What do you do when you are 80% finished with a project only to find out there is a HUGE issue? I kept going.
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| Hindia plain brown wrapper |
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| Losing color |
I was much too far along to tear it out and start over again. I wanted to finish it. Now I have to figure out what to do with it. Hopefully, it will just look old and well loved.
I do like the shape.
I did say use the word "fun" in the title.
If you want to test your eye for color, have an android phone, and like puzzle games I recommend you download Blendoku. I downloaded it last night and played for way to long. It appeals to the artist and puzzle player in me. In the game you begin with one color and have to move the pieces to blend from the start color to the finish color. This is a great way to learn about color. There- I made a justification for playing a game.
Ouch! At least they seem to 'fade' to a darker, sort of patinaed color on my screen. Not ideal compared to the color you wanted, but if the stay at the faded brick red, it could work - give it an archeological feel.
ReplyDeleteIt would be okay if they were turning red, instead they are turning gray. Still, it could be a shabby chic look.
DeleteHi:
ReplyDeleteI can see-beading can be full of surprising 'traps' sometimes,but the bracelet looks so extraordinary and vintage,even if the color of those beads has got rubbed out.It also happens with the silver Czech 'Preciosa' seeds,which I will not buy any more.They rub out not only externally,but also inside,by the passing thread through.It can be disappointing and even frustrating.
But-all in all-the bracelet looks nice-I love both:the design and colors.
-All the Best to You-
-Halinka-
I have been beading for a long time. I have some vintage silver lined rocalles and the silver lining rubs off- those actually look aged rather than poorly manufactured. I have some pink beads that have likewise faded. Delicas is they publish what finishes are not durable so at least you know what you are getting into.
DeleteThe fading will certainly give it an old heirloom vibe. It is not what you were originally going for, but the other colors you chose will help it work. The piece itself is really beautiful! I just got my first andriod phone last week...I promised myself no games. Now you are tempting me.....
ReplyDeleteThank you. I really do like the pattern- it was a good purchase.
DeleteNo games? I really like puzzles. I have the game I mentioned, which is addictive and challenging and hopefully helping me out as an artist. (Yes, that was justification.) I also have Sudoku and Solo Scrabble game. They are great for those times when I just don't want to read about politics which is what I use my phone for the most.
I did download it~my first phone download. The second I stopped typing the comment here, I picked up the phone, checked it out and downloaded it. I was a tetris addict and once I broke from that I vowed no phone games unless they were word games. But I can tell this is going to be fun..and it will show me color palettes I will want to apply to jewelry :-)
DeleteYou will have to blog about it if you like it. It is not an action game so it shouldn't be quite as addictive as some games. Having said that, I have spent a good bit of time playing. I will never pay for extra hints though.
DeleteHow heartbreaking as the piece is beautiful and one can tell you've invested a lot of time and effort in making it. But as you say, the worn beads do give the piece a patina and an air of being vintage, which can be charming.
ReplyDeleteStill, it is frustrating when beads do not hold their color and I cannot understand why they make beads that would do this. For years I shied away from all galvanized beads as their finishes were notorious for rubbing off, now they have galvanized beads with a perma finish . . . wonder why it took them so long ? :)
You might try to protect the remaining beads by spraying them with some type of fixative that will protect the finish and keep it from rubbing off. I think it is the same thing that artist use on their paintings and pastels to protect them from smudging.
I do not know why these beads were so poorly made. I have had beads fade in the past, but not as quickly nor as badly as these.
DeleteI have never tried the fixatives- I think Bobbie once said you can use floor polish as well. I will consider that once I figure out what the heck I am going to do with this bracelet.
Hi KJ
ReplyDeleteOh this is a real bummer. I have not ran into this problem yet, but I am sure I will at some point. The bracelet is beautiful. I was thinking that a clear acrylic spray will work to seal the beads. You can hang it up to get both sides when you spray it and let it dry for a good 24 hours to insure that the acrylic is completely dry before handling the bracelet. I did this once with glass cabs that got a few scratches and they look brand new.
Therese
The good news is I think beads are better than they used to be.
DeleteI think I am resistant to the acrylic or other fixatives because I know it will wear off and the issue will return. I still don't know what I am going to do with the bracelet.
You know Kathy, I think you are exactly right. As the color wears, it will assume an antique quality that will make it all the more special. And you are totally right. Awesome shapes. Some things are just not meant to be perfect. They remind us of our humanity and the fragility of life. I love your bracelet.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely thought about humanity. Native Americans, and at least one other culture, always put in one odd bead because only God is perfect.
DeleteI like your optimism about antique quality.
I fell in love with this design when I first saw it. This is just a part of a larger necklace pattern. I am glad I did not make a big necklace the way things worked out.
So many things can go wrong in beading--like in life.
ReplyDeleteNow that is an interesting and true perspective. There are always storms to weather.
DeleteI hate it when the finish isn't stable. I usually just throw away the rest of the tube so I'm not tempted to use them again. The bracelet is pretty anyways. Good thing.
ReplyDeleteAs painful as it was to throw beads away that is exactly what I did. I figured the container could be put to better use.
DeleteThank you I think the bracelet turned out pretty well. Still haven't figured out what to do with it.