Gallery 3 Cabochon Work, Image 3 Designed and Beaded by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
PEACOCK NOUVEAU SET
This set also came about because of my jeweler friend Rick. He joined a group of us at Dragoncon to meet Anne McCaffrey. I was working on Cleopatra 7.2 at the time and had written a scene two weeks before where I made up a simple but elegant evening outfit for my Leda/Cleopatra character, the highlight of which was a varigated blue/green/teal burnout velvet evening coat. I walked into the dealer's room and there was my coat. Rick got it for me to wear to the awards banquet. It was wonderful but I was lacking the appropriate jewelry so when I came home, I designed and made this, which is perfect. The central cabochon is dichroic glass by the Indianaglassman, Steve Kaczmarek. Irridescent Swarovski blue/green crystals are at the center of each peacock feather in the body of the necklace, and irridescent firepolish crystals in dark blue are at the center of each feather hanging from the necklace and the earrings. The feathers themselves are a smaller straighter variation of the paisleys designed by Diane Fitzgerald who details their construction in BEADING WITH BRICK STITCH. Paisley was, after all, originally inspired by peacock feathers. The bead you cannot see very well that connecs the dangling feathers to the body of the necklace is by Patricia Franz, a beautiful flat bead that is emerald green separated from royal purple by a swirl of gold. It was just the right touch. Since Carole Wilcox Wells came out with The Art and Elegance of Bead Weaving I've been doing a lot of spiral straps. Her directions are so clear and there are enough variations so it's not boring! http://www.allthingsdichroic.com
All images and patterns © copyright 2004 Elizabeth Ann Scarborough. All rights reserved.