Today is the reveal for the Allegory Gallery Ancient Kingdom Design Challenge. 
It’s a lovely kit of rich purples, burnt orange and bronzes. Here is my picture of the kit.
Pretty, right? So many things I love. First up, I wanted to use the laser cut wooden eye that was this kit’s Mystery Component. I wanted to try a technique on mine, so I painted it plum, put a flatback pearl in the center and trimmed it out with crystal cup chain. I intended for it to be a necklace, but I didn’t like it with any of the beads I tried. My dad, a pin maker, suggested I make it a pin. When I tried a pin back on it, that showed through the open cut. Then I thought of the kind of pins Loralee Kolton uses. I had some in my stash. Her pins (and other jewelry) are so fabulous. 
I was tempted to use all the loops for drops, but in the end I really loved how this large vintage chalk white drop looked alone. I also used a druzy agate round from the kit. I loved how this one had a really craggy, sparkly part. After making it, I learned why painting it was frustrating; I used the wrong paint. But, now I’m all excited because Andrew and friends did an unboxing video (if you click on the link, there are three on September 17th) that showed different techniques on the wooden pendants. I can’t wait to try working with more now that I have more knowledge!
I was inspired by the eye component in this kit to consider other eyes in my stash. I was thrilled to see that I had a good idea for one of the ancient eye beads Andrew made a while ago. I am in love with these beads. 
I used one matte brown round and a couple of seed beads with the eye to make a pendant. I was happy the brown bead was large holed enough to completely cover the headpin I used. I like to disguise connection points as much as possible. I knotted the small purple beads on the waxed linen from the kit. I wanted the necklace to be longer than that, so then I used some of the purple/bronze pearls toward the back. They are at the perfect location in the necklace to prove a little sparkle to bring your eye up the strand. However, I wanted it to be longer yet! So I found all the peanut beads (amazing textured, metallic little things) and separated them with bugle beads. Perfect length. I love this necklace.
My mom and I have been discussing making decoupage beads, and during the time I was working on this kit, I found some great tissue paper I knew we would both love.
The paper on the right is a nice color combination for the purple beads in the kit. I decoupaged it onto a wooden bead to use with the strand of amethyst from the kit.
I separated the chips with seed beads from the kit, and used kit rounds on either side of bead caps from my stash. I finished it off with several strands of mixed chain.
I also really liked the ancient looking clay bicone in the kit. It looks like something one would find when digging for treasure in an ancient kingdom. As soon as I started working with this kit, my mom recognized that she had a necklace that would work well with the colors. She was shopping it around as perhaps going with the laser cut eye and other items. I did think it looked great with the clay bead. I like the contrast of bling and rustic. 
The pearls and crystals really allow the plain matte-ness of this bead stand out. I made a little macrame loop from linen and used a kit pearl at the bottom.
I wanted to make more, but had no more time. I love the spangles and have an idea of another project they might go with. I believe I have more of the striped rounds in the upper left square in my kit picture, so I’d like to make something with those. So many lovely materials and not enough time to create! Once again, I had a ton of fun with this kit. Thank you so much to William, Andrew and Allegory Gallery. Visit the Allegory Gallery Design Challenge page to see more beautiful kit creations.
