Vacation Memories

The Inspiration:

Today was the first day back for students after the holiday break, which means that most vacationers are back home, unpacked and ready to launch their new slideshows. Although there is something wonderfully comforting about returning home after a trip, it's hard to get back into one's normal routine and say goodbye to that wonderful vacation spot.

For beaders, possibly the most wonderful thing about visiting an exotic location is the unique selection of beads one can find. Personally, I dream of bringing home strands of mummy beads from Egypt one day. Because beading is such an ancient and culturally universal art form, nearly every vacation spot in the world has something to offer us.

To drive away some winter blues, and remember vacations past, it's time to stitch up something tropical and exotic.

The Beads:

For memories of a sandy beach, I chose gold foil-lined beads. They have a bright sandy color, but plenty of sparkle, like white sand in the sunset. A nice opaque turquoise will make the glassy blue sea. To top it all off, I threw in some mother of pearl chips. Altogether, this bead selection is like a beachcomber's dream.

The Beadwork:

This necklace was made with tubular netting on a large scale. The blue beads provided the columns, with the MOP and foil lined beads forming the netting. After only a few rows, the tube was full enough for a slinky, summery necklace.