A cure for jet lag....#49 and #50
Making necklaces is a tried and trusted way to help me emerge from that strange and unsettled 
state I sometimes find myself in for a few days after returning to Australia after a couple of intense and busy months in Nepal. Discombobulation, exhaustion, adjusting to the heat in Broken Hill after Winter in Kathmandu, feeling overwhelmed by the array of choices I have to make when I shop, and feeling a tad overburdened by silly things I think I need to do all become more useful emotions if I can have a few hours pottering around with some beads.And you wouldn't need to be Einstein to predict a strong Himalayan influence! Partly because I am constantly jotting down ideas and designs while I am away
from my little work room and partly because I paid a little visit to my favourite shop in Kathmandu and stocked up a bit after the Colourful Journey tour was over. Just a bit. (If you come on next year's tour, we are having a few hours there designing our own necklaces using their luscious array of stones!!! It happened serendipitously in this year's tour and everyone said it should be included next year! So it is.)The two necklaces here celebrate the lusciousness of amber. The first uses faux amber made with polymer. Some of these beads have been rattling around for ages in various guises. The wedge shape was tricker to get sitting nicely but they are happy now. My homage to amber is not quite as exuberant as young Pema's head dress in the Pilgrim's Postcard but her courage and colours were certainly inspirational.
The second necklace incorporates faux amber beads purchased from Mr and Mrs Karim in Kathmandu. Compressed turquoise and coral chips have been set into each bead and highlighted with brass. I love the over the topness of these beads and used one with some smaller brass and chip beads to make one of my bracelet/ extenders so the necklace can be worn at two lengths!And now it's time to start preparing items for our Samunnat Christmas Extravaganza at Broken Hill Art Gallery.