Have you heard? The second Best of Step by Step Wire is due out in just a few weeks! You can preorder this issue right here! I’m so excited about this issue! 🙂 You’ll find popular previous designs by Jeanette Ryan, Jen Judd Velasquez, Cassie Donlen, Sara Richardson, and other favorite artists inside!
I designed Au Courant Corsage over the summer envisioning a simple statement piece – a necklace with a large cluster of lampwork hollows, something asymmetrical. I wanted to showcase lots of wire. This necklace has 12 feet of 16-gauge wire alone! With visions of hollows in various shades, I began to look online…..when I found Charmaine Jackson of Encircle Designs, and saw her custom-order hollow color chart, I knew these were the beads I was looking for. I noticed that she was in Virginia too, and that sealed the deal.
I visualized a cluster of beads reminiscent of a floral corsage. Do you remember those corsages worn to a homecoming dance – pinned right on to your dress, or better yet, worn on your wrist? This is my modern version of wearing a small bouquet. The challenge was how to create a nice, bulbous focal with round beads. I cannot tell you how many different ways I redesigned the focal cluster. I wanted it to “sit” just right. I decided I needed to use smaller beads (the above picture is the first go-around before changing the bead size). Charmaine was wonderful and made a custom set of beads in the smaller size I requested for a second round, under a tight deadline. I think I fiddled with this focal more than I have in any project I’ve made to date. When I work with a new wire concept, I often generate a pile of practice pieces. This project was no exeption. You’ll see how something amazing happened when I brought my pieces of wire to the beach; they oxidized naturally from the salty air.
I also have a necklace in this issue taken from the Step by Step Wire vault: Heartstrings. Heartstrings is special to me as it was my first time being published with Step By Step Wire magazine – back in 2008. The silvered ivory lampwork beads are by Kim Typanski, who sadly no long makes beads. She is pursuing another passion – horses!
I’m looking forward to seeing this issue in print . I’m considering teaching my first class with the Au Courant Corsage project in mind – maybe keeping it simple and adapting it to a bracelet.
See I promised there would be a jewelry next! Thank you for stopping by – it always makes my day to hear from you! 🙂
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{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }
I love love love your cover piece Cindy!! It looks fantastic! I am so freakin’ stinkin’ proud to call you my friend. Cheesecake for everyone!!
A stunning piece! The handmade chain is to die for!!!! I’ll have to be on the lookout for the Magazine.
Beautiful necklace, I love everything about it!
Love the necklace! It probably would make a great class as a bracelet, so that everyone could finish the project in class. (I hate not finishing projects in class!) Congrats on being in the magazine!
It’s such a stunning necklace…lots of wire and a pop of glass.
Jeanette
Awesome Cindy! Truly lovely in every way.
Enjoy the day!
Erin
Cindy….I think this is one of the most beautiful pieces you’ve made (and you’ve made many my friend =)
I absolutely love the way you used the lamp work hollows~truly stunning!
I love your combination of links~hammered and the other almost nest-like! You have beautiful taste, and your jewelry is so beautiful!
I think this would be a wonderful class to teach =)
Luv ya~
diane
xoxox
Oh Cindy, that is so beautiful. I grabbed the recent volume today at the station (we have to wait a little bit longer til the magazine arrives in Germany) and your necklace is gorgeous. I absolutly have to try that one!
Cindy, you wow me! I so love the wirework…you inspire all of us. Congratulations!
The necklace is gorgeous!! The wirework is fantastic. Beautiful piece all around. What a fun class that would be.
I so wish I lived in Virginia!! I would take your class!
LOVE the necklace!
xo
becky
You never cease to amaze me with your stunning jewelry designs!!
You make me want to get back to my own jewelry soon 🙂
What a gorgeous necklace! It must be such a thrill to see one of your pieces on the front cover! Congratulations! I will be watching for the issue to hit the stands! Love the choice of colors in the hollow beads BTW
Stunning pieces! I may have to buy this just to see how you made that lampwork bead focal. It’s an inspired idea to think of it as a corsage. Just lovely.
Your talents are boundless my friend!! Congrat’s on this super honor….you are a master of wire and design Cindy! I love both pieces….of course the Heartstrings I am drawn to more with that bit of looseness and warmth. You are remarkable!
