Friday, September 21, 2007

Meet Crystal


This is Crystal - she was created for Christina - a fellow beader in the UK. We met online through one of the beading groups on Yahoo. Christina sent me this little beauty not long ago, so Crystal will be sent out in return.

The form is about 3 1/2 inches tall and was made by Monica Magness, the polymer clay face by Jen Martin.


She is covered is many different treasures. On the front side she has a vintage German glass flower shaped sew on as her heart. Off to her right side and in a line through her middle are vintage Belgium sequins. You probably can't see the little bits of sparkle in her bangs from 2mm round crystal ab Swarovski beads (those itty bitty, teeny tiny crystals that I would love to have in every color). They are about the same size as a 11/0 seed bead.

Silver charlottes give off a bit of sparkle around her face. Down towards the bottom of her front side there is a line of Swarovski 6mm margarita crystal ab spacer beads.

On her backside there is a pewter butterfly bead, 3 vintage orange nailheads and towards the bottom a curved line of Swarovski sew on rhinestones - I've had them for a few years and think they were packaged for Mill Hill. I haven't seen any like them since.



To round out her sparkle - I added lots of Swarovski 5mm crystal ab spacer beads to her hair.


I learned something here as well while working on her... I added silver bugle beads that I assume are 'galvanized' - the finish is rubbing off where she was handled quite a bit as I was beading her. I'll chalk that up to a learning experience.

Christina - I hope she brings a smile!

9 comments:

M.J. Mullins said...

Ah, the treachery of the 'galvanized' bead . . .

BTW, thanks for your comments on my blog - I'm so glad someone actually got the humor I was trying to inject in my little tirade. And yes, the not-so-subtle naming of the photos was intentional.

Cheers!

KV said...

Grace -- the doll is gorgeous! A lot of sentiment sewn into her which is wonderful.

Fire Mountain Gems does have sew on Swarovski pieces -- their new FAT catalog lists them.


Kathy V in NM

Veleta (Sammy) said...

Grace... another outstanding doll! I love that you told all you did to her and the beads that you used!

Padparadscha said...

What a gorgeous doll ! I love the colours. It seems you have put amazing details and lots of love into this little one, and it shows.

Anonymous said...

I did so try not to peek in advance of her arrival, but just couldn't help myself. Crystal already has her own special place in my heart and I can hardly wait for her to have a place in my life too.

GraceBeading said...

Hi all, thanks for taking the time to comment - I appreciate each and every one.

I'm glad you like Crystal. Christina, I managed to get her in the mail last Friday - so hopefully it won't be too before she's 'home'.

Wildspiritart said...

She's beautiful! :)

Anonymous said...

I can vouch for her being a magnificent doll as she just arrived here in England. Not only does she have my heart, she will forever be a testament to the skill, care and love that you put into your art. Wonderful - THANK YOU

GraceBeading said...

Hi Joslyn - good to see you here!
Christina - I'm so glad you like her and that she arrived safe and sound.

Leaves of Grass

This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body - Walt Whitman