B’Sue Build a Line

I’ve discovered a source for components that I really like.  B’Sue Boutiques has fantastic findings in raw brass that I can color, combine and manipulate to enhance my designs.  It’s amazing what a little B’Sue can do.  Here’s a before and after photo of a necklace I made.  Didn’t really like it all that much till I added a bat from B’Sue Boutiques.  The result if worthy of Abby at NCIS.

My beautiful bat necklace

 

Brenda Landsdowne, of B’Sue Boutiques is guiding over 50 designers through a challenge to build a line of jewely.  She will be our fearless guide to creating a new look, a new style, one that is uniquely our own.   For 3 months we will take this class, the first of its kind and hopefully expand our designing horizons, learn a lot and make new friends.

This will be a brand new experience for me.  Those of you who know me also know that I am worse than a little kid when it comes to making jewelry.  I see something, I say “OOOO, I want to learn to make that,” then I learn it and see the next thing and “ooooo, I want to learn that!”  Once I have learned something, I give it my own little twist and its off to the next thing.  I have an ADHD brain that goes flitting from one thing to the next, which makes me a sort of Jack of all trades and master of none.   .

Black Water

So how am I going to set myself on a path to make a “line”  and stick to it?   SIGH….I don’t know, but I believe I need that discipline so I am going into this challenge, though I have talked myself out of it twice now   Here is a bead and linked piece with one of my bronze focals.  Below that, a really simple pair of tudor style earrings.   You can see I’m all over the place.

We each had to come up with a theme for our line.  Brenda said think about what we love and what we could get excited about.   I love stories, literature, fantasy and parallel or alternate histories.  I was reading steampunk literature before it was ever called that.  And, I love to embellish stories of my own.   I love Victorian times and histories.  I also love steampunk.

As far as I could see, the world did not need another Steampunk jewelry artisan.  There are masters out there that I could not even begin to compete with!  MASTERS!

Those of you who know me also know that I like to give me reader s bit of “mood music” to listen to while they scroll.  So listen to this steampunk music.  I played this over and over while I thought about my designs.

I looked at lots of Steampunk fashion and poured over steampunk books and what did I see?   Almost NO men’s jewelry!  I’d been toying with the idea of working on men’s jewelry anyhow.  What would be different about Steampunk men’s jewelry?

These fellows wear elaborate costumes and back in the day would have been called dandies or “fops” even.   A “fop” would wear more elaborate styles of jewelry and I could still keep it simple.  *I’m not one for elaborate collage type pieces.)

What would I need for a line of “fop”.  What would Victorian/alternate history types wear?   Cufflinks, cravat pins, vestpins, kilt pins and pins for capes and maybe a “statement piece”, an elaborate necklace just for a man.

I would need leather and chain, not just little wimpy commercial chain but heavy links in brass, copper and gunmetal.  So, I began assembling some links designed to go with suede cord.  Coils are going to be prominent to go with the gears.

I needed some particular charms and findings from B’Sue Boutique so I ordered them.

I would also need a “theme”, a story if you will.  And, I TOLD you I love stories and love making up my own.

My line is called PHOPP.   PHOPP is an anagram for the Peculiar Herioc Order of Picaresque Paladins.   It’s a group formed by a philanthropic organization that would like to honor heroes of the fantasy battles written of by a plethora of authors.   The honorifics are military medals for Picaresque (which means rogueish in fiction) Paladins (leaders)…….gentlemen who have read these fantastic tales have participated in the battles through their imagination, whether they fought in the War of the Worlds or with the Kraken King.  It’s a sort of “secret” gentlemen’s club adminstered by a character of my own called Liam MacSteamish.    I am only the chosen designer.  It’s Liam who will have a FB page and his own shop which will be called  PHOPPS Emporium.  He may even end up with his own blog.  Look for Liam on Facebook.  I am his only friend poor fellow.

Liam MacSteamish

I’ve lots of ideas but have yet to assemble my first piece.   I’ve begun and that is what is important.  Here are some sketches and some polyclay findings I made.  IDEAS are happening!

Here is a list of the other folks in the class.  Hop around and see what they are up to!  And don’t forget to stop by B’Sue Boutiques.  Brenda is lots of fun and has a ton of  tutorials and a shop full of findings, charms and chains.

 

Brenda Sue Lansdowne, B’sue Boutiques:  Jewelry Making Outside the Box

Marcia Tuzzolino       Aurora Designs

Jann Tague:    Clever Designs by Jann

Judy King:  Apt to Wander Studio

Linzi Alford:  Magpie in the Sky, Spoil Heap Tales

Cynthia Wainscott:  Exotic Peru

Carole Carlson:  Beadsophisticate

Lynn Stinten:  Dragonzwench

Marica Zammit:  Bead Lovelies

Catherine Shattuck:  VRBrose

Michaele Collie:  The Vintage Gem

Mary Craig:  Jewelry Alchemy

Lee Koopman:  Strega Jewelry          X  You are here

Erin Whitacre:  Shattered Time Jewelry

Monica Casady: MJCasady Copper Works

Leila West:  Leila Nicole Designs

Cindy Peterson:  Howling Dog Jewelry

Leila Belcher:  Leila Bee Designs

Gloria Allen:  Wings and Beads

Pamela Anger:  Novegatti Designs

Tammy Adams:  Paisley Lizard

Lynda O’Mara:  LOmara Creative

Elizabeth Hildreth:  MadScientistsDesigns

Dana Hickey:  Wind Dancer Studios

Janet Calardo:  Jan Lea Designs

Maria Clark:  Sweet Willow Designs

Lori Beekman:  B. Accessorized

Jennifer Kroeger:  Relic Charm

Amy Jorgensen:  Hoarder’s Corner

Robin Reed:  Artistry: Handcrafted Bead Designs

Ingrid Anderson:  Lilis Gems

Louise O’Shields:  Desire Divine Jewels

Susan Killam:  Killam Creative

Mary Katherine Deis:  The Rose Sword: Artisan and Vintage Collectible Jewelry

Nike Bottalico:  Nike Bottalico

Susan Bowerman:  Woodside Wireworks

Kristy Le:  Kristy Le Trendy Jewelry Designs

Jan Peters:  Stylized Vintage

Mitzie Crider:  Needful Luxuries Occasional Blog

Gina Hockett:  Freestyle Elements

Linda Anderson:  From the Bead Board

Alexandra Sefton:  Imaginary Jewelry and Altered Art

Melida Boman:  The Journey of Pens and Things

Teresa Shurter:  TreeZ’s Treasurs

Melissa Latimer:  Smithed Up

Renee Hong:  Fine and Dandy Jewelry and Art

Nadine Edris:  Moondance Jewelry

Lori Meyer:  Parisienne Girl

Jennifer Merrill Williams:  Artists of All Stripes

Denise Lussier Poirier:  Jewelry by Denise

Renee Allen:  Small Stuff Design

Autumn Adams:  Autumn Dawns

Elizabeth Owens:  1996 Shabby Lane

Kat BarronMiller:  Midnight Kat Productions Art Jewelry

Sandra Ballard:  Mama San’s Mojo

Coral Law:  ab:coraldesign