Using the silks from Marsha Neal

I have blogged about my summer 'art' necklace earlier; however I wanted to add a thank you to Marsha Neal for having a Silk Color Challenge. It was so much fun to pick out some colors from the many she offers on her website, here . I am fascinated by combining colors. I chose colors that represented rain in the garden (which we needed a bit more of this summer).

Part of my color pallette in the silks were a beautiful aqua and brown (water and earth) which matched so well with Mary Harding's vessel bead that was my challenge to myself. With a lip on the neck of the bead, I was trying to figure out how gracefully to hang it without a lot of chaotic wire wrapping. Then I received my order of the silks in the mail. That was it - I knotted the silks around the neck of the clay bead, and put a bit of glue to hold it. Voila, the beginning of putting the necklace together.

 

I love wearing this necklace, and I get so many comments on it. So fun to work with such quality materials. Marsha, the silks were integral to my design for sure. My first time using 1mm silk cords. I sewed the silk to hold it (with a bit of glue), and then did my first chaotic wrapping.

The silk was just the thing to transition from the fabulous focal bead to the other components. So soft and delicate looking with all of the harder materials. Please check out my earlier post to see the other artists I included in this necklace.

Andrea

Leather & Leah Deeb's handmade beads

I was trying to find time to sort out the exact design I wanted for these lampwork beads made by Leah. Leather is new to me and I wanted to have a number of colours from the beads in the leather. The Greek leather feels wonderful, and I had an Argentium Sterling Silver clasp and ends to finish it. I didn't hand make this clasp; it is from Unkamen Supplies, here.

However, I was having trouble with my idea that I wanted long lines of this leather to be seen. I didn't want too many knots in it. I worked on it in little bits of time for a number of weeks. I was a bit intimidated by using the glue (so permanent), but I finally went for it. So here is the final necklace, and I am happy with it.

Leah, the beads are so wonderful. Thank you for making them. They were my inspiration for this leather adventure. It is hard to see in my picture but there are 4 colors of leather (aqua, a dark blue-purple, metallic lilac, and a teal).

Leah's beads can be found here . Check out her Etsy store for great beads.

Andrea