Hot Air Balloon Earring Experiment

I spent quite some time experimenting last night with wire mesh tubing (Rings & Things) some brass beads (Blue Moon Royal Boheme at Michael's) and glass disk spacer beads (Rings & Things) in an attempt to create an early hot air balloon style earring. I went searching for an image to give you an idea of where I got the balloon inspiration - found a pretty close one on some Tissotti wrapping paper on the Amazing Papers site.

See how there's a mesh of ropes holding the gas balloon to the basket? That's what I was hoping to at least suggest by covering the beads with the wire mesh.

I'm not sure if it's worth the effort - the mesh doesn't stand out that much on this bead and I'm having problems making it neat. See the little stray threads? I was trying to trim some tiny openings in the mesh so the little balloon passengers would be able to get on board...

While I realize that's a bit crazy sounding, I was going for as much realism as I could with the materials at hand. If I thought I had the skill and patience to create (or if I could find some to buy) a tiny rope net and wicker basket with tiny bags of sand ballast, I'd probably try it. I do have enough sanity left to know I shouldn't. The idea is to make something I can create relatively easily, and in a reasonable amount of time, for a reasonable price that looks enough like a hot air balloon, and make several pairs that I can put up for sale. (And wear myself because I like the idea a lot)

Anyway, it's quite difficult for me to do the trimming well because the scale is so very tiny - the disks are 6mm to give you an idea of scale, the whole earring isn't much more than the size of a quarter. I think just attaching the disks to the brass bead will accomplish the suggestion of the balloon without the mesh since the bead itself is made of open work that looks like mesh. I'm not completely giving up, though - I'm going to try the mesh over a large glass bead and see how that looks next.

Then, with the mesh I have left over, I'm going to try some necklace or bracelet ideas that have come to mind as I was working on this.

Well, that's it for today. I was able to buy a membership to the World Fantasy Convention (it's in San Jose - quite near by) from someone who ended up not being able to attend, and I have plans to visit it tonight and tomorrow. I expect I'll see some great jewlery and interesting costuming. I'll try to remember to take some pictures and tell you about it!

'Til then -