Purpleheart wood is a pale color when you first cut it, gradually deepening into a rich purple with exposure. It's hard, dense, and scorches easily, so I cut and sand it entirely by hand, no power tools.

I carved a heart into the wood, added a layers of pigment, then strontium aluminate glow powder, and used a durable cyanoacrylate as a waterproof, clear binder. Strontium aluminate is the best sort of glow powder - much brighter and longer lasting than the cheaper types.

I use a natural shellac finish on my exotic hardwood pendants (just bug secretions dissolved in denatured alcohol - and the alcohol evaporates as I rub it into a french polish-like gloss). I first buff these by hand to a high shine with micro mesh, then apply thin, careful layers of shellac to bring out the stunning beauty of the natural wood.

This pendant is hung with enameled copper wire on a simple hemp cord.

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