New beadwork-- for Condor Con

One of my New Year's resolutions is to do more "themed" work.... Condor Con's (http://www.condorcon.org/) theme this year is "Death & Beyond". In addition to some Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) pieces previously made which fit the "Death" part, I've made 3 necklaces reflecting the "Beyond" part....

This one is "Samsara":

The very mortal surfer rides the waves in the Ocean of Birth and Death…. Waves crest and trough, revealing glimpses of treasures and myriads of life forms. An occasional island offers rest and refreshment, but alas, one soon must catch another wave… over and over, until one finds the way to the Other Shore.

Focal: cast metal charm, origin unknown; Czech pressed glass, Chinese porcelain, shell and abalone, “party beads” (acrylic), seed beads (Czech Republic and Taiwan), abalone button.

This is "By the Rainbow Bridge":

From the poem, The Rainbow Bridge, in honor of all the beloved furred, feathered and finny friends and family members who have left this life before us.

Focal: high-fired ceramic vessel (can hold liquid, “smelling salts”, dried herbs) from Peru; Czech pressed glass and fire polished glass, Chinese porcelain and lampwork, Peruvian ceramic, bone button (India), seed beads (Japan and Czech Republic).

And, "Nirvana":

On each side of the Buddha head, are 8 fire polished rounds, representing the “8-Fold Noble Path” leading to the Pure Land, represented by “arahats” (in the carved wood beads) surrounded by lotuses (porcelain beads). Along the “path” to the Pure Land, lotuses (stacks of pressed and fire-polished glass beads) are in various stages of bloom; as Gautama Buddha said, “My followers are like lotus flowers. Some are still tight buds sleeping in the water, some have just emerged, some have started to unfurl and some have fully awakened”.

Focal: high-fired ceramic vessel (can hold liquid, “smelling salts”, dried herbs) from Peru; Czech pressed glass and fire polished glass, vintage Czech glass button, porcelain beads (China), hand carved “bead within a bead” beads (China), seed beads (Japan and Czech Republic).

I also did a couple of "just for fun, because I couldn't resist the beads" pieces:

'60's Revival: Feelin' Groovy (bracelet)

Peace, love, happiness… wearing jeans, getting around in a Bug… stars in your eyes and flowers everywhere…. Which way to San Francisco?

Plastic novelty beads, Czech pressed glass, Czech and Japanese seed beads, novelty button.



Springtime Goth

What can I say… beads with “spring palette” colors, combined with glittery black ones and a skull focal somewhat left of center… what else it be?

Vintage and modern acrylic and resin beads, Czech pressed glass, Czech and Taiwanese seed beads, novelty button (plastic), acrylic charm.