Spinning Spun Sugar - Jewelry Confections : July 2013

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Of course you would know that in my infinite wisdom, I did not take a picture of my little pile of beads.

This is sort of a short post, though. I have pile of beads that are orange. I rarely use orange. It's one half of the school colors of my University rival, the Florida Gators, and well, I can't really not use blue, so I sort of naturally boycott orange.

Well for the blog hop, I decided to use this pile of orange beads that has been sitting in a little Tupperware bowl on my beading desk, taunting me with their sunset hue, for forever now. There were some pretty vintage acrylic bicones, seashell chips, seashell teardrops, seashell rounds as well as some orange seed beads and a few little daisy spacers just to throw in some whimsy.

I have to say, though, that I may have to change my opinion of orange after this, because I am actually really liking this color palette!

I want to say thank you to Lori Anderson at http://www.prettythingsblog.com/ for hosting this hop, and I apologize for this post being so very short!

Since this has been one of the wettest summers I can remember, I am going to call this Sunset Tangerine! :) Reminds me of warm sunny days.

Please visit the rest of the talented bloggers in this hop!!! You'll definitely find inspiration!! :)

1. Lori Anderson, Pretty Things
2. Nancy Dale, NEDBeads
3. Roxanne Mendoza, Roxi Designs
4. Melissa Trudinger, beadrecipes
5. Rana Lea, Rana Lea Designs
6. Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
7. Rita Avila, Jewel School Friends
8. Linda Anderson, From the Bead Board
10. Erin Guest, Renlish

11. Joan Williams, lilruby jewelry
12. Diane Hawkey, Diane Hawkey
13. Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation
14. Sue Kennedy, SueBeads
15. Lisa Cone, Inspired Adornments
16. Kari Asbury, Hippie Chick Design
18. Lori Jean Poppe, Adventures in Creativity
19. Linda Landig, Linda's Bead Blog and Meanderings
20. Lori Schneider, Bead Addict

21. Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me
22. Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini
23. Niki Sayers, Silver Nik Nats
24. Elsie Deliz-Fonseca, Eliz-Eliz and All That Craft
25. Amber Dawn, Inventive Soul
26. Heather Powers, Humblebeads
27. Sarah Goode, Pookledo
28. Monique Urquhart, A Half-Baked Notion
29. JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions
30. Cheri Reed, Creative Designs by Cheri

31. Robyn, Museiddity
32. Catherine King, Catherine's Musings
33. Jacquie, Bead Gypsy
34. Janet McDonald, Singing Woods
35. Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreations
36. Tanty Sri Hartanti, TJewellicious by Tanti
37. Hannah Rosner, Good River Valley
38. Rochelle Brisson, A Creative Chelle
39. Nelly May, Smelly Nelly
40. Skylar Bre'z, Brising Beads

41. Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool
42. Christie Murrow, Charis Designs
43. Leanne Loftus, First Impression Design
44. Valerie Norton, Hot Art
45. Judy Riggs, Rigglettes
46. Crystal Thain, Here Bead Dragons
47. Terry Carter, Tapping Flamingo
48. Sue, Mid-Life Great Expectations
49. Nan Smith, Wired Nan
50. Miranda Ackerley, MirandAck Arts

51. Marie Covert, Creating Interest
52. D'Arsie Manzella, This Here Now, Mamacita
53. Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs
54. Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design
55. Johanna Nunez, The Lovely One Design
56. Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
57. Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs
58. Alicia Marinache, All the Pretty Things
59. Debbie Rasmussen, A Little of This, A Little of That
60. Nat, Grubbi Ceramics

61. Marjorie Savill Linthwaite, Bennu Bird Rising
62. Cheryl McCloud, One Thing Leads to Another
63. Heather Otto, The Crafthopper
64. Candida Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks <<=== YOU ARE HERE! :)
66. JuLee Wolfe, The Polymer Penguin
67. Ginger Bishop, Lil Mummy Likes
68. Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design
69. Jeannie Dukic, Jeannie's Blog
70. Dini Bruinsma, Angaza by Changes

