statement hoops with snake vertebrae

How could i not make these? Let me first list the materials: brass wire/rod, 10k gold, Japanese seed beads, nylon thread, African beads, Tears of Job seeds, and snake vertebrae. I found the vertebrae during a backcountry camping trip, and even paused to decide if I should pack them out with me, after all every ounce counts in the pack! I had no idea what I would make with them, especially since they have spikier parts to them. When I collect found objects it takes me anywhere from a few days to years to figure out what I'm going to do with them.

I'm not sure how I figured out what I was going to do with the vertebrae, I think it was when I was working on the triangle earrings and started visualizing some ovals with the brass rod I was using. I started by fabricating the brass frames which takes longer than one might assume...specifically shaping the ovals.

I made each beaded component separately and then sewed them to the brass earring frames. Finally, I used brass, Tears of Job seeds (grown, harvested, and dried by me), African beads, and Japanese seed beads to suspend the vertebrae (which I had drilled holes through using a tiny 0.8mm diamond drill bit). 

I know that was all maybe an overshare, but these earrings are all about the materials and everything that went into bringing them together. It is my hope that this combination of energy, effort, and connection between human, earth, animal, & plant is what makes these earrings special & brings a deep sense of history and interconnectedness to the wearer. 

Materials: brass wire/rod, 10k gold, Japanese seed beads, nylon thread, African beads, Tears of Job seeds, and snake vertebrae