Rain & Peacocks & Pearls

Here in Oregon, there has been rain, rain and more rain. It has been very cold and damp with grey skies all week -- not very inspiring. It's the kind of damp cold that sinks into your bones. The kind where you know you own a cat, but haven't seen her for the entire week because she's found somewhere warm to hibernate. So, I took a short break from the studio and spent some time being inspired by this magazine of pure eye candy. Chock full of marvelous pretty things and dazzling techniques to think about!!


I did get a chance to work on some peacock feather earrings and some simple peacock feather pendants. I had been saving them, but working with their bright shimmer seemed the perfect antidote to the rain. With the price of sterling still going up and up and up, I decided to wrap these with copper in what I'm calling the "Chaos Copper Wrap" - free form multi-layer wrapping of very, very thin drawn wire. I really liked the effect and am going to try it with seed beads being wrapped in too.
 

I also made these. I love pearls, but especially rice pearls. In my design book, rice pearls go with everything. After looking at some photos of old French chandeliers, I was inspired to make several pairs of these little curled copper earrings with, what else? Rice pearls, of course!

I would also like to say how much I am enjoying participating in Lisa OceanDreamer's ONE World-ONE HeART Spring Giveaway! It has been wonderful seeing everyone's creative spirit and meeting so many talented artists! I am so enjoying discovering new blogs and being a part of such a warm, wonderful blogging community! If you would like to join in the fun and spirit of giving, there is still time, just go here to be part of this wonderful experience.