I Had This Vision

I am absolutely sure you have run into the issue where your vision of what the finished piece should be doesn’t quite work with what you have.  I run into this issue regularly with regard with three pieces of design:
1) color, I never have quite the match that I want,
2) size, the beads I have are never quite the exact size I need, and
3) structure, my engineering never quite matches what I envisioned. 

For my turquoise slab project I envisioned a traditional southwest color scheme: turquoise, silver, and coral. 

The turquoise rounds I own are mostly a bit too blue.  I am going to a bead show next weekend and I will look for a greener shade of turquoise rounds. 

I also just ordered a batch of silver delica beads from Joan Painter.  If you need delica beads in 10’s, 11’s, and 15’s and like buying from small business owners I recommend Joan.  Her website is not the latest and greatest.  You need to read the fine print to know that you get 20% off of the listed price.  Be sure to allow for a few days for her to get your order together. 

My vision: the slab will sit on one side of the necklace, with three ropes of differing seed bead designs.  These ropes will be reduced, probably by triangle shaped cubic right angle weave on the other side, to a single thick seed bead rope to go around the back of the neck, clasp, and then connect to the top of the slab of turquoise. 

To that end, I have been making test pieces to join together for one of the three ropes. I have picked two designs out of the six test pieces that I like.  

The six test seed bead pieces to compose one of the ropes. For more photos see my flickr photo stream

One of the other ropes was going to incorporate these beautiful sterling domed beads.  However, this is where structure is playing havoc with my vision.  The sterling domed beads are a bit to large to allow the other two strands to lay properly; or they will be if I make up one of those strands using the test pieces I worked up above. 

All the bits and pieces.  Click on picture for larger view.

*SIGH*  I love my vision with the three varied seed bead ropes.  I also love my vision with the domed sterling beads which  I bought specifically for the slab turquoise. 

I think I will need a second necklace with a different structure.    It is all because I had this vision…  you know how it is.

Now off to make tomato sauce.