Gallery 3 Cabochon Work, Image 5 Designed and Beaded by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
Dana's Madonna Set
This is another one that's Lea's fault. She's always wanting the WRONG things and making me growl about how she doesn't know from beads.
She said her sister in law Dana really loved the beadwork of mine that Lea wears when she visits. She wanted me to make a piece especially for Dana. I asked what Dana's interests were and all her loving relative could say was, "She's Catholic." She also liked clowns, but we went with Catholic. We saw several religious cabs online and at shows and they were all hideous. Finally I found this little resin Madonna at a local bead show and liked the colors. I gave the cab sort of an extended halo, using one of the edging techniques from an article in a past issue of B&B on beading around buttons for the sun rays. Following the lead of my most admired cab artist friend Barbara Ann Carroll, I beaded a peyote bale for it and did a spiral stray that used the same coral, lapis and turquoise miracle beads as are in the fringe. These repeat the colors in the cab. Then we needed earrings so this very nice German Catholic woman ended up with a very Mexican gypsy Catholic looking set with sacred heart earrings tipped with faux gold coins. I really try to suit my customer or client when I'm beading a commission but somehow the work always ends up looking like something I'd do anyway.
All images and patterns © copyright 2004 Elizabeth Ann Scarborough. All rights reserved.