Entry 031 - Vickie Miller - Website - Email

I'm constantly working on new jewelry designs to showcase my own handmade lampwork beads. I've been making these adorable feet beads with flip flops for a few years now and other than using the flip flops as a single charm on a chain this is the first actual bracelet I have designed to showcase them. I've combined my beads with another love of mine and that is Hill Tribe silver beads and hammered rings. There are 2 sections of glass and silver beads that are wire wrapped using 19 gauge sterling wire. The hammered links are joined with doubled 18 gauge jump rings. A lobster clasp joins the wired sections to the hammered links.

Entry 032 - Joella Miller - Website - Email

This necklace consists of copper and Swarovski crystals. It is approximately 20 inches long along the necklace w/ draping that goes down about 6 inches. I started w/ copper washers, flattened and texturized them. I then made the necklace part of it w/ hand coiled and hand cut jump rings using a basic 2 in 2 chainmaille. I then patinated it to give it a bit of extra color.Because I love the sparkle of Swarovskis I used a few of them for a bit of bling.

Entry 033 - Kathy Vasbinder

The Tri-bangle is made in three sections. I made the coiled beads with 16 Ga. copper wire and 22 gauge gun metal wire I found at a garage sale and only purchased to practice with. However, when I used it with copper...I loved the look. The focal bead is a Bali Style copper bead.

Entry 034 - Joyce Becker - Website - Email

Nothing too fancy here, just great looking Lampwork beads by:
Focal: Linda Quast – Az Lampwork (ebay)
Jen Key – Peru, New York (2 blue beads)
Janet – Lampwork by Design (small off white)

I made the copper base (14 g). Made the copper twisted spirals, and sterling spirals and wire wrapped the focal bead, and the clasp hook. The 2 focal endcaps didn’t fit the focal, so I slit cut, filed, opened and reshaped. Now they are tight as a drum. Fits a 6 ½” wrist.

The main focus was on choosing my metals and I used a copper bead with a sterling dot in the middle. Also, my design has a flat copper bead in the location where the arm meets the table so it’s easy to write. The thing I love about these bangles is (I form mine in an oval shape to fit my wrist) that they don’t move. Once on, they stay put. I’ve made tons of other bracelets, and as you know the clasp always finds the way to the top. This is now my new favorite style. I teach exercise classes and wear them throughout. Can shower with them and am always “wearing” my business on my wrist. I like simplicity in my designs, especially when using beautiful Lampwork beads. I look for similar lines, curves, colors,etc. that pull things together.

The focal looks like a deep blue sea scene, so I wire wrapped it in copper to make it look like there are long streams of kelp coming up from the deep. I shape and form the wire using a pencil eraser (which keeps me from slipping or denting the metal). There is a moving ring also. This is a tight design, with very little movement. One secret I discovered since my hubby starting fly fishing is that the little balls next to the ends of the wire are flat on one end, rounded on the other, and make great balls to finish off the ends of these bracelets (these are from the fishing store and are solid copper)– our little secret? Also, I oxidized in Win-Ox, tumbled for a couple of hours and polished with a Sunshine Cloth.

Entry 035 - Linda Inhelder - Website

3rd Place Winner

This piece is a mix of sterling silver and copper wire, along with one Balinese silver focal bead and cubic zirconia. I started this piece by shaping heavy gauge copper wire for the base. I anchored the focal bead and continued to add both silver and copper coiling to create the center design. The sides of the bangle are woven with fine sterling silver wire to give the bangle a nice solid shape. To finish this piece I have sewn cubic zirconia briolette's with very fine sterling silver wire to add just a touch of sparkle. The entire bangle was very lightly oxidized and then I tumbled it for a couple of days to harden the piece.

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