My Bead Soup is here!

Everything except the copper filigree elements...doh!


One of the filigree elements.
And you are going to be amazed! Ambra sent me a gorgeous bamboo agate focal bead, along with chunky faceted bowenite beads and softly mottled jasper beads. Ambra also sent me a length of copper chain, two coppery filigree stars, and an elegant copper clasp that she made herself (which I think is the very coolest – I'm such a handmade dork, I know, right?).



Ambra's clasp - this, the bamboo agate, and the filigree pieces are my favorites!


Bowenite beads and the coolio copper chain...
I'll be using one of the bowenite beads and some of the jasper beads in one of my mixed media art charm bracelets – this one is for me, and one that I've been planning for a long while now – sage and olive greens, ivory, and copper. I love the idea that Ambra's beads will be on this bracelet, and I am excited to be FINALLY putting this one together. I'll post pics of this tomorrow.



The OMG fabulous bamboo agate focal...
The bamboo agate is really lovely – and ginormous – and way way WAY out of my comfort zone. I have no idea how I'm going to show this piece off. I tried using wire-wrapping to frame the stone, but the wire kind of distracted from the beauty of the stone, and didn't add to it.



The delightful jasper beads - love the colors in these! I've got some dyed freshwater pearls in cream, peach and sage green, which I think would play very nicely with the jasper.
I desperately want to make the agate into a chunky mixed media not-quite-a-choker necklace – but that would require drilling another hole in it. Did some research – bottom line, yes, it IS possible to drill it, with a diamond bit (which I do have) and with a steady stream of water or else……if there isn't enough water, it could cause the stone to break. Gah! I'm not going to experiment and take a chance on hurting this stunning stone.





The current incarnation of the bamboo agate...
My current experiment is with wrapping it at the top with fine gauge annealed black steel wire and copper wire, accented with freshwater pearls and a Swarovski…it looks OK, but I'm not enchanted with it (probably because I'm jonesing to do the mixed media thing with it). What do you think?





And a close-up from a different angle...