I love Art Jewelry Elements, a relatively new collaborative blog with some amazing art bead makers! I joined in one of their blog hops run by Jennifer Cameron, a glass artist I just love (and she's also a contributor to my book!).
Her blog hop involved her nightmare bead, so named because it apparently interpreted her daughter's vision of a nightmare. I really like this bead style (and that's what's in the book!) so of course I had to join the hop.
Here's my bead.
As luck would have it, my friend Carol Wingfield Myers had sent me some enameled beads that matched perfectly!!! But I wanted to add a "nightmare" aspect to it, so I tried, for the first time, to work with steel wire.
And y'all.... that was a nightmare.
I take off my hat and bow to those who can master this beastly dirty wire, but I apparently should have read up on it first! Do I coat it with Renaissance Wax FIRST, or last? I didn't have baby wipes on hand to clean my hands so my trusty t-shirt is now a work shirt. And I am so GLAD I keep every tool I've ever bought, because I was able to cut this stuff with a trusty pair of Barracuda cutters I'd stowed away.
But I couldn't have picked a better wire, because the color is PERFECT for this bead.
The wire has a finish unlike anything I've worked with (oxidized sterling doesn't match it). I looped the wire, because my own nightmares and dreams often loop back on each other and I have the same ones over and over, but with elements of OTHER dreams inserted. Talk about confusing -- is it a dream, or is it real? The dangles are made with apatite, a stone I haven't really worked with much because it can be brittle (again -- like a nightmare if not used just right).
I had some dyed ribbon that worked beautifully with the beads (a good dream this time!) and then worked out a bail that I'm not sure I'm happy with yet. The IDEA was to make a bail out of a spiral, but what to do with the ends? I didn't want my beads falling off (nightmare.) So I tucked them under, purposely being a little.... organic with them (organic is a great substitute for "oops", "messy", and "that-wasn't-where-I-was-going-with-that-but-it'll-work").
So there you have it! The Nightmare Necklace.
Oh, you want more? OK, then! My top nightmares (and ones I've heard are pretty common). I don't fall, I don't show up naked anywhere (a nightmare for all involved!), I don't see scary beasts. No, it's all about planning. And college.
:: I show up for college graduation, only to find out I didn't take a class and they yank me out of line.
:: I can't FIND a class I know I need to take, or I find it, but only after a) the class only has 2 minutes left, or b) I show up on the last day -- for the exam.
:: I HAVE my diploma, but suddenly The Men in Black show up at my door to take it away because (oh guess what?) I didn't take a certain class.
Obviously, I have issues with college. It was easily the hardest thing I EVER did. The military was easier to manage.
I hope you enjoyed the Nightmare! Please visit Art Jewelry Elements for more monthly challenges!
Lori Anderson creates jewelry and bead kits as well as collaborative mixed media art with her son, Zack. Visit her shops by clicking here. She is also the creator of the Bead Soup Blog Party® and author of the book Bead Soup.
Join her at the Facebook group Bead Soup Cafe for bead chat, swaps, challenges, and lots of eye candy!
Visit the other participants!
Beti Horvath: Stringing Fool
Gretchen Nation: Art Food Lodging
Karen Totten: Starry Road Studio
Kathleen Douglas: Washoe Kat's
Keirsten Giles: The Cerebral Dilettante
Kristen Stevens: My Bead Journey
Lola: Bead Lola Bead
Lori Anderson: Pretty Things
Nancy Pederson: Something Heartfelt by Nancy
Pam DeBoer: Purple Notes from the Studio
Rana Wilson: Rana Lea Designs
Shannon Chomanczuk: For My Sweet Daughter
Lori Anderson creates jewelry and bead kits as well as collaborative mixed media art with her son, Zack. Visit her shops by clicking here. She is also the creator of the Bead Soup Blog Party® and author of the book Bead Soup.
Join her at the Facebook group Bead Soup Cafe for bead chat, swaps, challenges, and lots of eye candy!