Is that you on the cover again?…A BIG CONGRATS!! Such a fabulous necklace, as always. And your Heartstrings necklace deserves a second time around! It’s gorgeous too!
I flippin’ loooooove that necklace! It is so worth the all the hours you put into getting the arrangement perfect and has got to be one of the best cover pieces ever!!
WOW!! What a stunning necklace, Cindy. You’re fast becoming the cover girl for all the SBSWJ special issues! 🙂 (And that is well-deserved!) I’m glad I get to share a tiny, tiny piece of the cover with you! Thanks for the mention, too! 🙂
so absolutely gorgeous, and ingenious as always! I’m proud to know you! You are so swee and such an inspiration!
**sweet**! not sure what “swee” might mean 🙂
I love this piece and your inspiration! Congrats on the The Best of SBSW…your pieces are always wonderful!
what a charming necklace!! the grape of hollow combo with silver is just fantastic!! i love the second too!! beautiful heart! bravo Cindy!!
Oh Cindy! I LOVE Au Courant Corsage……it is beautiful! It looks gorgeous on and fabulous on the cover! LOVE IT!!!
Hope all is fine with you and your boys ;o)
hugs
hello gorgeous xxx
Great great work Cindy, i think everybody said all i want to said before ! Your wirework is simply gorgeous, and the hollow beads… i love them too. You really are a talented woman.
Oh Cindy! That is GORGEOUS!! You definately captured that look of a corsage in this necklace. Wow! I may have to travel to VA to take that class.
That is one gorgeous necklace! I would definitely take a class with you for a bracelet version! And Heartstrings is a total favorite of mine– congrats on another cover!
How do you do sweet girl???? I just want you to make a video of you making one of these amazing wire necklaces so i can kind of figure out… HOW YOU DO IT!!!! Absolutely stunning friend, I will have to have this issue too. {I’m still trying to figure out how to make your fabulous rosettes}
Love your work…
Susie
oh wow this is so cool – when I saw the front page, I knew it was your necklace. Tell me when your neighbors move out, because I will buy that house and bring you cake so I can have a peek into your studio from time to time. Gorgeous. I need the magazine.
Congratulations, Cover Girl!!
Love this piece not only because it’s stunning with the hollows and twisted wire, but your use of the spiral ~ my favorite design element and my logo.
Will definitely get this issue.
Think I need to go pull some wire….
Thanks, everyone! You sure made my day with your sweet comments! 🙂
Ohhh Cindy that is the Most beautiful necklace!! Really beautiful. Your work is just wonderful!
I know I’ve told you this many times, but I’m so stinking proud of you. Your jewelry is truly unique, original, and beautiful, and fully deserving of all the covers you’ve garnered.
THIS IS AWESOME! It looks exactly like a corsage, you did a great job capturing your inspiration. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and for your sweet comments! Enjoy the rest of the weekend, Cindy!
Just gorgeous, Cindy! Will have to snap up the magazine and try out those links, and corsage!
Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!! I LOVE this design! When I saw the magazine cover (just the picture and had not read your post yet) I wondered if you created the necklace on the front! Oh, my goodness…stunning, unique, exquisite…just a few thoughts to get started! LOL Cindy, this piece is simply “tealightful”! Amazing work, my friend!! So happy and proud for you~
Hugs,
Ann~Margaret
I really don’t know how I missed this post! So I am so late for the party, that there aren’t even traces of streamers and confetti on the ground…
Your necklaces are both stunning – but Au Courant Corsage just takes my breath away. You are such a master – eh, mistress – of wire. Those links are so perfect. And the hollow beads are fantastic. A piece to endlessly drool over. And so deserving of a cover!
Congratulations, Cindy!
cindy, your work is just so lovely and you are so deserving to be on the cover and in the publication with the other piece… i do hope you know how very gifted you are…
What a gorgeous necklace! I love Charmaine’s hollows with your wirework.
On the cover?! Wowza! Well deserved. I love your clever design and the choice of beads is spectacular!
Absolutely gorgeous! The wirework is cool and I love the cluster of hollows because, well, I kind of usually focus on the glass parts of designs ;o) The entire design is so awesome that I am just pissed I didn’t think of it first. LOL! congrats, you deserve it!
How in the world did I miss this post??
This piece is Gorgeous! I love it.
Congrats on the cover… it is very much deserved.