Growing Grey!

Growing Grey!

Since my day job is in the world of finance, with its black, brown and navy blue suits, I felt it necessary to keep dyeing my ever-greying hair black. My desk at work positions my hair right under a pair of florescent lamps, that spotlighted my head to all that pass by my desk... my boss and collegues, and clients too. And so on the 31st of December 2011, I dyed my hair black in preparation for the New Year weekend.

I do this at home in my bathroom, with a box of L'Oreal bought at Walmart. This process takes a good 45 minutes out of my weekend, a process that I certainly did not enjoy. And then it hit me... this is it, this is the last time I am going to dye my hair! A new year, its time for a new look! My mind was made up...

My husband was fine with my decision, but not some of my friends, and not my hairdresser. The friends who disagreed with my decision all said I would look old. Old! Old is a mental thing, I swear I am not old! I will not think old, I will not be old, at least not yet. My hairdresser, to be fair, was not going to loose any money since I colored my hair at home, she just said the same thing....I would look old! I would not like it! Well, I am going to like it... I will think of all the time and money I save by not dyeing my hair every four weeks and I will certainly like it.

So right now I am in my skunk or badger stage... a white strip, slowly broadening... I did not rinse, highlight, or bleach to mask or camouflage the process.... and I am growing grey.

I made this necklace with black and white Agate and black Onyx early this year and I think it depicts my present plight perfectly. I call it ....growing grey!
Any thoughts or experiences that you would like to share... I would love to hear it!

I am adding two links about going grey....
a book
and in Prevention magazine.

Ancient Coin!

Not too long ago, Jane Perala of Jane Perala Designs had this gorgeous set of beads for sale. The luscious red centerpiece caught my eye and I had to have it. 

Photograph from Jane Perala Designs

They truly are beautiful beads, and I want to share what I made with them...

I have added to her lampwork beads - two large jet black Swarovski rondelles, gold-filled wafers as spacers, and red velvet glass rondelles. The necklace and the smaller black spacer beads are natural jet rondelles. I was looking for a substantial opulent clasp and used the gold-plated Tierra-Cast Pewter Radiant toggle.

I thought natural jet was an appropriate choice to accompany this magnificent Ancient Coin, because it was black and it too is ancient. Natural Jet is actually the product of high pressure decomposition of wood from millions of years ago. It is lightweight, of course like wood, and easily carved and polished. Historians and archaeologists have traced jewelry from Jet back to ancient times. More recently, Queen Victoria made it popular by incorporating it into her mourning clothes and jewelry, when she was mourning the death of her husband, Prince Albert. It was also popular for making into rosaries for European monks. In the USA it became popular during the roaring 20s, for use in the familiar long flapper necklaces.

I attached the main bead to the necklace with black leather, and more black and red rondelles dangling from the pendant. 

I so love how it turned out, I ordered more ancient coins from the talented Miss Jane Perala...