Today was devoted to finishing my beaded mokume gane cabochon necklace.
This necklace evolved one step at a time without any sketches or set plan. First, I created the polymer clay cabochon with slices from a mokume gane stack. Then I glued the cabochon to a piece of heavyweight Pellon Peltex 70 and beaded around it. I sat with the pendant for awhile meditating on what kind of necklace would feature it best. I decided on a multi-strand seed bead necklace.
After creating the 6-strand seed bead necklace, I added a beaded bail at the top of the cabochon. The open cones at the end of the strands are made from polymer clay with a copper mica powder rubbed in before baking. I also textured the cone with a piece of coral before rubbing in the powder. My intent with the cones is to make it look like the beads are spilling out of them. A cascade of beads. 16-gauge sterling silver was used to form the hook clasp with jumpring chain extender. I dipped the silver wire in a liver of sulfur solution until the wire was coppery brown.
I spent most of the day in my studio. I was so intent on my work that I never got a chance to go outside and enjoy the beautiful day. Now it’s time for a nice long walk!
Art and Tea 
Stunning necklace, Karen! Love the idea of making your own cones. Hmmm…. It was the perfect finishing touch.
Arline
Thanks Arline for your positive feedback about my necklace! The cones just came to me while I was playing around with the clay. This was truly a “let’s see what happens when I play” creation!
Just love what you did with that MG piece.. Finally a home for it. Lovely, Karen! I’m amazed.
Thanks Judy, I’m glad you like it. I’m pretty please, too! 🙂
Hi! Your necklace is beautiful. So creative!
Hi Lynn, good to hear from you! Hope all is well. Thanks so much!
Great job Karen ! The beading around the cab complements it perfectly, and I really like the polyclay cones. What a super idea, I never even thought of doing that ! I like reading about your design process and how you take an idea from beginning to end…I’m pretty good with beginning, it’s ending that is always a challenge !
Thanks Dora! I’m with you. I love the start of a new project, choosing the colors and picking out the beads. Once I’m into it, however, I find it to be such a challenge to stay with it and be committed to finishing it. Perhaps that’s why I have so many unfinished projects in my studio! Anyway, this time I decided from the beginning to push myself to stay with it and document my progress so that I would finish it. The polyclay cones sort of just happened in the moment. 🙂
I really like that necklace! Very pretty colors. 🙂
Thanks so much Aim!