As if Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime did not have enough on her plate with the 52 Week Focus on Life Challenge, she came up with yet another one... "Inspired by Winter". Sally instructed us to create a piece of jewelry that reflects the beautiful shimmer of newly fallen snow ; the muted colors of nature as it awaits Spring; the yummy browns of hot cocoa, the deep greens of the evergreens, or the bright red berries from the holly bushes.
I love Winter - it is my favorite of all the seasons. I was born in Chicago and vividly remember The Chicago Blizzard of 1967 that literally shut down the City. Over 23 inches of snow fell in less than 24 hours on January 26th. To this day, it is the worst blizzard in Chicago history. COOL! My Mother remembers it too, though her memories of this week were not as fond as her 6 year-old child who did not have to go to school!
Just say the word Winter to me, and this is what my mind sees:
So far this season, Mother Nature has basically forgotten about me, as there has been but a smitten of snow in Northern Virginia...sigh. Oh well, still inspired, this is what I created:
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| GORGEOUS beads by Sue Kennedy (SueBeads) aptly named "Winter White Sparkle Beads" adorn this bracelet wired in Silver. |
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| I added some tiny Czech glass bead dangles |
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| Had to make earrings to match! |
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| Look at this absolutely stunning lampwork bead by GlassBeadArt!!! It just shimmers and shines and screams Winter! |
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I had fun playing with these pictures in PicMonkey - I added my own frost, since Nature could not provide it for me!
Thank you, Sally, for hosting this Challenge! I at least got to visit Winter in my mind! Now, go visit all of the participants who have been Inspired by Winter!
Patti Vanderbloemen <--That's me!
Gorgeous pieces Patti! That GlassBeadArt bead is particularly beautiful - it reminds me of ice covering twigs on trees.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine that much snow - 6" and the UK comes to a standstill!
Pretty pretty pretty!
ReplyDeleteI love the icy beads you have used and your ever elegant designs :)
you crack me up with your silly pics! I have been admiring the beads you're using - didn't realize they are SueBeads! MUST check those out. Really, really lovely bracelet and earring set Patti!
ReplyDeleteLike Jo said, your combination of etched beads and translucent beads really mimics icy branches very well. Your interpretations are very feminine.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic example of how beautiful a single "color" can look. The touch of gold and the glossy shimmer of those lampwork beads just make your bracelet shine! I'm in total awe of your wirework!
ReplyDeleteGreat beads you picked! Love that crackly glasss one, they really have all the hues and tones of fresh fallen snow! I enojoyed your story as well. We had a huge blizzard as a kid in pa- not sure of the year, but I too remember it fondly, I know my parents dont. I remember learning a few choice words as my dad shoveled and shoveld our very rural, long long long walk and driveway.
ReplyDeleteI think this is one of my favs that you have done. It really evokes winter and the beads are perfect especially the one by GlassBeadArt. It really makes the others shine. Beautiful. Funny pictures too!
ReplyDeleteYou always make THE most gorgeous pieces of jewelry! Your wire skills coupled with the lampwork beads you find make for true beauty. Those SueBeads, with the thin burnt orange line connecting the silver dots just scream winter. And those GlassBeadArt beads~WoW~the foil look and colors are fantastic!
ReplyDeleteThe cartoons crack me up~we all need laughter in these cold days!
Love the monochrome in your pieces....and I'd certainly demand my arms back, as well, to wear your bracelet!
ReplyDeleteThose are beautiful. I love Sue Beads and the way you wrapped them is wonderful. I love the white and tiny bit of gold around the silver. The Glass Beads are very cool as well. I will be checking them out. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat fun cartoons you used in your post. Your creations are beautiful and depict winter so well and I don;t think you could have found more perfect beads to use.
ReplyDeleteI love your bracelets!! Those beads really do say "Winter"! Your cartoon of the armless snowman made me laugh out loud!!
ReplyDeleteI am always in awe of your pieces. Your wirework is truly a beautiful thing! The beads you chose are gorgeous! I can just picture how those beads just shimmer and sparkle.
ReplyDeleteLovely work - You chose just the right beads to go into that piece.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous bracelets Patti ... your wirework is amazing! Love those lampworked beads too ... perfect for the challenge! I'll try and send some of our snow your way -- clearly someone needs to make herself a snowman! =)
ReplyDeleteI am in awe of your work.. I love the bracelet.. simply gorgeous.
ReplyDeletePatti, your post brought a smile right to my face and the bracelet with those STUNNING lampwork beads captures the frostiness of the season beautifully!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for jumping in and getting inspired!
Sally
Patti, both sets of beads are truely outstanding, a great choice. Your wirework really shows them at their finest and the choice of silver makes me think of winter.
ReplyDeleteThose beads remind me of the frost that builds up on my car windows overnight, but it's so much more beautiful -- seeing the bracelet makes me considerably less grumpy than seeing a fully frosted car. It's terrific interpretation of the challenge!
ReplyDeleteBoth your pieces are just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous bracelets and earrings Patti! They remind me of cold icy mornings. That blizzard must have been something to be a part of as a kid and an adult. I was a kid living in Germany on Hahn AFB in 1967 and I loved the winters there it always seemed to snow around my birthday Nov. 16th.
ReplyDeleteTherese
I tried to comment earlier on my phone but it didn't work! Gorgeous, both of them! You work really is spectacular!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness!! I too remember that storm. I lived in Rouses Point (On the border of Canada and Vermont) and the snow was so deep after the blizzard that it was higher than our doors and we had to dig our way out of the house. I was 7 years old :) and I remember it vividly too!
ReplyDeleteLOVE those white spotted snow beads...beautiful bracelet and nice wire work :)
Patti - what a great post. I didn't know you were from Chicago. My sister went to law school there and I visited a couple times = way too cold for me!!! And it is really neat that both you and your Mom can remember back to '67. Must be fun to reminisce about the old days! :-) Love your lampwork bracelet - it really does evoke a wintry look with those gorgeous beads!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work! I love how you incorporated so many artist made beads in different styles.
ReplyDeleteLOL, I am still laughing on that last picture of the snowman!
ReplyDeleteYour pieces are absolutely gorgeous, Patti! I can't remember that storm, but I am looking at one outside right now - and your bracelets are perfect (as is your wire work, you know I'm in love with your wire work :) )
I love this! Such beautiful work!
ReplyDeleteYour work, as always, never fails to impress. I like the second one, but the Sue Beads bracelet isa stunner!!! The beads, the dangle, your intricate, impeccable wire wraps. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous!!!
ReplyDeleteLOVE your bracelets and those beads - both sets - are just to die for!! The earrings are so pretty, too! I'm a fellow Illinois gal! Born and raised approx. 150 miles south of Chicago - little town called Atlanta. Route 66 runs right through the middle of town. I lovingly refer to my hometown as 'Mayberry' because it's about that tiny. Unlike you though, I couldn't wait to escape the winters, so I headed west to AZ and the warmth of the desert and then look what happened this year - frozen fountains!! ;-)
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