71. Birgitta Lejonklou, Create With Spirit
72. Shalini Austin, Jewellery by Shalini
73. Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle
74. Ile Ruzza, Ilenia's Unique Beaded Jewelry
76. Annita Wilson, AW Jewelry
77. Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame
78. Hannah Trost, PZ Designs
79. Linda Inhelder, Must Haves Jewelry
80. Miri Agassi, Beadwork

81. Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
82. Dyanne Cantrell, Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations
83. Susan Bowie, Susan Nelson Bowie
84. Megan Milliken, MaeMaeMills
85. Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry
86. Ambra Gostoli, Chic and Frog
87. Lori Lochner, Bloghner
88. Gerda Jurimae, Gerda's Crafts Blog
89. Susan, Mistheword
90. MaryLou Holvenstot, MaryLou's time2cre8

91. Mary Shannon Hicks, falling into the sky
92. Karin King, The Sparklie Things Blog
93. Christa Murphy, Adventures of One Beady Woman
94. Jenny Davie-Reazor, Jenny Davies-Reazor
95. Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous
96. Mallory Hoffman, Rosebud 101 - For the Love of Beads
97. Danielle Kelley, Imbue the Muse
98. Kym Hunter, Kym Hunter Designs
99. Dolores Rami, CraftyD's Creations
100. Marcia Dunne, 13 Alternatives

101. Marlene Cupo, Amazing Designs
102. Emma Todd, A Polymer Penchant
103. Wendy Holder, Jewelry by WendyLea
104. Michelle Escano, The Cabby Crafter
105. Louise Glazier, Lily and Jasmine Treasures
106. Dana Hickey, Wind Dancer Studios
107. Lennis Carter, windbent
108. Anne Betenson, Crystal River Beads
109. Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution
110. Lisa Stukel, Carefree Jewelry by Lisa

111. Janine Lucas, Travel Stories
112. Claire Lockwood, Something to Do With Your Hands
113. Kathy Engstrom, Catherine's Dreams
114. Paula Hisel, Simply Beadiful
115. Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
116. Mischelle Fanucchi, Micheladas Musings
117. Kim, Cianci Blue
118. Linda Sadler, Ida Louise Jewelry
119. Karen, Spokalulu
120. Jennifer LaVite, Dry Gulch Bead and Jewelry

121. Andrea Glick-Zenith, ZenithJade Creations
122. Karen Martinez, Fairies Market
123. Robin Reed, Artistry HCBD
124. Amy Bright, LABweorc
125. Jasvanti Patel, Jewels by Jasvanti
126. Tammie Everly, TTE Designs
127. Karin Slaton, Backstory Beads
128. Natalie Moten, Running Out of Thread
129. Sharyl McMillian-Nelson, Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections
130. Jenny Kyrlach, Wonder and Whimsy

131. LiliKrist, Handmade by LilK
132. Jessica Klaaren, The Truth Space
133. Cynthia Abner, Created Treasures
134. Beth Emery, Stories by Indigo Heart
135. Heather Davis, Blissful Garden Beads
136. Jeanne, Gems by Jeanne Marie
137. Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe
138. Laren Dee Barton, Laren Dee Designs
139. Steph, Confessions of a Bead Hoarder
140. Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

141. B. R. Kuhlman, Mixed Mayhem
142. Patty Miller, Cabari Beads
143. Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads
144. Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things
145. Lizzie Clarke, The Need to Bead
146. Christina Miles, Wings 'n' Scales
147. Patricia, The Color of Dreams
148. Marde Lowe, Fancimar
149. Ev Shelby, Raindrop Creations
150. Sarah Small, By Salla

151. Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
152. Laurie Vyselaar, Lefthand Jewelry
153. Pam Traub, Klassy Joolz
154. Lisa Harrison, Daisy Meadow Studio
155. Anzia Parks, Anzi-Panzi's Work Shoppe
156. Ingrid, Lilisgems Handcrafted Jewelry Inspirations
157. Andra Weber, Andra's Joyful Journey
158. Kelly Hosford Patterson, The Traveling Side Show
159. Adlinah Kamsir, Dreamstruck Designs
160. Marci, That Nothing Be Wasted

