I haven't posted any pictures (hanging head with shame). First, no camera - then I got one last Nov and still haven't used it. Second, computer crashed maybe 2 years ago this Dec. My son was going to troubleshoot, got too busy, time marches on...I used my iPhone for a while to keep up w PG, but had to go back to a flip phone. I'm not tech savvy so while I know Boo and others here have taken photos w iPhone, I don't know if/how to get photos from iPhone to PG without a computer. I know my library doesn't allow us to use our gadgets like memory sticks or connectors w their computers...
So! I'm looking to get a fresh start with a reasonable laptop. My son says HP... Anyway -
Back to the point of your question - I've restrung an old-fashioned graduated akoya (just like yours), knotted bracelets with some clear heavy elastic, 8mm cobalt cat's-eye glass beads and those glass beads with designs and grommets (can't think of the name, from FireMountain gems, the ones that get put on bracelets...
Dione, and same style but made in China, advertised as Murano glass I put small clear crackle glass beads in the large space so the knotting will hold in later versions. Earliest version, ended tucking the elastic inside the big grommet space).
Mostly, I've made earring dangles like you've demonstrated and photographed so well in this thread (because I looove interchangeable dangles)
taken apart necklaces and
done the typical learning progression of accumulating many strands of beading pearls, eBay impulse buys (oh, woe), realizing
Frequently Hey, this is harder to get right than it looks! and
FINALLY reining it back, slowing down, bought some really nice big multis for a necklace and some small gorgeous multis from Pattye
and got some Fabulous, gorgeous FW drops as a gift (from PP)
and some wonderful bluish watermelon tourmaline from Adeline
- and all photographically undocumented, for now
. All my experience is with an old-fashioned Nikkormat and it's blown the foam strip that makes the back light-tight.
Oh PS, forgot to answer - I haven't bought ready made in years because I've been buying the makings, a little bit at a time, since I found PG in '09, and that leaves my pockets 'To Let', as it were.
Never was a big spender, little bits at a time. Before PG, I'd bought pearls from the thrift store (rice krispies, and the graduated akoya w a diamond chip clasp ($25 'cause strand was broken, yea!)) and JCPenney(two 18" cfw necklaces, two 100" pinkcfw ropes), and one supposedly 'Biwa' necklace in 1980 from a jeweler from my X when we were newlyweds. And a 54" multi 8-9mm endless from smartbargains.com.
Nothing spectacular, but all enjoyable, all under $40ea except for an 18" nine strand rice krispie necklace total $54 from eBay.
BEFORE PEARL GUIDE - AFTER PEARL GUIDE
Life-altering moments... PG is empowering and bewitching, and a challenge to self-control.
