Over the last year I have been working across my interests in a way to build a collection of works that can be released as a whole.
The first collection is nearing completion , though I may have over bought materials because, well, glorious colours!
During this time I have created a series of bead embroidery pieces. the collection is in a particular colourway – pinks, purples and golds, that may or may not be reflecting Penelope from Thunderbirds’ addiction to the colour pink.
This may also be the reason why its informal name is the Penelope Collection. It’s correct name is Cherry Blossoms and Fuchsia, but honestly that may have been an after thought. Basically I needed a colourway and that was the first one to get me going.
There may be more colourways in the future based on Thunderbirds… possibly… maybe definitely.
Yes, I’m a hopeless fangirl.
But anyway, bead embroidery…
My first piece was ‘Her Little Squid’.
This may or may not have something to do with Penelope falling in love with a certain aquanaut in the relevant television series, but regardless we have a little pink squid. The design was based off a Southern Dumpling Squid, which, if you look it up, you will likely fall in love with immediately as they are seriously cute. Not pink, though, which is why this one is Penelope’s Little Squid 😊
I was enjoying the marine theme so next played with a starfish design. This one is not based off any particular starfish, more a concept in general. I wanted to play with texture involving different sized and shaped beads. This one is a combination of Swarovski, Czech and Japanese beads – all of the highest quality as I don’t work with anything else.
The next piece was a focus on edging and shading. I wanted to create a shell brooch but didn’t have any particular pink shell in mind. I ended up searching for shells endemic to the Kermadec Islands, a fascinating volcanic arc north of New Zealand (for fannish reasons, but also because I might have accidentally fallen in love with the place regardless).
After poking around, I settled on a tiny little shell called Turbonilla sculptura found near Raoul Island. The colour is not true to species because I just did not have that data and besides, I wanted it to blend in with the rest of my little collection. Incidentally, Turbonilla species can be found in many places around the world and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen them here on Australian beaches – they are very tiny.
But whatever the inspiration point, here be my bead embroidered shell brooch.
So, there are my three Penelope brooches. I’m intending on creating more. Whether or not they will fall into the Penelope Collection or the next Collection which is the Lillies & Lotus Collection and involves Pinks, Greens and Golds with a dash of purple…well, we’ll see 😊
Best wishes,
Liz