More Sun Symbols

Slowly but surely it is coming together. I added the hanging straps last week and embellished them today.

I placed a twisted Ndbele bar through the loops and finished them with a RAW end cap at either end.

For the grand finale, I will string a variety of beads for the neckstrap and add a toggle clasp.

This necklace is due on Wednesday for the auction so time is of the essence.

Sun Symbols

I have had a passion for gold and Swarovski Rivolis for the past few months. I've worked up several pieces that now appear on the class page of my website: http://www.dianestavola.com/classes.php I haven't put any of them up for sale because I love wearing them, especially with a black turtle neck or mock turtle. But I wouldn't mind teaching them to anyone.

I am frequently requested to donate items to worthy causes. Most of the groups take all the money, but some just want a percentage of a sale. Two groups that have asked for donations recently are the Allegheny Highlands Art and Craft Center in Clifton Forge, VA, and the Jacksonville Center in Floyd, VA.

The Allegheny Highlands theme is chocolate, so that piece will be brown this year - I think. For Jacksonville Center I am going to stick with my fascination with gold and Rivolis, but do something a bit different. Here are some pictures of the piece in process. I haven't even begun the chocolate one.

Most of the beads are 24 kt gold plated glass. The drops are Czech pressed glass and the brown seed beads are not gold.

I need to have it done for the auction in two weeks. The idea is that the artist sets a reserve price. If the reserve isn't met, the piece is returned to the artist. If only the reserve is met, the artist gets it all. If

RAW

After meeting NanC Meinhart and touring her gallery and shop, I have developed a new respect for and interest in RAW or Right Angle Weave. My first love as far as off loom bead weaving is peyote stitch, but RAW is probably just as flexible a stitch and much more drapey. Peyote can be very drapey in free-form but RAW is drapey from the get go.

For beading, my favorite color is green. It works with everything. Just look outside and you will find it paired with every imaginable color. I almost have to force myself to use other colors as my primary color.

Being inspired by NanC, I began this necklace. The top picture is what it looks like at this point. It is a semi-circle that has been sewn together as a tube in part and folded over itself in other areas.

I worked the piece at first from small beads to large and then from large to small. I got a better curve working from large to small. I also used a variety of different shapes, as you can see from the close up at right.

It is still drapey and wonderful to the touch.