For the first time this session, my entry is one day late.  It proved to be much more challenging to construct, as I kept changing my mind about what I wanted it to look like.

This piece also doubles as my entry for the Etsy Wire Artisan Guild‘s April theme “Kaleidoscope”.  The technique is drawn from a tutorial written by Perri Jackson, a friend and very talented wire artist who makes very intricate pieces from very thin gauge wire.  Ever since Perri asked me to test the tutorial for her, I’ve been mulling over an idea in my head for a piece that adapts the technique.  I’m not ready for that project yet, but “Kaleidoscope” is an intermediate step.

Perri’s blog features more of her spectacular work, and is well worth the visit.

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Having made the decision to make more production pieces, I’m picking out stones from my stash and setting to work.  This week’s piece reminds me of the “Use it Up” pendants I made back in YOJ 2005-06.  I fished a piece of 15 ga. square wire out of the scrap bin and balled up the ends, then bent it into shape and added this 8.96 carat blue topaz brio.  It looked too plain, so I embellished it with 2 and 3 mm sterling beads.

Even since my friend Anna did the flower arrangements for my wedding, I’ve been mindful of the principle of using odd numbers for groupings.  She explained that it’s more pleasing to the eye to see 1, 3, or 5 things together, rather than 2, 4, or 6.  To some extent that principle is at work here with the three larger beads, and groups of 5 beads.

After I got it out the tumbler this morning, I tried it on.  The beads looked like fizzing over top of the brio, and made me think of what my kids refer to as “bubble water” – soda water.  So, it has the name “Effervescence”.   *grin*

My husband likes the pendant, but then again, he prefers any pieces to which I’ve take a torch.  The pendant wears well, but I’m not completely happy with the result – decorative beading is really not my forté – so I may it try again.

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