Creative Hope Jewelry Project by Caprilicious Jewellery

Hello folks, did you enjoy the spring interlude with loads of sunshine? It's all gone away now, and we're back to dreary old Britain, but I haven't lost hope that the sun will be back. I hope you're all working from home busily and making the best of the situation. 
I'm missing having people around, cooking for friends, barbeques in the sunshine - I didn't know that I would hanker for these as I'm a fairly quiet person - gimme a few beads and I'm happy to spend a weekend playing with them. I guess you want the stuff that someone else tells you that you cannot have.
The weather has played ball through May and I hope it will continue and as soon as I'm able, I shall have a party, all of you are invited!!

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The Creative Hope Jewelry Project

​The Creative Hope Jewelry Project, set up by Holly Gage, a Metal Clay Artist par excellence,  was designed to be an uplifting expression of hope during a time of unrest during the world Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020, and Stay at Home orders. Meant to serve as a source of inspiration for the creators and viewers of the Creative Hope Jewelry Project Challenge and Virtual Exhibit, it called for jewellery makers of all genres to exhibit virtually on their platform. 
Holly said "From a historical perspective, jewelry expresses the activities, social movements, and events of the time. If you take a deeper look, you will notice there are underlining statements, cues and messages telling us about what was happening during that time period. This exhibit serves to allow artists to express their feelings, thoughts and hopes during a time of sacrifice and challenge all around us during the Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020.
This Virtual Exhibit is intended to be far reaching to inspire many, therefore PR distribution will be to social and media outlets across many platforms.
The challenge awards will be determined by popular community vote looking for artworks demonstrating a high degree of:

• Hope within the piece
• Design
• Innovation
• Craftsmanship
• Excitement
• Unique use of materials

 I decided to make a piece of jewellery especially for the contest, and once it was finished and sold, to donate the proceeds to the NHS. The necklace was called Hope Springs Eternal and you saw it  first on these pages. It was snapped up by a lady in the USA and she was delighted with it - I've posted her feedback, which warmed the cockles of my heart. By the way, if anyone knows what the cockles of the heart are, do let me know - I haven't a clue, but it sounds good. 
I submitted my piece into the intermediate category as I have only been beading for the last couple of years and am by no means an expert.
The contest is open to voters till the end of the day on 5/6/2020, so if any of you are reading this and fancy putting a quick 'like' on my piece should you be so inclined, you will find it here. Holly has spent some time making a video compilation of the pieces in each category and here it is.

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I decided I wanted to make another piece that sits close to the neck. I found a dichroic glass cabochon and I just loved the markings on it - it reminds me of fire or molten lava. The cabochon is not smooth, but has a slightly irregular surface and is all the more interesting for it. I decided to make a torch of flames shooting from the cabochon. I have an idea where I'm going, and I'll tell you more about it next week.

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Day 1

Day 3

Day 2

Day 4

Day 5

I apologise for the quality of the pictures, but I just snap a quick shot of the piece at the end of each day with my phone before I go to bed. At the end of Day 5 I have a clear idea of how I want this piece to look at the end. Now all I've got to do is to fill the rest of the space that is just now blank - I've finished putting in the flames and the other side will be entirely different. You'll just have to come back next week to take a look if my design idea has worked out.

That's me done for this week, folks. Have a fabulous week, and I'll catch you next Friday, same time, same place.
Until then
​xx

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