5x5 Metal Component Challenge Reveal, Chapter 4 (the filigree "diamond")

Welcome to Chapter 4 of my 5x5 Metal Component Design Challenge Reveal
(Chapter 1, the filigree ring, is here;
Chapter 2, the copper square and the "X", is here;
Chapter 3, the copper disc, is here)

Here's the component:

I have no idea what this really is; I put it off until last, because I was totally uninspired by my initial design ideas, which were:
1) bead it
2) wrap it around a mandrel, make it a ring, and then either bead it, or wire something onto it.
3) find a small flat bead or cabochon, and bend the filigree "diamond" around it to form a bezel

After finishing all the other challenge pieces, I kept fingering this remaining component, and eyeing all the little holes it had for inserting stuff, and dangling things from ... and subconciously I guess I was still hung up on wanting to make some earrings for this challenge, because it suddenly hit me - let's cut this sucker in half!!

This worried me a little - remember: I only have one of these, so there is no margin for error! I would have to carefully cut across the middle, never deviating, so that all my little spaces for dangling still remained after the cut!

Nailed it! This pic was taken after I had carefully filed all the rough edges with the Dremel.

Next, I used the roundnose pliers to turn under the tops of the halves, so they would more easily attach to earwires.

Now - on to the dangling!

I decided the center dangle needed to big enough to balance out the filigree chandelier I'd created, and I settled on some metal flowers that I have set aside for enameling. I fired up the torch and enameled 2 of them in mauve and purple, one of my current favorite color combos.

Next, I added some matching Swarovski crystal dangles on either side, and one hanging from some Vintaj Natural Brass chain in the center of the enameled flower (as a stamen).

bronze filigree earrings with Swarovski crystals and enameled flower dangles

After attaching all the dangles, I decided I needed to turn the edges of the filigree chandelier under just a bit, to balance the shape of the enameled flower.

bronze filigree earrings with Swarovski crystals and enameled flower dangles

Happy "accident": These earrings make the most beautiful wind chime sounds when they move! They are absolutely delightful; I think they are my favorite pair of earrings, ever.

These beauties are available on Etsy!

That does it for my 5x5 Design Challenge Reveal. Here are the previous installments, if you missed them:
Chapter 1 (the filigreed ring)
Chapter 2 ( the copper square and the "X")
Chapter 3 (the copper disc)

And don't forget to check out the May issue of Bead Chat Magazine - our feature is on page 21-26!

I love blue and burgundy together

Seems like I have 3 or 4 color combos that I keep working with; I think most of us do! And most of us have more than one outfit in those colors, too, because we are just drawn to certain colors, and keep buying them!

I have so much jewelry in blue & green; blue & burgundy, black & red, and black & white that I could never manage to wear it all!

This bracelet is one I made to highlight a project in the February issue of Bead & Button (p. 72). The pattern is called "Filigree Fanfare" because it relies on filigree beads to create the design; however, I am still confused as to how the designer managed to make it work! He shows a diagram of how the eight (I think) strands are to be navigated through the various holes in the filigree bead to create the flat bracelet shown in the magazine, but try as I might, once I had gotten the strands through the first filigree bead according to the diagram, it was impossible to follow the diagram/instructions for successive filigree beads - all orientation was completely lost!

Fortunately, the haphazard way I ended up threading mine, because there was no other option, yielded a nice 3-dimensional effect to the fans, and while it initially bothered me that my bracelet doesn't lie flat like the one in Bead & Button, everyone who sees my bracelet and the one in the magazine actually prefers mine. So there!

And naturally I have at least 3 outfits that this bracelet matches! And multiple bracelets in these colors ....I wonder how many bracelets I can actually wear at one time?


Edited to add:  Per request, a picture of the original project as shown in Bead & Button, borrowed from the Kalmbach Website: