It Took a While, But...

I've finally finished my latest mixed-media art jewelry project...the "lei-la" necklace (titled thusly because it sits much as an Hawaiian lei does around one's neck). I love the various shades of green juxtaposed against black, grey, and off-white...they represent the transition between winter and spring! Weeks were spent from conception to finished piece. It took a while to find the perfect "fit" for all these beads of embellished felt accented with shrink plastic and polymer clay. The beads needed their own space, so to speak, because there is so much detail in each. When strung closely next to one another, they just looked too cramped and lost their individuality and adding small glass beads to divide them didn't work either. The perfect solution was separating each bead with sterling silver curved tube beads and floating curvy disks of shrink plastic! Measuring 29" in length, this one-of-a-kind piece will be stunning worn against a white high-collared blouse or turtle-neck sweater. I'm torn between keeping it or selling it. I think I'll hang on to it for the moment and just enjoy gazing upon this lei...at least until another new creation comes into existence!