Friday, August 24, 2012

The New Clay Compass Bead


I've had big goals for my clay bead collection this summer and now that summer is coming to an end, I'm realizing that I won't get all the beads that I wanted to get done, but I will have a decent amount for the start of the new season.  Here is my new compass bead. You may be wondering what the compass has to do with anything- it symbol for our life here on earth as travelers.  We know this is not our permanent home and I hope this bead will be a reminder of that.  We are on a journey toward sainthood, but without a compass to guide us, we will be lost.  So this compass can represent any and all of the things that guide us toward Christ: the Holy Spirit, the Catholic Church, the Bible, the Sacraments, Mary, the Saints, etc. 

Here's the process for making this bead:
First I made the points of the compass rose. Then I put a bead that I already made, into the center.  I filled it in with tan clay.

Next I made the symbols for North, South, East and West and then filled them in with tan clay. I reduced them and made more symbols for Northeast, Southeast, Northwest and Southwest and arranged them around my compass rose with lines separating them.
Above is the finished cane before I rolled it and the picture below is the reduced canes getting smaller.

I still plan to open my shop in September! I will let you know what day that will be.  Sometime in the beginning- hopefully the first week.

3 comments:

Katie said...

Those are beautiful!

Anonymous said...

I love it, it will be a hit for young people too.
You are amazing Sarah, God truely speaks through you! Prophet?

Allison said...

wonderful/ These will make graduation gifts - bracelets perhaps for boys?