History Hop, Reveal day!

I don't remember when the History Blog Hop first began but I was there and here am I again!  Hosted by the talented Leah Curtis of Beady Eyed Bunny.

Since the beginning I liked the idea of finding my way back to history, I was pretty good in the field of history but It was sometimes hard to remember all the dates you need to know by heart!

Since I was a little girl (that mean hundred year ago...Lol) I have been fascinated by Aborigines and their culture and how they made it on the other side of the world.

Well, about a month ago, I was lucky again to see another documentary which was related to their journey but also how they came to survive. I was so fascinated by the documentary that I did not realize it was 2am and that I have to wake up at 5:30 am that morning! :)

It wasn't like this one was the first time I saw or read informations about them but you all know how it is to be drawn to something and you just can't stop watching or reading it.  

So, when I saw what Leah had chosen for the History Bloghop this year, my mind wandered to Australia!

The purpose of this blog hop is to create a piece of jewelry (or wearable art) inspired by a period in history, Leah said.

 I have been experimenting in a new field in my jewelry creations.  Making my own ceramic beads and recently I ran into someone that I have known for a long time but had not told her that I make jewelry.  Well I was finally telling her about my jewelry. (I don't know why but for some reason I don't often tell people that I make jewelry). 

When we were talking we realized that we shared the same love of clay. I asked her, if she could guide me into my Paleolithic adventure! 

With her great help, I created a ceramic pendant on which I drew some Aboriginal cave art and of course, since I am here in Europe, I also venture in France and Spain to draw my inspiration of this amazing horse (well, Géraldine drew the horse because she is an artist at making all kind of animals with clay)

Sometime in a future, I will show you some of her animals made with clay, they are amazing!

Since the time was short , I could only fire the pendant once. My friend suggested to me to paint them,

so I painted each of them individually and it was so exciting!

I got very interested in the cultural remains of this period which reflect the way of life for men in the Paleolithic.

I decided to let what I made speak for themsleves, no history of the cave painting. There are plenty of books or internet blogs and websites out there to explain the history art better than me.

Humans are hunter-gatherers taking advantage of the resources available in nature

Tassel Bradshaw (Gwion Gwion) figures wearing ornate costumes

Identified by their characteristic tassels hanging from their arms and waists, various other accessories can be recognised, such as arm bands, conical headdresses and boomerang . This style is the earliest, most detailed and largest

I mostly used Mother Earth's element for this project.

 I made this necklace using my own handmade pure copper chain, which I oxydized naturally (No chemicals) and soldered rings. I made my own clasps.

I used Mother Earth's natural elements: rare red chysoprase from Australia, cowrie shell and cherry creek jasper.

                                                                 Inspired by cave painting

Found objects, Genuine baltic amber, Red Coral, sea shell collected in Scotland,  African roundelle shell disks in a shade of cream from west Africa, horse hair, mahogany leather cord, recycled sari silk, petrified rainbow wood from Arizona , Pilbara jasper, pure copper wire, black lava stone, Tibetan Agate round wavy line brown Gemstone beads

We noticed today that I assembled the earring pendants upside down. :) I am sure going to remake them as soon as possible.

Rustic bone pendants from indonesia, rustic black round glass beads , black lava stone.

I am in love with my horse hair tassels

That's all for today, I will let you go around and see what the other designers made!

PS: I will take a tour slowly over the next few weeks on all blogs but due to the state of my health, I will only be able to visit a few at a time.  I am so sorry.   However I will give piority to those of you that stop by my blog. Thanks for your understanding!

See Ya!

Sources for all the photos:  Wikipédia

List of participants: Leah Curtis (hostess) - Beady Eyed Bunny
Shaiha's Ramblings
Anafiassa
Emmanuelle
Julia Hay - Pandanimal
Rachel Mallis - Mint Monarch
Beadrecipes
Robin Reed - Artistry HCBD
Joanne Tinks
Solnage Collin -  YeeLen Spirit Designs
Karin G. - Gingko et Coquelicot
Dini Bruinsma
Deborah Apodaca
Tapping Flamingo

Facebook Participants:
Laura Bailey Taskey
Album for Facebook participants found in Bead Soup Cafe

Extending Giveaway

I am extending my giveaway and offering another opportunity for an entry. This is not required but will give you an additional entry. You can choose to do one or all three. If you share in IG You will have one entry, if you also subscribe to my blog you will have one more entry. If you friend me on Facebook you can get an additional entry.

