What's Old, is New... Again

I think anyone who makes or creates things has their favorites.  I would have the categories of alright, good and absolutely fantastic.  It happens to me every time I make things.  For example, I will make ten beads and there are all the good ones, couple of clunkers here and there and then the ones that are fantastic.  Your little treasures.

I made this pendant a while ago and thought I had done an interesting darker patina.  At first I kind of liked it and then it just sat there.  It was one that kind of needed something, but I wasn't sure exactly what.  All the pieces go into the velvet zipper case, some find new homes and some wait a bit...

I really didn't want to do too much with this pendant, but I decided to get out the sand paper and steel wool and get to work.  I began the process of removing some of the patina here and there and even got a little generous with the rubbing of the surface to create a whole new look.  What I discovered is that there are some really nice, fine leaf textures that were milled in and the wire work around the edges looked better.

The bail was kind of an experiment and I had it come around like a horse shoe and that meant that it would have to be worn on a cord.  I wanted it that way and I still like how it looks worn on the black cord.  Guess what?  The pendant I really wasn't all that sure about has been hanging around my neck the past three days.  Sometimes you can work on something to the point, where you've ruined it and sometimes you let it sit.  It could sit a day or a month or two.  When you pick it up again, you look at it differently and have a fresh perspective.  I've learned it's alright to try to make what's old, better and in a way, new again.