161. Kris Lanae Binsfield, Cherish Designs
162. Stephanie Perry, Mustard Bead
163. Birgit Klughardt, Gites Beads
164. Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog
165. Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place
166. Sandy Markley, Gypsy Spirit Designs
167. Elena Adams, Lena's Beady Blog

Saturday, July 6, 2013

"Seasons" Blog Hop

First of all, I would like to thank Lisa Lodge at Pine Ridge Treasures for hosting this blog hop and for creating such a beautiful kit for this creation.

I absolutely loved it. There was a beautiful ceramic pendant by "Gaea" as well as Swarovski Crystals, Turquoise, Serpentine, Agate, Crystal and some gorgeous Czech glass. I was thrilled when I poured the mix out onto my workspace and started to conjure a "season" in my head.

The Themes were: A season of the year OR A season of your life.

I decided to combine the two themes into a single piece.

The events of my life from January of 2007 until around October of 2009 have largely shaped my life. January of 2007 was when I learned that I was expecting my first child. As the months progressed, what started as an easy pregnancy turned into one where I spent two months in the hospital on supervised bed rest (went in at 24 weeks) and saw my son come into this world in August of 2007 at 32 weeks (2 months early) weighing 2 pounds 11 ounces and 15 inches long. He spent another 2 months in the NICU, and finally came home 3 days before his "due date." During those 2 months, I was at the hospital every day, every 3 hours for his feedings, every time the doctor was scheduled to visit him. My husband was out of town a lot, so most of this time it was just me, in a town 2 hours from everyone I knew, fending for myself and my tiny, tiny baby. For the next year, we took him to so many specialists that I lost count.

In January of 2008, my stepfather took his own life. He had gotten very sick just before Thanksgiving, and his decision to end his own life shook my family to its foundation. My mother and my 9 year old little brother were heartbroken, and I was angry. I was so angry at him for doing this to all of us. So angry that he couldn't see what my son needed his step grandfather and my little brother needed his dad.

In March of 2008, my best friend passed away. She was the matron of honor in my wedding and passed at the age of 32. It was yet another blow. She left behind 3 young sons all under the age of 6, and I was simply in shock. I didn't feel strong enough to handle all of the hits that kept coming my life's way.

In April of 2009, I talked my husband into moving me and our son back to my hometown of Dawsonville, GA. I missed being close to my family, especially with him away working so much, and wanted to have my support network close by.

That summer, the summer of 2009....

Me, my husband, mother, little brother, stepdaughter and son decided to go to Port St Joe Florida for a week's vacation. It was a time for us to get away, to spend some time as a family and have some FUN. It had seemed like fun was something that we felt guilty to enjoy, but on that trip to the beach, we enjoyed ourselves again. We stayed in a beautiful little beach house with its own pool for the kids to play in. The beaches were practically deserted, so we were able to enjoy them without fighting crowds. It was one of the best trips I have ever had.

That trip showed us that we were going to be able to overcome our adversities, and that we'd be OK. That with love and time, we would be OK.

Today, my little brother is a 14 year old young man who is taller than I am. My son is a brilliant 5 (almost 6) year old who is excited about starting Kindergarten and is honestly the smartest little guy I know. My mom is remarried, and my husband is about to start his own company.

Me? I am throwing my attention into my jewelry business, and counting my blessings. Even the ones from that very dark time where it seemed like they were so few and far between.

So my piece is in commemoration of that trip to the beach that defined the true beginning of healing.

The pendant says "Wave," which to me symbolizes both the waves of the beach, of waving goodbye to sorrow, and of waving hello to happiness.

I included some seashell beads as well as a few Czech glass ones that look like sand. My mom picked these out of her own stash for this project. :)

"Life is like an ocean. It can be calm and still or rough and rigid. But in the end it’s always beautiful."

My little family in 2009, Port Saint Joe, Florida (Indian Pass)