This might be my favorite so far.

Jewels of Aragon Pendant

I have been time traveling through the history books lately, and last week, I landed in the middle ages. I did a little research on royalty, royal jewels and costuming of the era.

I wanted to try to do a few jewelry pieces that really make you think "Medieval." Here is the first pendant, featuring a gorgeous 20 carat, square-cut, lemon yellow citrine surrounded by Vintaj Natural Brass and nestled on a base of dark silver polymer clay antiqued with bronze acrylic paint and framed in a dark silver metal stamping, which I manipulated to make a holder for the jump ring bail.

What do you think? Can you see Catherine of Aragon wearing this? I call it "Jewels of Aragon."

The citrine was a birthday gift from my Mother when I was 25, so I better hang on to this one. I will be making more, though. I ordered some square-cut faux gemstone glass beads last week in garnet and amethyst and diamond clear. I think the garnet in particular will look stunning against the dark silver and antique brass backdrop!

The Winner of January's Gothic Arch Pendant Drawing!

Thank you to everyone who entered the drawing for the Gothic Arch Pendant Embellished with Vintaj Brass co-sponsored by Lynn of CreativeSpirit1, a/k/a Koupie at Etsy, and me. I was thrilled to have 44 entries, and Lynn and I really appreciate your lovely comments.

I assigned numbers to the entrants according to the order in which they commented, and chose a winner using a random generator.




1) Boot-C
2) Marie Young (YoungCreative)
3) JuLee
4) SueBeads
5) Doreen
6) Elisabeth
7) Julz
8) B-Lee Kreations
9) Robin
10) M.E.
11) Terri Kahrs
12) Viv’s Visuals
13) Kiki a/k/a Victoria
14) Janice
15) MoonRae
16) Dolores
17) Thmini2
18) Kozi
19) Silvia
20) Kathy B.
21) Faith Hope Cherrylea
22) Shirley
23) Kathy
24) Magpie’s Mumblings
25) Briarwood Miniatures
26) Stephanie Mealor Corder
27) Jeanne a/k/a Gem Chick
28) Deborah Snyder TexasGramRose
29) Linda
30) Lynn Gonzalez
31) Mar_Ya_Morevna
32) Deb D Grammy Chick
33) Faerygothmother
34) Susnaka Chicky Suz
35) SuzB
36) Janee
37) Patty S.
38) Lululiz
39) PerennialGirl
40) Misty
41) Surrayah
42) Debbi a/k/a Sparkle Chick
43) Joyell at An Artful Endeavor
44) Val



And the winner is: #37, Patty S.

Congratulations, Patty! I'll be in touch to get your mailing address.

Next month I'll be giving away a Valentine's themed item, and I hope you'll all come back and play along with me again.

Thanks so mucy, everyone, for following my blog; and to Lynn for helping me host this month's drawing!

2011 Valentine's Collection - Faux Ivory Polymer Clay Pendants Embellished with Vintaj and Swarovski Crystal

I spent all day yesterday working on my 2011 Valentine's Collection. Here are the results!



I love the look of clear crystal, white and antique brass together. I had an idea that I wanted this year's Valentine's collection to feature faux ivory polymer pendants (and I'm working on some more faux ivory focal beads and cylinder beads, too.)

It took me several tries to get the color of the ivory like I wanted, a creamy, soft, aged ivory color. You wouldn't think it would be so hard to do! The end result was about half and half of white and translucent with a smear of ecru and some yellow alcohol ink.

This little pendant is my favorite, I think. I might just keep it for myself. Happy Valentine's Day to me!

My new favorite Swarovski crystal color is the Siam red. It is a gorgeous blood red that goes perfectly with the creamy tones of the faux ivory. I would have used it on all the pendants, but I wasn't sure everyone else would be as thrilled with the red and white combo as I am. I love this vintage cut glass crystal teardrop, too. They are so romantic!

A Little Medieval Flair - Juliet's Rockin' Necklace and Earrings

Are you a fan of the tragic star-crossed love story of Romeo and Juliet? Did you know that there are those who believe the story was set much earlier than the Elizabethan age in which it was performed by Shakespeare's players?

Some people believe it was actually set in 1400s Italy. When I finished this necklace, one of my "Ancient Romance" Series, the first thing I thought was "Medieval" and "Juliet." But, whether or not Juliet Capulet was an Elizabethan Miss or a Medieval Miss, the necklace and earrings are terribly romantic, don't you think?



The necklace features an aqua metallic polymer clay cab with an embossed vine and leaf design that I embellished with Vintaj Natural Brass and faceted, Indian Sapphire Swarovski rounds treated with an AB finish; and some vintage, faceted Czech crystal tear drops. I love how the matching earrings turned out, and apparently a lot of folks did, too. I received an order wedding yesterday for 12 pair for some lucky bridesmaids in an April wedding from a very nice young lady who saw them posted on my flickr photostream.



I am also working on a necklace and earrings with other Medieval women in history and literature in mind. I am especially fascinated by Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen of France and England by virtue of her marriages to Louis VII of France and Henry II of England, and one of the most powerful women ever; and Mary de Bohun, the Queen Consort of Henry IV, both of whom, if the genealogy is accurate, are ancestors of mine. I don't know how much credence to give to that kind of claim, however, because if we dig back far enough, probably everyone is related to a King or Queen or two. It was a small world back then. It won't get me bumped up in the checkout line at the grocery store, but it makes for some fascinating study.

You Could Win This Beautiful Pendant!

If you are a regular follower of my blog, you will know that I discovered my new friend Lynn recently after seeing a photo of her beautiful Garden Nymph Gothic Arch paper creation in her flickr photostream. You can read all about it here in the original post: Gothic Arch Nymph and A New Friend.

Lynn hales from Canada, and is a wonderfully talented lady who creates and sells digital collage images in her Etsy shop called Koupie, and from her own website of the same name. She graciously allowed me to use the gothic arch image, and I created three image transfer pieces: A Victorian ornament and a medium-sized pendant, both of which found a home with Lynn, and this smaller, arch-shaped pendant which I embellished with Vintaj natural brass and Light Sapphire and Rose Swarovski crystals.

Well, Lynn and I have decided to collaborate on a giveaway, and this pendant is the prize!



You do not have to jump through any fancy hoops or purchase anything to have a chance at winning the pendant. All you have to do is leave a comment at the end of this post. One week from today, I will choose a winner using a random generator. When the drawing has ended, I will contact you and ask for your mailing address. My international friends are welcome to join in the fun, too!

I have also decided to have a drawing every month throughout 2011, so stay tuned. I already know what I want to do for February. I have some gorgeous vintage, Victorian Valentine images I have been itching to transfer.

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone, and thanks again for visiting my blog and playing along!

Lynda