This month, the Art Elements component of the month was a bit different than usual for me...I was the maker of the component! Since I am typically not a component maker, I normally let everyone else sign up for the monthly slots, but for some reason several months ago, I signed up for a challenge. After much fretting about what to make, I had an idea...that actually worked out...and I ran with it. Introducing - leather cabochons!
I cut out and wet molded belt weight vegetan leather, then dyed and painted them when dry. I was vaguely inspired by Australian Aboriginal dot art, and also had fun applying paint with the old tried and true toothbrush technique.
I kept these two for myself ,intending to use the long oval as a jellyfish bell, and making a huge statement jellyfish necklace...but as so often is the case, that's not what happened!
I ended up using the splattered dark teal/purple cabochon. I was inspired by how much it looked like photos of deep space and ran with a circular/orbital look on everything.
It was more than a little difficult choosing cabs to pair with the leather cabochon. I felt like most of my stash was too shiny, and took focus away from the leather cab, simply because it is so dark. I ended up with a vintage acrylic cab (
Etsy) in purple, black and gold, and a lampwork cab that I've had stashed away for several years (artist unknown). Between the darkness and subtlety of each of these cabs, I felt like they both belonged in the same realm as the leather cab, even though the 3 materials couldn't be more different.
I bezeled each cab, and embroidered around each for just a few rows until they were all connected. Glued on the ultrasuede backing, and edged the piece in some clear and black striped 8/0 beads, with a transparent grey rainbow bead on the picot's - I like that the edge appears to fade away. To connect a necklace strap, I stitched a few twin beads between the picot's on the upper edges, and used the second hole of each to run my beading wire through. To continue the circular/orbital theme, I strung a selection of large Czech glass disk shaped beads first - this also adds some overall weight close to the focal. More weight was desperately needed, since the none of these cabs is very heavy. I like weight in the front of a necklace, so that when you're wearing it you don't have to constantly adjust the orientation on your neck. The strap continues up the neck with some black 6/0 beads, blue metallic 11/0's and I interspersed the segments with 3mm white opal druks, simply to carry some flecks of white further into the necklace.
I am more pleased with the results than I was expecting! I think of it as my System necklace - interconnecting, orbiting circles that create an entire network of shapes, everything interrelated.
Making components has been an adventure for sure! If you are interested, I do have a few more cabs for sale over at the Art Elements Extras Facebook group. I'm not sure if I will ever make any more!
I do hope you will hop along and see what everyone else has cooked up
with their leather cabs! We have several guests this time, and I am
super excited to see what everyone has made.
I just loved this challenge, thank you so much for creating such an amazing treasure for us to work with :)
ReplyDeleteAWESOME necklace, Lindsay. It captures the feeling of deep space perfectly.
ReplyDeleteThan is lovely! I saw the cosmic theme before reading the description, so that is conveyed very well.
ReplyDeleteWow, beautiful - those deep colors, the "Milky Way" effect and the pop of color of the other "planets"- a very attractive design!
ReplyDeleteLindsay this a a beautiful necklace! It certainly does remind me of a galaxy-far, far away:-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for making these spectacular leather cabs. It was a very fun project.
Wow Lindsay, I'm always so impressed with your pieces! Such imagination! I love how you connected it to the strap with the 2-hole beads! Thanks for the cab and the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous necklace! Just seeing your cabs I also had the image of a galaxy inside my head and also when I saw your necklace (before I started reading the text), I instantly had the impression of planets and stars and hole interconnecting systems. Th cabs really go perfectly together and especially the middle one looks like nebulae. Really, really beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful design Lindsay! The beads around the necklace make me think of planets in the starry night sky.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a brilliant challenge, I've had loads of fun working with your cab!
Fantastic!! I absolutely love it!
ReplyDeleteI really love your leather cabs, and I love what you've done with yours. I'm always so interested to see your work. This does look like beautiful, interconnected system!
ReplyDeleteOoh I love the cosmic feel that the cabs exude. This is a brilliant necklace, Lindsay!
ReplyDeleteFirstly thank you so much for the wonderful pieces you created, I have loved working with mine and secondly OH MY GOSH Lindsay!!! I LOVE IT! You have put so much thought into every aspect of this necklace and it really shows! The centre section screams out of this world magic and all the beads you have used in the necklace flow seamlessly and work in perfect harmony, your ability to seed bead and then take that design even further with perfect balance of the design is just astounding! Mind blown!
ReplyDeleteLovely your design Lindsay - full of drama as always! Thanks for the opportunity to work with these lovely cabs.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful design! It looks like it took a lot of time to complete, but it is a beauty.
ReplyDeleteI love the circles! The orbits! The planetary feel. your cabs were a treat to work with! And this piece is stunning!
ReplyDeleteWow Lindsay this is a beautiful piece. I loved the cabs to begin with. And what you have done here with your gorgeous beadwork.
ReplyDeleteI love the deep space theme. Looking at your necklace is like stepping into another realm - one of beauty and mystery. Thank you so much for including me in this challenge. It was inspiring.
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