A Surprising But Welcome Request

In my last post, I stated how excited I was to be studying color, playing with bead soup, and thinking about fall colors. Well, since then, I got and read the book The Beader's Guide to Color by Margie Deeb. Then I had started reading Color by Betty Edwards: A Course in Mastering the Art of Mixing Colors. I couldn't wait to start beading fall colored jewelry. But then all of that got put on hold, because I got an urgent request from the most unlikely of all people. So I immediately dropped everything else and completed this project for my new biggest fan. So first I'll show you the pic, and then I'll tell you why this piece is now my favorite and why I am so proud of it.

Ok, so the pic is not all that great, but it is a heavily fringed bib-style necklace. The colors are a gunmetal black and a silvery blue. This necklace is definitely meant to be noticed and makes quite a statement. Either you are going to love it or hate it, no in between. Well I happen to love it. And so does the thirteen year old named Miss Thang Tammy. 

Now, there is a story with a moral about this necklace. I started beading this at least a year and a half ago. It was a project in Bead & Button Magazine. At first I wasn't too sure about it, but then fell in love with the colors which have to be seen in person to be appreciated. I even named it, "Ebony & Icicles" You know, like the song Ebony & Ivory.  Any how, Tammy was a bit younger then and really didn't like my beadwork at all, especially this piece. She just loved to tell me how my stuff was too "out there" for normal people. That was her opinion, and she was entitled to it. So right after she told me that, I accidentally spilled coffee all over it. Not just any coffee, but coffee with extra,extra,extra sugar in it. I carefully cleaned it up with hot water and dish suds, but it felt a little weird afterwards, so I just threw it into a box and thought to myself, well maybe Tammy's right. It is a little out there. I was about halfway through the fringe, and figured I'd rip it apart and use the beads for something else. 

So, moving on with the story, the necklace got put in a box and thrown into a bigger box in the closet where it sat, unthought about for over a year and a half. Then all of a sudden, last week, Tammy comes up to me with the necklace in her hands, and says,  "You never bead anything for me. You have to finish this necklace, and I want it for my Bday" "Please?". So I checked it out and it no longer felt sticky. I immediately sat down and started working on it, and fell back in love with it. Tammy now wears it alot and tells everyone it was made  just for her by her mother who owns Abracadebra Designs, where you can get the coolest beaded jewelry!

Now you know why this is my favorite piece and why I am so proud of it. As to the moral of the story......
Pouring coffee on your beadwork makes it look nicer. No, just kidding. The moral is that if you are unsure of your beadwork, set it aside for a while. Maybe when you pick it up again, you will see it differently.

TTYL and make it a good night.
Debbie