Hello creatives!
I'm Susan Killam of Killam Creative and am thrilled to participate in this first "Build A Line Challenge" blog hop for B'Sue Boutiques. This is a whopper of a challenge, and one that will stretch my creativity in ways I haven't felt before. I hope to grow all sorts of new branches on my learning tree. (Ha! See what I did there?)
There are over 50 of us in this challenge. All of us will be working hard to create a cohesive line of jewelry and pull our look and thought process together. At the end, we will reveal a line of jewelry with a minimum of five pieces, all in our chosen style.
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| Flights of Fancy |
Let me tell you a little about me. I've been making paper-based art for years. I started out with simple greeting cards and evolved into highly embellished cards. I was a design team coordinator for a small online paper craft shop for a few years. I've since branched out to altering 3-dimensional objects, from mini Altoids tins to blocks of wood to old cigar boxes. Shadow boxes are my favorite projects now -- or maybe it's just the excuse to rummage through flea markets for the perfect "found objects"!
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| L-R: Halloween shadowbox detail, altered tin, embellished greeting card |
In addition to the paper and mixed media, I make Argentium silver chainmaille jewelry. I start with raw wire and finish with a beautiful clasp and a tiny sterling silver heart.
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| L-R: Hodo weave with Larimar clasp, Japanese lace weave, Byzantine with turquoise clasp |
Last year I started collecting and wearing vintage rhinestone jewelry. I'm very inspired by Miriam Haskell, Stanley Hagler and Robert Demario. Being the creative type, I decided to learn cagework and tapestry beading and make my own new beauties from reproduction and vintage parts that couldn't be repaired. That's how I found B'Sue Boutiques!
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| My first cagework necklace; with vintage and new components |
So, "what's next?" you ask...
The B'Sue Boutiques "Build A Line" Challenge!
The B'Sue Boutiques "Build A Line" Challenge!
Without further ado, let me tell you a little about my new line, called Flights of Fancy. Through each piece we will know a little more about the oh-so-busy life of a wee bird called Fancy. Here she's wearing her favorite peacock feather outfit. Tomorrow she might go for a phoenix's fiery reds and oranges. She never knows until the first light of day!
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| Fancy wearing her favorite peacock "outfit" |
I'm still getting to know her, too. What I do know is she will be featured in each piece. These gorgeous B'Sue Boutiques brass components below (plus much more!) are all part of this new line. I'm not sure how it will work out yet, but I'm sure Fancy will help me along the way!
Here's an example of how one necklace may turn out. There's a lot of tweaking to happen, but I like where it's going!
The next "Build A Line" blog hop is February 20th, and I'll be showing you a couple of finished pieces as well as progress I've made along the way. There is a lot that is new to me and at this point I'm either frustrated that something didn't turn out as I'd hoped, or doing a happy dance that it did. :) I like the happy dances much better!
Here's a peek at my work space.
Here's a peek at my work space.
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| Yep, I tidied up. It doesn't always look like this... |
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| Supplies for all types of jewelry making and mixed media conveniently behind me! |
Here is the complete list of "Build A Line" challenge participants -- women from all over the globe have taken on this challenge. We are all at different stages of jewelry making experience but have one common goal: to learn the skills and discipline to build a successful, cohesive line of jewelry. Won't you join us?
Brenda Sue Lansdowne, B'sue Boutiques <<<<--------- Our hostess with the mostest!
Marcia Tuzzolino
Jann Tague
Judy King
Linzi Alford
Cynthia Wainscott
Carole Carlson
Lynn Stinten
Marica Zammit
Catherine Shattuck
Michaele Collie
Mary Craig
Lee Koopman
Erin Whitacre
Monica Casady
Leila West
Cindy Peterson
Leila Belcher
Gloria Allen
Pamela Anger
Tammy Adams
Lynda O'Mara
Elizabeth Hildreth
Dana Hickey
Janet Calardo
Maria Clark
Lori Beekman
Jennifer Kroeger
Amy Jorgensen
Robin Reed
Ingrid Anderson
Louise O'Shields
Susan Killam <<<<--------- That's me!
Mary Katherine Deis
Nike Bottalico
Susan Bowerman
Kristy Le
Jan Peters
Mitzie Crider
Gina Hockett
Linda Anderson
Alexandra Sefton
Melida Boman
Teresa Shurter
Melissa Latimer
Renee Hong
Nadine Edris
Lori Meyer
Jennifer Merrill Williams
Denise Lussier Poirier
Renee Allen
Autumn Adams
Elizabeth Owens
Kat BarronMiller
Sandra Ballard
Coral Law
