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Total matches for necklace: 83
They'll Remember What You Did
I'd actually been looking for Ring of the Lucii (FFXV) references when I happened across OddWorks' model in Shapeways. As someone who'd been disappointed in missing out on snagging one of the FFVII models by joabaldwin before S-E's C&D (he even had chocobos dammit), I sort of... kept lingering on the idea of buying one in matte black steel for a while. Technically there is an official version... for $250. In silver. ...It's not silver in the game, it's black with a specific gold outline. *cough* And so, after looking for coupons, I thought... yeah okay why not. The 3D printed ring was absolutely beautiful on its own... but I'd like to believe that I improved upon it.
Trying to approach this without spoilers is. Difficult. Shall we say there are reasons why I actually hesitated both to buy this and to make anything with it. Symbolic and otherwise. Leaving it as a ring was never an option. I wanted to turn it into a pendant. Using gray/black labradorite was a no-brainer; depending on the light source, they're everything from black to silver, but if you turn them just right, they flash a very particular bright blue. Guess what I could almost not convince to happen at all in photographs. There are 15 (representing the game) beads on either side, altogether making 30 (it just so happens to have been made in Final Fantasy's 30th anniversary year). 13 (representing the Armiger weapons) knots in silk cord separate each bead. Some... thought went into this.
Minor aside: single-string necklaces are wrong and terrible and don't do it or eventually the string will break and you'll lose beads or just everything altogether. Despite how thin and small the cording looks, each side is comprised of three separate strands (two super strong nylon bead threads in medium thickness, and one of surprisingly strong silk cording), doubled and knotted, so technically there are 6 strands carrying the weight of the pendant and supporting the beads. It can be done, don't be lazy. Okay, back to my geeky not-shame.
And the best bit, as far as I'm concerned? The way it hangs makes it really subtle. You don't see the front unless you inspect it, it's just kind of a pretty weird ring pendant and then surprise, it's pain.
Oh, right, and of course the crystal is Swarovski. I mean, come on. The setting itself drove me nuts for a little while before I figured out how to make it work, as it's not sized for any standard crystal size in particular. Buuuuuut it gave me an excuse to play with a new material I had my eye on for a while, so. No complaints.
...Save one. ...I began this project with the intent to sell it. To send it far from here. But. Uh. ...I've grown attached. I'm more than happy to make more by commission, to individual specifications. But this one? ...I think maybe I want to keep it close. To remember. S-E has pretty much completely ruined my life at this point, yeah.
Thirteen Kings
No secret around these parts that FFXV has more or less destroyed my life. ...I mean not in the worst way since it's inspired me, right? That's what I keep telling myself. So there's this Armiger in the game, a collection of sparkly super weapons to collect so you can kick all the ass. On the pause menu, they each have a little tiny icon.
But that was too easy, wasn't it. Initially I designed all 16 icons in a larger size, 30 pixels high. ...After making the first one, I realized how incredibly huge the whole line would turn out to be (and how much extra time it would take), so I completely redesigned all of the symbols at 16 pixels high. Ish. The Rouge got an extra pixel so I could pull off the detail, but I believe we can all agree she deserves it.
4,176 beads for the main design. Yeah, I didn't really want to know that either. 3+ weeks and... well. I really don't want to think about that. The result is kind of amazing, though. I wound up picking beads that I hadn't expected to pick (more on the process here) and I am so very pleased with the result... but of course the different ways the beads shine make it so, so very difficult to get good pictures. I did what I could and I'm incredibly happy with the result.
(For sale.)
With Abandon
Gonna level with everyone here. This is the result of doing things I deeply do not enjoy. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy them! But the process... no. Just, no.
It started with the choker. Which I didn't even really plan to be a choker; just a couple of inches of a brick stitch demo with these incredibly lovely scale/spike beads because I wanted to try out other shapes and textures. And let me tell you, I had no idea I would dislike brick stitch as much as I do (and yes, I know it "looks better" with uniform beads, but I really wanted to play with the slightly "chunkier" ones for texture reasons). But it looked good and I... just kept going even through the mental grumbling. And of course near the end one of the beads turned out to be fragile and broke, so I had to go through hoops to replace it and there's one row at the back that looks crooked, but it's in the back and if anyone complains they're welcome to do it all over again themselves. ...Ahem.
After that harrowing experience, I then decided, "You know what else I don't like doing? Plain strung necklaces." GIANT SHRUG, I have no idea why this seemed like a challenge to take on, but it did. I dug through my bead drawer and came across this hematite pendant I'd had for years, just part of a random grab bag of things, and designed around it while keeping the look of the choker in mind. Instead of just one or two threads, there are five holding the weight of the pendant and holding the necklace itself together. Because I never trust single-thread necklaces.
Like I said, I'm actually really happy with the result. I just. Never want to do this again.
(For Sale)
Far and Away
This is a case of playing with materials and trying new things that spiraled out of control. Considering I was left with this result, I really can't find it in me to complain.
It all started with the fabric "feathers". I had some scraps and wondered if I couldn't manage to make a couple of different feather shapes and make them look relatively decent. That worked out, I think, and then I... just wanted to try a very different kind of stylized feather with beads... and naturally one can't make pendants without making a necklace, right? Yeah, sure. I had some cotton cord, recently learned the super simple macrame technique, have had these beautiful dark amethyst beads forever... and at the last moment I was handed a gold ring "for artistic uses". So, clearly, I used it. And this happened.
(For Sale)
Snake Lariat Necklace Commission
I was contacted with a remarkably specific request for this pale yellow and cream snake lariat necklace, and was extremely happy to work on something like this again. I do hope it’s being greatly enjoyed. Date: 04 March 2017
Steel Hand in a Velvet Glove
Do no harm. But take no s-- Stuff. Take no stuff.
I was determined to make a really, really simple wrap for this already spectacular labradorite centerpiece, and a reasonably simple chain. ...Uh. Well, simple enough. Any variation of a byzantine weave is a touch of madness; two steps forward, one step back. Over and over and over again. I'm still happy with the shiny-glowy result, though.
(For Sale)
The Seal of Zeal
Behold, the seal of Zeal! The Zeal seal. The… symbol generally representing Zeal. From Chrono Trigger. I’m sure you already got that by now.
I was commissioned by the magnificent SchalaKitty for a symbol of Zeal pendant. And then I looked at the sprite. And then I started sweating. SO MANY FLOATING BEADS. Ahem. They inspire my wrath, but I did it. I defeated them. This is actually the second attempt; the first was a test run of the design and color choices, which turned out to be far too subtle. This, this is not subtle.
The end result isn’t quite as perfectly neat as I wanted it to be, but I sacrificed a very small amount of aesthetic value for a heck of a lot more strength and stability, so I think it all works out.
Orb Guardian Pendant Set
Orb Guardian pairs have come to be a symbol of partnership and trust. One feels affinity for the lighter stone, the other for the darker, both of them representing one half of a universal whole.
I hadn't actually seen these coming. I know, big shock. I just wanted to pick up a little polymer clay since it had been so long, and before I knew it... well, these. I'd intended them to be simple, and they did turn out to be... relatively so, but then I decided to complicate matters. They started out as very flat and smooth and I found that... boring. So I rounded them out, added texture and iridescent pigment, and of course a Swarovsky rhinestone each. I've also reinforced the wings to stand up to any possible hair or clothing snags, as well as balanced/shaped them in such a way that they carry the majority of their weight in the stone and the bottom of the tail so no one gets poked in the neck or chest while wearing them. Seemed kind of important to me.
(For Sale)