Craftsmanship

As tedious as it can be, I really enjoy making pieces like this. It definitely feels like craftsmanship. It's a slow process that builds on itself, and I get to see the work take shape. This one, for instance, just looks like a mess of pearls and chain most of the time. It's only when you get the last pieces of chain attached that it all falls into place -- quite literally. I felt a deep sense of satisfaction once all those little pearls settled into their respective niches. It was the satisfaction of a job well-done. Maybe that's one of the reasons I do what I do.

Why do you do what you do?

Harlequin Series

No, I'm not talking about the romance novel, although when I taught this pattern at Nomadic Notions, I did draw a handout cover that looked remarkably like a trashy bodice-ripper, complete with a Fabio lookalike. That turned out to be a lot more fun than writing the handout itself!

In this particular case, I'm talking about a design for both earrings or a necklace, using chain to suspend little glass drops in a "diamond" pattern -- hence the name, Harlequin. I've got a whole series of these in a variety of colors; like my "Beadmail" pattern, it's an old standby that I never seem to tire of. The color combinations just seem endless, especially when you add in the chain/jump rings.

I retook my photos of a bunch of these yesterday; I think I'm slowly getting better at the picture-taking thing. That's such a big part of online selling. I suspect there's still plenty for me to learn. Just gotta keep plugging away, right?