Where do you get your ideas? #1

Every so often, every designer is asked 'where do you get your ideas?' and the answer is never just one thing. Sometimes my patttern of inspiration goes like this:
Many years ago, I purchased this silver chain necklace. Rarely am I moved to buy ready-made jewelry, but the singularly unique design of this chain held my interest, and years later, I still wear it. All the different textures, sizes and shapes of ring all coming together in a single unified chain makes for a perfect piece of jewelry that's just my style: simple, yet interesting. A few years ago, I felt a design percolating, inspired by the necklace, and in early June at the Bead & Button show, I knew my dream would be realized when I walked into the Blue Buddha Boutique booth. Blue Buddha caters to chainmaillers, so they carry all manner of jumprings, as well as anything that looks like one--like glass, rubber and crystal rings. I bought purple aluminum jumprings and medium blue glass rings (two items I'd been wanting for ages but never had a good project to justify the purchase) and when I got home, I got busy.

I linked the blue glass rings with silver jumprings I already had, connecting the sections with loops of silver chain, over which I slid the purple jumprings, which make a subtle musical sound as they slide over the chains. Then I put in an aqua blue crystal pendant I'd gotten at another booth.