Creating with cabochons challenge & blog hop ~ the reveal

Welcome to the reveal of another of Sally's babies: the Creating with Cabochons challenge.

The idea - as the title suggest - was to pick a cabochon (or maybe two or more if you were brave enough) and create with it. What's a cabochon (or cab on short)? In a strict sense it is a stone with no holes (you cannot string it!). In a more general sense - any item you could thing of that has no holes to be strung through. Technically I would consider a wine bottle cork a cab: you'll need to come up with some idea to attach it to your piece.

I started almost immediately - I had this gorgeous jasper cab, I had picked from a gem show in the spring. 'Easy-peasy' I said to myself, we'll use the antique bronze wire (which, by the way, is pure bliss on one's hand, by the way, soft and lovely to work with) I bought for the Summer blog hop project, wire wrap it and be done in no time.

Well... I started it right then and there (which was waaaaaaaaaay in advance of the reveal)... then, half-way through I had to put it down. Of course that is exactly where it stayed until yesterday - yes, the day before the reveal! Can you spell "procraftinator"?!

The important part is that I finished it, right? The also important part is that... I don't like it! I'll show it to you, but I warned you: I don't like it. It's missing something - and I'll have to figure out what exactly :)

The wrapping is OK (better than other cases), the stone is nice, but the pendant just feels unbalanced for some reasons. It is not a perfectly shaped square or ellipsoid, it has a more 'acute' angle on 2 sides than on the other 2... so I believe I should have done *something* with the wrapping itself to somehow balance it back. I'll try some more :)

While working on last week's project I took out all my Vintaj components and I found a gorgeous filigree butterfly. I simply wanted to use it. I thought of soldering it to some other piece, but there is such a disaster up in the studio I can't even sit anywhere! Then I recalled someone using a filigree piece to wrap around another and had to try it.

You know how when you want a certain piece you can't get it? That was me, rummaging through the cabs trying to get one with a proper size. Nope... one after another they went back in the box: too big, too small, too heavy, too not matching the butterfly, too... And then - there it was, the perfect one! I honestly don't know what it is, I know exactly where I bought it from (I won't tell you for how much, though, it's ridiculous). At the time I picked it to try to solder a bezel around it - but the butterfly worked better, don't you think?!

The edges are not very soft - I was thinking maybe I should throw it in the tumbler a little bit to 'buff' it down. Until then - I really like it.

Overall - I am good... I challenged myself and managed a 50% rate of success :)

Oh, about the pictures... It seems I am growing on multiple levels: I had the pieces in my hand, walking towards the table as the sun was setting, I wanted to still get that 'golden hour' light. On the floor was one of William's books (a Lego one, opened to a golf cart he was building)... and it just drew my attention... I placed both pendants on the book - and the 'aha' moment downed on me. I knew Lego won't work with my romantic filigree and that soft looking (although still ugly) wire wrapping... that's when I pulled this horses book from the shelves. I must admit - the cabochon pictures suddenly became emotionally charged and gathered depth. I love the effect!

Enough about my adventures - please make sure you visit everybody else!

A deep 'thank you!' to Sally for challenging us (or at least challenging me) and for so lovingly guiding our journey through the Google+ group and conversations.

Your Host: Sally Russick
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