This piece won an honorable mention (and was in a traveling display for several months) in the 2001 Bead Challenge of the Atlanta Bead Society. (The bead challenge was to take 16 pre-selected, unrelated beads, and create something using those beads or in conjunction with whatever other beads of your choosing). 
I had months to prepare for this challenge, but my creative juices that normally have to have balance, rhyme and reason, just couldn't wrap itself around using the grouping of beads we were given.  3 days before the challenge deadline, I was looking through my collection of cabs and ran across another wonderful porcelain cabochon from Red Ventling  the colors where perfect!!! Next thing you know, VIOLA, and just in the nick of time for the Bead Challenge deadline!!

I named this jaguar necklace "Sitting Pretty Kitty".  It is sitting inside a beaded bezel of size 14/0 round glass Japanese beads with a decorative rope style edging, fringe, and neck chain.  Embellished with a plethora of pressed glass, bronzed, hand blown glass, designer glass, foiled, and genuine pearl beads that I would probably have never chosen, but were in the 16 bead grouping of the Bead Challenge.  This project actually broadened my creative horizons!!! It is backed with genuine suede leather.  Centerpiece measures 2 ½ x 3 ½ inches and neck chain is 26 inches.  Close to 20 hours of accumulative beadworking time went into creating this ONE-OF-A-KIND necklace.

The Jaguar represents personal integrity, communication, flexibility, steadfastness, and the ability to see and understand chaos. The Jaguar is also know as a shape-shifter and has psychic sight. Those with this totem have a good command of language although their words can have a tendency to cut, tear, and shred others apart. Learning proper communication skills is important for those that hold this medicine. Those with this totem make excellent leaders and diplomats. Jaguar is at home in the dark and has good night vision. It moves without fear and teaches us how to trust our personal instincts. When a jaguar appears it is asking you to go within, release your fears, heal your emotions, and awaken your inner sight.

Though  this a ONE-OF-A-KIND creation, I can create something similar with your choice of colors, beads, accents, etc.  Visit my Cabochon Gallery for your inspiration for a custom order, then just contact Sunshine.

Decided I couldn't part with it...sheepish grin

Item # N600
$285.00