I signed up for TesoriTrovati’s (Erin Prais-Hintz) bead challenge at the first of the month, and after being given two palettes to choose from, I decided on the “Meandering Mississippi:”
My daughter had given me this beautiful focal bead to recycle, and I thought it looked “mapish,” not to mention being a dead ringer for the palette> I chose antique copper findings because of the rust color in the palette:
I set out to make a Bohemian “chain” for the bead using seed beads and ribbons I had on hand.
But after a lot of work, I met with technical difficulties, and abandoned that idea. Yesterday, after leaving my grandson at nursery school, I made a dash for the nearby Michaels. (We don’t have one in my hometown.) There was a copper chain that I had admired previously, and luckily, there were two strands left! I liked the “global” look of the links, and thought it went well with the “Earth as Art” theme.
I used copper jump rings and the simplest, round toggle from my stash to complete the chain. After much debate, I hung the focal bead from the center “globe” of the chain. It looked like it would be wonky, but I’m wearing it right now, and it hangs just fine:
Link’s to other challenge participants can be found on Erin’s blog, if these links don’t work:
Your necklace is beautiful. I love the copper chain with the green focal. I can see you wearing that “on the town.”
I definitely like the earthy look of this piece! Well done!
Simplicity sometimes steals the show. Beautiful piece! Like you, I started out with great intentions and and a huge pile-o-beads, but ended up with a piece I am proud of from a minimum of supplies.
Enjoy the hop,
Emanda
Like the interesting way you hung the focal from the metal bead. Hope you can figure something out for all of that work on the other strands. Sorry I have no suggestions – don’t have much experience with stringing with crimps.
The pendant is perfect for your palette. I like the copper chain too, but I think you should “keep at it” with the seed beads and ribbon – it looks very promising too! Great job either way!
I think that focal is absolutely perfect. You’re right, it IS a dead ringer for the palette! I love when that happens, don’t you?
Thanks so much for playing along!
I hope you can find a way to save those bohemian multistrand necklace. I love it!
Ambra
Nice, it can be worn with an already dressy outfit or used to “dress up” a casual one. Lovely job!
Simple and sweet. Good job.
Love the focal of your second piece – so sorry the first one didn’t work out but I’m sure that you will come back to it and use it another design 🙂 JLynn
Stunning!
Absolutely gorgeous, one of my favorite palettes!
So sorry you had technical difficulties (haven’t we all?) – I can envision how you wanted that “chain of beads” to work – and I know you will master it! BUT, I think your necklace is perfection just the way it is – love the focal with your inspiration!
It was a blessing in disguise to have to rethink your chain midway through, as now you have the start of another beautiful design. How wonderful that the Michaels component you had previously admired was just the ticket… and it looks fabulous with that amazing focal, Karla!
Following you so I can keep up with your creations!
BTW, I struggle with crimps also… it’s one of those skills that improve with practice.
Simply elegant! Your “mappish” bead is the perfect focal – love it!
Love the focal bead and it goes perfectly with the palette! Way to improvise, adapt and overcome 🙂 Though I would love to see the finished piece that you started off with.
Hello Miss Karla! You are not late, you are ‘fashionable.’ I am, too! I am still making my way around so that I can give everyone my full attention. I do think that the natural stones really have the beauty of our earth contained in such a compact space. And I agree with other commenters that simplicity is sometimes best. To make that stunning bead the star, it would have got lost in the other one (but I still think you have something cool going on there, and now you have a new project to challenge you!). Thank you for joining me on this fun color full journey. Enjoy the day! Erin
Oooh! I think it was serendipitous that the first beaded project didn’t work out. The chain really makes a star of the focal and the colors are gorgeous together!
There is definitely something special about having that perfect bead on hand for a challenge like this! And the global chain? Showcases it perfectly! Beautiful!
Simple, elegant, and very beautiful…I love this necklace!
Good for you for overcoming all the challenges within the challenge! I had the Mississippi palette, too — aren’t the colors just gorgeous! I really like what you ended up with, and know you’ll get lots of compliments when you wear it.
I liked seeing your creative process and sometimes simple is best. I like the necklace with the “mapish” bead.
very nice! That is so wearable with so many things I’m sure it would dress up or down with ease. Great job!
Very pretty piece. Your focal does indeed look ‘mapish’ and the little ‘globe’ beads are so cute with it.
I love your necklace, so simple but that focal is so striking!
I love your necklace. I really dislike wearing heavy necklaces and this one looks so easy to wear. The chain is gorgeous, and really allow the focal to stand on it’s own.
Thank you all so very much for your encouraging comments!