A Natural History

Today I listed a new pair of earrings that I'm a little bit in love with -- they were born of an idea I had while stuggling up a hill on one of my runs last week, and when I finally had time to make them, I was so pleased to find that my idea actually worked, because that is certainly not always the case. My dilemma in general is how to secure ends and fit pieces together with only pliers (since I have no metalsmithing skills or even a clear conception of exactly which metalsmithing skills I'd like to have) without ending up with something that is flimsy or boring.

I considered oxidizing these, but decided against it since I liked the contrast between the shiny silver and the black glass bead. Plus I didn't want anything to distract from the awesomeness of the pink fossil beads!

Some versions of...beads that I like, I guess.

While not engaged, or especially interested, in making beaded jewelry myself, I really like online window shopping for beads. There is, admittedly, very little I won't online window shop. Like an ill-fated crow, I am often distracted by bright, shiny things.

Brown-veined sea green gaspetite turquoise--I love the smoothness of the beads, and the color is fantastic. Personally, I'm not sure that I would wear jewelry made out of these beads, unless they were about half the size, but I wouldn't mind having one on my desk. To look at for zen moments or some shit.

Gray blue sponge coral rondelles--These I would definitely wear--I love everything about them: color, shape, irregularity, porousness. They look like especially nice chunks of concrete. They're utterly fascinating. I keep revising what I say about them and failing to note it adequately. It is a lucky thing that I never fancied myself a poet.

Flat turquoise briolettes--Lilyriver has been doing a lot with briolettes lately, and I've really liked the pieces she's made. What's striking to me about these beads is how the briolette shape gets streamlined and abstracted in the flattening. These are postmodern beads, man. Deep.

Bonus Ripley's Believe It or Not!: Pink coral nuggets--These look like diseased gum tissue. Gross. Gross. Gross.

You've earned it. [See details inside.]

While searching Etsy for black teardrop earrings--one for each man I shot in Reno just to watch him die--I found some other earrings made out of millefiori beads. I'm not usually a floral person, but I am attracted to the sort of mod-ish shapes and colors and also, as always, proliferation and multiplication. I was able, luckily, to find these, which allow me to both memorialize my kills and express my newfound love of tiny flowers.

Right now I am full of Lilyriver's handmade spinach risotto.