All Polished Up - Diamond in the rough reveal- ZnetShows design team

"S'Urchin 4 Atlantis"

    If you've been following along, you'll remember that back in January, Bill Zhang of ZnetShows wholesale beads company asked me to be a member of their design team.
     He sent me an awesome stash of their newest product, Cultured Sea Glass to work with. As well as some coordinating findings. Check out that reveal here  http://travelingsideshow.blogspot.com/2013/01/znetshows-tuscon-design-team-reveal.html

     I had so much fun playing with those awesome supplies, and two of my designs were chosen to be on display at the Tuscon Gem Show.  Both my "Mad About Saffron" earrings and my "Soleita" necklace made the journey. What an incredible honor that was to be chosen.

    Well, they so loved all the designs from the first challenge that they asked me to do it again. This time they sent a list of 500 gemstones and asked me to pick 10. Oh, what an ordeal that was to narrow it down.
    My mom loves to tell this story about how it took me hours to pick out just 1 piece of chocolate the first time I ever set foot in a Godiva shop. You can imagine how long it took me to narrow down this list. It took daaayyyssss.
     I wanted them all. First I picked out my 10 faves, but then decided I didn't have any sort of cohesive group to work with, so I put back all the reds toned things and went with a blue/green color palette.
    Here's the treasure trove of goodies I picked for this round.  

As well as a few extra goodies Bill threw into the mix.  

    He really threw me for a loop with that hot pink donut. Can't work that into my planned ocean theme. Wow, is it pink. It has a beautiful luster pattern in the mother of pearl, but for someone who doesn't usually do pink, that's a whole lot of pink.                              I've dug through my entire stash looking for something to coordinate with it and can't even get in the same family. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around what to do with that. 

    However, these watery blue and green gem stones hold plenty of inspiration.

    I have an "Atlantis" series. The colors fit right it with that. My newest handmade component is a form folded Sea Urchin donut. I made them from copper sheet and shaped the with the dapping and doming block I got for Christmas. Thank you to my dad and oldest brother for that. I've tinkered with it a bit, but these urchins are the first thing I've really made with my new tool. Now that I'm getting the hang of it I have all sorts of ideas. Stay tuned for those. Limited edition Sea Urchin components will be available for sale in my etsy shop soon. http://www.etsy.com/shop/pyxeestyx

 

"S'Urchin 4 Atlantis" bracelet

     Sea Urchin Donut and hook Clasp handmade by me. Green Fire Agate BDS1591-14, Prehnite nuggets BDS1300-03, Amazonite pebbles BDS1413-06, yellow Turquoise cube SCBDG142-46, African Silverleaf rondelles BDS1517-18, with dangles of Moss Agate cubes SCBDG142-40 and African Sliverleaf in both rondelles and coins BDS1517-18 and -21 on balled copper headpins handmade by me and sari silk snippets for texture.

"S'Urchin 4 Atlantis" necklace

Form folded copper Sea Urchin toggle pendant handmade by me. Prehenite nuggets BDS1300-03 and green Fire Agates BDS1591-14 hang on Nautilus headpins also made by me. Accented by Amazonite pebbles BDS1413-06 and a Czech glass Ammonite bead on balled copper head pins.One side is tied with soft chiffon sari silk in turquoise blue spinning softly, it flows like water. The other side more Green Fire agates, Prehnite nugget, Turquoise cubes, Amazonite pebbles and African Sliverleaf.

"S'Urchin 4 Atlantis" earrings

Nautilus ear wires handmade by me out of 20 gauge copper wire.  Hang with roughly triangular shaped Prehenite nuggets BDS1300-03, and green Fire Agates BDS1591-14 on nautilus headpins. Accented with Czech glass Ammonite bead on balled copper headpin and watery blue sari silk snippets.

             

"Weekend in Aruba - Flowers in my Hair" bangle 

 A heavy gauge copper wire scrap worked into a circle and soldered. Then fiber wrapper with sari silk and wire wrapped, and embellished with Amazonite pebbles BDS1413-06. The shell white flower pendant SCPDG287-06 spins freely, anchored by a Green Fire Agate BDS1591-14 on a nautilus headpin.

"Weekend in Aruba - Fruit on the Vine" bangle 

Sari silk wrapped copper bangle embellished with Amazonite pebbles BDS1413-06. Topped with a billowy sari silk bow and a vintage mother of pearl button from my granny stash. Two juicy green Fire Agates  BDS1591-14 anchored on nautilus headpins bobble freely.



 I have three more pieces, works in progress that I'm hoping to finish up tomorrow. I'll try to edit those in as ready.

Check out ZnetShows blog for links to all the other design team members. http://znetshows.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping and happy hopping !!!  : )