A Dabble In Filigree

A couple of months ago I went to a bead retreat in Montville.  It is something we do every year and this time we escaped to Montville Queensland for 7 nights/days of glorious beading.  Six close friends go and it is a time when challenges are set.  There is lots of muttering, cursing and general stress about the place.  Doesn't sound like a great time?  Oh but it is.  We eat, chat and bead, challenging ourselves by attempting new tutorials and the end result is amazing.  This time we did weaving, wirework and dabbled in filigree.  

My favourite was filigree.  I've always wanted to do this and here was my chance.  At first it was daunting with glue all over my fingers, lots of metal shapes in my tray to choose from and no idea what I was doing.  My three pieces are below.  From left to right we have Brass Garden, the centre is a brass rose with a swarovski flat back and just resting underneath the rose is a swarovski butterfly.  It is finished with a chinese crystal drop.

Time flies was fun to do, in the end, but there was much deliberation over where to put what and again I have used a couple of swarovski crystal flat backs just to add a bit of sparkle.  You have to have that don't you?  

Blaze, well I have to say this one was in my head to start with.  I knew what pieces I wanted to use and just had to make them look right.  Each tip has a small swarovski flat back as does the centre.  Finishing it off with ribbon was my friend's idea and I think it works well with this one.

I am definitely going to do more of this.  Well I have to really because I've got about a thousand bits and pieces.  Another case of "I better get that just in case I need it".  Nothing changes **sigh**