This is what I like to see

Chromatic Maelstrom

Like? - did I say 'like'? I love to see how my beads end up being used. It's not very often that I get to see this, & certainly most beads that I decide I must keep & make something out of, dont end up being used by me but rather being listed a little later when I start getting overrun by the beads I thought I couldn't part with & the newer 'fresh from the fire' creations that I feel the same way about.

I especially love to see it when the beads have been used with sterling & fine silvers.

This is all the work of a talented Australian jewelry designer, Sam. Her Etsy store goes under the name "SterlingCrystal" & is well worth a visit.

Midnight Garden

Sam has the ability to mix Chalcedony lampwork beads in with silver, crystals & Swarovski pearls & somehow make them look like they were all made just to go together

Chasing Rainbows

Illryia

Some Days

even when it is rainy & freezing cold, & you are feeling very sorry for yourself because you are just so not a cold appreciating type of person - something happens to warm up every cell in your body.

Last Thursday was one of those days for me.

A couple of weeks earlier, my friend Rose had come up for the day to stock up on supplies for her wonderful jewellery designs. Lucky me, because she started her stock up with my beads. In the course of her looking at some of the Chalcedony beads 'up close & personal' I had shown her a few of the earlier ones, where I was more interested in getting some colour of of my new favourite glass than paying too much attention to great shaping, perfect ends & such.
Technically they were 'seconds', but each had something to recommend them....perhaps I was emotionally attached, but those I was keeping.

Having mentioned this to Rose, she suggested I give them to her & she would make me something. Oh yeah - that really appealed!

Rose asked what I would sort of design I would like. Being really helpful I said "a necklace", even though I knew she wanted a bit more to go on than that.

I am very aware of how easy it is to compromise a designer/artist of any sort by providing a set criteria. Having been on the other side of it I know how it can inhibit a persons creativity when they have to many 'guidelines' to follow.

I eventually said "make it asymmetrical, edgy & longish". But the main reason is that I was happy to provide minimal idea's of my own is that Rose was going to be the designer of this necklace - not I.
For me it was a no brainer, I like Roses work & I always like designs made by other people more than those I make myself. Perhaps my idea's are too fixed & I'm not flexible enough to compromise, who knows. Or perhaps I just prefer the sentiment behind things that have been made by someone else with me in mind.

Any which way, it paid off.... & then some!
When I unwrapped the parcel I almost cried.lol! Beautifully packaged, I unwrapped layer after layer of paper, tissue & padding to see a necklace that was simply perfect. You see it had no choice but to be perfect - aside from my loose guidelines of what I would like I had no expectations. I hadn't formulated any idea's in my mind of what I would do if it were me, or how I would like to see those beads presented.
This was the "asymmetrical, edgy & longish" & so very much more.

I put it on & there it stayed all day....& the next day.... & Saturday when I wore it to work.

Chalcedony Beads & Gunmetal Findings - Designer: Rose Patterson

Thank you Rose!
(& I will get a better photo of this)

Clever Designer!

It's always great to see where your beads end up - or more importantly what design they end up in. On Monday I had the pleasure of spending some time with a fellow Kiwi 'soon to be lampworker' & friend, Rose.

Rose lives in Waimate here in the South Island &, among other things, designs jewelry. She's very good at it & I love the way she departs from the 'norm' when she uses one of my beads in a design. Rose has purchased a few of my beads since I started lampworking ...while we wait PATIENTLY for her to finish renovations so she can set up the torch, kiln & glass that she was waiting & start making her own!! I wish she lived closer.

Somehow between Monday & this evening, Rose found the time to put a couple of pieces together, using a bead that she had purchased a wee while ago - along with some other components that just seem as if they were made to go with it.

I don't know that she she has named the necklace - but I shall. I'm going to call it "Fabulous"!!

While Rose was here I had a rummage through some beads I had put aside to sell as an orphan lot & pulled a few of the silver glass experiments out to give her. I just knew this odd wee assortment would end up looking pretty darn special & as if they had always meant to be used with each other....they did!