Across the Great Divide

Across the Great Divide.  A reminder of where you’ve come from, and where you’re going to. Now you can focus on the journey.

Everyone who has ever teased me about my dragon-like hoard of shinies, or my general inability to leave a craft store without getting at least one little interesting thing, take note: when I’m looking for a random “palette cleansing project”, all I have to do is run my hands through my shiny pile and I’ve got everything I need.

(For Sale)

Beaded Mask Commission

Coming off a little rest period from the Materia Cuff commission, some very lovely and magnificent person actually asked me if I could do a fantasy beaded mask blending elements of both my (DFMW) Beaded Chainmaile Mask and Submerging.  I could not say “YES” quickly enough.

The basic idea behind the beaded curtain was to hide the eyes while still allowing vision.  To my surprise, it worked!  I mean, er, to my absolute expertise in these matters.  Yes.  Ahem.  Every hanging strand ends in either a single gold delica bead and a crimson-burgundy freshwater pearl drop, or a light gold Swarovski crystal with a red glass drop.  While the front is notably more heavy that the rest, the way the diamond pattern rests against and around the head actually distributes the weight in a way that doesn’t make it feel like your neck is always fighting with it.

All in all, I’m extremely happy with how this came out.  Thank you so much to the commissioner for the opportunity!

Jude

"Hey Jude, don't make it bad/ Take a sad song and make it better..." - "Hey Jude", The Beatles

I'd waited quite a long time to get around to using this epically gorgeous seraphinite cabochon.  So it was with dismay that I'd decided all it really needed was a simple sterling silver wire wrap, only to find... it snapped in half as I was setting it.  Solution?  Make it better, of course.  I "glued" the broken pieces back together and then coated the entire pendant with clear enamel, waited until it was cured rock-hard (harder than the stone itself, it would appear), then beaded and built around it with an additional tiny seraphinite bead.  "Hey Jude" was playing in my head pretty much the whole time I was working on this project, hence the name.

Could I have hidden the break altogether?  Yes.  I could have.  I did not.

(For Sale)

Ren

Ren is really quite fond of showing off.  He's got a bit of a habit of overdoing it sometimes, so what he really needs is a companion who can balance him out with a little "common sense".  Of course, this doesn't mean there can't be some mutual showing off.  I bet he could out-perform any human on Dance Dance Revolution--if only they made a chocobo-compatible version.

So I was trying something.  I wanted the look of my "classic" chocobos with a little more internal structure and... here you have Ren.  His legs and toes are wired as usual, but there's extra poseability in his neck/head, tail and wings.  He is a touch "bejeweled" as well, with a number of secure glass beads for a touch of sparkle.

Of course the "way more than a touch" of sparkle comes from that parade ensemble he's got there, a beautifully deep midnight blue real silk velvet hand-sewn with an assortment of glass beads and 98 real Swarovski crystals.  Ninety-eight.  I really wish I hadn't figured that out.  Luckily I lost track of how many weeks this took altogether, but my hands are currently trying to scream the answer at me.

Ahem, point being.  This guy will be off to Desert Bus for Hope headquarters very soon.  More details as the date approaches.

Custom Journey Cuff

At last, this custom Journey cuff commission is complete and in the hands of its rightful owner!  Whew.  It features a personalized design and a 14ct gold bar clasp.  As well as… *pauses to do the math*  2,611 beads.  Woven together over the course of 8 days (HOW DID I DO THAT).  I wish I hadn’t just figured that out, but it sure explains why my hands and wrists still hurt.

Regardless, I’m gonna get a little sappy here.  The fact that I had a request for a personal symbol just… makes me so happy.  This game, Journey, was an incredible adventure.  Impossible to describe or explain.  It inspired me to make my original Journey Cuff, which in turn inspired someone to have me make their very own unique Journey cuff.  Sure my hands are going to need a a little more rest before I get to my next project, but… I’m honestly moved.  To my commissioner: thank you for the opportunity.

To thatgamecompany: flOw, Flower and Journey all have the honor of being “I just need this every so often" games.  I can’t wait to see what you come up with next.  I’m there, whatever it is… but it’s gonna take me a few years to be able to afford a PS4.  Just sayin’.  Take your time.

Adariel

Adariel is most certainly independently-minded, truly appreciating the people who know the difference between having a strong will and being pushy or closed off.  Even so, she's happy to encourage the uncertain and the timid to find their own voice and sing.

Well.  I had something completely different in mind when I started this project.  It's all the better for running off in a totally different direction, though.  The wings from start to finish were a wince-inducing four-day project, in part due to the several different types of stabilizing and reinforcing necessary to make certain that two points could distribute the weight without problem.  (Sure she only weights 0.8 ounces, but I'm thorough.)  And after the project shifted dramatically, I was aware that I would probably need more beads only to find... those exact type/color combination were no longer manufactured.  Well.  That's where the lovely light mint green diamonds on her back and stomach come from.  Necessity is the mother of... something.  Beads?

Ultimately, she's designed to hang somewhere.  Around a neck as a necklace, on a hook somewhere to show off her loveliness; whatever.  And with Swarovski crystals for eyes and two swirled green "moonglow" beads as tail accents, there's quite a lot of sparkly loveliness to show off.

(Sold)

Nienne

Nienne is a jewel dragon who loves night life in the city.  Or rather, he enjoys hanging around city parks and observing all of the interesting people who pass by at night.  His very favorite things are fireworks in the summer, but he doesn't mind a little stargazing with is people watching.  If you happen to be out for a stroll on a nice evening, and particularly if you have some peanuts to spare, he may just pay you a visit.

Oh, man.  I was aiming for "simple".  I mean, kind of.  Compared to... I'm not sure, exactly; point being, I kind of simplified a little.  And wound up deciding that what I really wanted to do was reinforce the little guy's wings so they could be fully extended without problem.  I succeeded!  ...And in in process managed to work some wire loose in the wings and then had to do things over and there was a little bit of screaming and some cursing I'd rather not repeat, but Nienne was obviously grateful so no harm done.  This resulted in stable but still perfectly flexible wings to go with the rest of his fully poseable (legs, toes, neck, waist, tail, and of course wings) form.  I quite happily managed to improve the internal structure as well; so while there aren't many poses in these pictures, so many more are possible and easily held.  (What can I say; I'm confident in the stability of my work, but I'm still the artist so I'm stupidly careful about it too.)

Ultimately this guy has a full wingspan of 9 inches, is about 5.5 inches from the tip of his nose to his tail, and stands at about 2 inches tall at the shoulder.  He was made by hand with love and beads and passion and thread and beads and wire and fabric and beads and hand aches.  And some beads.

(Sold.)

Simple Snake Bracelets

2013 is a Year of the Snake, and I just wanted to do something a little simpler.  Almost subtle, even!  But only almost.  I mean, I'm still me.

(For Sale: Milk Snake, Rattle Snake, Green Tree Python)