I finished another UFO on Friday. I started the herringbone rope for something to do at Bead Society meetings. I was finding that if I tried to do anything that required a pattern, I would make mistakes because I was talking and not concentrating! I didn't really have anything in mind for it, but then I purchased this ceramic cabochon from Cranberry [http://www.cranberry.net.au] and realised it would go nicely with the rope. I started bezelling the cabochon last week. One of the things I love about about this technique is that it's so quick! It only took a few hours work spread over a few days to make the pendant. I used a vintage button for a button and loop closure. I find these to be the easiest closures to use, and if you use antique buttons you know that every closure will be unique. This is a very simple pendant, but I felt that, with the rather busy pattern on the cab, it was better to have a simple bezel, otherwise the pendant would have ended up looking too fussy. I have used delicas, 15/os, 11/os and 6/os in this project, all in shades of purple, mauve, sage and grey. Most of the beads are matte metallic, except for a row of mauve ceylon 15/o around the edge of the cab.
Just to show that I am powering along, here also is a photo of my worktable, showing the next UFO nearly complete. I had a half day of beading at the BSV meeting at Geelong on Sunday, which really helped get this one along. It doesn't take long to do a diamond netting rope anyway. I'm going to do a few of these, mostly because I have several lovely lampwork beads which need to be made into necklaces. I like pairing a really attractive lampwork bead with a simple beaded rope, it makes the bead the focus and is also easy to wear. This bead is by Carli Hall of Beadilicious.
I know it's cheating a bit to focus on completing the easy projects. I have several kits and original ideas which are are complicated, and I'm dragging the chain on those. I actually pulled out one kit the other night, all fired up to start it. Then I read through the instructions, realised I couldn't be fagged trying to figure out what the author was saying, and pulled out the ceramic cab project instead! Sometimes, when you're really busy with work, you just need an easy beading project that gives you a few minutes peaceful meditation ...
