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Geraniums and Petunias

by: Dwyn Tomlinson

There are three items in this week's update that I found absolutely irresistible.

1. The Ruby Velvet Quartz
2. The Faceted Amethyst Rounds
3. The Gold Plated Glass

Each were soooo lovely  by themselves. And the gold looked  fabulous with the ruby, and also with the amethyst. "Hey" - I thought, how about a project using all three together. I cut the strands and dumped them all in a pile. And then thought. "Gack."


Red and Purple. Omigawd. Shades of Red Hat Society and Red & Purple don't go. What have I done?

I racked my brains. I looked around for inspiration. The purple throw on the red-brown couch looked good. Maybe it's the shades of purple and red? That red is pretty strong. The red and the purple together weren't too bad. But with the gold. Unh.

Maybe I just need some more beads to make it all work. Tossing them all into a baggie - I headed off to beadFX. And, as I pulled out of the driveway - I admired my neighbor's very lush window boxes - bursting with - look - purple and red flowers! And they look amazing together! There's hope!

Please tell me I don't need to add dark green like the leaves to make this all work!

Off to the store, for the traditional wander-around-with-beads-in-one-hand, looking for something to make it all work. And - there in the pearls - oooh - those work! And over in the crystals - hey - the Tanzanite Satin is exactly the right colour!

Adding the pearls to the mix - I could start to see something happening. The dark purple - with the reddish reflections pulled the amethyst and ruby quartz together.

And that was the genesis of this piece - inspired by the this week's bounty of beads and the Geraniums and Petunias blooming in the window box.

The earrings are a bonus - there were leftover beads.

Make three strands - about 20 inches long. Finished length is about 22 inches. Braiding the strands shortens it - but the cones and clasp add length.

Strands are:

1. Half and half pearls and amethysts. String coin pearls, about 10 inches, from the end to the center, and amethyst rounds, from the center to the end
2. Half and half amethysts and pearls. String amethyst rounds alternating with 4 mm crystal bicones, from the end to the center, and continue with coin pearls alternating with crystals, from the center out to the other end. If too short - fill out the ends with crystals.
   
3. A strand of ruby quartz and gold plated glass - 3 ruby, 1 glass - repeat for the entire length. Finish with an extra ruby rondelle at each end. The holes in the glass beads are huge - and the crimps will fall into them.
   

Crimp each end of each strand to keep the beads in place - leaving a long tail, about 4 - 6 inches each end. Otherwise - the next step will make you crazy.

Secure the three strands together with at one end with a single crimp. Then lightly braid the three strands. I love the look of a twisted gemstone torsade - but it makes me crazy that it untwists. Braiding will keep the strands together better. Don't braid too tightly - as the tighter the braid - the shorter the strands get. You will feel the beads getting tighter on the strands - and it will shorten the necklace over all.

Secure the end with another crimp.

Then at each end, add another crimp - all 3 strands through the same crimp, add the eye pin, and go back through the crimp with all 3 strands. Yes - it fits. You won't get another strand in there - but it will fit. Secure the crimp. Slide the eyepin into a cone, and make a wrapped loop on the other side. The bead before the wrapped loop prevents pulling back through the hole by accident.

Use jumprings to add your clasp.

Spare beads made up into elegant earrings.

So - what do you think - does red and purple work?

          
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Components Clicking on components links will open a new window so that you don't lose this page.
	Qty: 2	tc94-5684-25 Cone Hammered - 8mm - Bright Gold (The cones I used are long out of stock - and were in my stash. But these would work nicely instead.)	Price: $ 1.80 per	In Stock
	Qty: 10	96096052 Crimp Tubes - Seamless - 2mm - Gold-filled (25)	Price: $ 8.95 per	In Stock
		96096189 Earring - Euro-style Leverback - Gold-filled (Pair) (For the earrings.)	Price: $ 13.00 per	In Stock
		22601122 EYEpins - 2in / 24ga Plain - Goldplated (100) (To gather the strands inside the cone. Or use wire to make a loop.)	Price: $ 7.59 per	In Stock
		s20238 Findings - Magnetic Clasps - Domed Flower - Bright Brass (1) (Is a good colour match for the gold.)	Price: $ 8.30 per	Sorry - this item is unavailable.
		s16028 Freshwater Pearls - 15 mm Coin Pearl - Dark Bronze Peacock (strand) (The whole strand)	Price: $ 15.95 per	Sorry - this item is unavailable.
		s24980 Glass - 6 mm Faceted Column - 24KT Gold Plated (Strand 50) (I had a few left over from the strand.)	Price: $ 10.80 per	Sorry - this item is unavailable.
		s24986 Glass Beads - 8 mm Faceted Rondelle - Ruby Velvet Quartz (strand) (pretty much the whole strand)	Price: $ 9.65 per	Sorry - this item is unavailable.
	Qty: 6	96096156 Headpins - 1.5in / 24ga Ball - Gold-filled (For the earrings only.)	Price: $ 3.15 per	In Stock
		22801012-02 Jump Rings Open - 5mm - Goldplated (5 grams) (used to attach clasp and in earrings)	Price: $ 1.35 per	In Stock
		961ext01430gld Softflex (tm) Beading Wire - 30ft .014 (Fine) - Extreme 24k Gold (Spool) (3 pieces about 28 inches. Use fine to get through the pearls, and the multiples in the crimps.)	Price: $ 63.50 per	Sorry - this item is unavailable.
		s24993 Stone Beads - 10 mm Faceted Round - Amethyst (strand) (the whole strand)	Price: $ 20.00 per	Sorry - this item is unavailable.
		27753011695539 Swarovski Bead - 4mm Faceted Bicone (5301/5328) - Tanzanite Satin (36) (About a package and a half.)	Price: $ 5.68 per	Sorry - this item is unavailable.