SPOTLIGHT ON ... ARTICLE
July 2008
Summer Fun
Written by: Jean Yates
So, it is July already! How did that happen so fast? I am delighted, however, as I LOVE summer! I love the different angle of the light, the warmth of the sun...I even love the different quality of the jewelry I choose to make.
I don't know about you, but I think it's fun to play in the summer, and I like my jewelry to reflect that sense of playfulness. Even if I can't always be on vacation, I can look like I am!
My memories of summer are all about the beach, and ice cream (which frequently fell off the cone to land in a blob at my feet, much to my distress), and reading. I read constantly. Throw in a few summer action movies, and some lazy afternoons spent swinging in the family hammock while listening to some Beach Boys' songs, and you have my deepest, most profound "summer self" laid out before you!
I started thinking about jewelry styles for this article for the Soft Flex Company which might bring to the forefront certain aspects of what I just mentioned. Then I put together a few designs for you, which you might enjoy. I thought they might help you to remember things you love, or make you happy during this special time of year.
I feel that nothing should take too much effort during this season. There are movies to see, friends to hang out with, and endless summer afternoons to enjoy. So let's play!
One thing I mentioned which I love about summer is going to the beach. It is so easy to string up a cute focal (don't forget to add freshwater pearls if you can. Take good care of them of course, but add a few to your design if possible, as I did). Just string this with simple seed beads in size 6 or size 8, hippie style. My sister and I used to make these sorts of necklaces every summer and wear them all season long. They were all about fun, to us! These colors in this necklace are all about the water, which is why I made it. The focal (made by Helensharvest on etsy.com) looks like a little wave rushing in, or a tidepool with all sorts of treasures which i added--the pearls, some crystals, and some chatons. These had the added advantage of balancing the focal so that it hangs really nicely! The colors are lovely if you like watery things, like I do!
Here is the necklace I made for you, strung on sturdy Soft Flex .19 beading wire. Sweet!
A nice substitute for this focal which I used would be a Bernadette Fuentes bead from the Soft Flex site! Some of her colors are so vivid and beachy! I love them. Her shapes are funky too!
As I was previously discussing memories, I would like to think a bit more about the fun to be had making jewelry which is childlike, yet cool.
These next pieces I designed are presented for you to further demonstrate that sort of design. And how easy is this? It is great! Maybe you too would enjoy grabbing the biggest hoops you can find, and threading some adorable hearts (www.jangles.net) on them, or just getting some simple charms like these cute jacks (who remembers jacks?) made of sterling, and hanging them from sterling ear wires. When you are heading out for pizza with your best friends, you will look great, but really laid back! As I cannot resist those Teeny Tiny beads (you already know I am a total sucker for those!) here on Soft Flex's site, I would like to suggest them, also! They have the most loveable clownfish and adorable gnomes and little trains! I love the little dogs, oh... you name it! They have everything imaginable here! They are the cutest little charms for making earrings! All you need are a couple of headpins and crystal beads (you don't want the head pins to fall through the holes in the beads--a possibility--and ear wires! It's so quick and such fun!
Here are my hearts on hoops and my jacks:
One neat thing you can have some fun with in the summer is rule breaking. No, I don't mean you should go wild and...well YOU think of something you shouldn't do! Now please don't do it!
What I do mean is something like this: break a few color rules, for example! That is what I did with this upcoming pair of summery "melonball" shaped plastic vintage bead earrings. I thought they were cute, and I thought that if I shocked the eye a tiny bit more by adding unusual color accents to them, they would be even more cute! That is why I put fuchsia seed beads and lime Swarovskis with the beads. These are large but lightweight earrings, great for warm weather and any hair length, even a ponytail! I would definitely throw them on with a T shirt and shorts and not bother with other jewelry. One thing I find irresistible about them is the fact that the sterling ear wires look sort of like fishing rods or fishing equipment. I thought to myself as I made these, "Maybe the person who might wear these fishes, and pictures catching a couple of big black and white striped bass"! Melon balls, striped bass, it is all a big part of my childhood. It evolves from a very happy summer memories, for me.
At any rate what I am trying to say with these earrings is, "mix it up"! Nobody is going to turn you away from the boardwalk if you wear these cute earrings, or your version of them (anything surprising and colorful would work!), to head off for some people watching on a balmy summer night. It really IS all about good times!
If you want to see something cool and fun designed by Sara Hardin of Soft Flex, check out her Double Strand Earrings design. This earring project is super! It has a jolt of color and is a terrific design. I love the work that Sara does! I do love the copper choice but they are all great!
One last thing before I wind up this article. Some of us are quiet types. We are dreamers, and we love to while away hours on warm summer days reading and just soaking up the peace of our surroundings. A porch swing with some pillows, a book, and a pitcher of iced tea or lemonade and we are all set. If your relate to that, perhaps you will like this necklace I made, with two artist beads and a tiny crystal dangle at the back:
These beads are made by Kim Miles- she made the black "barbed wire" bead, with fine silver wire in it, and by Sally Jean -- she made the word bubble!
If you have "something to say" because you are a reader, a poet, even a romantic at heart, try a project like mine, or check out Sara Hardin's Double Heart Necklace design which says it all, without having to say a word! I love it!
Have a wonderful and Happy July! We have just barely begun. Doesn't it seem as if we have endless days of wonderful summer stretching ahead?
Who's for tag? You're it!
Jean Yates is a well known jewelry designer who resides in New York with her family. She has written both projects and articles as well as been featured on the cover of many major beading magazines including: Stringing, Beadwork, BeadStyle, Simply Beads, Australian Beading Magazine and others. Jean regularly contributes to the "American Beading Trend" column for Australian Beading Magazine which can be found in every issue! Jean was spotlighted as a Soft Flex designer in October 2007. Her charming personality is mirrored in her beautiful beaded wears. She loves designing in her free time!
She has a jewelry design book called Links which is available on Amazon.com and at many other bookstores.
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