Znetshows "ICY" Winter Challenge!

I love these challenges...I do!  This time around, the Znetshows designers received a package of beads chosen by an anonymous "someone" at the bead company...we had no idea what we might receive (now THAT'S a challenge!).  We were charged with creating pieces of jewelry that had an "icy" feel, to honor the winter season.

When I opened my package of beads, I found so many strands that it takes two pictures to show them all:

 

I mean...wow!  The thing is...when I looked at all this gorgeousness, all I could think about was "beach"...and I don't mean an icy beach!  I wanted to blink my eyes and summon the balmy days of summer!  But, you know, that wasn't the challenge.  So I had some thinking to do.  Fortunately, we are never expected to use each and every bead.  And equally fortunately, we are allowed to use any beads and findings that we have in our stash.  So this wasn't going to be Mission Impossible, not by a long shot!

 

I bucked my own tradition, and started with a bracelet rather than earrings.  (For some reason known only to my inner self, I almost always begin with earrings.)  I pulled a bunch of white dichroic glass beads from my stash, because they have an "icy" look.  And since I wanted to put as much variety as possible onto this bracelet, I made a stacked memory wire wrap.

 

 

I used every single one of the cultured sea glass pebble beads (BDS1926-46), along with most of the icy white dichroic glass beads in my stash, and some aqua beads that I also thought had a frosty appearance.  I added a dangle created from an adorable cultured sea glass large starfish in Pacific blue (S27-B30T) at one end, and an icy white drop dangle at the opposite end.  I knew I wanted to use silver findings with this theme, since it has a "cooler" vibe than gold, brass, or copper.

 

I also created a collarbone-hugging necklace, not too short and not too long...about 19 inches long.

 

 

In my mind, I called this "Frozen Mermaid Tears", due to the clusters of AB teardrop crystals that I interspersed with small and medium round silver balls, a few round white dichroic glass beads, and one of my favorite Znetshows "go-to" beads, the 4 mm rounds...this time in light aqua (S03-28FIVE).  And, of course...some of those stunning top-drilled starfish (S27-B30T).

 

The first pair of earrings I made are what I call "show-stoppers".  Elegant shoulder-dusters for special occasions.

 

When I first saw these gorgeous round teardrop beads in opaque seafoam green (S77-B43), my mind flashed to a pair of crystal clusters I had removed from a thrift shop "find"...a silver chain, with two silvery-coated crystal dangles hanging front and center.  I found the dangles, and connected them to the long, elegant teardrop beads as you see above. 

 

I knew I wanted another pair of earrings, and this time I noticed that I had exactly two of my larger white dichroic "ice cube" beads remaining. 

 

 I made 24 little wire-wrapped dangles, using ball-tipped silver headpins and 4mm round cultured sea glass beads in "Moonstone Opal" (S03-86FIVE).  Yes, 24.  12 for each earring.  I attached them to tiny silver jump rings in clusters of 3, and added them to a larger silver jump ring to dangle over the tops of the large white beads.  They are such fun to wear!  There's a bit of movement from the dangles, a lot of flash and glam from the ice cube beads...and plenty of sparkle from the silver and the "ice cubes"!

 

I had a wonderful time with this challenge, and thank Hope and Bill from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to participate.  I can't wait for the next challenge!  Please check out the other designers and the Znetshows Glossi here: http://joom.ag/sFfb

 

And I will tell you honestly that my favorite design of ALL is on the cover of the Glossi...check it out!