Jewelry Making

DIY Jewelry, Beads And Patterns

Giveaway – Jewelry By Schneblies

by

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Finished jewelry always has a starting point. It might be a maker’s love for a particular material, or a creative vision that just won’t leave her imagination.

For Susie Sheftel, it was hoppy toads. After a trip to Mexico – where she fell in love with a painting technique used on Oaxacan wood carvings – she started painting intricate, colorful frog designs on river rocks.

Back home in her kitchen studio, Susie started transferring the first Schneblies design into elaborate, colorfully painted canvases. They found buyers at a local art gallery, and Susie began to wonder, “what next?”

The Oaxacan style that inspired Schneblies is full of small details, shapes and loosely arranged patterns that suggest physical movement. The more Susie sketched and illustrated, the more she saw the frogs as 3D in her mind’s eye.She decided to take the next step, turning Schneblies frogs into charm necklaces.

Susie quickly discovered that her choice of materials had a real impact on the aesthetics and personality of the jewelry.  Metals like brass and sterling silver were great for showcasing lines and etchings, echoing the illustrations more closely. And the addition of Swarovski crystals in a pavé setting gave Schneblies texture, and mirrored the effect of frogs emerging from water with droplets clinging.

Today Susie has turned what was first a design hobby into a full-fledged jewelry and art businesses. But still the crafty spirit moves her in new directions: she recently tried her hand at embroidering, and created a cool Schneblies jean jacket. Sorry guys, she’s keeping this one.

Where does your creative inspiration come from? Have you found that starting with one craft project almost always leads you to another?

Win Win Win

For your chance to win this Amazing Necklace visit their website and sign up to the Newsletter. Come back here and tell us who you would like to win this for. It’s okay you can say yourself, we won’t judge. Competition closes September 1st 2016

Use discount code craftgossiplove for 10% off your order and free shipping at schneblies.com. One per customer, expires 10/31.

 

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Comments

  2. Superb piece.. I want to win this for my elder sister who loves beautiful handmade jewelry n always struggles to find unique pieces.. She’ll b delighted to wear this ????????

  3. I have a dear friend who LOVES all things frog. She has nothing nearly as lovely as this Schneblies pendant frog. I’d love to win it for her delight

  4. Love these little frogs! Sharing site with my friends, but I definitely want to win it for myself!

Have you read?

Book Review Wednesday: 3D Beaded Animal Crafts for Kids

This week’s Book Review Wednesday pick is 3D Beaded Animal Crafts for Kids, and I’ll admit this one is another of those books that makes me pause for a moment and ask, “Does this belong in Jewelry Making, Kids Crafts, or somewhere in between?”

Technically, it is not jewelry in the traditional necklace-and-earrings sense, but it is very much a beading book, and beading skills are such a useful doorway into jewelry making. For kids especially, learning how to thread beads, follow patterns, work with wire, and build little 3D shapes is a brilliant way to develop patience, fine motor skills, and confidence with craft materials.

The cover promises 3D beaded animal crafts for kids, with a focus on cute seed bead animals made with wire. The little fox on the cover is exactly the sort of project that catches attention — bright, cheerful, and very giftable. I can see this being a fun book for crafty kids, tweens, grandparents crafting with children, or even adults who secretly enjoy tiny beaded animals but pretend they are “helping the kids.”

What I like about this type of project is that it gives children a finished piece they can actually be proud of. These are not throwaway crafts. A beaded animal can become a bag charm, keychain, desk buddy, zipper pull, ornament, or little handmade gift. And if you have a child who loves collecting small things, well, prepare yourself — you may soon have an entire zoo made from seed beads.

There is also a nice connection here for beginner jewelry makers. Working with beads and wire in a simple 3D form helps build the same kind of careful hand skills used in beaded jewelry, wire wrapping, charms, and small accessories. So while I would be tempted to cross-post this over on our Kids Crafts section, I still think it earns its place here for anyone wanting beginner-friendly beading projects.

This book would suit kids who already enjoy detailed crafts, families looking for screen-free creative projects, or makers who want small bead projects that are playful rather than overly serious. I would suggest adult help for younger children, especially because seed beads and wire can be fiddly, and nobody needs a craft session ending with beads in the carpet forever. Although, let’s be honest, that may happen anyway.

My Shellie-style take? 3D Beaded Animal Crafts for Kids looks like a fun, colourful and practical beading book for young makers who like cute projects with a real finished result. It is crafty, giftable, a little bit nostalgic, and a lovely stepping stone into more detailed beadwork and jewelry making later on.

You can find the book here: 3D Beaded Animal Crafts for Kids.