More Stash Busting!! Use Your Stash Part 2

As I mentioned in my post on Tuesday, I didn't manage to make everything that I had hoped to for the Art Elements Use Your Stash challenge.  (If you missed my previous post, you can see that HERE.)  Since I still had all the bits and bobs sitting around on my bead table and no other time sensitive projects, I decided to keep on working this week.  As a reminder, this is a little peek at what I had gathered together.

I started by (finally) tackling some great charms from Terri DelSignore of Artisticaos that I picked up a little while ago.  I think I originally had grabbed them thinking I might use them for a challenge last month.  I knew exactly what I wanted to do and had all the supplies pulled together... I just kept not making them!  But all that is over now... and I adore the finished design.  I had just the perfect color grey seed beads in my stash that I used in the wire wrapping.  The faceted hematite dangles plated in a matte pewter plating top things off.  I'm kicking myself for not grabbing more of this shape from Terri.  I'll keep my eyes peeled and my fingers nimble during her next Facebook sale!

Next up a pair of necklaces featuring large polymer clay beads from my friend Erin Prais-Hintz of Tesori Trovati.  As I mentioned in my previous post about using my stash, oversized beads often leave me flummoxed so I really wanted to challenge myself to design with some of my larger art beads.  The first one was inspired by necklace made by Lynda Carson of Fresh Baked Designs who was in turn inspired by Lorelei Eurto.  (You can see Lynda's piece HERE and Lorelei's HERE if you're curious... both are gorgeous!)  After seeing what these talented ladies had made using these fun wood chips, I had to have some to play with.  I added in some large lucite beads from Allegory Gallery to add an extra pop of color to the necklace and to balance out the sides and finished the back with brass chain.

Originally I had thought I might use the other strand of the wood chips I have in my second necklace, but plans changed as I started playing.  I had pulled out the turquoise wood beads and the pale aqua African recycled glass previously and as I played with combinations decided that they might feel a little overwhelmed by the size of the wood chips.  Instead, I grabbed some darker wood saucers that I worked into the design.  I chose copper plated findings this time.  You can't tell from my photos but there are tiny flashes of a coppery metallic in Erin's bead.  Plus I just like the combo of turquoise and copper! 

Last, but not least I dug WAY back into my bead stash for a ceramic crescent shaped pendant by Gerry Lee Cruthird and some coordinating gemstone beads that I bought in a destash several years ago.  In addition to the beads that came with the pendant, I added in some Venus jasper rounds, impression jasper heshi, Czech and vintage German glass, and Vintaj Natural Brass findings.  I finally used the Nouveau Swirls clasp that I got in a combo pack years ago.  I quite like the effect and may buy more of this one.

I've only managed to make the tiniest of dents in my art bead stash, but I'm still proud of the pieces I've managed to complete in the last month.  Now I'll forge onward to tackle February's challenges!