Kiss Me

I can't keep this under wraps any longer. Even though I haven't used this bead (yet), every time I look at it, I am amazed at how beautiful it is. It is an artist reproduction pendant available through Artbeads.com and it is so gorgeous.

How this Russian artist can paint in such teeny-tiny detail is beyond me. The tiny little eyelashes and her perfect lips are captivating. And it's even signed on the back of the bead!

The bead is styled after my favorite work of Gustav Klimt "The Kiss." I am studying the full painting for inspiration. I have it as my desktop background and I have a print that I keep on my work table too.

I know I want to make a large cuff bracelet, simply so I can see the bead, as opposed to it hanging around my neck or making a brooch. I know I want to keep the cuff somewhat simple, so as not to distract from the bead itself. I assemble a collection of seed beads and other glass beads I've bought through Artbeads.com and then I lay the bead in the middle and walk away and come back and then swap out colors. Oh boy. I think I'm over-thinking this as usual!

But - before I can indulge my muse on this project, I've been asked to make a cuff in purple hues, so I've collected a basket of purples and will see what becomes of that. I never realized how many purple beads I have in my stash! It took me no time at all to amass this selection and I hadn't even gone through a 1/4 of all my beads! I think I'll find a cuff in here somewhere.......