It's almost the last day of August. I've been feeling a bit like this scene in the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip:
“You can't just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood."
"What mood is that?"
"Last-minute panic.”
If you're new to this blog, back in June, I gave myself a personal challenge to create some jewelry components each month during the summer. In June, I made handpainted wood components set in bezels. In July, I created leather teardrops. For my last challenge in August, I (finally!) decided to work with acrylic.
Inspiration
Several ideas came together to inspire these components:
This month I thought about being mindful of creating a minimal amount of waste. I designed these acrylic components so that the shapes are nested and every part is potentially usable. (Yes, I'm even saving the tiny holes for some future project.)
I was also thinking a bit about modern art and abstract shapes. I just finished the memoir Old in Art School by Nell Painter and even though these shapes really don't have anything in common with the author's work, just the idea of art school and galleries was simmering at the back of my mind.
For my color palette, I looked to the fall holidays. While I agree that it's a bit early to be pushing pumpkin spice lattes (I'm looking at you, Starbucks), if you make parts for others to use in their own DIY creations, you need to give them time to work (especially if they procrastinate like me!).
Halloween can be a tricky holiday for jewelry. It's hard not to make things that might look too childish. And, well, orange and black is not the easiest color combination. I added white to the mix to give your eye a bit of relief. I rounded the corners of the squares for practical reasons (no one wants to be jabbed with sharp corners), but doing so made the pieces feel even more sleek and modern. A happy accident!
Most of the shapes are completely plain, but a couple of them do have spirals engraved on them for a bit of unexpected whimsy.
You can combine these simple components in an infinite number of ways. Here are a few ideas:
Nested Together
You might have to be creative about connecting the pieces together since not all of them have small holes for jump rings. (Ask me for a custom set if you need additional holes.)
Long Chain Necklace
Imagine using jump rings and short pieces of chain to connect random elements together for a long necklace.
Bold Bracelet
A similar idea, but with a more unified look.
Lots of Earrings
Bold statement earrings and simple charm earrings.
Mix with Charms
Use the components as frames for charms or other beads. These would make fun pendants for necklaces or small ornaments for decoration (maybe on your Halloween-themed tree?)
Thank for you joining me during this summer challenge! I appreciate all the feedback and suggestions I've received. I may create and share additional jewelry components in the future, but not on a regular schedule.
A limited number of these Halloween bead kits are available in my Etsy shop. Happy creating!