After Beach Collection

It's been a while since I stopped by!!!

My inspiration for these designs came  from the ocean , sea, river, lakes, and the waters of our planet! 

I made this pair by sorting all my kuchi belly dance charms that I have been collecting for 6 or 8 years now. I used a pair of glazed hooped connectors which were hand formed in earthstone and fired with bronze clay and raku lime glaze.  I then dangled a variety of beads, from vintage to modern.

I love the indigo colour on this pair of earrings!

Yellow brass is hammered against an old railroad spike for a unique texture that is slightly curved then tumbled and treated with an indigo patina.  I simply topped the 2 inch by 9mm hammered Brass spears with a rustic blue denim handamade lampwork and a Tibetan pearl. 

Larimar stone and handmade sea inspired lampwork beads along with antique silver beads and chain.

I like the fresh tranquil soothing blues of Larimar, it reminds me of the Caribbean sea.

Did you know that Larimar can only be found in the Domican Republic?

I made this necklace very simple, which is not in my usual style, but this gorgeous lampwork bead didn't need much. I added red agate gemstones here and there to keep it simply stated.

As always, Thank you so much for stopping by!

Spring Summer Collection Next!

Normally, I like to work in silence but from time to time, I like to listen to my favorite music which is Jazz but sometimes I found myself listening to some other musicians, I really really like. This time, Jerry Garcia smooth voice were calling me and I was really inspired by him and his voice, not to mention, when he played his guitar. It's so gracious, so deep, so wonderful. You lose yourself in Jerry's music!

Nostalgia of San Francisco and the good old times!!!

I think, my Instagram friends will recognize the heavy gauge salvaged copper wire I shaped and oxydized on which I dangled spiny oyster beads that I bought on our way to Monument Valley.  I added primitive, rustic,  lampwork beads below a vintage soldered bulb.

When I came acrossed these lovely leopard skin stones, it remind me of a modern art painting!

Nothing can beat Mother Nature's art, that is for sure!

These have beautiful splash of many colors: orange, purple, burgundy, red with hues of navy blue in this leopard skin jasper.  They are simply wire wrapped with recycled sari silk fiber, adorned with Indonesian recycled glass and lava beads.

I started this pair of earrings with handmade ceramic buds in a unique shape with a transparent oriental greenish blue glaze.  Topped with pastel lilac beads and adorned with Tibetan bone, an unusual ruffle spiral lampwork discs in shades of blue and aqua, then beautiful purple sugared beads and finished with charoite gemstone beads.  

Simplicity is needed here because of these huge Serpentine gemstone, I simply topped it with rhinestones, African turquoise, yellow topaz and  my signature copper wire wrapping.  

As always, Thank you so much for stopping by!

Spring cleaning studio!!!

I don't have much to say this time! Well, in fact, I must limit my time on the computer in order to be able to heal my longtime wounded shoulder and backache.

However, I would like to talk a little bit about my unorganized "so-called" studio.

Normally, I am a very tidy person, with a place for everything and avid about putting each thing where it belongs, my family even always said that I am too meticulous.

I don't get it, because when it's comes to my studio, it is so hard for me to keep it tidy!

I won't show any pictures of it, because you guys out there will be afraid! ;)

I won't hide that I spend a lot of time searching for items or particular beads each and every time I design which leaves me feeling lost a lot of time.  My beads are lost...I'm lost.

Sometimes I clean and rearrange everything but it never lasts. For some reason, when I'm inspired, I need to mess up my bench with all kinds of beads because I have so many ideas at the same moment that I need to have those beads to make all of the designs in my head right then and there!

And here we go, the mess is back!

We all know that a well-organized studio makes it easy to work on any project, so I have decided that

I need a real studio that looks neat and tidy with a great bench to work, so maybe then I won't mess up it .

Well even in the chaos of my studio, I am happy to see all of these evocative materials, those that I have hoarded for so many years and also the new beads all of which work very well in my aesthetic vision. 

My Spring - Summer collection and so many more to come...

African Turquoise, lampwork beads, unique organic pattern artisan ceramic headpins all the way from Russia and vintage African glass from my Grandma

A pair of diamond shaped earring shields made from dark clay embossed with an African ornament

dangled below Greek ceramic spacers and  African brass cage rice shape beads, topped with  Lemon Chrysoprase gemstone beads.

