Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Leather Jewelry

Leather Jewelry: 30 Contemporary Projects by Nathalie Mornu

I'm giving away an author SIGNED copy of Leather Jewelry by Nathalie Mornu. Head on over to the Art Bead Scene blog to read my book review and enter to win!

Good luck

and

Happy Thanksgiving!

Zinnia

I love bright, vivid colors for Summer. Doesn't this cheery yellow just make you smile? :) Yellow isn't usually in my normal color palette to work with even though I like the color. I've seen it popping up everywhere in fashion the past few years, so I've been more attracted to it lately.

This happy, sunny color is in the inspirational artwork for the current Art Bead Scene Monthly Challenge. The perfect opportunity to work with some yellow in a jewelry piece! I love these lemony agate beads paired with this gorgeous Zinnia connector by Mellisa of Chinook Jewelry. The yellow beads really pop with the complimentary deep purple silk beading cord. I added a bit of purple dupioni silk from Ornamentea to accent the connector. I frayed the silk to add a little texture and interest; the perfect finishing touch!

Sunrise

My last minute entry into the Art Bead Scene (ABS) monthly challenge. The inspiration for the month of August is the painting "Sunrise" by John Savitsky.

The radiating sun in this painting really speaks to me. I love the sun motif and the colors in this artwork. These are some of my favorite colors to work with in my jewelry designs!

I used a carved coconut shell pendant for the focal and honey-colored Greek leather for the bail. The pendant is strung on a beaded strand of natural beads, gemstones and textured ceramic beads by Marti Conrad. More Greek leather in a dark chocolate up both sides and around the back. The necklace is finished off with a drilled beach stone by Pam McKay for a loop and bead closure.

There's still time to enter! You can check out all the entries so far this month at the ABS flickr gallery!