It is amazing how one's needs can be answered! Yesterday I was wishing for more and better examples of these "Ambassador" necklaces and here they are! For her demo at the bead meeting Debbe had brought the booklet A Bead Journey about helen dietze. I wanted to look longer at helen's great creations and asked Debbe if I could borrow the book. When she dropped it off, to my surprise and delight, she brought 4 of her necklaces as result of her class with helen.

Isn't that necklace a marvelous whopper? I love her bold, bold, chunky and massive work. Wow! am so jazzed by seeing this. She has broadened my scope and limits for beads!

This is a sample of the kind of necklace Debbe used to teach. She made booklets to explain each step and sold the kits on line under the name of Hula Moon Glass.

This is also from Debbe and shows that when she embellishes she knows how to pile it on! With embellishing, it is possible to use items without holes and frame the piece with a netting of beads. Helen used this technique also when the piece she wanted as focal bead had no hole. This idea alone opens up the scope for the number of things one can use in a necklace! I fear for the stuff in my kitchen - even the sink! I have long felt beaded necklaces were too skimpy, too skinny, too blah.

This is a sample of an "Ambassador" necklace with the strings beaded. The name, from helen, was because she used to make these necklaces as gifts to give away in her many travels. By braiding the stringing connections the three hanging focal points she could save weight and beads. Here Debbe makes an excellent compromise and uses her fantastic color sense to enlarge the necklace.

The book on helen dietze, A Bead Journey Through the eyes of helen dietze was written by Gretchen Schueller at www.pieceofmindjewels.com and her daughter, Kristine Buchanan who also has a website at www.KristineBuchanan.com. The photo of helen was scanned from the back of the book. Thanks for loan!