I had originally planned for this necklace to be for my personal collection, but it's too long for what I wanted. I may have enough leftovers to make one just a little longer than choker-length for me after all, though, so wins all around.
I bought the tube beads yesterday at Von's while helping Mom pick out some beads for a pair of necklaces, but didn't pay very close attention to what they really were. I'd intended to buy lapis lazuli (and was in that section), but I'd noticed when I was looking at them that they were missing the gold flecks. Turns out they are dyed the lapis color, but they're actually kiwi stone. They work very nicely with the sweater and scarf I'd purchased them to match, however, so they're worth it anyway. I spiced up a very simple pattern with some 4mm Swarovski bicones I had left from my friend Dan's attempt at right angle weave (see the project Dutch Tartan). I then rummaged around and found I still had gold metal seed beads to use as spacers, gold crimps, gold crimp covers, and a gold clasp to finish the project.
Taking photos for it was a bear; my camera battery was on empty, so I had to keep charging it, rush out to snap a photo or two in the dying light, recharge enough for a couple more, over and over to get what I needed before it got too dark where I shoot.
The name of this piece suggested itself to me today while I was working on it as I've thought over my experiences the last couple of days, and then over my life in general and what all I've come through to get where I am today. My best friend once said I could write a book about my life, and though it might seem like the experiences are an unbelievable set, there's no way I could make this stuff up.
The darkness of the kiwi stone can be symbolic of the dark times people (and I) have gone through, with the gold shining in that darkness refined and tempered like a survivor.
Price: $30 (sold to Dan V.; my original given to Lou Anne G. for Christmas)
Length: 24.5 inches (personal version 16.5 inches)
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