Inspired by Diane Hawkey beads

Every year the Bead & Button Show offers a Round-robin Make and Take. I had never done one before, but this year the Fly Me To The Moon design struck me, and my friend and I played along. The make & take is $29 for materials, which we paid as we picked out our focal bead at Diane Hawkey’s booth. She makes beautiful ceramic beads with whimsical and soulful expressions.

Then we made the pendant frame at Brenda Schweder’s Now That’s a Jig! Booth. The Parawire felt different from my go-to steel wire, but it was fun to learn how to use a variety of pegs to create an unexpected design.

After that, we headed to C-Koop beads for our orbit stars. The wire was a bit thick so attaching the stars became a challenge, but I figured I could improve on it at home.

Then we picked up a comet and silk from Marsha Neal Studio, with the rocket bead by Thornburg Bead Studio conveniently placed next door to her booth. We were provided instructions on attaching those beads. Since we had a class with Marti Brown we couldn’t finish the pendant on the spot, and I took all the components home.

In my studio I fixed the beads and attached the rocket and the silk necklace.

At Diane Hawkey’s booth I had also picked up a new stickman head. The original beads from a prior Bead & Button Show workshop made the pendants top-heavy, and for one of my stickman collars that didn’t work.

I removed the original head and then attached the flatter face.

Now I have three necklaces with fun personalities to layer or wear on their own as I see fit.

An irresistible house bead by Diane also came home with me, and I designed a necklace just for me. I was super-inspired by the creations of the Project Embellish Challenge, which I followed live on Facebook.

It was fun to realize I had bought matching beads from Dakota Stones without thinking of the house when I spotted them. This one may need a bit more tweaking to make the house a bigger focal point, likely with a nod to the Fly Me To The Moon pendant.

Creating is such fun. I am already pondering what to do with the extra head bead!