Reveal - SJ Designs Jewelry Honey Do List March Design Challenge!

If you're here looking for the Bead Peeps Swap n' Hop reveal, please note that it's been pushed back until April 6th! Come back then to see what I've made for that challenge! :)

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Every month, Sarajo Wentling over at SJ Designs Jewelry hosts the Honey Do List Challenge.

What is the Honey Do List Challenge, you ask? It's where her husband, Eric, issues her a beading challenge--with the intent that she both use up some of her bead stash and get out of her comfort zone. I don't always get the chance to play along, but I'm so happy that I got to do so this month!

Here was this month's inspiration:

And this is what Eric said about it: 

I decided to go with a monochromatic shot this month, as winter drags on. This picture of a window was taken while on a walk through D.C. last summer. Let's see what you can pull off with this unusual inspiration!

I really like the differing shades of brown and rust, the juxtaposition of white snow, and the geometric/linear nature of it all. As I was digging through my stash, I was really hoping to find elements that captured all of that. And I did!

...I just don't like the end result of what I made with them. Hah.

It's a combination of Czech glass, agate, and amber shell strung on waxed linen and paired with copper chain. It has the snow-powdered white on brown, the differing shades of rust and tan, and it even has the geometric rectangles found in the picture.

...And I just don't like it. 

Maybe I'm being too harsh, but I think maybe I was trying too hard to fit everything. I like all of the elements... Maybe I just need to revisit them at some point and make something a little more balanced.

Not to be deterred, however, I did make another necklace for this challenge... And this one I like much, much better:

  
For this one, I just focused on the amazing variations of color. I paired the ceramic focal with a combination of 8mm leopard jasper rounds and 6mm Malaysian jade. I kept the design relatively simple--knotted on waxed linen--and just let the color do the talking.

...Oh, and I'm not the only one who is happy with how this necklace turned out. My best friend has called dibs on it. :)

So, there you go--a finished product and a first draft, the two necklaces that I made for this challenge. Many many thanks to Sarajo and Eric for letting me play along with this challenge, and for inspiring me to stretch my designs! 

...And thank you, wonderful readers, for stopping by to see what I made! :)

Have a lovely day, everyone!