My Splurge at BeadFest

Hi everyone,

I'm back in the office, though my body is not quite in the correct time zone yet!  It was great to meet some of you at Bead Fest Philadelphia. 

I wanted to share a photo of my big shopping splurge at the show.  This is a "tortured heart" pendant by Zoa Art. The designer Tony adds the nails into the soft glass during the creation process.  When I saw it, I knew I was doomed to buy it!  http://www.zoaart.com/

I'm going to string it on a plain black cord so I can wear it right away while I think about how I want to use it.  I'm thinking that it's so striking that any necklace I make for it will probably be fairly simple.  (If you have design suggestions, I'd love to hear them!)

Anyone else have photos to share?

 Hi,

how about a simple tubular peyote rope made of black seedbeads? Not too thick, so the heart remains the focal point of the necklace.

 Beautiful piece! How about some simple black seed beads simply strung, you could also add the ocassinal red or white bead ( just a few ) to pick up the colors. Just sporatic enough to keep it interesting without overpowering ( if that is possible ) the beautiful focal bead.

 It looks a bit rough and tough - I would put it on a chain - maybe add some similar colored beads along the chain, maybe even some of those "broken" looking beads. To keep the "tortured" team.

Well thats my view. But I'm weird...

 I don't blame you. I fell in love with it at first sight myself. I am definitely going to check deeper into this. Beautiful piece and it reminds me so much of my own "tortured" heart. Only 23% of mine even works anymore.

 I have to disagree with you ladies. It may be just me, but that piece just screams LEATHER!

 I see three 1mm leather cords in red, black, and grey, pulled into one connector at the clasp with the pendant resting right at the top of the breastbone, maybe 18 inches or so. Not braided or knotted in any way. Not heavy or loud enough to take away fromt he pendant itself. Just let the three cords flow from and back into a blackened silver or pewter clasp of some sort. I'm seeing something fairy hefty, big enough to be noticed, but not outlandishly large. But what IT actually is, is escaping me.

 Like a TV commercial that I saw about some kind microwavable fish dinners, "I wanna be you". *laughz* Just kidding of course, but you have got my little green monster riled up a bit. *grinz* Jealosy is so under-rated, don't you think? Good luck with it and be sure to let us see the finished article.

 Billy ;o)

Third time today I find myselF agreeing with you, Billy!  [I didn't comment the other two times, tho'.]

Maybe a faded dark red -- not pink!!

Stan B.

It would be really cool if you could use the chain idea but make one out of nails somehow.  Not a clue how you would accomplish that, but it was the first thing that popped into my head.  Large silver headpins that are patinated, perhaps?

 You could bend the nails over to form a "link". That may take some work though. Even if a few were done where the heart was, then went to regular chain. Be careful though, you could stick yourself every time you move...

i like the leather cord idea. or you could make it a choker with half an inch thick black (leather or not) ribbon. i see you have a long thin neck. a choker would look nice on you :)

What great ideas!  It seems like maybe I should keep it as a pendant that is easily moved around--leather one day, chain the next.  I was actually cleaning out my stash last night and I found a silver wire mesh cord that I had never used and that might work too.  I do like the idea of making chain out of nails, but I'm pretty accident-prone.  I'm not sure if I would survive that project!

I figured it out!  Fire Mountain sells leather cord that looks like barbed wire.  No pain necessary! Re-reading this post jogged my memory.  It comes in a couple of different colors as well.

 Hmm...I'm liking the simple black rope idea but it's the clasp that is intriguing me....

I'm seeing a beaded toggle clasp pulling some of the design from the heart for the ring and a peyote band around a matching nail allowing it to become the bar.  I'd want to wear the clasp to the front.