Fairy tales are a great source for jewelry inspiration. Sometimes you don't even need to delve into the story—just the main character or a single event can provide inspiration for an entire piece.
Take a look at my "Cinderella at the Ball" Earrings as an example. The long swoop of the sky blue Lucite flowers made me think of those long, elegant ball gowns that swirl out when the women twirl. I added pearls because for me, princesses and pearls just seem to go together. (Don't some versions of Cinderella show her wearing pearl earrings?) I love the tiny flower on these sterling silver ear wires. They match the little flower at the bottom of the earrings.
Inspiration doesn't have to be limited to color and shape. For these earrings, I also wanted the movement of the dance, so I added the jump rings between the wrapped loops and the ear wires, to ensure that the earrings move freely when worn.
A Challenge (or Two)
Inspired by fairy tales? You'll want to check out the next reader challenge at Stringing. You can learn more about the quarterly challenges on the Stringing website.
If you'd rather be inspired by someone else's beads and materials, check out my giveaway. For a chance to win a fall challenge kit, leave a comment on the Mostly Metal Blog Hop. You don't have to participate in the blog hop if you win, although I'd love it if you did! Winner will be announced September 2, along with the contents of the beading/jewelry making kits for the fall challenge.
P.S.
As you might have noticed from the link to my earrings, I've been quietly setting up my Etsy shop this month. I'll post more about this later—I've learned quite a bit already that I want to share—but for now, if you're on Etsy, I'd love to include you in my circle. Let me know your shop name in the comments or send me an email.