One of My Favorites

I just finished one of my favorite necklaces. Mind you, that is saying a lot because while I may like the necklaces I make, I usually do not think anything I make looks good on my neck so I never wear them. But this one does and I'm tempted to keep it for myself.

I've had this abalone shell in my stash for a long long time and kept pulling it out to ponder its significance. My original plan was to put it on a bracelet/cuff which I actually made. Of course when I was 90% done with it, I ran out of one color of seed beads and had to put it aside until I could order more. Several months later....



I finally got around to finishing the cuff and had completed the beaded bezel around the shell. But when I went to attach the shell to the bracelet, it just didn't look like I wanted, so off it came and I pondered some more. There was a hole in the top of the shell and I thought about what to do with that - cover it up or use it as part of the pendant? I opted for the pendant and created some fringe to fill the hole and hang down the front.



Having decided on a necklace, I made some beaded beads in matching colors but ended up setting those aside. Then I tried several different spiral stitches and ended up using one of my favorites. I used 3 black seed beads (to start the center of the spiral) to a spiral grouping of 2 rocailles, 1 silver delica, and 2 more rocaille seed beads. After finishing the length of the spiral I wanted, I wove the thread back through all the silver beads drawing them into a tighter spiral and it was just the look I wanted.



I did list the necklace on Etsy here, but in a way I'm almost hoping it doesn't sell. lol

Tropical Holiday Challenge

WHEW! I completed my entry into the Etsy Beadweavers (EBW) Team Challenge entitled "Tropical Holiday." I keep wanting to call it Tropical "Vacation" - I must need one!

I called my piece "Paradise" as it certainly would be paradise to be lying on a warm white sand beach listening to the ocean waves lapping against the shore and enjoying all the colorful flowers.

Please visit the Group blog here to see all the entries once the mosaic is posted. Members have until Feb 2 to post their entries. Be sure to come back between Feb 9 - 15 to vote for your favorite.

Tropical Vacation Challenge

I've been working on my entry to the Etsy Beadweavers January challenge and thought I'd give you some sneak previews. The theme is Tropical Vacation.

I started off with the idea of brilliant colors, which led me to thinking about green palm trees and luscious red flowers, blue oceans, white sandy beaches and bright yellow bananas. Well I figured I had a big problem in how to incorporate all those ideas into one piece - so I settled on just trying to use all the colors.

I began with a simple peyote stitched band and then started adding greenery. Here's a picture of the beginning of the necklace band and closure. I made small sections and combined each section together with different colored swarovski crystals.


The next step was to start adding other colors and so I began with some red beads and the idea of loops and some pretty blue ab finished flower beads. Here are the results of two flower groupings going around one side of the necklace.



















Now I'm working on the bottom section of the necklace, creating as I go. No planning - just letting it flow out of me. What fun! I like the free form of the necklace and trying things on a whim. Of course, I end up taking out a lot of experimentation in the process.

The entry needs to be finished by February 2nd and at the rate I'm going, I'll barely get it done in time.