September 13, 2014

Sea Shell Design Challenge Reveal

Sea shell design challenge

My generous friend, Rita of Toltec Jewels put out a challenge in one of the beading groups to which I belong:  create a piece using a ceramic scallop shell pendant by Firefly Design Studio.  Michelle (the creative genius behind Firefly Design) is also a member of the same group, so this was a particularly fun challenge for me.  Rita even supplied the shells for participants (thanks again, Rita!!).

It's no surprise to anyone who has followed me for five minutes or more that I love ocean themes.  Anything beachy and I'm there.  And to top it all off, the shell I received was in some of my favorite colors (fate or Rita's hand?):

Cord and bead palette in sage green and blue and bronze

I pulled some glass seed beads and s-lon cord I thought might work with the sagey green and soft blue in the pendant and then played up the background color of the clay as well, adding some gold and bronze.  

I started knotting around a center ring and let the cord fan out from that like ripples in the water.  I didn't have any pattern in mind when I started, I just let the micro macrame wander and flow around the beads.

Close up of micro macrame knotting by Sherri Stokey of Knot Just Macrame.

The necklace ended up with a unique keyhole shape which gives a hint of the exotic and the lavish beads and scalloped knots gives it an over-the-top, excess feel, like a mermaid dripping in jewels.  

Micro macrame necklace by Sherri Stokey with ceramic shell pendant by Firefly Design Studio


The sea shell pendant is actually drilled at the wider end, but I wanted to suspend it the other way around, so I added a bail to the narrower end of the shell.  That left me with a hole at the bottom to attach a ring full of beachy charms - a shell, some starfish beads and even a Vintaj seahorse.

Ceramic sea shell pendant by Firefly Design Studio

So?  Can you picture this on your friendly neighborhood mermaid?

Micro macrame necklace by Sherri Stokey of Knot Just Macrame.


14 comments:

  1. "Over-the-top" doesn't usually appeal to me (sorry, I'm no mermaid), but I love those curves combined with the simplicity of that seashell! And I like how you situated that shell with its extra danglies.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a beautiful design! I can definitely see my friendly neighborhood mermaid wearing it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Exquisite! I think this is my favorite piece by you yet! Wonderful ART! The colors, the movement and soft flowing scallops of your macrame are perfect with the two-toned ceramic shell -- love the details, the wonderful touches of rich color, the charms... beautiful! I want to feel like a mermaid... wearing this treasure would feel beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh my, this is perfect! Such lovely macrame to showcase the shell.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow what an amazing design, and so beautifully made! How fab would this look at a beach wedding!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yes, this is ART, I was thinking a museum piece. Your freeform never ceases to amaze me. Ido not think I will ever be able to achieve that. It is perfect, the colors, the flow, the creativity. Niky is right, can't you just see this at a beach wedding. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love Art Jewelry and this is one of the finest pieces I've ever seen. Beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  8. OMG it looks like something a true queen would wear - simply gorgeous

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh! I saw this over on CBC and was taken aback! this is an amazing design! LOVE it

    ReplyDelete
  10. OMG, I am just totally amazed by your piece! The color palette you've chosen is perfect for the shell! And the wave created by the weaving surely resembles soft, sea-swept beaches! Love! I can 'hear the ocean'....

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow, awesome amazing, I love this piece.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow....just wow. What a gorgeous, gorgeous necklace!! Well done, dear!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Online shopping has caught up as a recent trend. Why not? It has made shopping so much easier as now you can shop from the comfort of your home from your laptop or smart phone without going through the hassle of getting ready and going out. Buy away from the wide range of products available to you in your searched category. 四面佛

    ReplyDelete

I'd love to hear from you!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...