Sunday, January 16, 2011

January Challenge: My Favorite Place

Every other month we Metal Clay Heads do a challenge and the winner of a challenge sets the next.  This challenge is:  My Favorite Place, which was set by Jennifer of Envy Designs Jewelry.  Our entries for the My Favorite Place challenge are below.  Please vote for your favorite at the poll on the right side of the blog.  Voting will end on January 29th.


Paris Earrings by Evelyn of Evelyn Pelati Jewelry:  I wanted to go to Paris my whole life, and in 2008 I finally did! It was a dream trip and I loved it as much as I thought I would. I made these earrings featuring a tiny map of Paris in honor of that time.


Palette Necklace by Dawn of DaVoria Jewelry:   For some reason when I see a painters palette it makes me feel so serene. It brings me to a place I love to be. It could be painting, drawing, quilting, giving a haircut accented with outstanding hilites, or, as of late, making jewelry with metal clay. To me the painters palette represents my creativity.




Mother and Child Pendant by Ghislaine of GS Creations:   My favorite place is not a country nor a city, it is not a building nor is it a garden. My favorite place is wherever I can be with my son, especially snuggled up in the morning as he drinks his bottle. There, all my worries fade away and a certain calmness reigns over me. It is where I am the happiest and feel at peace with the world.



Sew Perfect Charm by Anise of SeavBeach Designs:  My favorite place when I was a child was my mom's sewing box. It had many mysterious things inside. Bobbins, spools of thread, buttons, needles, vintage skeleton keys that went to locks in another land.


Fern Necklace by Esmerelda of SilverBlueberry:   My favorite place is the forest and the garden, so I made two overlapping fern leaves soldered to a neck wire (clasp behind one leaf) and below hangs a beautiful idocrase drop cabochon, cut by Rod from FoxCabochons.


Pavillion with Persian Illumination by Laura of Zoeowyn:  My favorite place is "far far away." I don't have a favorite physical location, it always tends to be "some place else" and definitely someplace ideal and perfect and exotic.


  
Mardi Gras Mask Pendant by Kathy of York Avenue Studio:  My favorite place is New Orleans! There isn’t anywhere in the world that I would rather be than visiting the French Quarter. There are festivals almost daily for music, art, food, fun, history, etc Steering clear of Bourbon Street, I spend most of my visits there browsing unique shops that sell candles, art, perfume, jewelry and treats! There are so many amazing people that work and live there and I will never get bored of the jazzy sounds, the spicy smells of Cajun food, the Pecan Prailines, the Coffee Shops, the lush green foliage, even the muggy heat!


My Favorite Place Necklace by Lisa of Willow and Me Jewelry:  When the challenge was set, I had just returned from a short family vacation at a beach in Alabama, that is one of my favorite places in the whole world. It has gorgeous white beaches, which are not packed with people, and warm Gulf of Mexico water. During this last trip, the beach was full of Portugese Man of Wars (Men of War?).  Using a shell I found on this beach, I made a mold from which I made the base of this piece. Using texture, I tried to duplicate the look of a beach with shells, starfish and even a Portugese Man of War, made from a sapphire cabochon. The bottom portion of the pendant has been covered with resin to emulate the surf rolling in.



In the Garden Necklace by Erin of heartsabustin:   In the dead of winter, I dream of my garden in the spring. The daffodils, the hydrangeas, and the lilies are all very special to me.


Harp Necklace by Jennifer of Envy Designs Jewelry:   My favorite place is Ireland, where I spent my honeymoon, and returned to 7 years later. I fell in love with the people, the beauty, the music and the rich history Ireland is known for.  The Harp is an ancient instrument that was used by the Bards of Ireland, whose history and stories were told with the accompaniment of beautiful harp music.

Bronze Flower Garden Pendant by Deb of Prairie Mud Studio:  My favorite place has always been my family's farm - and this piece represents my mom's flower gardens and my dad's cornfields.


St. John Passion Pendant by Mary Lou of Sweetleaf Sisterz:   The image on this pendant reminds me of St. John in the US Virgin Islands. It is one of my favorite places in the world. Sitting on the beach at night with rolling waves and the stars bright in the sky, there is no other place like it.   This pendant of fine silver illustrates that vision. The surf is rolling below stars brilliant in the nighttime sky. 




Please cast your vote on the right column; and if you post a comment, you will be automatically entered into our February blog giveaway.



12 comments:

  1. One is more beautiful than the next! Good luck to us all.

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  2. Oh my god, that was difficult. Man you lot are so talented - incredible, I am tied between at least four things here, things I am seriously thinking about aquiring for myself!
    Well done!

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  3. wow fantastic entries! Hard to decide on one...

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  4. Wow, the talent is staggering! What a great spread!

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  5. Wow some of these look like they took alot of skill to create, especially the palette necklace. Way to add some color!

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  6. Phew, voted! It was Not easy, everyone has made beautiful things!

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  7. This theme "My Favorite Place" really sparked up a brilliant collection of designs and designers' stories of inspiration! Not an easy vote, each design has the "wow" factor.

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  8. I voted! Love all the pieces but can only vote for one!

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  9. You all have inspired me. I love reading the meaning behind each piece as much as admiring the work in each piece! Beautiful work!

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  10. Wow this is some serious competition this month! Lovely work everyone! The best so far!!!!

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  11. Wow- glad I joined this group- the inspiration is fantastic. So hard to choose one, all of these are fabulous

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