I’m ready to do some bead embroidery!

I want extraordinary focal pieces to use in my work.  I’m not content to use just readily available stone cabochons or crystals for the pieces I have planned.  So I decided to make my own focal cabs.  It had been several months since I worked with resin, but it seemed the perfect material for my purposes.  I wanted stunningly beautiful cabochons, each possessing depth, a multitude of colors and a variety of inclusions.  These are my finished products!  I poured several layers of resin, each time adding bits of text, gold foil, pearls, miniature seashells, petite rhinestones and crystals, watch parts, glass shards and more…I even threw in some of my bronze metal clay embellishments.  With fingers crossed for good luck, I set my resin work aside to cure.  Upon unmolding each cabochon, I was amazed at their beauty!  To achieve the subtly glowing finish that I wanted, I filed the edges smooth and then used a silicone polish and buffing wheel on each cabochon.  These are indeed one-of-a-kind treasures and to me look like little jewels floating in space…I’m inclined to call them “Cosmic Cabochons”!   They are such versatile components.  I’ll definitely stitch beaded bezels to capture the cabochons for bead embroidery work, but I can also set them in silver bezels and make rings, brooches, and clasps using them as focal stones.  Gosh, can you tell I like these!  I’ll be making more and will have some for sale in my Etsy shop soon!

~ by BarbaraBriggsDesigns on January 29, 2012.