"Diamonds in the Rough" Znet Challenge!

Recently a good friend, KayzKreationz, who also happens to be my daughter's mother-in-law (or out-law, which ever you prefer :0) asked me if I would be interested in stretching my jewelry creative abilities and "adopt" beads from www.znetshows.com. Since I had seen what she had created with the sea glass Bill had sent her on the last blog hop he did, I was more than thrilled to join in the fun and be part of the Znet Design Team!

For those of you who don't know - znetshows.com sells retail but mostly wholesale beads. They have a wide selection and great prices. There are pendants, beads, the usual and some unusual finds to be had.

This time around, Bill Zhang, the owner, had the participants choose 10 items to create with that have been overlooked by customers in their efforts to get the newest thing in product. Many of these items have been on the market for awhile and need "refreshing"! Well not really, because they're all beautiful! He wanted us to choose items we liked, we thought others might like, and some things that might stretch our own creative abilities.

My Creations

First, I made a pair of earrings with the two white shell rose flowers, silver plated wire and dark red seed beads. The roses are approx 30mm which definitely makes a great earring statement. The top is front drilled which made it easy to hang as earrings.

Shell white rose flower SCPDG153(PDG153-01)

Then, I took three items:

1. Tree Agate donut pendant SCBDG118 (BDG118-34) about 35mm.
2. Moss Agate round beads SCBDG56 (BDG56-40) about 4mm.
3. Green Spot Jasper pebbles BDG1415(BDS1415-17) about 10-13mm.

These I combined with dark green Jade tubes about 15mm to make a necklace. The toggle I made out of the silver wire & used a pewter bead as the ring. The necklace is a hair over 20 inches long with the pendant hanging 2 inches.                                        

The bracelet is made of the moss agate rounds, green spot jasper pebbles and dark green jade tubes. It is 8 inches long.

Of course, no set is complete without earrings. So I used the moss agate rounds to make 1 inch hoop earrings.

                                                   
Next came the Howlite. I've never been into "white". But these were really pretty with dark grey/black threads running through them. Again I used a combination of three:

1. White Howlite square puffed beads SCBDG44(BDG44-04B) about 12mm.
2. White Howlite round beads SCBDG56(BDG56-04) about 4mm.
3. White Howlite teardrop puffed beads BDS1447(BDS1447-04) faceted tip-drilled 16mm x 12mm.

These beads I combined with grey Swarovski crystal bicones and rondelles. The focal is made with silver plated wire and beads made to hang off center. The necklace is 23 inches long.

The bracelet is 8 inches with silver wired springs and stones with a handmade silver wired clasp.

The earrings are teardrop shaped wires that hang one inside the other with crystals and stones. They are approx. 3 inches long and 1 inch wide.

 The complete set!







Red Sardonyx was the next creation I made! (30x30mm in size BDS1213(BDS1213-42)).

First came the watch with Sardonyx diamond beads, bloodstone rondelles and pewter beads. I put a lobster clasp on each end of the watch "bracelet" so that it can be detached from the watch face and another "bracelet" attached for versatility. The watch bracelet is 8 inches long.

Second, came the necklace. The focal is made of 5 Sardonyx diamond beads approx 5 inches wide by 3 inches long hanging on silver plated wire from two ropes of chain. The necklace is 26 inches long.

I love pendants and wire wrapping! So when I saw the Red Agate oval puffed bead (it's color enhanced but it actually looks like amber); about 40mm x 30mm BDS1216(BDS1216-02); it just called my name! I wire wrapped it with bronze copper wire and used it as a pendant on a chain, bead, and flat Kumihimo necklace.

The chain is bronzed copper. The flat Kumihimo is made from white, black, brown, and grey ribbon. I also added a rope of beads made of antique brown crystals and beads that were my grandmothers. They are definitely vintage; approx 50+ years. This necklace is 21 1/2 inches long with the pendant hanging approximately another 3 inches.

Of course, I had to make the "accessories" to go with this necklace, so here are the matching earrings and bracelet made from flat Kumihimo and vintage crystals & beads with a little bronze wire thrown in for good measure.

The bracelet is 7 1/2 inches long with two strands - one flat Kumihimo and the second, a chain with a coiled "spring" of wire and beads that float.

 

The earrings are made from bronzed copper chain and matching beads. They are about 2 inches long.


Lastly! I took the green Zebra Jasper teardrop puffed pendant SCPDG202(PDG202-69), 40mm x 30mm, wire wrapped it with bronze copper wire to hang on a chain or wire necklace. The bail is large enough to go over a beaded necklace no larger than 15mm. It is approx 3 inches long.

Some years ago, I made a copper wire necklace that slips around the neck without clasping; like a choker cuff. It is so comfortable and light that you almost forget it is there. I decided to make another one out of the bronze copper wire. It is hammered flat to lay against the skin and is about 15 inches in length so that it fits like a choker but without "choking" you.

There you have it!  Whew! :)))  Quite an assortment of designs and creations with the "adopted" ZNet beads - 12 items, 15 if you count the bronze copper wire necklace and the vintage bead earrings and kumihimo bracelet . I know most of you don't care about the measurement information, but I'm trying to get myself in the habit of keeping better notes. So you get to be the "guinea pigs" this time! :0

I had so much fun, I would love to do this again!

Znetshows.blogspot.com will have a list of the other participants on the Design Team and post pictures in the Jewelry Gallery. Viewers can also vote for their favorites on Znetshows Facebook page.