Miriam Haskell Challenge

A Grain of Sand bead shop is offering a Miriam Haskell inspired challenge. They sold a kit with vintage beads and asked participants to make something inspired by Miriam Haskell's designs.The picture above is the parure (set) that I created for today's reveal.

When I think of Miriam Haskell jewelry I think of floral component based pieces so that is what I made for the necklace focal. To make the necklace I started with the round filigree from the kit. I stitched some of the black seed beads from the kit and a 4mm black round in the center, then I made loops of the pearly white seed beads that were a free gift with my kit to form the black and white flower. I also stitched some of the black seed beads into leaves. I was inspired to make this flower by one I saw in my Miriam Haskell book that was a bracelet center and was a Robert Clark design. I found a large brass flower in my stash and embellished it with more of the pearly white seed beads and used a matte light yellow glass flower center. I attached these two flowers to a larger filigree piece. Next I attached two pale yellow enameled flowers each in a different shape and with a different black glass flower center. The finishing touch for the focal was 5 small matte light yellow glass flowers. The straps were made with the large black faceted nailheads from the kit plus some I already had. They were spaced out with the black seed beads from the kit and black size 6 seed beads. I saw straps in my Miriam Haskell book which were made with black fire polished beads spaced in this way. Most of the Miriam Haskell pieces that I have seen are very colorful so black was more unique. I used the black faceted clasp from my kit for the closure.

Next came the earrings. There were a pair of floral inspired metal pieces in the kit which I used as my earring bases. I glued black Swarovski crystals into the indentations and hung one of the yellow set crystal from the kit on the bottom to keep with the color scheme I had going. Earwires was all that was needed to complete these simple earrings.

I used the large yellow cabochon with the crescent shaped holes to create a pin. I wired one of the yellow AB crystals to the center. It is surrounded by small black round beads. I created a harness with wire on the back. To this I attached three of the yellow set crystals so that they hung below the cabochon. Next I punched a pair of holes in the metal bow from the kit and used a pair of oval jump rings on each side to attach the embellished cabochon to the bow. I used wire to attach a pin back and this creation was done. I had fun creating these designs. I am working on another pin and I have a bracelet design in my head too but they will have to be finished after the challenge is over.This is the second of their challenges that I have participated in. I guess I neglected to post pics of what I did the first time. I will do that later. I have been neglecting my blog because my camera is not working and pics from my phone are large which makes them harder to look at on-line.