Songbeads: allegory gallery design team

Showing posts with label allegory gallery design team. Show all posts

Monday, 4 June 2012

Colour Inspiration

Yesterday I was doing a little blog hopping (something I haven't done as much of recently as I would like, time constraints....) and landed on Shannon's blog, For My Sweet Daughter. Shannon makes beautiful beaded and etched copper jewellery and is also a fellow member of the Allegory Gallery Design Team. She hosts a weekly challenge - Finally Friday - one I have seen before but never really had time to join in with (although it is an EXCELLENT challenge - colour based using design seeds palettes - well worth a peek if you are so inclined). This time however, her chosen palette for this coming Friday didn't just speak to me, it practically leapt out of the computer and shouted in my face! Very beautiful shouting, you understand.

from Design Seeds

I immediately felt compelled to create something in this beautifully vibrant palette and pulled out one of my boxes of beads and began colour selecting (I'm not quite as good at this as Heidi but I still enjoy it!).

And here it is....

I got a lovely fat order from TheaToo on Friday, and thought that the lighter bronze shades (compared with rich copper or even antique brass) worker really well with this sparkling palette.

Can't you just see the colourful lei garlands, or imagine a traditional Hindi wedding with all of these saturated warm tones? I just adore colour and the emotional pull it has....

Available now in my etsy shop.

Thursday, 29 March 2012

Allegory Gallery: March UPDATED

I'm splitting up my Allegory Gallery post this month - I have a sweet pair of earrings to show you, but the photos haven't turned out well, so that will follow over the next few days. Until then, here is a bracelet I designed and made, using some cool shiny red beads from Andrew's gallery. I'm not even sure exactly what they are made of but they are very light, and hollow, so they make for some lovely lightweight and delicate jewellery. Paired with Sowzere hand dyed silk cord, an antique copper clasp from DaisyChainExtra and a simple clay round from Gaea, this is the perfect, easy-to-wear Spring bracelet.

***30.03.12***

And here are those earrings....

Vintage white glass beads from Allegory Gallery and rich red sari silk from PreciousSparkleBeads....hand forged copper ear wires.

I am part of a really exiting team of designers - the Allegory Gallery Design Team. Every month from February 2012 - January 2013, we all blog about pieces of jewellery we have designed using materials from Allegory Gallery. We are able to combine these materials with those from our own stashes, to create new designs every month. Andrew Thornton sent each member of the team an exciting package of goodies, from his new Gallery and Boutique in Legonier, Pennsylvania. You can check them out on facebook too.

Please check out the other members of the Allegory Gallery Design Team's blogs and show them some love!

AJ Reardon

Amy Cousin

Genea Crivello-Knable

Jess Prill

Sunday, 5 February 2012

Allegory Gallery and i heart macro

Available here in my etsy shop

I am part of a really exiting team of designers - the Allegory Gallery Design Team. Every month from February 2012 - January 2013, we're all going to be blogging about new pieces of jewellery we have designed using materials from Allegory Gallery. We are able to combine these materials with those from our own stashes (rather overflowing in my case :-)). Andrew Thornton sent each of us on the team an exciting package of goodies, from his new Gallery and Boutique in Legonier, Pennsylvania. (You can check them out on facebook too and why not like them whilst you're at it? For every 100 new likers they get before the 1st April, they will receive free advertising dollars!)

I started work on my first piece this week. I knew I wanted to use the delicious ice tea lucite rounds that Andrew had selected for me - two sizes, one 12mm I think and the other 8mm - off the top of my head, I am very bad at sizing beads by eye! They are lovely and light, and have gorgeous swirls in them - each one slightly different. I believe they are vintage and I certainly haven't come across beads quite like these before. I have recently placed my first order from earthenwoodstudio.com and thought that this sweet oval key pendant would go perfectly with them. I then did my usual thing of sifting through my messy tiny portable table, covered in beads so that I can't actually work on it, looking for other bits and pieces that would add interest to my necklace. Fat, creamy freshwater pearls from precioussparklebeads.co.uk, fresh linen and hemp cord, some lovely tiny green Japanese rounds also from Allegory Gallery, and it seemed only fitting to use a Green Girl Studios clasp, from Andrew's family. (And by the way, if you are lucky enough to be in the area, I believe that Allegory carries both Earthenwood and Green Girl goodies, along with the ice tea and vibrant green beads I've used here.) I layered some co-ordinating green buttons and for the final finishing touch, I added a very special vintage button that I've been hoarding for the perfect piece....The beautiful rhinestone button was sent to me by fellow AGDT member, Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime, as part of a bead swap that we did last year. I have been holding onto this little beauty for a while and I'm glad it's found it's home here!

Here are some macro close ups:

I took these shots this morning, out on our tiny fire escape to nowhere (it's corrugated iron, tiny, but with no ladder or steps. Technically a balcony I suppose, but far too grand a term I think!). Here's the this morning view from the fire no-escape.

Brrrr! I don't like the cold!The light isn't great at the moment so I really struggled to get a decent shot of the entire necklace. 8 months on, I still haven't fully got the hang of my new camera! It's always reliable for macro shots though, so I am pretty pleased with this collage from Picnik.com. (Anyone else totally gutted that Picnik is closing by the way? It's such a useful tool :-() Hopefully you can see just how pretty all of the components are in these close up shots. Click the button below to see the other i heart macro entrants.

Do also check out the other Allegory Gallery Design Team members. Brenda posted here and Penny put up her post yesterday - others will follow throughout the month.

Genea Crivello-Knable

Friday, 19 August 2011

Allegory Gallery Design Team

Well, this week I've been privileged to receive some very good, and very exciting news. I am one of twelve jewellery designers selected to be part of Andrew Thornton's Allegory Gallery Design Team.

Whoa.

This is a *serious* honour!

If you don't know Andrew and his beautiful work then firstly, you should, and secondly, hop over to his thoughtful, reflective and inspirational blog right.now. And then check out his big cartel shop and see some of the unusual and pretty beads and elements he has for sale.

If you haven't been following his gallery journey then do read back a few posts to get filled in on the picture and follow his dream as it goes from just that to a reality. I blogged a few days ago about the fundraiser programme that Andrew has started. You can tell just from reading Andrew's posts that this is going to be a special place, and I'm chuffed and thrilled and honoured to think that I will play even a small part in it!

The Design Team are a small group of diverse jewellery designers and we'll be working with Allegory Gallery elements on a monthly basis, coming up with new, unique and (hopefully!) inspirational designs that we will share with our readers. So excited. (Did I mention that already?!) I love working to a brief or with set elements - I find it really focuses the mind.

Please check out these other designers on board - such an eclectic and wonderful group to be a part of! Thank you, Andrew.

Genea Crivello-Knable