The concept of 'Shard' was to create an embroidered necklace using natural crystal shards that protruded out of the beadwork in a really three dimensional way. The dimensions are 35cm around the neck, 2.5 thick and 12cm at the longest part of the fringe. To balance the crystals amongst the beadwork I used a 3d beading technique I came up with to ladder stitch bugles that actually stand up vertically and then brick stitch on top of those so that the beadwork comes out about half the height of the crystals. I kept the shapes very organic to compliment the crystals, which are held in place with e6000 glue, peyote beadwork and apoxy glue between the crystal and beadwork. I really wanted to create a magical feel about the necklace so I used gilt lined opal seed beads which almost glow and soft silver and mauve tones which are graduated in shade to help enhance the three dimensional qualitys of the piece. To balance out the piece i used the Herkimer diamond quartz pieces for the finge, but still keeping that asymetrical organic look. To me this piece has a real magical essence to it that just seems to glow with a soft energy. The crystals look like they could have been grown from the beadwork, naturally embedded into the swirling shapes of silver and lilac.

'Shard' was a finalist in the international Bead Dreams 2008 competition, in the seed beading category.