November Echo Creative Club Reveal - The Happy Dove

You may (or may not, go here, if "may-not") remember my post from about 20 days back, where I introduced this cutie:

This is one of the two beads I received from Jeannie Dukic, an amazing polymer clay artist who has started the Echo Creative Club. She picks artists that receive her lovely creations, and we in turn reveal what we made on the 25th of the selected month. So, since today is the 25th....... :-)

My first thoughts were to make some sort of twig and use silk ribbon. But I have seen that being done sooooo often, so chucked that idea. The I thought I would use yellow and brown crystals. So I opened my box of brown beads, and found my stash of Rudraksha...errr....faux-rudraksha.

What is rudraksha, you say?
It is a large evergreen broad-leaved tree whose seed is traditionally used for prayer beads in Hinduism. The word Rudraksha is derived from Rudra (Shiva—the Hindu God of all living creatures) and aksha (eyes). One Hindu legend says that once Lord Shiva opened His eyes after a long period yogic meditation, because of extreme fulfillment He shed out a tear. This single tear from Shiva’s eye grew into the Rudraksha tree. The central hard Rudraksha uni-seed may have 1 to 21 faces. Ones with 5 faces are considered to be the best!

Here's what they look like:

I think mine are "faux" because I bought them at a craft store in India. I am tempted to crack one open to make sure ;-)

Moving on...I settled on the Rudraksha beads to use with the dove. And selected a dark rust colored waxed linen cord to string it. Now I wanted something else to "break" the monotonous brown (the color of the cord pretty much matched the beads, so even though I knotted in between the beads, it was alllllllll brown). Sitting in front of me were these white faceted czech beads. And some Greek ceramic gears! I was liking how diverse my list of materials was becoming, and how beautiful they all looked together. Here is version 1!

Yeah! I know! Very pretty :-) But incomplete :( I was not sure what I should do to finish it. Didn't want to add more of the same beads. Showed it to my friend, and she said she liked it simple. So, simple it stayed. I wrapped the cord with some wire and decided to add a rollo chain. But I did want to add a bit of playfulness to it, so added some bells.
(Bells always remind me of you, Marla Gibson!)

I also made a clasp for this one since I am bored of the lobster clasp that I use for most of my necklaces. Its a very basic clasp, but I like it soooooo much better than the lobster!

And I also made matching earrings!

I like how the beads and the bird that symbolize PEACE are coming together in this necklace!
And the gentle tinkle of the bells, so soothing....

 Yeah, I know you want to see the whole thing, NOW. I know I am a tease, haha :-)

Here it is :-) All set to fly away!

Thanks a LOT Jeannie, for my pretty bird :-) He is my happy dove, not lonesome at all!

Now, if you are done admiring him, go visit all the other participants....actually, go even if you are not done. You can always come back ;-)

Alicia Marinache http://www.allprettythings.ca/

Charlie Jacka http://clay-space.com/

Cindy Cima Edwards http://www.cindycima.com/

Dagi http://kokopellidesign.blogspot.com/

Donna Martin Bradley http://strandedbeads.blogspot.com/

Jeannie K Dukic http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog

Jessica Klaaren http://www.cellardoorjewelry.blogspot.com/

Karen Williams http://baublicious.blogspot.com/

Kashmira Patel http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/ <== You are here

Kristen Stevens http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com/

Michelle Buettner http://www.misheldesigns.blogspot.com/

Shannon Chomanczuk http://www.formysweetdaughter.blogspot.com/

Sonya Ingersoll-Stille http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com/