Bracelet - Take a Chance

I have entered my first competition ever with one of my jewelleries - the Art Bead Scene Challenge for March. Inspiration this month is a painting by Vincent van Gogh called Almond Blossom. The other entries can be seen here. (But you might not be able to see ALL of the entries unless you are a member of the Art Bead Scene group on flickr.)

I have made the branch and the flowers myself in Polymer Clay. Other materials are Dupioni Silk from Ornamentea, waxed linen cord, copper chain, 3 seed beads and Fire Line thread. On the picture below you can see how the branch with the flowers is constructed.

The Branch has five holes. It is made of a mixture of brown and golden clay. After being baked it was sanded for a smooth even curve, and then varnished for a shiny surface.

The flowers are made from six "worms" put together and then thinly sliced. I have mixed colors in the worms for a more lively color. After that holes in the middle. Baked. Sanded. Varnished

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No extra paint has been added.

The Bracelet is named after Magic Number's song "Take a Chance", because that is what I feel I am doing, taking a chance with this entry.

3 Bats for Kata is almost ready!

I am very happy now!

Almost there!

Slowly but shurely!

Now we are in the middle of march. And it all started way back in the beginning of december. I knew then I wanted to do this necklace for my friend Kata. The 3 adorable bats are from Green Girl Studios. I ordered them from Fusion Beads just before X-mas, and they arrived at my home just after New Years'.

But I didn't have any idea at the time of how I would hang them. Upside down of course! But would they sit on a bulky chain, a thin chain, a beaded strand, a braided leather cord, a velvet ribbon or what? No, I wasn't pleased with any of those ideas. Too hard, too unbalanced, too robust and so on. And what colors?

And although I knew they would have the best place in the world just under Kata's neck pit I wanted them to have the perfect environment all in all. I wanted it to feel like the bats has it cosy where they are sitting, because they do look so content. And you have to believe that. Slowly but shurely the final design has taken form. The black Dupioni silk ribbon from Ornamentea arrived last week. And last night I sat for 2 hours trying many various ways to hang the bats so that they would sit the way I want. It wasn't the easiest considering the way they are constructed with a very big hole right through. How would I do to create a strong reliable connection to the silk, but yet it should seem the bats are actually kind of holding on to the ribbon with their feet. It musn't be lots of wire or string there to disturb the illusion. When I know what I am looking for expressionwise I do not want to give up on that idea. I think I have found it now!

Just a few more details left and it will all be finished! I have all the material I need at home, which is great.