I got this email from Rings 'n' Things today, and had to share it! Image is of the necklace made of beads donated by BCN forum members. I am so honored to be part of this group, and grateful for my chance to "talk" with such a wonderful person. (We never met in person, but we chatted a lot!)

This was the special and thoughtful healing necklace given to our founder, Russ Nobbs, by his kind and wonderful friends on beadcollector.net.
This necklace gave him so much joy, on so many levels, that I'm teary eyed revisiting the details for his birthday this weekend. Although Russ passed in 2014, his love of jewelry making and beads lives on in his business, his family and his friends. This very special Friday email gives homage to his journey, his friends and his favorites.
The necklace is about 48" long and weighs 13 ounces. As Joyce noted on beadcollector.net: "Maybe not for square dancing or picking up recyclables at music festivals, but for sipping lattes, attending art openings or the theater, dining with other bead heads, perfect!"
To be honest, he often wore his best beads while picking up recyclables at arts & crafts shows, but she's right -- maybe not at music festivals.

And now, a bead-by-bead id:
1) ancient white agate cylinder
2) Peter's first glass bead! From the Netherlands
3) oval multi-color chevron, newer grind
4) translucent bead bearing ashes of the late Al Lind, by Art Seymour
5) genuine modern wampum bead by the Wampanoag tribe of Martha's Vineyard
6) lampwork berry bead by Guy of Wild Things
7) ancient agate cylinder bead from Mali
8) Venetian lamp work "festooned" bead
9) lampwork bead by Jim Smircich, early 1990s
10) Chinese turquoise bead
11) chevron from the first batch Art Seymour ever made, circa late 1986
12) ancient beads of amber
13) antique Krobo bodom family bead
14) hollow blown bead by Floor in the Netherlands
15) lamp work eye bead by Charles (will show another image showing the cool eye)
16) modern Krobo recycled glass
17) blown Venetian glass heart with gold leaf
18) Venetian lampwork replicating Krobo bodom
19) polymer otter by Luann Udell
20) Venetian lampwork bicone
21) lampwork by Tim of Beaded Lily, now in UK
22) Venetian 6L chevron bead, grind by the Howard family
23) antique Krobo bodom bead
24) large polymer bead of Union flag cane decor, by Carole Morris and Graeme in UK
25) large decorated stone bead, red/white/blue eye, from India
26) Venetian 6L chevron bead, grind by Uwe Wantke in Germany
27) lampwork bead, unknown artist
28) modern Krobo powder glass bead
29) very ancient olive shaped agate eye bead
30) folded polymer bead by Jamey Allen, with decor of 3 Khamsa with eyes. 1990s.
31) antique 4L aspeo chevron, Dutch or possibly Venetian
32) antique Khond brass bead from India
33) polymer chevron by Cody Craynor
34) ancient Islamic black and white teardrop
35) ancient Islamic sea foam green furnace bead with inserts
36) black and white contemporary chevron from India
37) 19th c. Italian terracotta Maiolica bead with "Spes Mea", or "My Hope"
38) Venetian oval millefori bead, early 20th c.
39) large teardrop antique mother of pearl bead
40) ancient Islamic eye bead
41) ancient beads of amber
42) Venetian multi chevron
43) red chevron, applecore grind by Rick Rice
44) ancient Roman furnace wound double bead
45) antique agate bead
46) modern Krobo recycled glass
47) 2013 BCN agate bead, made in Taiwan