Rainbow Supernova, by Caprilicious

Hello folks, I'm glad you're joining me today on the blog. I've been extremely busy at work and it's been a while since I've been able to get to you. However, I have been doing some work with Caprilicious everyday - one tiny bit at a time. 

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The beautiful gemstone in todays piece is a slice of an amethyst geode - the edges were irregular and it took ages to weave a bezel around it to hold it securely. The addition of a purple teardrop shaped crystal turned it into a substantial piece. Once I'd put a bezel around both of the main elements, I thought for a while about how I was going to use them. My inspiration came from the centre of the geode - deep at it's heart is a nucleus from which it appears as if there is an explosion, with matter shooting outwards from the grey/white core. 

The initial plan was to sew 'petals' around it but as I went on, it became clear that this was no flower - instead, it was an explosion, a joyous riot of some kind. As I was looking for colourful beads, I found the necklace which I'd had for ages and took further inspiration from the colours in the seed beads of the necklace. I was thirsty for colour and joy, and soon the pendant evolved into its present form - a rainbow supernova!

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A supernova is the biggest explosion that humans have ever seen. Each blast is the extremely bright, super-powerful explosion of a star. One type of supernova is caused by the “last hurrah” of a dying massive star. This happens when a star at least five times the mass of the sun goes out with a fantastic bang!
Massive stars burn huge amounts of nuclear fuel at their cores. This produces tons of energy, so the centre gets very hot. Heat generates pressure, and the pressure created by a star’s nuclear burning also keeps that star from collapsing. The nuclear fuel burning in the star’s core creates strong outward pressure. Eventually the star runs out of fuel, it cools off, and a very dense core is left behind, along with an expanding cloud of hot gas called a nebula. 

I'm working this weekend, but I had just a few beads to sew on before I could declare the piece finished. I raced back home from the hospital as soon as I could and put them in so I could take these pictures before the natural light died on me - there's nothing as fabulous as the feeling I get when the last bead goes in and I hand the finished necklace to hubby for his verdict. I wasn't disappointed with his reaction to this one! I hope you like it too. Once Mike inspected it, ensuring 'quality control' I decided that the bail was too plain compared to the main body of the piece, so I went the extra mile and embellished it with fuchsia pink crystals and finally, I was satisfied. Three little pink crystals were enough to bring on the warm, fuzzy feeling that signifies 'The End'. 

Have a wonderful week, people, and I'll catch you as soon as possible - I'm off to a funeral next week, and I don't think I'll be in the mindspace to create anything.
Anyway, after such a major project I seem to run out of inspiration for a while until, Hey Presto!, an idea jumps into my mind and I just have to put it into action.
I'll be back soon, 
Until then
​xx