Love, hearts, pink and pretty

Tags

art charm, Charity Auction, earrings, heart, love, necklace, pink, polymer clay

I have been horrified watching the events unfold at Grenfell Tower. I felt the need to make something pink and fluffy as a distraction from the dark thoughts in my mind. I kept thinking about the charms made by Brooke Bock that I received in the 2016 Art Charm Swap. In fact this gave me the idea to run a Charity Auction to benefit the British Red Cross.

Charms by Brooke Bock

Here’s the necklace I made specifically for the auction. I paired Brooke’s pendant with some salmon/pink/magenta seed pod beads that I made myself from polymer clay. They are on a baby pink cotton cord with even more pink beads.

Heart necklace by Cate van Alphen

For the Love charm I decided to keep things simple. I added a trigger clasp so it could be used as a handbag charm. I added a dangle of green dyed lava beads. I liked the colour contrast and I thought it was fitting because they have come from fire.

Love charm by Cate van Alphen

I also decided to include these lava bead and wire earrings. They were sitting on my desk waiting for new photos to be taken and I thought since the beads matched they should go too.

Lava bead earrings by Cate van Alphen

Since I couldn’t get enough pink and pretty I added these bead earrings. They are made using very fine vintage beads with tiny rosebud flowers. They are dainty and sugary sweet.

Pink earrings by Cate van Alphen

I do hope you are tempted to bid. The auction ends on Sunday 9th July 2017. Until then, please also share the link.

Thanks!

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Orchid evolution

Tags

art bead, Art Bead Scene, Cate van Alphen, flower, focal bead, orchid, pendant, pink, polymer clay, purple

Back in 2010 I made my “Imperial Orchid” necklace. I really wanted to explore the idea further, but I never got round to it.

Imperial Orchid necklace by Cate van Alphen

So this month’s Art Bead Scene challenge painting was just the nudge I needed.

“Cattelya Orchid and Three Hummingbirds” 1871 by Martin Johnson Heade
Oil on Mahogany Panel, 34.8 x 45.6 cm

I started off making a pinstripe of magenta and lavender polymer clay as I could see those colours in the petals. Unfortunately the colours ended up too dark for what I was trying to represent from the painting.

Purple Pinstripe Orchid by Cate van Alphen

For the next orchid I made a subtle marbled mix of white and a speck of the previous pinstripe cane. I dusted on the pink using mica powders. I was much happier with these colours, but I preferred the proportions of the previous purple orchid.

White Orchid no. 1 by Cate van Alphen

So I tried again, and made a third orchid…

White Orchid no. 2 by Cate van Alphen

This time I was happy with both the colour and the proportions. It seems good things come in threes as today, for the third time, my work was featured on Polymer Clay Daily :). This time it was my Spectrum beads.

Polymer clay orchid evolution by Cate van Alphen

The outer two of these are now in my Etsy components store. I’m working the middle one into a necklace.

February ABS Challenge

Tags

art bead, earrings, FEB ABS, geometric pattern, handmade beads, pink, polymer clay, purple, rose garden, silver

This month I have made a pair of earrings for the Art Bead Scene monthly challenge. I used some of my polymer clay beads because the geometric pattern reminded me of the painting. I used my round Stroppel bead method to make the beads.

ABS Inspiration painting
“The Rose Garden” (1920) by Paul Klee

I wanted to incorporate the flower motif in the earrings, so I used some links from an old bracelet and I added an additional spiral at the bottom. I was tempted to make some wire roses, but I didn’t have the time to practice getting them nice.

Rose Garden Treasury

Tags

art bead, artisan bead, etsy treasury, floral, flower, lampwork, Paul Klee, pink, polymer clay, purple, red, rose garden, spiral

This month I have made another Etsy Treasury inspired by the Art Bead Scene monthly challenge painting. I loved the colours and the repeated spirals of the roses.

The Rose Garden, 1920
by Paul Klee
Oil on cardboard

‘ABS February 2014 Wishlist – Rose Garden’ by Fulgorine

Icy Floral Lentil Winter Hol… moonrakerbeads $10	Pink Hollow Glass Beads. Han… NadinArtGlass $24	Raspberry Pink Lampwork Spac… LoriBergmann $12	A set of 4 bicone beads, but… Shygarshop $8.5
Hand Dyed Silk Ribbon Garden… flowerseedpape… $4.5	Glass Headpins – Dotted tear… IcedMoments $5.7	Polymer clay buttons purple … Cofanetto $8	Dusty Red Fabric Roses Handm… BizimSupplies $15
SERENAS BLEND ROSES Unique A… SerenaSmithLam… $16	Polymer clay orange/pink fau… SpottedFrogDes… $3.99	a translucent red purple & y… PolychromeBead… $23	Glass pendant by Andrew Gron… AJGglass $30
Destash Polymer Clay Beads F… beadhappilyeve… $12.95	Handmade Lampwork Bead Set (… SilverReflecti… $37.5	Fantasy flower pendant in pu… APolymerPencha… $22	Embroidered Roses Garden Bro… GalinaPerova $42