Saturday, October 13, 2012

History Blog Hop! I am Etruscan Today!

Go here for the My Bead Table blog hop.

Back in early September, I saw this on Beady Eyed Bunny's blog:

Are you inspired by history? If you said yes, then this could be the blog hop for you! The History Hop is a chance to immerse yourself in a period in history and create jewelry with that inspiration.


While I am not a history buff, I was intrigued enough to join because of the different eras that she had listed out:
I was not able to pick an era, since they all sounded interesting. Except maybe Victorian and Art Deco, since we do see quite a bit of those. So I asked Leah to pick and she said I was to think like I was an  Etruscan. Innnnteresting. I had never heard of that :-) So was really happy with her choice.
Here's what wikipedia says about this period:
Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany, western Umbria, and northern Latium. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci.[1] Their Roman name is the origin of the terms Tuscany, which refers to their heartland, and Etruria, which can refer to their wider region.
So now onto find out what their jewelry was like...turns out a lot of different styles of metalwork!
I really like this style
But there is NO way I can make something like this. So I settled for something less elaborate. Like filigree like this one.


Again, no way I can make something like this. Thankfully, this was only supposed to be an inspiration that I can take and make into something different.

So I started with a piece of flat filigree I had in my stash, folded it over to make a pendant. (Apologies for super bad photo!)



Once folded, I thought a LOT about what I wanted to do with it then. I kept going back to search for Etruscan jewelry, and came back not quite liking anything. Then I remembered that it does not need to look Etruscan. Just inspired. So then I started thinking of adding colors!
I was still to start working on the My Bead Table Blog Hop which is also to be revealed today, and thought I should put those beads to use!I used some colorful pinkish-purple (or purplish-pink!) beads to make this pendant.


 Attached  a simple rollo chain and a few more beads to the end of the extender...here's the final necklace
And now for a confession. When I realized the reveal date was looming large and I had NOTHING even planned, I thought, for a short short time, that I can cheat and use something already made. I guess it would be ok if I had made it. But what I wanted to use was made by my husband for me. The logic being...he made-she made, same difference ;-) But, like I said, I thought of it for a small, fleeting moment. But the earrings are truly beautiful, so I would like to share a pic (a bad one, he will cringe and crawl into a hole never to re-emerge if he sees this picture posted on a public blog, but I think he does not read my blog). So here it is:

Pretty, eh? Nope, these are mine, not for sale :-)

Do visit the other participants of this very interesting hop...travel back into whichever era you wish! So hop on!

Ahowin - Art Nouveau www.blog.ahowinjewelry.com
Alicia Marinache – Victorian http://www.allprettythings.ca/
Becca's Place – Renaissance www.godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com
Beti Horvath – Ancient Egypt and Art Deco www.stringingfool.blogspot.com
Cherry Obsidia – Ancient Mecynae Greece www.cherryobsidia.blogspot.com
Cooky – Renaissance www.shepherdessbeads.com/Blog.html
Jennifer Davies-Reazor – Medieval www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog
Kathleen Douglas – Indus Valley www.washoekat.blogspot.com
Kashmira Patel – Etruscan www.sadafulee.blogspot.com
Lady Grey – Victorian www.beadsteaandsweets.blogspot.com
Laney Mead – Pre-Columbian www.laney-izzybeads.blogspot.co.uk
Leah Curtis – Ancient Roman www.beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.co.uk
LiliKrist - Persia www.lilikrist.com
Melissa – Mesopotamian www.design.kcjewelbox.com
Melissa Trudinger – Art Nouveau www.beadrecipes.wordpress.com
Micheladas Musings – Ancient Romans www.micheladasmusings.blogspot.com
Sandra Wollberg – Art Nouveau www.city-of-brass-stories.blogspot.com
Sharyl McMillian-Nelson – Art Deco www.sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com
Tracy Stillman – Victorian www.tracystillmandesigns.com

47 comments:

  1. Just gorgeous designs...I'd be keeping them too!

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  2. I love the necklace you made. The focal is stunning?

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    1. Thank you, Kathy! I have a few more ideas with that folded bail in mind...we'll see what comes out of them :)

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  3. Love your pendant :)You did a great job with one that would've had me stumped for a while with a 'oh crap, what the heck am I gonna do' lol

    And tell your hubby those earrings are lovely :) So are you going two going to open a co-op shop now? lol Share your beads and tools with him ?

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    1. Hehe, yeah, I was in that same state of mind when I started :)

      Hubby and I were a team a year ago. These earrings are at least a year old, then he quit since we are both strong, bull-headed people ;-)

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  4. Beautiful pieces. Love this blog hop. So happy to find you here.

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  5. LOVE both pieces! The filigree is dead on for the time period. I love how you kept true to the mostly metal look, but brought a bit of colorful pop in for your style. Your hubby's earrings are beautiful and just perfect for the challenge. Thank you for sharing!

