Colorful Skelly Heads

I could not pass up these stone skelly heads at a recent bead show. Still trying to decide what I'm going to do with them. The colors are so festive.

Skull meets Steel - A Collaboration

I am a huge fan of Christina Root-Worthington's ceramic work. I have an awesome collection of her rings. When I saw this skull pendant at her display at a downtown Benton Harbor Festival the day of the Jack Nicklaus event, it was a no-brainer. I had to have it. I figured that I could think of something cool to do with it.


I decided that it would be a natural fit to make a necklace out of steel wire. It would match the bail of the pendant and would fit the overall feel of the piece. When I looked at the floral motif on the skull, I decided to work with my old school curves and spirals. It would pick up on the organic feel of the motif and be evocative of vines and maybe a trellis.


I utilized 16 gauge steel wire. Creating all of these pieces sure ruined my manicure, and I pinched the bejesus out of myself on a few occasions when I was trying to shape the pieces after I had pounded them.


This is the clasp of the piece. I really like how everything turned out. I like the jangle of the necklace because it sounds like chains. I am ready and set for the Day of the Dead, and well, any other day when I want to rock a completely fab skull.