Have you ever ordered something online (or, gasp, horror, from late night tv shopping channels), only to discover, when you rip open the package with wild enthusiasm, that it's not quite what you had envisioned?
Kind of what I imagine online dating might be like...
Cynthia Machata, the glorious woman behind the creations at Antiquity Travelers, had one of those "whoops!" moments when she ordered some glass pearls from ZNet.com. When she expected to get some dainty grey beads, she ended up with some bodacious, bold 16mm beauties. And a conundrum as to how to use them.
So she invited some friends to figure out what to do with these big balls. What does one do with Big Balls? (Now there's a sentence I never imagined I'd write!!) They brought to mind several ideas, which I had to pare down to be able to accomplish them amid the complete lack of free time that my new job leaves. But I hope I've turned "Whoops!" into "Wow!"
First up, Big Balls become Beach Balls, when you add some equally bodaciously-sized shell beads.
These are wonderfully light beads, with the clasp in front for added fun. It may not be completely visible in the photo, but there's a lovely grey swirl throughout the shell beads that the pearls pick up beautifully. While I may be a beadweaver, I also apparently enjoy rocking some big beads, since these 20mm shell beads came from my stash...
Then, as anyone who came of age in the late 70s might do, I thought of Disco Balls! So I added some woven beaded beads (made with crystals I had previously gotten from ZNet.com) to channel the glam.
The sparkle is fairly subdued, balancing the size and subtle glow of the glass pearls, on a delicate sterling chain. I don't go to the disco anymore, but work often calls for me to be in evening dress, so this necklace is probably going to get worn A LOT.
Thanks a million to Cynthia for the chance to play with these, and for the push to get back to beading and blogging. Go see what wonderful things these other folks have created with these Big Balls -- I know they'll make them from "Whoops" to "Wow!"
Bobbie http://www.beadsongjewelry.com/ (thanks for visiting!)
Christine http://onekisscreations.blogspot.com/
