green leaves from Seattle
The polymer clay pendant bead has a lush green leaf on each side. Below it, several beads hang, terminating in a round brass bead tangled in wire, like a little bird's nest. Above the leaf bead, bone disks alternate with brass beads to rise to the necklace strand. Here, brass beads continue, now alternating with carved wood beads and several sober faced stars. Bone, hollow metal beads in muted greens and purples, hollow metal filigree balls, embossed hollow metal beads, rich green glass, beads of combined metal and wood, stone with mossy speckles, large plastic "treasure coins," all go into the richness of this luscious work. There are two agates beyond the clasp as counterweights to the substantial weight of this piece. The leaf pendant is 1 1/4 in. diam., the beginning of the complex pendant hangs 11 1/2 in. below the clasp, which means that the opened length of the work is 23 inches. The whole pendant, including the leaf bead, is 3 1/2 in. long. This necklace closes at the back with a loop and hook of brass. The overall colors are shades of browns accented by lush greens, definitely something that grew in the Pacific Northwest rains. To me, this is a peaceful necklace, helped perhaps by the forest colors and those calm faced stars. I always relax when I look at and handle this one, it seems so tranquil.