Nature Nut Necklace

I recently ordered some interesting heart-shaped nut beads on sale. I wasn’t sure at the time what I was going to do with them, but I was determined to try them out. When I opened the package and saw the beads in person, all I could think of was fringe.

The Inspiration:

I let the idea of adding fringe to the nut beads marinate for awhile. Eventually, I decided that they would be great as the focal points at either end of a lariat necklace. For the base of the necklace, I wanted something that was simple and organic, to go with the natural quality of the heart-shaped nuts.

The Beads:

The most obvious color choice for a nature theme is green, so I chose a transparent green mixture. I like the way the colors blend together, creating a natural-looking texture. I also grabbed some olive green 8/o’s, and some glass teardrops in turquoise Picasso and smoked topaz luster.

I really love the contrast of orange against green, so I also selected some foil-lined orange 6/o seed beads as accents. They fit in nicely with the greens and browns, perhaps mimicking orchids or leaves. With the summer heat getting ever more intense, it seems appropriate to make something that looks right at home in a sweltering jungle.

The Beadwork:

For a simple, light necklace, I used spiral rope with the 8/o seed beads at the core. The green 11/o’s create a swirling vine, with orange and olive beads throughout. Towards the ends of the rope, I began adding the drops. I also decided to add some pretty red and brown glass leaves.

The fringe beneath each nut bead is made up of seed beads and drops, with green and black spade-shaped drops at each end. The necklace feels very light and playful, even though it was inspired by a hot, humid rainforest.

Copyright 2009 Inspirational Beading