A Few Dangles & A Little Bit O' Wire

While out on the beach, when I wasn't running through the "hills" of water or digging through shells with my nephews, I got to peruse my monthly dose of beading magazines. My favorite design from this batch was in the August 2008 issue of Bead&Button magazine. It's a set of earrings featuring a simple wire frame, in a circle, closed with a headpin that features a pearl. It's called a "quick-and-easy" project, but more importantly, it immediately drove my creative process into overdrive thinking of how I could use this pretty, balanced shape in some of my own ways. So, thanks to the designer, Melanie Hazen, for this great inspiration!

I used the basic round frame and finished it with a funky-shaped quartz piece. Then, to summer it up, I added some wire-wrapped loops featuring some of my Hawaiian bead stash--mother of pearl and shell flowers. It's not my normal esthetic, but I love the imbalanced balance of the whole thing. Of course, I kept it casual on leather since that's the jenjudd way. :)