Halloween Skulls and Flowers

When I started the destash challenge, my purpose was to use up and eliminate all the beads I had been keeping around for more than a year - that is to say, since before January 2011. It’s been almost a year now, and I’m starting to eye some of my older new beads in the same way. So when I realized that summer was officially behind us, I decided it was time to try and use up some of my Czech glass skulls for a fun Halloween design.

I took a while deciding just what type of project to do. I didn’t want to fall into my old habit of making something to suit the beads, even if it didn’t suit me. I’ve been having fun with beaded flowers lately, so I thought I would to start by making a few jet black daisies to go with the skulls and see where that got me.

I used jet AB druks for the flower base, and opaque black 15/o seed beads. The shimmery finish of the druks called out for another dash of color, so I made sure to include some jet lined garnet AB 6/o’s when I started compiling a final palette. From the destash tray, I grabbed those gunmetal E beads that never seem to go away no matter how many times I use them. To help the white skulls blend in, I also added the last of my batik bone beads.

Rather than make something elaborate that would showcase the skulls and flowers in a really obvious way, I made a simple, though very long, Y necklace. I really like the way the red seed beads help to blend everything together - skulls and flowers, blood and roses.

Have you made any spooky designs for Halloween this year? What was your inspiration?

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading
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