[Sueki]

Hi Boo,
All variations are lovely, but, for me, the gold spacers in the last pic. really lift the necklace to a higher level.
They just kind of shout " hey, these are SPECIAL pearls". Which is exactly what they are.
I buy my gold beads from Bellafindings.

[jerin]

Debbie,

wonderful design with the toggle in front. I was thinking that you should use the darker dangle but even with the metallic one it would look fine and you would have the colourful dangle as a single pendant, which too would look great.

[boo]

Pattye - yep, I'm using 1.50 glasses right now, but it occurs to me that picking up a pair of something stronger would be a really, really good idea. I'm confused - you said you tie a knot before the crimp. Do you mean in the wire? how do you get it to tighten down small enough for anything but an elephant bead? And doesn't it kink weird?

KP - the toggle is a standard toggle, so I am wrapping the dangle onto it. "It's been done"?!? Harsh, panda-gal, harsh... If I had a rondel I'd add it, just for you. Sadly, I have only a very limited supply of anything in gold and nothing that would give it any kind of kick. Or do you mean the daisies? I will play around with it some and see what I can come up with. I think it might be nice to get an enhancer-type bail (the kind that opens up) so that I could swap out the dangle as the mood suits me. Also, I may just switch over to my emergency back-up dangle for the necklace and go with Ana's idea to make the 2 dangles I showed into a set of show-stopper earrings. My short squat little neck wouldn't do them justice, but it could still be fun.

Sueki, thanks for voicing your support for the gold. I just noticed that I used gold bead spacers on my 3-pearl earrings - apparently my subconscious mind was way ahead of me!

Inge, isn't it great that despite my fussing, it's all good? Those pearls are so beautiful I can't help but end up with something pretty. I just wish you could see the pastel pearls in person. The colors are very subtle but amazing. The little lavender on top is an indescribable color that doesn't appear to exist solely in this universe, or at least in the color spectrum that my eyes are limited to. My eyes can't quite focus on it all the way out to the edge.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Okay - here is a bad photo of the dangles with daisies, a daisy and rounds, and nothing at all. Plus, the debut of the emergency backup dangle! I still am reluctant to use the daisies, however, for fear of abrasion, even on the limited surface area they contact. I may chill out in a day or two, but right now I am all about protecting the babies.

[GemGeek]

We've talked about wearing different colored earrings - well, those multi-color drops would be awesome as earrings. On the other hand, I really like the way the necklace closes in front with the dangle.

Decisions, Decisions....

[knotty panda]

Sorry, Boo. Didn't mean to be harsh. Nothing personal intended. But I do think the plain dangle is rather ordinary for precisely the reason Sueki says, the gold kicks it up a notch. I like both of the dangles coupled with the gold. I like the enhancers Sueki purchases.

I think I like the bead with the single daisy best.

[boo]

KP, I was only teasing. I certainly took no offense, I just thought the way you said it was funny.

My original intent was to link the individual pearls in the dangle by wire loops, so the dangle would have some movement to it. Then I thought I kind of liked the stiff, linear look of the single headpin, but I didn't intend to leave the pearls smooshed up against each other. I was going to use bead spacers like on the 3-pearl earrings - which I made thinking the dangle off the necklace would also be round:round:drop. But then I kept finding such wonderful colors! I think the darker dangle works really well with the 4 bright colors on top of the deep purple drop. The intensity of their crayola colors really builds off of each other. I was also thinking I might try leaving the round pearls on the headpin and separated by the little round beads, but then perhaps linking the drop pearl with wire loops. I know it is very OCD of me, but it irks me that the daisy doesn't sit quite level. Still, this is very much a work in progress!

BTW, I also love Sueki's enhancers but yowza! Darn that gold is expensive stuff nowadays...

[knotty panda]

I know, I have to breathe through those ill-sitting daisies too. I actually like your first idea of making a sort of cluster movement the best. That's what I was thinking of doing. But it's still in the "in my head" stages along with my bracelet(s). I need some inspiration. But with your necklace, the linear is best. You are certainly on the right track! I saw your gold and started thinking rose gold at which my credit card yelped.

[Pearl_dreams]

I love the look of the gold balls-- the warm colors of the pearls look good with the yellow gold.

Re: crimps, I like Twisted Tornado crimps; since finding these I've stopped using other types. Info on that brand:
http://www.twistedtornadocrimp.com/

Reading glasses are not enough when I'm beading. I use an Optivisor (worn on head-- hands-free).

[GemGeek]

Originally Posted by Pearl_dreams

I love the look of the gold balls-- the warm colors of the pearls look good with the yellow gold.

Re: crimps, I like Twisted Tornado crimps; since finding these I've stopped using other types. Info on that brand:
http://www.twistedtornadocrimp.com/

Reading glasses are not enough when I'm beading. I use an Optivisor (worn on head-- hands-free).

I can highly recommend Via Murano and their Twisted Tornado crimp. Pam and Ira are wonderful people and their merchandise is all first-class. In fact, I don't crimp unless I absolutely have to, and I only use their crimp because it holds better than other crimp.

[Sueki]

Hello Boo,
For me, definitely the one on the left with the tiny gold beads. Same reason as before - they lift the pearls to classic elegance. I might even replace the daisy spacer with a slightly larger smooth gold bead.

[Pearl_dreams]

I like to keep 2mm, 3mm and even 4mm gold-filled (and sterling silver) ball beads around and often use several different sizes in my designs.

When stringing gemstone beads, I often use 2mm round garnets as spacers. They create the same effect as knots do: they separate the beads and give great flexibility to the piece. I especially like the effect with tourmaline strands. The colors go so well together!

A softer material for a spacer bead is horn. Its honey tones complement many bead materials.

[boo]

Okay - I finalized the necklace today. I went with wire and crimps because the gold beads wouldn't all slide over my knots. I am certainly hoping the crimps will hold! How do crimped necklaces usually break? I pull the wire back through a bead or two (in this case one gold bead and one pearl) so it wouldn't necessarily pull free even if the crimp did break. Hopefully if it were to break it would only loosen a bit rather than spraying precious pearls all over the room. I am only using the 7 strand Beadalon - should that be a concern? I put a gold bead between the last pearls and the crimp because the edges of the crimp seemed sharp, but perhaps it makes the distance between the last pearl and the clasp too great? I would appreciate any and all thoughts...

BTW - my first time using gimp! I used it on the wire on the necklace - which never would have occurred to me without silverseajewelry's post earlier today in the thread thread - and on the PowerPro on the bracelet (where I used just a single strand of the 20lb size so the darned beads would fit). I need to refine my technique, but I think it looks passable. The bracelet was a pleasant surprise. I had to fill it out just a bit with some offround lavenders I had sitting around, but I think they fit in well enough... Also, the dangle ended up working very well. Sueki, I took your advice about using a 3mm for the teardrop. It is attached to a jump ring that slides very freely on the clasp, so there is a fair amount of movement even though the body of the dangle is rigid. Overall, I am very pleased with how it turned out

[jshepherd]

It is truly a beautiful piece! Well done!

[airdancer]

Wow! That looks amazing!

[Pearl_dreams]

Gorgeous! Unique and rich.