AJE Component of the Month Reveal - September

Time for another little tour around the blogs of the AJE team members and guests to see what they've done with this months component - my own bursting seed pods...

Well the first thing you'll notice is that the component I've used isn't one of the colourful ones pictured here. When I made these I had an idea in my head for using two caps to create some sort of collar necklace but, by the time I got around to making it much later things had changed. I'd been busy making new autumn stock for the shop and fallen in love with a chunky pine cone pendant which was demanding to be used.

 Part of the attraction of this piece was the natural kiln produced patina and I decided the pod needed to match and so my design was driven towards a very earthy and muted (even for me) palette. I used the pod to cap a ceramic bead from AJE team mate Diana and attached this to the pine cone to create a focal pendant.

I mixed some more of Diana's beads with some carved ebony beads that I have a passion for and accented them with tiny brass spacers that echo the texture of the pine cone. On one side I added one of my bronze acorn caps and on the other one of LeAnn Weih's gorgeous ceramic birds. The beads are strung on waxed linen attached to a couple of textured bronze ring connectors. and finished with a hand forged bronze wire clasp.

I was thinking of using some sari silk at the back but whilst I was rummaging I came across this lovely printed cotton ribbon from Smitten Beads and it was such a perfect match I decided to go with that instead - I really like the folksy feel it gives. I used a double thickness and a simple capped rivet to join the ends on the underside at the back.

And this is the finished design...

Since the Beatles song 'Norwegian Wood' just happened to come on the radio as I was finishing the piece I took it as a sign and decided to make that the name.

I hope you like my design - looking back on the past few COM's I have noticed a certain similarity in my designs so I'll have to try and shake it up a bit next time...but I'm happy with this one.

To see what everyone else has done with their components just use the links below to visit their blogs:

Guest designers:
Erin Prais-Hintz - Tesori Trovati
Cate - Fulgorine
Claire Lockwood - Something To Do With Your Hands

AJE team

Jennifer Cameron

Kristen Stevens

Jenny Davies-Reazor
Francesca Watson
Melissa Meman
Linda Landig
Susan Kennedy
Rebekah Payne
Caroline Dewison
Lesley Watt                 You are here!

Have fun!

Lesley