De-Stash Project - Stash Bash

Hmmm ... guess I need to brush up on photo attaching here .... sorry.
 
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.

Aww, Beatriz, that's so sweet of you to say; I would absolutely take you up on the offer, too!

Cathy, A beautiful story and gorgeous keshi necklace; A gift to be cherished!
 
Lady D - Well my baggies are full of wire of every shape and size .. I've banged out a few bangles from the scraps and a few long hook clasps and a few random circles that I may join up into a pendant for necklace.. I just love hitting things with a hammer and torching them lol Good thing I'm not psychotic..
CathyK - those are so pretty...I love Keshi for their wonderful lumps and bumps and glorious luster, and such a great story! You are a kind and generous soul !
Pattye - thanks very much , you are so kind! I think you should take a short class again.. it's great fun. I started out a year ago thinking I'd do a few classes and it's turned into 4 hours a week in lessons ! I am slowly gathering up the materials I need to set up a better 'welding' area. It is a handy thing to learn...but now I want a better welder...well I did till I discovered the cost !
 
Cathy, really sweet story and how nice for him to have someone as kind as you to look after him! And a very nice necklace too!
Pattye, I wish you were closer too! ..to me so we could brush up on metal smithing classes together. I haven't done anything in a while and it would be nice to get back to it one day!
 
First bash of 2015! Actually, this was my last piece of 2015 but close enough.

I was inspired by Seventh Sphinx's thread (https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9019&highlight=18th+century) to make a choker of my own. However, I chose to visit the more glamourous grand laied of 18th century France, choosing 9mm button pearls and navy silk (ok, that is poetic license on my part).

First version - with navy ribbon to tie it, choker length (16 inches). I need to find some wider ribbon but I compensated by cutting them long, leaving streamers down the back.

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Why, hello there, black camera (my next camera will be silver!)
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Then, I added an alternate clasp, with a lapis lazuli to match the silk. This clasp adds an inch to the length, so it hangs a little lower.
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Beatriz, that lapis clasp/pendant is striking!
Is it one of your creations?
 
VERY nice, can't beat Navy and White, and the interchangeable ribbon and clasp is brilliant and wonderful!
 
Oh, such an elegant necklace, and so interesting with the contrasting thread and ribbons. Who doesn't love lapis??!! That is extra cool, being interchangeable!

I am fascinated by jewelry that can be taken apart and reconfigured. Oh, those antique tiaras... I would be playing with the pieces all day. I may make a third clasp for this, but taking up the white of the pearls, instead of the navy. I will have to hunt around my stone drawer to see what I have.

Thank you all so much for the support! I love this little corner of the forum, where I can post things without feeling overwhelmed by all the amazing pieces everywhere on the forum. I don't mean that there aren't some gorgeous pieces here (there are!) but I would feel intimidated to post my little freshies next to all the gorgeous Tahitians, Akoyas, Edisons, fireballs, etc.
 
There is something very pleasing about navy blue with white. Classic, yet fresh and crisp.
 
What a beautiful clasp! I am so envious of your gold smith abilities. I know I would be way deep in debt if I took it up but, oh, the temptation of being able to make your own pieces...

- Karin
 
I love the historical allusion, the high-contrast knotting, the lapis clasp (I hope you made that because I am admiring you no end for doing so), and especially the freedom of idea the piece exemplifies.

Cheers!
 
How did I miss this beautiful piece?
Just love the navy and white and the amazing clasp, so clever and so striking.
If this is just the start of 2015, what the rest of the year going to be like?!
 
Ummm, yes, well, this is going to be a much more modest de-stash type project that all the beauties posted here (I am definitely in the lowly section of this club and I'm hoping to get someone else to do it for me!).

Some time ago I had my great-aunt's old graduated pearls re-strung and for various reasons, I was not happy with the result.
One of the problems is that the smaller pearls 'die' or break off so the string gets shorter and shorter over the years. It is now at near strangulation point!
I have been wanting to do something similar to my avatar but with blue beads, preferably iolite. Difficult to find what I wanted, so inspired by this forum, I looked out for some other pearls to put in between my old graduated ones to lengthen it a bit.

These are the pearls I found for the job (see my post in 'What pearls do I have here').

I am not sure of the design quite yet - do I add all the pearls together and make a short 70cm rope?
Do I decide on a length that suits me and I add a couple of pearls in between my old ones etc etc.

I would greatly appreciate some ideas...

Photo of old graduated string alongside recently purchased string of freshwaters.
 

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