Those Crystal Skull Beads

Vintage Halloween Illustration

I’m a few days behind on my squees, but there’s a good reason for that. I took a *much* needed break this weekend to clean my humble abode, do a little organizing, and start hanging art up on the walls. Took some time out to play around with these crystal skull beads I picked up from Fusion Beads, and came up with a design. By flipping a bead cap upside down, I turned it into a crown.

Crystal Skull King Earrings

I’ve found that the holes are too big for regular bead embroidery and the 3D aspect of the bead lends itself to certain designs. I’ve got an idea for a wirework project, but even this pair swings a bit. They’re brilliant, though! I wish Swarovski would make flat beads of these for bead embroidery!

    Mood: Fresh start.
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: On my second cup of joe.
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: A bazillion trillion stairs.
    In My Ears: Water fountain.
    Game Last Played: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
    Book Last Read: The Crimson Affair by Lilith Saintcrow
    Movie Last Viewed: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
    Latest Artistic Project: You’re looking at it!
    Latest Fiction/Comic Release: Last Man Zombie Standing. See also: need to write more flipping comics and exercise my art skillz again. Feh.
    Latest Game Release: Echoes of War: Thrillin’ Heroics
    What I’m Working On: Primarily tie-in games work, original comics, and novels.




Monica Valentinelli is an author, artist, and narrative designer who writes about magic, mystery, and mayhem. Her portfolio includes stories, games, comics, essays, and pop culture books.

In addition to her own worlds, she has worked on a number of different properties including Vampire: the Masquerade, Shadowrun, Hunter: the Vigil, Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn, and Robert E. Howard’s Conan.

Looking for Monica’s books and games that are still in print? Visit Monica Valentinelli on Amazon’s Author Central or a bookstore near you.

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