I love my new design. I just finished it yesterday, and I can't stop looking at it. It is such a great combination of edgy and classic styles. And, since I am pretty new to designing, I am proud as punch that this is all mine (even though I know it is likely someone else has come up with something similar somewhere out there).
This design really came about by accident - and perhaps that is the way of designing. My main inspiration was in color - I knew I wanted to work with copper and pair it with a bright aqua. So, I stocked up on some copper supplies - I went and bought some chain, jump rings, head pins, and clasps. I already had plenty of aqua beads to choose from. I got out my beads, and chose an opal Capri blue Swarovski crystal, light aqua glass crystal, and white glass pearl. I had a teal colored pearl, but liked the summery feel I got adding the white.
I had intended to make a necklace of some sort. However, when I got out my supplies and started contemplating what I wanted to do, I discovered that the chain I had bought was actually a bracelet, instead of just a length of chain as I had thought. I considered cutting up the bracelet and making beaded spacer sections to make a necklace. But for some reason, I picked up a bead, strung it on a headpin, and wrapped the headpin around a link in the bracelet to hold the bead on top.
It looked kind of cool. So I kept going. And Vamped was the final product. I replaced the clasp with one that I had chosen, and was thrilled with my new product. I hope my customers like it as much as I do. But even if they don't, I have realized that perhaps some of the best designs came about more through going with the flow than through sticking to the plan.