Ma fb page : https://www.facebook.com/solange.collin.9

                                        

                                            

                                     

PS: Check the previous post for more details.

G I V E A W A Y !!!

I have been thinking of doing a giveaway a longtime ago now. But you all know how life goes, then some unexpected thing happened and I had to give them  piority instead.
Do we need a reason to do a giveaway? maybe yes, maybe no!
I don't have any particular reason this time but  simply the huge need to share what I have.

Anyone can enter the giveaway, even you gentlemen.
To enter, simply leave a comment here, follow my blog and my instagram account. If you're already following my work then just leave a comment.
Shares the giveaway in your blog  ( If you have one) and social media. If you share the giveaway then, please leave an extra comment telling me you havee done so, and I'll give you another entry.
The winner will be drawn at random on december 06, anyone who leaves a comment here and on my Instagram account.

The giveaway is a pair of earring or the beads here in the picture.
I ship everywhere in planet earth. :)

Earrings Again!!!

Sometime ago, when I was very active bead hunter, I was lucky enough to find some wonderful lampwork bead artists.

Unfortunately, some of them no longer make beads, this artist is amongst them.

I am so happy, our paths came crossed and I could afford at this particular moment to buy some of her beautiful creations.

At first sight of these beads, I saw a painting of contemporary art and my mind wandered to all of the museums I have visited.  I knew then that I must make them mine!

I made this design simple to show off the beauty of the "Painting beads".  

I paired them with red agate and my most beautiful, elegant twisted sterling silver ear hooks to complete the look .

My Physical Therapist is a very nice person because she has been asking me since a longtime ago, to display some of my earrings at her office.  I don't know why but I was kind of reluctant, then last year with Ebola hitting West Africa, I told her about me collecting money for Medecins Sans Frontière (Doctors Without Borders) and her answer was: "Yes, Solange it is time to use my office to sell your earrings".  

She is very involved with my efforts so when she was massaging her patients she told them about my quest to raise money to help Medecins Sans Frontière and that a portion of funds earned from the sale of the earrings displayed in her office would be donated to the this cause.  

This year, she asked me again to have my earrings display at her office, so I made sixteen pairs of earrings with gemstones and some with lampwork in minimalist eternal black and white colours. 

During this period, my Physical Therapist introduced one of her patients to me.  She loved my jewelry and since she owns her own shop, she said she would like to have some of my jewelry in her shop.

This year, she asked me to make earrings at very affordable prices for her christmas market in our city mall.

Well, I tried hard to make about twenty pair of earrings for her.

Talisman, Amulette, Gris Gris.

Did you know that

 Petrified wood was once part of a tree?  Millions of years ago the forests covering Northern Arizona was buried under a sea of mud, sand, and volcanic ash. Silicate replaced the wood fibers and pressure formed the rock.

 The colors found in Arizona Petrified Wood are the result of various elements present in either the original wood or the silicate. 

Petrified Wood is amongst my favorite stones. When I think that something is from 50 - 200 million years old and once was a tree in a forest, and is now a stone that I use today as part of my work, it fills me with a satisfaction that I cannot explain.  At the same time I feel a great responsibility to use it in a way that brings out the beauty of the stone, in a way that would honor Mother Nature.  For those who wear the stone, the stone serves as: a reminder, a talisman, an amulet, a gris gris from Mother Earth, whose spirit is our medicine.  My purpose, with each item I make, is to make something in harmony with Mother Nature which will lift to whom it belongs spirit, something which will make them happy.  To make them happy feeds my soul - it is my medicine.  

I am a girl from the countryside, unconditionally a nature lover and each part of my work is a tribute to our land. Everything relative to nature is part of my life. I try to pay a deep respect to whatever I take from it each day, and take only what I need.

Petrified Wood, Handmade lampwork,Rustic Enamel copper, recyccled sari silk

Cherry Creek Jasper, the colorful new jasper found in Mainland China, also known as Red Creek Jasper, Vintage recycled vynil beads and swarovski Crystal.

Golden Pyrite gemstone, handmade lampwork, vintage enamel bead caps, Czech glass.

Cherry Creek Jasper, the colorful new jasper found in Mainland China, also known as Red Creek Jasper, Vintage recycled vynil beads and Vintage African glass.

Indian Summer Night, As seen in Jewelry Making Journal.

A pair of my earrings, Indian Summer Night, which was inspired by the Autumn landscape has been published in jewelry making journal.

