Jeannie Do-Over Challenge

Jeannie Dukic of Jeannie's Blog decided to host a Do-Over Blog Hop.  She's been making jewelry for, as she says, a "long, long time", and she had a lot of pieces that she felt needed to be remade and given a face lift.

I think all of us, from beginner to the most advanced beader, can relate.  How often have we looked back over what we've made even six months ago and thought, "What?  Wait.  I should have done this."

This is the piece Jeannie sent along to me.  I loved the vibrant colors, in part because they're not at all colors I normally work with, and therefore, perfect for a challenge.  I love a challenge.  And why is it we admire certain colors, yet don't design with them?  So here was my chance!

original piece from Jeannie

I first decided to make a pendant for the necklace.  I rarely wear a necklace myself that doesn't have a pendant.  I gravitated towards the toggle ring, and then pulled a Tesori Trovati pendant and a few coordinating 4mm Swarovski crystals to match the teal and green glass beads.

I thought the word "BEGIN" was apt as this necklace is a new beginning.

I decided to go asymmetrical and linked the teal and green beads, along with the smaller lime green beads, up one side, and then found some lilac beads with the perfect blue sheen to accent the other side of the necklace.  Along the purple glass bead side, I also added some oxidized metal chain.

I like the result.  With the addition of an art bead pendant and some simple Czech glass beads and a length of chain, then a little asymmetric theory, the necklace is now freshened up while still using a great deal of the original beads.  

This goes to show you that you shouldn't always toss your first creations, but take a good look at them and see if they're salvageable.  If you feel the beads are no longer up to your current standard, consider making them into key chains, zipper pulls, wine charms, or something of the sort.  In my house, no bead goes unloved!

I hope you've enjoyed seeing what I made with Jeannie's jewelry, and now it's time to take a look at what others made!  

Sally
Dagi
Lisa
Christine
Erin
Leslie
Shannon
Niky
Diane
Barbe
Elisabeth
Lori
Linda
Pam
Patty
Nancy
Kim
Marci
Charlene

Lori Anderson creates jewelry for her web site, Lori Anderson Designs, and wrote the blog An Artist's Year Off.  She's also a contributor to Art Bead Scene.  She is also the creator of the Bead Soup Blog Party.