I started these earrings with another design in mind but my initial plan fell apart and I didn't want to waste my copper wire. So, I improvised with these hybrid Picasso turquoise I had on my messy table within easy reach. My mistake lead me to this perfectly imperfect design which I finally love.

 Petra's ceramic dangles always make a statement. Hand formed rustic pair of wrapped loosely with nichrome wire spikes dangled below vintage coconut roundelle spacers, tribal yak bone mala Inlaid turquoise and coral chips and topped with  chrysocolla gemstones.

Another one of my favorite ceramic artist. Happy Fallout, I can't get enough of her beads!

I used handmade lampwork headpins (I love all kind of headpins) then, I enhanced them with stunning genuine ancient Roman glass roundelle fragment beads with green and blue color. These Roman glass beads are over 1000-1500 years old and were found in Afganistan. I also added unusual textured ceramic beads with printed letters on wet clay using an old typewriter, matte aquamarine gemstone and 4 mm gold olive green Czech glass to make this magnificent perfectly imperfect statement pair of earrings.

Stay tuned!!!

As always, Thank you so much for stopping by!

SanKoFa

I can't remember how often I heard or used this word "SanKoFa". It is just one among others in my native language but I always liked the rhythm of the sound when Grandma used it. 

Then I googled it and wow... I learned a lot about it. How it has become a symbol in traditional Akan Art, in African American and African Diaspora.

SanKoFa mean to reach back and get it.

It comes to this moment in my life that I need to return to my roots!

When I first started my jewelry journey I wanted to make plenty of tribal jewelry, but with a comtempory influence.

I made some of them which were sold very quickly to people like me, who like the jewelry they wear to be noticed. ( In my case, it was not the sole purpose but I feel more comfortable this way!)

Then, we moved to this city where I currently live and I lost my interest in making tribal necklaces.  I was selling more earrings than my tribal necklaces.

Recently however, I felt the huge need to make the necklaces again and the inspiration came to me naturally.

Africa, Africa, Africa...

My beautiful land,

Land of proud warrior,

in our ancestral Savannah.

Don't tell me you are a myth,

because that's the way, I see you.

Beautiful land,

You have so much to give,

So much to forgive,

Africa, my land, Africa the broken heart. I see and feel your pain, but through this pain still I see your beautiful smile. I hear your Heart of a broken land crying. This is my Land and I won't deny it because I love you more than ever before... Africa

I see your hidden beauty, I see you like a very timid beautiful woman.

I see your potential and I love you ever more.

My land, My broken land,

I love you more than ever before,

Forgive us, Africa!

Forgive your children,

Because they didn't teach us, how to show you this love!

I love you more than ever before!

I never really left you Africa, because I carry you in my heart wherever I go!

You made me the strong woman, I am today!
I am so thankful for that!

I know like everywhere else in the world, you are changing. You are making a transition in your own style. Unfortunately these changes are not for the best!

We are losing our culture.
We are losing our native languages.
but still

Africa, I love you evermore

Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika

God Bless Africa

In this project, I used handmade vintage recycled vinyl beads from Mali, vintage Bauxite, African trade beads given to me by my Grandma,Yoruba Bell spiral charms, brass from Nigeria, brass cast metal from Ivory Coast, recycled krobo beads I bought in Ghana during my last trip there. The pendant mask was specially made for me at my request a few years ago by a Senegalese Artisan in the Ivory Coast, using the technique of lost wax,
and of course: gemstones, bone, handmade ceramics and polymer clay beads  made by my friend Leah Curtis.
I also, repurposed a Tibetan necklace my sister gave me which her friend bought in Nepal a very long time ago!

What you may think is just a long string of beads, is in fact a lot of: work, research, assemblage and disassembling to make the most perfectly imperfect tribal necklace from recycled objects that I have collected from all over the world over a period of several years.

As always thank you so much / Me daa si  :)

Giveaway, Reveal

Thank you so much to those of you, who always support my work!

I can tell that I don't have an enormous fan base but I realize that in the beginning it is always tough.  Since I changed the name of my shop I am having to start over again.  I really appreciate those of you who are recognizing my work and if you can please help me spread the word.  

After asking my teenager boy Glenn-Camille several times to chose from the entries, he finally decided to pick the winner from the bowl of entries.   

The winner is: Laura L.

Could you message me your address via etsy convo please?

Thanks to everyone!

Throwback to Norway last summer!

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.