Creative Process - Bronze Embroidered Collar - Part 2

OK!.... this has been one of my most challenging pieces ever!!! and not because of the technique, but because of the design.... so here is an update on the piece, which has now been renamed Sunflowers.... you will see why... or at least I hope you will :-)

All was going well.... I was enjoying it, I knew where I was going.... I liked how it was turning out.... but then I went to pick up my order of beads, including the grey ones which I was running out of and..... Nooooo, they had run out of stock!!!! :-( panic attack!!! :-)

Never mind, think out of the box.... and within my new order of beads there were some gorgeous Czech Baby Pillow beads mix.... and I thought they would look lovely with the shell... so I started changing my design.... (see top right and below) also, this month's EtsyBeadweavers' Challenge was on my mind... the challenge is "Spring Break" ... so I'm thinking, spring... flowers.... sunflowers.... and the baby pillows naturally fit in.... I've found a solution for my lack of grey beads problem.... all is going well.... or so I thought :-)

I really was unhappy!!! I liked the effect that the baby pillows gave, but something just wasn't working!!!! so I unpicked the cause of so much misery :-) and took a deep breath... and re-thought the design....

and as you see above right.... a vast improvement.... I have this tendency to buy beads just because I like them... not because I need them.... am so glad I do that, because I really didn't know how to finish off.... so back to my stash.... I found these great transparent matte brown seed beads, that I probably bought 2 years ago and have never used before.... and they are just perfect!!! I wanted something to tone down the shine and sparkle at the same time as compliment it.

Now comes the next challenge.... coming up with the perfect (or close enough) closure....

till the next time.... I'm hoping I will have finished it by Sunday or Monday... always hard to tell how much beading I can do at the week-end.... depends on how long my son's nap lasts :-)