Art Jewelry Elements always comes up with fun challenges and this month’s headpins challenge is a doozy! Art headpins are fancy headpins, not just your run of the mill headpins, and are made with lampwork glass, polymer clay, ceramics or metal. They are often used in earrings but can also be used to make interesting pendants.
I have a few fancy headpins in my stash, but I rarely use them, so this was a good nudge to do so. I ended up making three pairs of earrings. I would have liked to make more things and possibly not earring things, but I’ve started a new job recently so my creative time is a bit shorter than usual.
The first pair uses some flower headpins I’ve had for a long, long time, maybe four years or more. In fact I’m not even sure who made them, although I know they were by an Australian lampworker who no longer makes beads. They’ve got a little lacy brass beadcap to hide the point where the glass and the wire stem meet, and I’ve just kept it simple, dangling from a brass cats-eye on brass wires.
The next pair features a striking pair of orange spikes by Pauline Delaney, a lampworker here in Melbourne. I’ve paired them with a Czech glass oval bead with an etched bird, and darkened copper earwires.
Finally, I recently purchased some headpins from Sue Kennedy and I picked out these ones to make earrings with today. I added some Czech glass in matching aqua hues, a tiny copper washer and wrapped the long headpin wire back around the top beads.
I’m inspired now, so expect some more art headpin designs from me soon! Thanks for the nudge AJE.
Others joining in this bloghop include:
Guests:
Melissa Trudinger <– YOU ARE HERE!
AJE Team Members:
beadrecipes 
Very pretty designs!
Those earrings are gorgeous! I have made quite a few different pieces with these headpins. Would you like me to send photos?
ooh, post them on your FB page please! I’ll see them there!
i was going to say that the orange flame-y headpins were my faves but then I saw Sue’s blue ones . Oh gosh how to pick a favourite. well I just can’t. lovely , all of them.
Your designs are so pretty and colorful!
Really pretty earrings!
that rich orange is just gorgeous, I love those.
Your earrings are so beautiful!!!
Stay inspired!
Laura 🙂
All of them are just lovely! 🙂
I love them all so much I can’t decide which is my favorite. The orange spikey ones are really special though!
Each pair is stunning, but I think I love the simplicity of the brass and purple in the first pair the most, they’re gorgeous!
I am so glad you got so inspired because your work is beautiful!
So glad you could still join us – hope the job is going swimmingly! Umm. Those spikes! Gasp. Divine. Love all the earrings, but those spikes. Sigh.
Lovely earrings. It’s difficult to choose a favorite but I especially like the simplicity of the flower drops.
As usual Melissa, I love it all! I always feel like you and I are on the same page in the coloring book. The orange pair is my fave! Thanks for playing along with us!
Stunning pieces! You really need to be using those headpins more often. The orange daggers are really striking. I want some of those…lol! Lovely work, thanks for participating and for reading AJE!
Normally blue and green are my go to colours hands down but that orange combo just grabs all the attention. Love everything you made.
Mona
Beautiful designs as always Melissa! I love all of them but am really drawn to the beautiful colour of that last pair!
All the earrings are stunning. The colors in the middle pair are fabulous. You did a great job with the headpins and picked some beauties to work with.
Those aqua earrings… ::drools:: They’re all adorable but aqua is my jam. Sooooo pretty!
Wow…beautiful! I love them all..the aqua one looks so calming, relaxing, while the orange ones spit fire and make you want to dance. Great job!
Such pretty earrings – the aqua pair are my favourites.
Those red earrings are stunning!
Awesome job, Melissa, I love all your earrings!! Thanks for playing along!
I am in earring heaven right now. This challenge is loaded with gorgeous earrings. I want them all. I really love those last two pairs. For me, the longer, the better!