TOP: "Paper Cascade"         MIDDLE: "Paper Petals"        BOTTOM: "Paper Plate"

A trip to the great Philadelphia store Material Culture turned up what appeared to be a beaded door curtain, like those I was familiar with from the 60's and 70's except that the brightly colored plastic beads of those curtains were nowhere in sight. Instead, there were strings of individually constructed rolled paper "beads" that may have been treated with something that hardened them. 60 strings of 35 beads each in all. Each bead unique. A real bonanza. 

Finding the rolled paper beads has now inspired the creation of three designs - the "Paper Cascade" necklace (now Sold), the "Paper Petals" bracelet and the newest "Paper Plate" necklace. All three shown above.

But what is most important to notice is how different they are from one another. Using the same component clearly doesn't necessitate repeating the same design. Especially when the component offers the opportunity to incorporate it in very different basic knitting techniques, as these rolled paper beads do. And the good news is that i have LOTS of beads left! Who knows what might come next...

PS "Paper Plate" will make its debut (along with eight additional designs of mine) at the one day inaugural jewelry trunk show at Woodmere Art Museum in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia on Thursday, October 22.