It is no secret that I love Lisa Peters Art's donut style beads. You can see them in about 40% of my designs (ok- maybe not 40% but I use them a lot). Lately, she has been making these flowers, and I hated to string them with wire the way I normally do with them, because it would have covered too much of the design.
an older design with the wire across the donut
I have great flowers like this one below that I want to use and didn't want to cover it up
I thought I would prong set them, but the copper and the silver were not co-operating. The backing was too big, and it was taking too much heat- I have trouble getting copper and silver to work together a lot of the times.
So instead I came up with this design for prong setting, and it goes on the back- AND IT'S PRETTY...bonus!
It lies on the back like this
All but two of the prongs get folded around (after some antiquing and such) and the two on each side become the connectors to use it in your design.
I had so much fun figuring this design out. I was so very frustrated at first when I realized my plan wasn't working. However, if it had, then I wouldn't have had this happen. And once I get over the initial frustration- I do like a challenge.
Furthermore, I botched up some of the spirals and pieces as I made them, so them these were born too.
They are squiggly little focal components that you can hang charms from. Half are getting a fancy patina right now, and the rest will be antiqued and stuff. They will be available at Bead Fest.
So, the moral of this little blog post is, if it isn't working out they way you had planned, run with it, it may turn out even better!
10 comments:
Love what you did - you are so talented.
Well, Staci, I think you should sell those spiral prong settings in your etsy shop! ;) It's really beautiful!
I'd rather sell a tutorial on them, hmmmm, maybe I should! I would go nuts making another large batch of them!
I think that this is why I love making something with my hands so much...it becomes almost a sacred practice getting into the flow of the moment...and surrendering any expectations about what will come from it. Sweet prongs!
What a great solution and I love your wonky learning process pieces just as much!
So awesome, and no shock you found a perfect remedy to your problem! I love the new prong settings and it's a total score that they are pretty on the front and back! I, of course, love the negative space they provide in the design even if it's on the back ;) xo Genea
That is WONDERFUL!!! And it would make a beautiful FOCAL, too! ..thinking maybe you should get frustrated more often.. :)
I love that prong setting for the focal. And the little charm hangers are too cute. I'm so wanting to learn soldering. Looks like loads of fun.
Amen to that!
This idea is brilliant AND beautiful!
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