Suffer for your Art

It all started out hunky-dory.

I bought a rhinestone pendant waaaaay back in the 60's and wore it to death. Eventually the chain broke and the dangles fell off and I put it somewhere safe. Came back to haunt me when I opened another box from the shed.

Corrade - to gather from various sources
Luuurve the colours.
Tempted to keep this another 40 years

Another languisher

Alien Seed
been rattling around in one of the I dunno and mehhhhh trays. Whatever I put with them didn't work so went simple. Actually like the rusty crusty enamel Mary Ann back better than the Queen Ann front.

Then the horrible haunter straight from the crypt. Nooooooooooooo!!!

The more I looked at it the more I disliked it, no I hated it! 
Blechhhhh nothing works! Whatever was I thinking??

It all went onto the slippery slope from here.
Dis-saaemble!!
Decided to replace silky beaded abomination with hand made chain. 
After many stops and starts and probably half a roll of wire later had these soldered figure 8 links.

Somewhere in the middle of all this, needing more space, I picked up a pile of stuff, including one of those tape dispenser guns, you know the ones, with the wicked row of serrated teeth. 
Gouged said serrated teeth across first knuckle of my left index finger. Was OK to begin, then the copious leaking began. 5 Band Aids and a towel later and it had slowed to oozing drops. With the life threatening haemorrhage under control I plowed on.
During my enthusiasm for my new found soldering skills I neglected the first law of Torch. Know exactly where the flame is pointing. Result - a burn to go with the finger. Then in making the bail on which to fasten my newly made chain, got careless with the soldering iron and inflicted not one but two burns. (I blamed my huge bandaged finger for being in the way.)
*Sigh*
However, full speed ahead and damn the hot patches.

Spell of Binding
Much better now, with the handmade chain. 
More gritty and edgy don't ya think?

Then my brain started hurting from all the lateral thinking, and in sympathy with my suffering so, the masochist I am, started something else.

Dove into my miniscule stash and ferreted out 2 druzy slices.
Earrings in a flash I thought, however the holes were side to side, not front to back.
Then my brain really started hurting from all the problem solving and such. 
After about 4 do's, 4 undo's and 5 redos was getting close, when this interrupted.

 Helped the 2 delivery drivers wrangle the 400kg tank off the truck, heaved it upright and crow barred it on logs into place. Phew.

Going back nursing my wounds, the odd complaining muscle and sunburn to boot, I finally got the earrings done.
Meet - Kiss of Salt on My Skin.

Must have been the delirium from all the pain and suffering, because I decided that I was not done with heat and hammers just yet.

Made some earrings ages ago that flew out of my shop so decided to revisit the technique.

This is my secret crusty irridescent finish.
Clearly I was deranged from the trauma, pain, tank wrangling and probable heat stroke, because I came up with this. In fact I made 2!
Huge great earring discs!

Pretty unhinged even for me. 
Will think about them.
Another remake a little more restrained and the crusty iridescence came out kinda bubbly instead of crusty.

 But that's OK. 
All came out hunky-dory in the end.