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    1. Thanks Leah!

      Looks like I was the only Etruscan out there? Glad I did it though, it was fun :)

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    2. Yep! Glad you enjoyed it. I'd have liked to have tried more periods myself - maybe next time! :-)

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  6. I couldn't wait to see how you were going to handle your blog hop traffic jam! Nicely done! And btw - your husband makes jewelry?! how cool is that! They are lovely! I am so, so sorry I missed this hop - this is so up my alley! I might just have to do my own history inspired series!!! I LOVE Etruscan style - gorgeous work, as always my friend

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    1. He used to, we used to make things together. Then he quit, since we are both highly opinionated, bull-headed people ;-)

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  7. Beautiful Design, with a great combination of colour.I love it.

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  8. I love how you turned that filligree in to a sort of bail. Your necklace is beautiful! And I love the earrings your husband made for you--so sweet!

    Thanks for the history lesson! It's the first history lesson I have actually enjoyed!

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    1. Alice, yeah, short lesson with lots of pictures :) The kind I like, lol :)

      I had been thinking of making filigree bails for the longest time, finally did it!

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  9. Hi Kashmira,
    Beautiful necklace. How wonderful it must be to have a hubby that makes such beautiful pieces to adorn your ears. Thank you for adding the defination of the Etruscan period.
    Therese

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  10. I always like learning about new time periods, never hear of this one either. But what I have read you have done a great job of doing your take on this time period. ^.^ I love the beads you used in the necklace.

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    1. Thank you, Lady Grey! I must say I didn't do as much research as I should have, just looked for the kind of jewelry they wore. I should go back and read up some more!

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  11. I love your pendant - and your process!

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  12. Beautiful necklace - I love how you used your filigree component! And your earrings are very nice too (I almost cheated too! had 2 older pieces that would be perfect for my Victorian period :)) - I can see why you wouldn't sell them (very talented hubby you have!)

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    1. Alicia, yes, he is so good at anything he does, very proud of him! But he quit working with me :(

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  13. i love the colors of the necklace :)

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    1. Thank you, Paula! They are much better than they look in the picture.

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  14. kashmira, I think you and your husband are both really talented jewelry designers! I love both of these pieces!

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  15. Kashmira, I always love stopping by to see what you've created and your necklace is really pretty - and both pieces definitely fit in w/your era! Love the earrings created by your hubby - those are sweet! (Don't tell him, then he'll know you posted them!! LOL!) What a wonderufl theme for a blog hop, too. The Etruscan period is one of the ones I would have selected to design myself (Had I seen the blog hop post), especially having just been to Tuscany/Italy back in September. Thanks so much for sharing!

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    1. Yeah, I saw the door knockers you posted today, they definitely match my necklace, lol :)

      Not breathing a word to him about all the compliements he is getting, lol!

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  16. Those are both beautiful. I love your necklace. The colors you chose go so well with the bronze and your pendant is really something special. Tell your husband he has a future in design. Those earrings are awesome as well.

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    1. Thanks Tanya! Yes, he is very good at everything he does, so proud of him :)

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  17. Beautiful job! I love jewelry inspired by history. I'm off to check out the rest of that hop!

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  18. Such a delightful set.And wonderfully inspired pieces. No matter who made them LOL Love and hugs Tanya

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    1. Lol, yeah, I guess I "could" have cheated a little bit here ;)

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  19. I went to a wonderful Etruscan museum in Volterra, Tuscany. You should go. Volterra was my favorite town of all the ones I visited in Tuscany. Your husband is talented too. I like the necklace you made a lot.

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    1. Oh how I wish I could travel to Italy! Maybe some day!

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  20. I really like your designs, especially the necklace.
    Sonya

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  21. The Etruscan period is a great one - I almost selected that myself. Love how the inspiration turned you to filigree - perfect association. And the piece is lovely!

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    1. Thanks Jennifer! I wish you had picked that, I am a lonely Etruscan right now ;)

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    2. That is lovely, not a time period I was aware of either! I love what you have done, your piece is elegant and invocative of the time. I as usual, am late to the party!!

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  22. Hey, Kashmira, I am trying to play catch-up today! I have always wondered what could be done with those filigree thingies... now I have all kinds of ideas (all folding of course). I think the application of the patina gives it a great vintage look. With the bright crystals it is old and new together... very hot look.

    About all I new about the Etruscan civilization was that they pre-dated the Romans LOL, so now I feel I should do a little info-gathering.

    It's cool that you shared your hubby's creation, but you may start something: now everyone will be after their partners to "participate" in the art and crafts!

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    1. Hey Mon, oh just google for it, you will find SO many different ways to use filigree. And have you been to B'Sue Boutiques? She sells the MOST gorgeous stampings ever!

      About the Etruscans...I think what I like best is the word itself, I like saying it...Etruscan, lol :)

      LOL abt hubby...

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