Bead Fight!

Sometimes when I'm designing, I have a pretty good idea of what the end result should be. I carefully choose the seed beads and the embellishment beads in certain colors. I find just the right thread for the stitch. Then I start stitching and taking notes as I stitch. I don't usually work from a sketch, just a picture in my head.

For the current project, I had an image of rosy pinks and golds. I had found beautiful Swarovski pearls, crystals and a drop in just the right shades. Then I found the perfect seed beads in a silver-lined pink AB, with just the tiniest flash of blue, echoed in the Swarovski pendant and some of the embellishment beads. I started stitching.

Did you know that beads can be sentient beings?? Cheese and rice kids, you would have thought I had never done this before! So I unbead and start again. Take out the 8° beads. And again. I need more color, so let's add those. Nope, that REALLY doesn't work! Start again. These seed beads are not working so I'll try those over there. And again. I'll go find a Delica in the right shade of pink. And again.

Last night, after the SIXTH false start, I got it to look basically the way I picture it in my feeble brain. And when I say false start, I don't mean just the first three rows. Oh no, it is not that simple. I bead a good two to three inches before I can tell whether things work or not. It's a very good thing that beading thread is inexpensive. Did I mention that this was just the neck piece portion??

OOOOOOOO, I can't wait to start the pendant (she said sarcastically).

I'm sorry, what did you ask? Why do I do this if it is so frustrating? It's very simple, my dear. The end result will be splendorous and so mesmerizing, that people will be struck speechless when they gaze upon it (at least I hope they will). Besides, I cannot NOT do it -- (whispering) it's part of my essence.