Michelle Mach's Fall Challenge Reveal

Today's the day for the Fall Challenge Reveal. Michelle Mach put together a lovely selection of Vintage filigree, and vintage lucite. Here's a pic of the kit. I actually won the Fall Challenge kit, and was very excited that Michelle invited me to participate with the others who purchased the kits.

 I got the lovely lucite ball in the front, with the orange hints on the swirl.

 This is the main selection of the kit. I got just a few different pieces from the ones in the upper left.

So, ya'll know I'm a seed beader, right? This challenge was even further outside my comfort zone than the Bead Soup Blog Party! I've never worked with lucite before. Or filigree. Or odd shaped branches! What was I supposed to do with that?!

I was immediately drawn to the lovely orange oval drop. And I have a tiny little vintage lucite bead, that had this really cool clear space in it. Now, I'm talking, this bead is tiny. So, how to showcase it? I really did pay attention on the Bead Soup hop. I saw lots of layering. I decided to make a flat peyote triangle to go behind the orange drop, and then dangle the little lucite inside it.

Like this:

Only, it didn't happen. This was what I worked on first, but then, it just didn't want to come together. I will try some other ideas, and any suggestions are more than welcome.

Let's see the stuff that did work!

I took a leap of faith, and did some filigree bending. I finally got to use the headpins my Bead Soup partner, Mallory, sent with my soup. I also learned a very important lesson. Always check to make sure the bead holes will work with the head pin. I made one earring, then went to make the second, and there was an obstruction in all 3 of the remaining beads. I headed out to the toolbox, and spent several minutes reaming out those babies. Finally got one to work. Here are the results.

I very gently bent the filigree around the mop oval bead, and strung the head pin through the bottom and top of it.

Aren't they just the cutest? Oval mop beads, with the vintage lucite leaves dangling from Mallory's headpins. 

Next I chose to make a lariat for the odd bits and pieces of lucite and the acorn cap. This is a very sweet pattern, with a definite Victorian feel.

 I made the polymer clay circle a few months ago, just playing around. The color went perfectly with the lariat.

I love the orange and purple together.

 Don't you just love the pattern that emerges? This is a netting stitch from Beaded Allure, I think.

Now we come to the ball pendant, and that crazy branch. What was I going to do with it? Well, I originally started a rope for the other pendant, so I figured I'd just make the pendants interchangeable and use the same rope. It is  a 2 bead spiral from Beth Stone. It also has a very Vintage look. I had to have a stern talk with myself, because this particular stitch shows the thread quite obviously.  I have  a huge hangup with thread showing. Really. But the colors and style just hit the right note for this challenge. Or so I think. You tell me.

 Yep, I hung that baby! I did see this on the blog hop, not an original idea. But still, c'mon....good use of elements, huh? :)

 I used a mother of pearl link for the toggle, to tie in the tiny bits of white in the pendant. The bronze seed beads in the loops and toggle bar are also in the necklace.

 Now, don't  you think this was an engineering nightmare?? Yes, it was. The pendant has a tendency to slide across that branch. It really bothers my son, but I kinda like it.

 See, there it is, hangin' at the bottom of the branch. I really like the whole look of this piece. It's totally unlike anything I've ever done. There were just a couple of beads I didn't use, 2 little red guys that remind me of strawberries. Maybe they'll make their way into whatever I can work out for the oval pendant...

Thank you so much, Michelle, for this challenge. 

Please have some fun, and go visit the rest of the participants.

Blessings, Shirley

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