It's The Thought That Counts ... Right ?

Sisters are special, they share a certain bond between them and even through the bickering and teasing there is a love that usually grows stronger with time.  My sisters and I have long stopped exchanging gifts for those yearly occasions such as Christmas and birthdays, not because we care less about one another but simply because our own families grew and gift giving became rather expensive.  As they say; "It's not the gift that counts but the thought" and a simple card, note, phone call was enough to say we cared and that the other was and is always in our thoughts.

August is my baby sister's birthday and though I seldom sent a gift this year I just wanted to.  I had made a spiral rope necklace and thought she would love to have one. 

Photo above ... The spiral rope necklace in the warm tones that inspired me to try to make a version for my sis in her colors with round hematite beads as a core.  It bombed but maybe I'll try again with an hematite oval or seed bead core.

The rope I made was in warm colors of golden topaz, rainbow rootbeer, and silver lined gold, very pretty but not in the cool colors that my sis loves and wears.   When I attempted to make the necklace using perfectly round beads as the core of the spiral ... well it just didn't look the same ... not as neat ... too much thread showed.  After several attempts I changed my plans and made a beaded pendant that I saw on Mandy's blog  BeadsforBrains365  , Mandy found the pattern on Kreatív vagyok .   The directions are in Hungarian but after several attempts I discovered the path of the thread and was able to make what I think is a lovely pendant in my sister's color palette. 

It's in my sister's colors and I have my fingers crossed that she will love it ... if not ... well it's the thought that counts ... right ?

Photos above and below ... Pendant in hematite with fire polished beads in silver and crystal vitrail, topped with seed beads in luster green tea and pearl shell white.

Photo above and at top of post feature the new "torso" mannequin that I purchased on ebay recently.  It's nice but seems to have a pronounced orange peel texture to it ... can mannequins have cellulite ?

If there is enough interest expressed, I might sit down and make another tutorial featuring this pattern. :)