Threaded Vessel Challenge

Presenting The 2012 Second Quarter Metal Clay Design Challenge by Etsy’s Metal Clay Heads Team. 

Entrants were posed with the challenge of designing a metal clay original work under the theme “1920s-1930s Era” including the technical requirement for each of the entries to be a threaded vessel.  Talk about a true Challenge!

Each Quarter, the Metal Clay Heads team members embrace the task of incorporating new skills and techniques to gain personal growth as designers and artists.  Sharing ideas, learning from each other, the highs and lows of successes and failures, each member is encouraged and supported along the adventure.

This Challenge was particularly difficult with several failed attempts and crossed-fingers, prayers whispered in anticipation and plenty of recycling!

Before revealing the entries, there is one very notable effort worthy of a spotlight:

Laura of ZOEOWYN, Art Jewelry Adornment designed a beautifully crafted threaded vessel. 

These photos are examples of the degree of difficulty and gorgeous artwork that come from these Challenges.  Although her vessel is still a work in progress, her design is duly noted and just a taste of what wonderful designs were entered by truly talented metal clay artists.



And now  for the entries submitted for voting in the 2012 Second Quarter Metal Clay Design Challenge!  In alphabetical order by Etsy shop name, here are the 4 entries, each and every one deserving of recognition for successfully conquering the Threaded Vessel Challenge!  Please feel free to click on the photos for more details of each entry.

Silver Perfume Bottle, handmade fine silver Art Nouveau bottle necklace-OOAK by Jennifer of Envydesignsjewelry

A beautiful Art Nouveau style perfume bottle pendant in pure (.999) silver. Made entirely by hand, by me from recycled silver, this is a definite statement piece, featuring a raised iris design, and a screw on lid, with a carved leaf crown. There is a different texture on the back.
I added the bail on the back to hang the bottle from an 18" sterling silver snake chain.
I gave the bottle a rainbow patina, then buffed the raised design, to bring out the highlights.
This pendant is 2 3/8 inches long or 87.5mm x 16mm x 15mm. (more)


Pagoda  By Anise of SeavBeach

 This is an entry to a challenge in a wonderful group that I'm a part of. The design challenge was jewelry from the 1920's and 30's. I researched jewelry from that era and found the thing that intrigued me the most were the perfume bottles that were made during this time. Very intricate bottles were made to hold the finest perfumes from around the world. In reading about the jewelry from that period I found out that Asia influenced a wave of Art Deco jewelry. This is just one piece. The pendant. The top being a roof of a pagoda. It will fit into a built pagoda which will later become the bottle holder. (more)


Hagar's Threaded Vessel Pendant in Fine Silver by Bev of StuckOnSilver

Hagar's threaded vessel pendant in fine silver by Bev of StuckOnSilver
The dynasty created by Hagar's and Abraham's marriage included her land (from modern-day Libya and Egypt to Canaan) and his (from Iran and Iraq to Yemen) --a huge expanse of the known world. The leaves on the pendant represent the shrub that shaded their son Ishmael in the desert.
This pendant includes recycled silver and weigh approx. 4 grams. Vessel and top measure approx. 20 mm in length. A retro leaf motif adorns the vessel and top. Sleek square vessel has a circular screw-on top--both are hollow and might hold solid perfume or a mini-scroll with the name of a loved one on it (not included.) Wire holding the top is solid low-tarnish Argentium sterling silver for low-maintenance ease. (more)

Petite Bottle by Lisa of WillowandMe

Constructed with COPPRclay, the vessel sides and threaded connections were formed separately and assembled together to form this triangular Art Nouveau inspired bottle.  I reserved the extra pieces cut from the vessel sides to place inverted which gives the vessel a unique bottle shape with angular sides.  The top is also constructed using the pieces trimmed from the triangle bottoms, giving continuity of design throughout the entire piece.  The bright red CZ is secured with prongs made from cut pieces of clay and set pre-firing.  Fully sintered after three firings, this vessel measures about 1 ¼ inches tall.


Vote Now!
Please cast your vote using the Public Poll at the right.  Voting will be open for two weeks and will close July 9th.  The Winner of the Challenge will be announced shortly after.  (The Technical Poll is for MCHs team members only.)

Please leave a comment below to be automatically entered into the next Jewelry Giveaway Drawing held soon!

September Challenge - In The Garden

Before you even knew it, it's our September challenge time! This time it is more exciting than ever since we've many first timers and new members who has entered a piece of their amazing work! Our September Challenge Theme is "In The Garden". The technical requirement is add colors to your design. Here are the entries:

Down in New Orleans VI from Stardust


I'm not going to lay down in words the lure of this place. Every great writer in the land, from Faulkner to Twain to Rice to Ford, has tried to do it and fallen short. It is impossible to capture the essence, tolerance, and spirit of south Louisiana in words. —Chris Rose More ...

Bronze Flower Necklace from PrairieCoastArt


Beautiful handcrafted bronze flower pendant with patina finish. Antique brass 18" necklace. A striking combination of colors. More ...

Maple Seed & Garnet CZ Pendant from StuckOnSilver


These are nicer in a pendant where they behave themselves than in my garden! This pendant features a faceted garnet cz nestled in a cluster of those intrepid little "helicopters" that twirl from maple trees. The replicas are made from my own molds made from rascally seeds I picked up in my front yard. More ...

