Thursday, April 18, 2013

Still Playing with Circles

There is something very nice about circles.  They are so - well, so round....It's a strong yet smooth shape, natural and simple.  I've been doing more pieces, experimenting a bit, and wanted to show you where I've been going.
The first pieces built on the earrings I made a short while ago.  Rather than making them "see-through" I added backings out of Skinner blends. I like the way the blend shows through at each stage of color change.



These colored earring pairs have Skinner blend circles, with the same blend in reverse for the backing.  The backing is also textured, and the design shows through for added interest. These are a bit smaller than the ones I made earlier.  I may try going smaller still. We'll see.
The red-to-yellow pieces are made of circles connected with ruffles. The pendant piece is a bit smaller than the pin.  For some reason, the pendant seemed best with the larger section on the bottom, while I liked the pin best with the opposite orientation.




The yellow-to-blue necklace is simple and fun. More circles with ruffles.  I think it's perfect for spring into summer.
This last piece is my favorite in this "circle" set.  It took quite a while to make.  This was one of those ideas I get in the middle of the night, so when I got up in the morning and looked at my scribbles on my nightstand notepad, I had to figure out just what I was thinking.  Designing and planning was fun.  The execution was harder.   I had to plan construction of the various pieces, bakings and assembly, and when (and how) to add the pearls - and the thread for the pearl strands.  That was interesting.  In the past, I've taken all the various threads I use and baked them in the oven at 325 for 40 minutes.  Those that survived and could be pulled and twisted and still be strong are the only ones I use with polymer.  Although I try to plan things out so thread does not need to be baked, sometimes the design requires that, and I want to be sure everything is durable.  So, here is my "Black Circles with Pearls"

2 comments:

  1. Kristie, I don't know why it took me so long to get to your blog. And while I've seen some of your work in person, and seen you creating!.. I am blown away by what I'm seeing as I'm working my way through your blog. Love your design ideas. And I love reading about your thought process as you work your way through some of your designs.
    Thanks for sharing!

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  2. Pinterest offered me your pieces as something I might ne interested in... and they are right! The 'circle' series is fun, and I LOVE the one with the ruffles curving around the circles. It's always good to read your blog, and your thoughts about designing.

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