Urban Chic Gourd and Black Beaded Chain Necklace

by Sala Faruq.

(Charlotte, North Carolina USA)

Though I have ordered gourds by mail, I prefer to go to a gourd farm to make my own selections. I look for gourds that are well balanced and blemish free as a general rule.

I have a basic idea as to what I want to create whether it is jewelry, figurative pieces and/or vessels before visiting the farm. For bracelets, I look for small, well balanced canteen, Maranka and warty gourds. I look for ornamental and jewel gourds when I want to make necklaces.

There is a spiritual connection that guides me as well. The gourds speak to me. As I look through the racks of gourds, I might come across a truly unique gourd, which make the search for gourds that much more exciting.

This necklace is made from a Crown of Thorns gourd. I first cut the “thorn” tips from the main body of the gourd. Then, I glued two tips together to create each bead. I covered the beads with green varigated metal leaf and a polycrylic sealant. Finally, I attached the beads to a black beaded chain.

Sala Faruq
www.salafaruq.com
Sala Faruq blog