Gallery 4 Miscellaneous Techniques, Image 4 Designed and Beaded by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
My father didn't leave behind very many personal possessions when he died, but I found two old Chinese coins he had brought back from WWII. My mother said they were his pocket pieces that he carried for years and treasured. I especially liked this one not only because of the erotic images on one side but because the brass is heavy and the relief is high. I looked it up on the internet and found it was a Chinese marriage charm. Must have worked well for Dad because he and Mom were married 53 years, going on 54 when he died. I wanted to create a piece of jewelry from it that would not alter the coin in any way but would celebrate its meaning and its heritage. I wanted some color in it and red is a very auspicious color in China and, I believe, the color people used to wear when they got married.Turquoise is also a familiar color in Chinese jewelry, as are gold and black. I asked Frieda Bates to create the glass disk for me using Chinese calligraphy to spell love. The closest she was able to come and fit the coin was "peace" and since a peaceful marriage is a very good thing, that worked. Bead and Button featured a great article on how to make the pretty tassel--not aconventional Chinese tassel but one I really liked, and I found the painted bamboo beads and the faux cinnabar hearts at the bead store. With some turquoise disk beads, a little dyed red coral, Fireline and a copper toggle to go with the bronzey look of the necklace, and some bronze-gold beads, I have a beautiful piece of jewelry to wear in memory of my father and in celebration of my parents' long stable marriage.
All images and patterns © copyright 2004 Elizabeth Ann Scarborough. All rights reserved.