Mother Earth's Autumn Gift from Adornyourself


Raw Brass disc, Hadar J's copper leaf, enamels, and gold luster. Torch fired. More ...
Handcrafted Flower Necklace from Lifeartdesigns


A handcrafted flower necklace completed handmade from scracth out of fine silver metal clay and polymer. The focal point of this necklace is the flowers and floral theme. Yellow and purple flowers intermingle into a base of deep pink polymer clay. More ...

Princess Ai Heart Locket from Rainjewelry


I would use fine silver for the locket part (it would not open) and the lock, sterling silver chain wrapped around the locket and the necklace and a red cubic zirconium heart for the stone. I can tarnish the piece a mellow gold color. More ...

Large Spider Earring from AnnaSiivonen


One large spider single earring. Dangles with one leg piercing your ear and he´s hypoallergenic since his legs are made of titanium. Might be the coolest or creepiest earring ever, garanteed to make heads turn. More ...

Fine Silver Enamel Pendant Seed Bead Necklace from DesignsbyHarriet


This pure silver triangular shaped pendant has a raised circle in the center with swirls of aqua/green enamel. The swirl design on the triangle is oxidized to bring out the pattern.
The necklace is made of large green and yellow seed beads separated by small irridescent gold seed beads and clear long beads. More ...

Last Bud Pendant from Seavbeach


These are the last buds of summer. Made with steel clay and enameled buds. More ...

Handmade Autumn Silver Dragonfly Necklace from Envydesignsjewelry


A beautiful fall colored fine silver dragonfly, flitting through the garden...
I started by carving my design into a rubber block, pressed the clay into the design, then refined, set the gemstones and fired the dragonfly. Set into the pendant are 2 each of Yellow sapphire, alexandrite, and amethyst CZ's. I added a swirl and dots the the back of the piece as well. More ...

The public poll on the right is open for two weeks. The technical poll, also open for two weeks, is restricted to MCHs team members only. Enjoy and don't forget to vote! Please cast your vote on the right column; and if you post a comment, you will be automatically entered into our October blog giveaway. Poll will be close on October 2nd.

Jennifer Wins Our July Challenge

Congrats to Jennifer of Envy Designs Jewelry who won our July Magical and Mysterious Challenge.

Here are the results:

By Popular Vote:

1) Egyptian 'Book of the Dead' pendant from Envy Designs Jewelry with 31 votes
2) Tiny Secret Fine Silver Real Maple Leaf Necklace from York Avenue Studio with 19 votes
3) Secret Door Locket from Seavbeach with 16 votes

By Technical Vote:

We've a tie this time:

1) Tiny Secret Fine Silver Real Maple Leaf Necklace from York Avenue Studio with 3 votes
1) Alutiiq Petroglyph Bracelet from Stuck on Silver with 3 votes
2) Secret Door Locket from Seavbeach with 2 votes
2) Egyptian 'Book of the Dead' pendant from Envy Designs Jewelry with 2 votes

Overall (based on percentage recalculation of the two above):

1) Egyptian 'Book of the Dead' pendant from Envy Designs Jewelry
2) Tiny Secret Fine Silver Real Maple Leaf Necklace from York Avenue Studio
3) Secret Door Locket from Seavbeach

Jennifer will pick a theme for our next challenge in September. Our August blog feature + giveaway is coming soon, please stay tuned! Thanks to all who's voted and supported the MCHs!

July Challenge - Magical and Mysterious

Ah ... it's Summer! And I guess many of us Metal Clay Heads are busy with vacation, activities and sunbathing; therefore, we have less number of entries this time. But they're of much higher craftsmanship than ever before! Our theme this time is set by last challenge winner Anise of Seavbeach -- Magical and Mysterious. The technical challenge is using hinge(s) as part of the design. Here they are:

Tiny Secret Fine Silver Real Maple Leaf Necklace from York Avenue Studio

I used real Maple leaves for this design, which is a lovely pendant with a hidden treasure of gems on the back. The front is a gorgeous Maple leaf curled naturally with an antique silver finish. The back has two tiny Maple leaves on a hinge that lifts to reveal the secret stash of Alexandrite. More...

Secret Door Locket from Seavbeach

"When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us."
-Alexander Graham Bell More...

Alutiiq Petroglyph Bracelet from Stuck on Silver

Hinged fine silver bracelet celebrating five expressive Alutiiq faces from petroglyphs found in the Kodiak, Alaska, archipelago. Approximately 27 grams of fine silver. 7"x 5.4" with jump ring and S-hook findings. More...

Egyptian 'Book of the Dead' pendant from Envy Designs Jewelry

This pendant is made from recycled silver to represent the 'Book of the Dead', and has the raised form of Anubis, the god of the afterlife, who after death would lead the deceased to the scales of justice, to weigh your heart against the 'feather of truth' to determine you worthiness (represented on the inside front page) to move on the the afterlife and meet with Isis and Osiris. More...

The public poll on the right is open for two weeks. The technical poll, also open for two weeks, is restricted to MCHs team members only. Enjoy and don't forget to vote! Please cast your vote on the right column; and if you post a comment, you will be automatically entered into our August blog giveaway. Poll will be close on August 3rd.