After speaking with Russ about a month ago, I knew that I needed to do some sort of round-up of real bead medicine. He's been there since the earliest days of bead talk on the net......thebeadsite.com discussion board, the old NationalBeadSociety.com, and then one of the first here on BCN. Russ has always been here for us, with support, sage advise whenever asked, and positive energy just anytime. Not to mention an incredible knowledge base!

And since he is such a community person, I knew this (his, yours and mine) bead community was going to make an incredible medicine necklace together. Thank you, everyone, who could help! I needed to be rather quick about it, so I contacted the folks most available to help, and one month after asking, this amazing necklace is in Russ' hands.

A few dozen of you sent such a diverse selection. Every one so different from the others (like real people), the beauty of that alone is striking. I myself got teary-eyed the first time I laid out beads for position on the necklace. I started this process when about half had arrived. The warmth really vibrated .....when working on this, I thought of every one of you, the significance and meaning in what you sent, your concerns and good wishes for Russ.

Without further pontification tonight, I'll post David's image, and follow up tomorrow night with "labels" for each bead, and a list of everyone's first name.....

Healing wishes, Uncle Russ, we are so glad you have your medicine necklace to encircle you whenever you need it! We love you!

How incredibly touching!

Hugs and thanks to everyone……in order of their beads arrival…….

Linda, Jan, Jeff, Judy, Rosanna, Frank and Charlene, Matt, Paige, George, Joan, Jaret, Billy, Rick, Paula, Jamey, Terry, Stefany, Art, Luann, Julianna, Stacy, Tom, Danny, Wayne,Charles, Thomas, Floor, Peter, Carole T., Cody, Bassem, Margot, Carole M., Guy and J'Me,
Rachel, and Jake.

Word got out beyond, and yet another lovely bead arrived here on Saturday, which will be sent along to Russ. Thank you, Harold!

The necklace is approx. 48" long and weighs 13 ounces. 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!

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

I apologize to Charles, the overall best image of the necklace doesn't have Charles' eye bead facing the viewer. And I can't at the moment locate other reasonably good images, just this poor scan that does show how cool the eye is. The necklace is filled with protective eyes, by the way!

dear Joyce bless you what a magnificent task! Russ will definitely benefit from all the good vibes...

(MAIOLICA is not porcelain but much softer terracotta, with opaque white and then the lettering etc. as its glaze.)

Looking at this necklace, it not only is a magnificent collection of beads, it is also very well constructed with great attention to detail. The size of the small (vulcanite/plastic) discs actually match each bead. The amber beads are cushioned with a piece of felt, and the heart bead has a small red bead at the top, so it does not crowd the next one.

Peter is currently travelling in Poland, and I sent him the picture of the necklace. He was very proud that the first, and probably the last bead he ever made was part of such an exquisite collection with such a great purpose. I feel the same.

Russ, good to hear that the mix of chemo, well wishes, good vibes and beads, are doing their job.

could not have done it alone, of course! The beads themselves sort of "told me" where they needed to be, on the basis of a # of factors....size, shape, material, color, weight, hollow or solid, relationship to neighboring beads.

It was a joy and a pleasure to do. Happy thoughts of every single person came to me as I strung their bead.

It was a bit of a trial and error for an evening arriving at stringing material and "bumper beads" that functioned well. I used black artificial sinew, it's a heavily waxed polyester. The finish knot is between the BCN bead and the light agate cylinder, singed.

For in-betweens, spacer, or "bumper" beads, first I tried 2 or 3 ostrich eggshell discs. Didn't take long for a couple of them to crumple right off.
I used black vulcanite discs in 2 sizes on the necklace. It serves more than meets the eye......about 1/3 of the beads have really large holes, and I "stuffed" them by winding the cord with additional cord, and "stuffing" it into the bead. The vulcanite at the ends serves as a sort of cap, or "lid" concealing the stuff inside, and protecting these beads, sort of like little packages unto themselves. Another thing I like about the vulcanite material between beads is the fact that it literally keeps glass from grinding against glass. A couple of the beads are moving freely with vulcanite beads inside them their whole length. The big Bodom bead right next to the big polymer bead is moving freely on the vulcanite - I didn't have any vulcanite big enough for it's end, but it's bumping only against the big polymer bead when worn and the free movement is kind of neat.

The knots between each vulcanite/ bead unit are just double overhand knots. I pre-stretched the sinew, and tried to snug down each knot just right, so it's tight without imposing pressure on the bead. The knot, with the protective vulcanite discs, prevents each bead from having to support the weight of all the beads above it when worn.

Dee took this Monday morning just before we drove to the hopsital. I'm holding the amazing strand of beads that I opened Sunday night. I'm wearing a strand of mixed beads made for me by Deerwoman, a strad of oval green Italian mosaics brought to me by Alhaji Kaira and a favorite strand of older Brass Tuareg cubes.

I have the notebook with documentation and notes from everyone with me in the hospital during my chemo this week. Thought it advisable to leave the necklace at home with Dee. The hat is from the Akan people in Thailand. Dee brought it back form Thailand. I wear it in the Hospital when I walk the hall with my infusion pump pole. It keeps my head warm and protected from the wind I produces walking the halls at such high speed.

This necklace, this project is an amazing thing you have done and a huge amount of work for Joyce to assemble it with the book.

I will cherish it and wear it in good health. Thank you again!

That is a great picture, it looks like the beads are already working their magic, smiling Russ,greenery, windchimes and the Buddah meditating there in the shadows, Perfect!

I agree that Joyce deserves an outstanding ovation for her constant love & support of the bcn members!
Russ, your last posted photo with your necklaces shows you looking wonderful, happy, positive & joyful. Having had my own bouts with multiple cancers, I truly believe that it is this spirit & soul that is so essential to lick that terrible big C! I'm sure you will continue to scare the living daylights out of your disease & remain remission free. My prayers & thoughts are with you! Lynne

I was over the moon to contribute a bead and healing energy to this amazing necklace. Joyce did a great job of it's composition but the other great thing that Joyce accomplished was to bring a huge amount of people together in a single project and the combined energy is a lot more that the sum total.
good luck with your next step in your treatment Russ, we will be thinking of you every day.