It may sound a bit peculiar, but beading is very much like scholarship — a little inspiration and a lot of disciplined follow-through if you’re going to get it right. And when you’re headed in the wrong direction, there’s no point in going on that way because you can’t fix an incorrect assumption by piling on more ornate arguments (or stitchwork, in the case of beading). Quality is cumulative. That’s why I backed off my original attempt to start the February doll with a thick, square glass bead and revised the concept so that it did include the bead, but in a much more manageable form — a properly curved round cabochon.
The intermediate product looks pretty good, I think, now that the base and bezel layer are complete:
Murano glass bead, silver charm, polymer clay, 4mm Czech fire polish beads, 15/o round Toho beads, approx. 2" in diameter
As Eakin mentions in Beading with Cabochons,
I’m looking forward to getting to the backing and edging stage tomorrow, since that will bring me closer to creating the fringe, where the doll will really take shape.
Oh I am in love with that murano glass bead you put the face on top of. There are so many that I could just sit and stare at them for hours, so many sparklies so little time! I so look forward to your progress on these, very creative and inspiring on many levels!
What a fabulous start!!!! I love reading the technical details, your process in the creation… thanks also for giving credit to some of those who invfluence your piece!
Robin A.
Thanks for sharing your process; your perceived failure and then how you successfully solved it.