We're All Ears: August Inspiration

Almost a week late, but here it is... My reveal for this month's We're All Ears challenge! Yay!

For this month's challenge, the inspiration was campfires.

...How appropriate, since last week I was vacationing in a cabin! (Not exactly roughing it--the cabin was complete with a microwave, indoor plumbing, and a coffee pot--but hey, it was in the woods!)

Not my photo!
From Unsplash, credit Tirza van Dijk

Now, when I saw the inspiration photos, I immediately thought of agate. Red and black banded agate, to be precise--where its bands capture the hues of both the ash and the leaping flames.

With that in mind, I went rooting through my stash. (And, heh, I might have ordered one or two pieces online. Like I need an excuse to buy beads! *grin*)

I had the materials picked out and a design in my head when I left for vacation, and within a day of returning home, I made these:

They are made with waxed linen, copper findings, and agate--specifically red and black banded agate (nuggets and rounds) coupled with yellow agate trapezoids.

I didn't stop there, though! 

Not my photo!
From Unsplash, credit Luke Porter

Inspired by my week in the woods as well as by the materials on hand, I made a matching necklace, too:

Oooo, look! They match! :)

Just like the earrings, the necklace is knotted on waxed linen and paired with copper findings. The stones are identical to the earrings as well--a yellow agate trapezoid coupled with red and black banded agate (again, nuggets and rounds).

The shape of the yellow agate makes me think of kindling.

I am truly happy with how this set turned out--both the earrings and the necklace. The natural variation in the stone is exactly what I had in mind when thinking about campfires--burning embers in the ash mixed with dancing flames.

Not my photo!
From Unsplash, credit Wil Stewart

So, there you go! Thank you so much for stopping by... Be sure to stop by the Earrings Everyday blog to see what everyone else made! And thanks, of course, to Erin Prais-Hintz for the wonderful inspiration--the campfire motif was perfect for this month!

Have a wonderful day, everyone!