De-Stash Project - Stash Bash

[lisa c]

Oh, good one! LOL

 

[Narcissa]

Come on, where is everyone else? All those stashes and nothing bashed? Christmas is coming, after all.

I took out my aquamarine-white gold-nothing pearl strand yesterday and stared at it. (The one that started the Stash Bash.)
I was overwhelmed by indecision on what to use for final stringing. The hole sizes are so different from each other. The knots don't stay placed because of the varying hole sizes of pearl, aquas, and 2mm gold bead. The Beader's Secret doesn't fit back through for back-knotting. The stones are hard enough to worry a thread. The piece is so dainty and nice to support a crimp.

In my life, a Stash Cave is in my future not in this present reality, so to work on anything I have to unpack and spread it all out in the living space. Staring at the work is an important part of the thought process, but sadly if I don't pack it up fairly promptly it is subject to the vagaries of life, and dogs. So with no decision on the tip of my mind yesterday, packed up it is until the Winds of Inspiration shift direction and blow away the Winds of Indecision.

Elizabeth

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I know the Winds of Indecision only too well, except I call it the Fog of Indecision. It hangs around and doesn't stir anything up. I always have about half a dozen things hanging around (I love having space!).

My problem is committing to a design. I always get that annoying little voice saying "someday you will get a better design, so you better not waste those stones/pearls/whatevers on this blah idea you have." Curiously, a better idea rarely comes along but I still have a hard time grabbing a stone or a strand and saying "this is it, get to work."

 

[lisa c]

Wow, Lady D, you just put my vague feelings into precise words. Thank you!

 

[CathyKeshi]

Perhaps those feelings are exactly why the Stash Bash might help shift those winds I've got a new strand pf pearls on the way ... I'll be back ...

 

[PearlLVR]

The Beader's Secret doesn't fit back through for back-knotting.

enlarge the holes. I enlarged 6 pearl holes to make an endless strand and you can't tell.

 

[Narcissa]

enlarge the holes. I enlarged 6 pearl holes to make an endless strand and you can't tell.

PearlLVR, the pearl holes are already big enough. The 2mm white gold rounds and the aquamarines are too small, and can't be enlarged without damage or risk of breakage. But thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Katbran]

Narcissa ... if the drill holes are already big enough .. then just stop the pattern and end with two white pearls and back knot through them..two will be fine I'm sure..it's not a heavy piece is it..

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Further depleting my pearl stash. I had a hard time with this strand, since the colour wasn't working well with silver nor with gold (and the quality of the pearls is much too low to justify gold). I finally went with copper. Copper is a pain to work with but I think it came out very well. It was a gift to my great aunt, who loved it. It went very well with her colouring.

Copper coloured potato pearls, copper clasp and pendant.

 

[lisa c]

That copper really makes it art!

 

[GemGeek]

Gasp! The colors are fabulous, but the creativity and workmanship are divine. Thanks for posting it.

 

[Katbran]

Love the copper with those pearls ! Gorgeous flower !! Well done !

 

[Katbran]

. No pearls in this one ..just went through the remains of bangle material in the bottom of the grocery bag filled with various wire and soldered up some rings !

 

[GemGeek]

Very fun rings!

 

[kelluvpearls]

Amazing necklace!

 

[Happy Huku]

Just love it, Lady D, just love it!

 

[lisa c]

Amazing skills, amazing...

 

[pattye]

Katbran, the textured stack rings are charming! I am jealous of you and Beatrix, and All who know how to solder. I took one class and after that didn't practice. My neighbors are not keen about me playing with fire~lol

Lady D, I'm glad that gorgeous necklace went to someone in the family; it's very special!

 

[Lady_Disdain]

You are all so nice! Thank you for the compliments!

I love the rings, Katbran. What else is there in your baggies and what shape will they take?

Pattye, I wish you were closer so we could do a little soldering together. It is just a question of practice and understanding how the heat moves.

 

[CathyKeshi]

Katbran, those little silver rings are so cute Lady_Disdain, pearls and orchids and copper ... a heavenly match!

Finally, a bit of stash bash of my own. A very simple necklace: 18" ivory Keshi pearls, individually knotted on Beaders' Secret, with faceted zircon spacers every 3 pearls (clear zircon with champagne needle inclusions; in real life they sparkle like little diamonds), up-cycled 14K gold clasp. Not such a simple story: A friend staying in our area, rebuilding his life and family relationships after a very hard 5 years. He fell in love with my "red dot" Hisano Shepherd PP Champagne Keshi diamond studded pearl necklace, and so wanted to give one to his 22 year old daughter. We searched for weeks for alternate options he could afford right now, and nothing else suited. In going through my stash last night, I re-discovered a strand of keshi pearls, the little zircons ... and 2 stringing attempts later, a neckace When last seen, my "over the moon delighted" friend was writing a letter for his daughter about the creation of the necklace, looking for wrapping paper, taking photos ... and I'm down one stash item ... Win Win Win