"Rubus Autumnus"

So I finished the first Maven to Maven challenge which was an Autumn inspired piece.

I'd started this piece a few weeks ago before we had put the challenge together but it just seemed like the right color scheme for Autumn and as it was still in the beginning stages I let it tell me how it wanted to turn into something for Fall.

The freeform strands reminded me of the twisted stalks of the bramble bushes I used to pick wild blackberries from as a child in England. So it set me off with the challenge to design a tiny leaf that would really make the piece say "brambles".

I confess to getting way carried away with the leaves...love making these little babies, and I actually had to prune the brambles :) I like how the pearls say "berries" without having to look exactly like a blackberry, though I put a couple more like blackberries in the front fringe.

Working a freeform necklace was way different from making a freeform cuff.

The whole approach was different and required more planning...planning a freeform seems like an oxymoron but that's what it took.  The focal cab and the clasp were done first and then basic strands to connect everything so it was the correct length. I worked with the piece on the neckform to make sure things were evenly balanced and definitely recommend this technique.

For more pictures head on over to the Bead Mavens Forum

Two more challenges in the works the Bead Mavens "Ice Queen" challenge and GoodQuillHunting's "Haute Couture" challenge.

It's a challenging time of year :)