We're All Ears Chandelier Earrings Challenge

I have to admit that I completely forgot about the Earrings Everyday We're All Ears Challenge for February until I started spotting the reveals in my feed. Oops! I remember seeing the initial post about the chandelier inspiration. And, I was totally inspired by the chandeliers. I just let it slip my mind. 

I also have to admit that I didn't take the Hudson Valley style quiz until after I completed my design. Oh well. I ended up with Chic Vintage & Industrial as my style type. That sounds about right.

As for making chandelier-inspired earrings; I've long made "chandelier earrings". And, I definitely associate chandeliers with jewelry as I do collect and sometimes even incorporate their crystals into my designs. But, I wanted to go even more literal than that. I wanted to make earrings that LOOK like chandeliers.

Initially, I wanted to make them a little more 3D with four of the arms coming off it. I worked and fiddled and banged and wire-wrapped, but just could not get the result I was after. So, I went with a more flat design but with the same hook idea. 

I started with the thickest gauge copper wire I had on hand (16g), formed the little side loops, created the larger curve, hammered the long pieces flat (so they would fit back to back without much slipping), and wrapped them together with 24g copper wire. Then, I trimmed the tops and curved them in toward each other for a decorative element. 

After that, it was a matter of picking out what bead crystals I wanted to hang from my chandelier. These small briolettes were perfect. (You should have seen the little dance I did across the craft room after finding them.) After that, I aged the copper forms and some additional 24g wire with Novican Black to take away the super shine of the hardware store copper wire. The extra wire was used to wrap the crystals onto the chandelier. 

The pictures don't really do the earrings justice. They look more like chandeliers in person. I'm absolutely smitten with these! Thank you so much, Erin for the challenge. Your chandelier inspiration totally had me motivated to get these done.

Oh, and as for the results of the style quiz...I think these absolutely meet my Chic Vintage & Industrial style!

Hop on over to Earrings Everyday and see how the other designers interpreted this challenge. They're all so unique and different and absolutely beautiful!

20 comments:

  1. PERFECT! They totally rock the chandelier style in a most literal fashion. Those crystals look like dollhouse versions of the ones on a large chandelier. I adore the engineering that you did, and while the 3D would have been cool, I think I like this better. Very pretty! Thanks for playing along with me in the We're All Ears Challenge. See you for the next one! Enjoy the day! Erin

    ReplyDelete
  2. Once again Hope you nailed. I love what you came up with.

    ReplyDelete
  3. These definitely are the chic vintage and industrial style, which I love! I like the contrast of the aged metal and the swanky crystals and the little heart effect the bent wire has at the top.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ann,
      Oh yay! I'm glad you see it too. It was a lot of fun playing with bending and shaping the wire and seeing how it came out. I had an initial plan, but when that failed, I just started experimenting. So glad it worked out!! Thanks so much for swinging by!
      Hope

      Delete
  4. These are wonderful! They absolutely look like little chandeliers... so cool! I'm always inspired by your work, and these are no exception. Lovely! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I agree with Ms. Erin. These earrings do look like dollhouse versions of the real ones and they are super cute

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow, you actually made your own chandelier findings, what a great idea. I love it when a challenge stirs your mind like this! Love the both vintage and rustic and romantic feel about those!

    ReplyDelete
  7. They absolutely look like chandeliers! The crystals are perfect for them. Well done!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw, thank you Kathy!! I was so happy to have found those little crystals in my stash. They've probably been there for over 5 years, forgotten. I love when I get to actually dip from my stash rather then buying new. And, of course, I've been inspired by this challenge enough that I want to experiment some more with my original design. Hmmmmm... Ha!
      Thanks for checking out my literal take on a chandelier earring.

      Delete
  8. Love these and your wirework is awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  9. oh goodness, are these back in style?? Yours really do look like mini chandeliers! Very cute Hope~

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great design Hope! They really do look like chandeliers. I love the antiquing effect you gave the copper wire.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Beautiful! I love the way the metal works with the crystals.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I. LOVE. THEM.!!!! How creative and wonderful!! Made me squeeeeeeee!!! <3

    ReplyDelete
  13. I. LOVE. THEM.!!!! How creative and wonderful!! Made me squeeeeeeee!!! <3

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love the chandelier findings you created!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Terry,
      Thank you! It was a fun challenge for sure. And, it has me wanting to make more wire pieces. Thanks for popping in!

      Delete
  15. They look amazing Hope. I don't normally wear eaings but we do build lots of miniature gardens and I'm so going to steal your idea to make chandeliers for the fairies. They're lovely

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That sounds AWESOME! I was actually going to do a tutorial on making these, when I thought they would be 3D. However, when I had to take another direction, I got distracted from that idea. I might go ahead and do it, we'll see. Not that this post is already up, it seems kinda silly. Steal away! And, if you do out them in your fair gardens, I'd love to see some pictures. That sounds so, so sweet!

      Delete
  16. so pretty! I actually have an earring phobia, but I did click over to check these out!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by! It means so very much to me. I love to hear what you have to say.

Bead Box 18 - Reveal

 Hey y'all! I'm popping in to share the completed jewelry pieces that came out of Bead Box 18 . I've actually already stocked an...