Creature Comforts | Beaded Cross

Creature Comforts- Assemblage Cross
5x3x1.25
 
So far, during this year of the pandemic, I am finding my creative needs circling around small "craft" projects. Smaller pieces with more mixed media involved.
These little cross icons are one of those craft projects. They are about comfort and knowing we are always supported even when, or more especially when, everything seems dire. I hold these crosses in my hands and their tactile quality of soft fur brings me warmth and connection. Prayer beads come to mind when I think of these pieces. Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, the Baha'i Faith, and Christianity all use beads as a means of devotion. The word bead is derived from the Old English bede which means a prayer. Beads are among the earliest human ornaments with African beads dating back to 10,000 BC and have been considered such powerful objects through the ages.
-Betsy
 
Materials Included:
Antique porcelain doll head
Antique African glass beads (Italian origin)
Pressed glass leaves from Kathy Wegman
Repurposed mohair fabric (wool teddy bear fabric)
Swarovski flatback crystals (these sparkle and dance in person)
Vintage Italian glass seed beads from the 1800's or earlier (size 22 and 24)
Rhinestone cup chain from the Czech Republic
Natural turquoise nuggets from Sonora, Mexico
Hand-cut antique glass beads
Oxidized sterling silver wire
Beaded section of antique purse
 
This hand made piece is embellished using a mosaic process. There is a loop on the back for wall-hanging.