Monday, June 27, 2011

Finished the necklace

Can I be highfalutin and call it a caracanet?  It turned out so much better than I had hoped.  Its made of some clasps, bead frames and other bits and pieces I got on clearance and it somehow came together to be something I'm super proud of.   Not the necklace in the portrait, but I think its got some similarities.  Its got sparkle and filigree and the drop pearl.  Which, by the way, was the hardest part.  I cannibalized an earring I got in a bag of junk jewelry for the drop.  I still need to find two more for the earrings.  So far I haven't had any luck.  The center bit is a gold plated bead frame with a glass bead and two little gold seedbeads that were spacer beads on some other beads I'd bought.  The heart shaped leaves are clasps, so the necklace can open in 5 different spots.  I might have to epoxy them closed so that doesn't happen when I don't want it to, but they seem to be secure.  Just to make things difficult the clasp I'm actually using as a clasp in the back center broke when I was trying it on.  Thank goodness for wire and plumber's epoxy and the fact that its going to be hidden under the partlet or my hair.  I love plumber's epoxy.  I used it to hold the pins on my quicky Viking brooches made from a couple of large pendants.  You just knead it fora minute or two, squish it into where you want it and sculpt it to shape and then let it dry.  Voila!  A bond that just plain doesn't separate.  The brooches have heavy strings of beads hanging from them and got quite a workout since I wore my Viking dress while nursing twins and they were opened and closed a lot.  No fear at all the clasp will break again.

The veil is done and I'm very pleased with how it turned out.  Need to get a picture and I'll post it tomorrow.  I'm not working at all hard today, can't get motivated, but the pleating for the skirt is coming along.

5 comments:

  1. Squee!!! It's fabulous!

    They are glass pearls, but you are welcome to my drop pearl stash! I don't remember the exact size off the top of my head, but I think they're around 3/4" long. If you're interested in 'fakies', you are welcome to them. Let me know if you are, and I'll get more details.

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  2. I love it! See, you didn't need my help! ;) I also have a bunch of glass drop pearls if you want to come grab a couple for the earrings. BTW, I'm going to try the plumber's epoxy...that sounds like just what I needed a little while ago!

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  3. The drop I have is glass and I don't mind using glass for the earrings, I just haven't found any. I'd love to swipe some Holly. I know what you would have done would be closer to the portrait, but this way I get points and can commission you to do something for my Rus :)

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