Thank you very much to Rena the founder of this great online magazine and her team. Also special thanks to Alicia who guided me all long :)

Please visit their website and feel free to comment on my submitted piece.

http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/indian-summer-night/

Untitled

 Multi-Color Picasso Jasper, Carved wood, vintage glass beads, hand formed dark annealed steel wire, and handmade lampwork beads

  I wanted to make this one very simple, I used this beautiful slab of Red River Jasper, which I topped with tribal resin textured beads.

Indian Summer Night

I made these earrings with my head full of New England's Fall scenery.  I thought back to when I was lucky enough to enjoy one of the most beautiful Fall landscapes while driving from NYC to Boston in October almost 10 years ago.  I can still remember all of the trees with all of the colors, shades of colors, the feeling of the air, the scents.  I used these memories to draw my inspiration for these earrings and then borrowed from Mother Nature to make them.  

I used gemstone beads, Mother Nature's artwork, in shades of the Autumn landscape during October, when the trees are full with all colors: green, gold, yellow, orange, rust.

I made them with green faceted nugget prehnite, a serene energy stone which helps to bring harmony with nature.  The beauty of Autumn and the crisp air makes me feel such a connection to nature and such a grounding that I feel a sense of calm and at the same time an energy and inspiration to create because of all the beauty that surrounds me.   I also used a carnelian stone in a rice shape, jasper, sodalite, goldstone gemstone, handmade tiny lampwork headpins, antique silver chain and charms and smoke topaz glass leaf charms beads.

Honestly, I don't know what to say about these earrings. I think it is better to let them speak by themselves.

Handmade lampwork beads, jasper beads,Vintage Copper Open Petal Flower Beads.

Fall Earrings,イヤリング, Boucles D'oreille, σκουλαρίκια, oorbellen, ירינגז, Pendientes, 耳环, Ohrringe,الأقراط, øredobbe , कान की बाली, korvakorut, ,עגילים



Did I tell you that autumn is my favorite season? I think so! 

In the Fall, I lose myself  in the colour tranformation afoot  and in the trees and I love the cool crisp breezes.

With September is the beginning of subtle changes in the light.

 October is a symphony of permanent change, when the light from the sun plays its most beautiful rythmic light in bursts of colour.

Trees seem to show their most beautiful and festive wardrobes like they are going to a beauty contest. 

In the sound of the breeze, the wind's motion makes the dead leaves flutter about in the air in a whirl of freestyle dancing.  Softly, overhead, leaves carried by the wind, fall down.  

Fall really inspires me, it gets me motivated to design more.

                                                                    Autumn Fiesta.

Another colourful of my autumnal theme design.

 Timeless Lava Story

Slab nugget poppy jasper 33x14mm gemstones with some amazing patterns and a shades of green and dusty rose on a black base...like a painting but this is Mother Nature's work, Vintage solide brass beads

                       
 Untitled...                                      

Salvage solid copper hand shaped by me, metal were oxidized, polished and sealed with renaissance wax for preservation, Tribal yak bone mala, wood and seed beads

The Myth Of the Sahara desert



Rustic textured bird tracks Hand-cast charms, handmade matt glazed ethnic textured ceramic bead, raku and ivory lampwork spacers, Herkimer Diamond Quartz and vintage African glass beads.

Red Creek Jasper aka Matte Cherry Creek Jasper

Festival de Couleur Automnal!

When I saw this stone, the design came naturally to me. It had its own way of telling me that it was our destiny to meet in person, kind of spiritual connection, a feeling.  :) I heard

clearly the call  of this stunning Picasso Jasper.

The Scent Of Fall

Do we all need some colours in our life? Yes, I think so! I had these ceramic dangles for sometime now and it appeared to me to add some colourful beads which was exactly what they
were waiting for. 

                                                                                Festival De Couleur

Black and white of course, A taste for everyone, and the earring studs make me think of Cruella from 101 Dalmations, anytime I look at it. :)

 

                                                                                                 Mystic Lady

In the mood for Sound and Movement? I lost myself with another ceramic dangle by Petra and the vintage Kuchi belly dance charms.

 Of course, I added my favorite gemstone Indigo blue rough Iolite

I haven't mastered the technique of making earrings with silk well enough so, I beg you to forgive me this draft. I practice every day . Practice makes perfect, like the proverb says!!!

I simply wire wrapped a recycled vintage sari silk aroung this slab of Arborization Opal with pure copper wire.