Bonbons of blue
Cerulean. Turquoise. Tiffany blue. Azure. Robin’s egg blue. Aquamarine. Whatever is your preferred designation, it is my favourite colour. I am not sure why – perhaps it is the association with the sky on a spring day: all that blue serenity; the notion of floating away on clouds of fluffy bliss.
In fact, these beads look so delicious I want to eat them. When I suffered my tragedy in blue, I actually could have – except for the choking factor. Those round agate beads (second from right) came from Temple St Night Market in Kowloon, and have now been restrung more securely.
Making up the long necklace are oval and round beads of Czech pressed glass; this is one of the very first pieces I made. It was in memory of some blue beads I once saw in a vintage boutique in St Kilda that I always regretted I didn’t buy.
Second from the left is a string of faceted quartz roundels that came from a hippy store called Larama, right here in Melbourne – no romantic tales to tell of them. I do wear them often though; being quartz they have a lovely sparkle.
Just before the midday closing time for prayers, I bargained a shopkeeper down to 100dhm for two strands of beads…
My favourite among this quartet however is the strand of green and black onyx. This is a true international piece. After a long and fruitless search online for 2mm round, black, onyx beads, I finally ran them to earth in a shop at Stanley Market in Hong Kong two years ago. I remember the salesperson telling me they were very rare (because of their minute size). “Believe me, I know,” I answered fervently. This was one instance where letting my fingers do the walking had got me absolutely nowhere.
The faceted green onyx beads came from the Blue Souq in Sharjah. Just before the midday closing time for prayers, I bargained a shopkeeper down to 100dhm (about AU$40) for two strands of beads: these gorgeous sea-coloured beads, the others blue – a cross between teal and cobalt.
And the semi-precious stones that are my favourite colour’s namesake? I do have several strands of turquoise beads, awaiting a day of inspiration … but I’m afraid to actually complete anything for fear I’ll have a better idea as soon as I clamp the last crimp. That does agitate me!