Art Jewelry Elements: A Drove of Hares

I've been really excited about our first Component of the Month Theme Challenge! Rabbits have always had a presence in my life - from breeding Angora's for fiber when I was a child, to fostering indoor rescue rabbits as an adult, to collecting every soft floppy stuffed bunny I can find.

Me, age 10, with two of our baby Angora rabbits.

To inspire myself for the hare challenge, I raided my stash for all the hare and bunny beads that I've gathered over the years. I'm sharing them with you today, but don't forget about the reveal blog hop on Tuesday, March 31st...trust me, you will want to see what everyone has been up to!

Stone rabbit fetishes - carnelian, sodalite, picture jasper and moss agate.

I love carved stone animals - and this little carnelian rabbit is one of my earliest acquisitions. Anytime I find a selection of them in a shop, bunnies are the first thing I look for!

Old bronze Chinese rabbit seal/stamp, and a modern pewter button.

A few years ago I bought a lot of old bronze Chinese seals on Etsy - and this little rabbit just happened to be one of them! The pewter button was a gift from a friend...and reminds me that I really need to get some Green Girl Studios rabbits!

Porcelain spiral hare cab by Laura Mears, prancing hare raku lentil by Blue Berri Beads, Chinese porcelain love bunny.

Laura Mears has become so popular it's really challenging to purchase her components...but it was so worth it when I managed to snag this gorgeous hare! Our own Caroline recently sent me one of her raku hare lentils too - I'm loving every artist's interpretation of these animals!

Carved bone rabbit head, leaping hare shell cabochon, carved bone bunny bead, Chinese lampwork albino rabbit head.

I love the detail that bone allows in carving - this carved bone rabbit head ended up being the inspiration for my entire piece this month. The shell cab reminds me of the white bunnies in Goodnight, Moon...perhaps an idea for a piece in itself! And someday the albino rabbit head will be a Alice in Wonderland inspired necklace...oh, speaking of everyone's favorite fictional rabbits...

Laser cut wood by PorkChopShow.

This selection of Alice in Wonderland illustrations (and a vintage bunny too) are laser cut wood from PorkChopShow on Etsy. He has a great selection of weird and whimsical images...but I couldn't resist the Alice pack! Someday I will make awesome necklaces out of all these cabs! Can't you just see the heraldic White Rabbit with a fringe of red hearts?