Saturday, January 12, 2013

Memories and Thanks Blog Hop

Lori Anderson created this blog hop because of a personal experience that you can read about here. Her friend, Marianna, passed away last year. Mostly quoting Lori to tell you what this blog hop represents--"this blog hop is for Marianna and for those people in our lives who mean a lot to us---family, friends, co-workers, or anyone who has meaning to each of us."

This past month, one of my good friends--and a co-worker--was put into the tailspin of her life. Her husband was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic lung cancer, a diagnosis that had been missed almost 4 years earlier. He had a chest x-ray four years ago, it was on the film, and the radiologist missed it.  He was her soul-mate, and died exactly one month after diagnosis. He suffered terribly, and my friend and her boys were devastated. There will be no funeral service, but there will be a celebration of life at his request.

As I thought about what piece of jewelry that I could make, that would tell a story, I thought of my friend and her husband's request--a celebration of life! I decided that I would use mostly teardrop shapes, because tears represent most of life's challenges and celebrations! A bracelet came to life.




Each bead, with each color and shape, as well as each teardrop represent some of the best things that have ever happened to me--the births of my children and grandchildren with their birthstones, each member of my immediate family, graduations, weddings, and new and better jobs. There are also some that represent the less joyful moments, but no less memorable or defining--Breast cancer for me, lymphoma for my Mom and Dad, other family members' struggles and triumphs, and grief.



Thank you, Lori Anderson for inspiring the creation of this beautiful bracelet, a representation of my life celebrations. It will stay with me, perhaps later to be passed on to one of my daughters or sons one day. In the meantime, I will wear it and smile--perhaps cry a little sometimes--and Celebrate Life!

Check out what everyone else created with the links below.




Hostess, Lori Anderson       Pretty Things


 Adlinah Kamsir                   Dream Struck Designs
 Aimee Biondolillo               Aimee's Jewelry Treasures
 Alicia Marinache                 All the Pretty Things 
 Andra Marasteanu               Handmade by Indra Marasteanu 
 Andrea Trank                      Heaven Lane Creations
 April Grinaway                   Brooklyn Bead Goddess
Barb Solem                         Vivi Magoo Presents
Becky Pancake                    Becky Pancake Bead Designs
Beth Emery                         Stories by Indigo Heart
Bonnie Coursolle                Jasper's Gems
Cassi Paslick                       Beads: Rolling Downhill
Catherine King                    Catherine's Musings
Cece Cormier                      The Beading Yogini
Chandra Leitz                     Juniper Goods
Charissa Nesler                   FireStorm Designs
Charlie Jacka                       Clay Space
Christina Hickman              Vintage Treasures Jewelry
Christine Murrow               Charis Designs Jewelry
Christine Stonefield            Sweet Girl Design
Chrizette Bayman               Bead Soup Mix
Cindy Wilson                      It's My Sea of Dreams
CJ Bauschka                       4 His Glory Creations by CJ
Crystal Thain                      Here Bead Dragons
Cyndi Lavin                        Beading Arts
Debbie Rasmussen             A little of this, a little of that
Denielle Hagerman             Some Beads... and other things I like
Diana Gonzalez                  Arte y Poemas
Diane Hawkey                    diane hawkey
Dita Basu                            ankarshilpa
Donetta Farrington             Simply Gorgeous
Dyanne Everett-Cantrell     Deeliteful Jewelry Creations
Emma Todd                        A Polymer Penchant
Erin Kenny                         beadiful therapy
Erin Prais-Hintz                  Treasures Found
Gina Hockett                      Freestyle Elements
Gloria Allen                        Innovative Dreams Jewelry
Heather Marston                 CSW Designs
Inge von Roos                    Inge's Blog
Iveth Caruso                       Creative Atelier
Jacqueline Marchant          Fiddledeedee Jewelry
Jami Shipp                         Celebrating Life!
Jean Yates                          Snap Out of it Jean, There's Beading to Do!
Jennifer Reno                     Musings of a Crafty Jenny
Jenny Robledo                   Peppa's Dream
Jennifer VanBenschoten    Jewelry, Art and Life
Jessica Klaaren                  Cellar Door Jewelry
Jessica Murray                   Whimsical Monkey
Joan Williams                     lilruby jewelry
Jo-Ann Woolverton            It's a Beadiful Creation
Joanne Browne                   josjewels1
Jodie Marshall                    Jodie Marshall Lampwork Beads Wearable Art
Johanna Rhodes                 Fire Phoenix Creations
John Rasmussen                 Rasumussen Gems and Jewelry LLC
JuLee Wolfe                       The Polymer Penguin
Julie Bean                           Blue Pig Blog
Karen Mitchell                   Over the Moon Designs
Karin King                         The Sparklie Things Blog
Karin Slaton                       Backstory Beads
Kat Douglas                       Washoe Kat's
Kay Bolton                        Toodles and Binks
Kelly Hosford Patterson     The Traveling SideShow
Kim Ballor                          Vitamin C ... A Daily Does of Creativity
Kim Dworak                       CianciBlue
Kim Houston                       The Pink Martini
Kym Hunter                         Kym Hunter Designs
Laren Dee Barton                Laren Dee Designs
Lea Avroch                          LA Jewelry Designs
Leanne Loftus                      First Impression Design
Liddy McLaughlin               Liddy McLaughlin Art
Linda Florian                       Lily's of the Valley Jewelry & Creative Creations
Linda Inhelder                     Must-Haves Jewelry
Lisa Hamilton                      Simply Irresistable Jewelry
Lisa Suver                            Fancee That
Lori Bowring Michaud        Artfully Ornamental
Lori Poppe                           Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean
LouAnn Elwell                    Southpass Beads
Mandi Effron                       Craft-o-licious
Marcia DeCoster                 MadDesigns
Marcia Dunne                     The Alternative Foundry
Marie Covert                      Creating Interest
Marjorie Savill Linthwaite     bennubirdrising
Marlene Cupo                        Amazing Designs by Marlene
Martha Aleo                           Ornamento
Marti Conrad                          Marti's Buttons -n- Beads
Mary Ellen Parker                  BeeTree by m.e.
Mary Govaars                        MLH Jewelry Designs
Mary Lindell                          Mary Lindell Artisan Jewelry
Maureen Connolly                 Mrs Beadsley's Workshop
Maybeline Tay                       The Jewelry Larder
Melissa Elgin                         The Addicted Beader
Melissa Mesara                      one-eared pig beads
Menka Gupta                         Menka's Jewelry
Michaela Pabeschitz              la mar de bonita
Mischelle Fanucchi               Micheladas Musings
Mona Rae Baroody               Who Does She Bead She Is?
Nan Emmett                          Spirit Rattles -- Spirited Earth
Nancy Pedersen                    Something Heartfelt by Nancy
Natalie Davidson                  NorthShore Days
Nikki Douglas                      Bead It and Weep
Pam Farren                           re-maker
Pam, the Crazier Sister        The Crazy Creative Corner
Pam Traub                            Klassy Joolz
Priya Krish                           Hellopalz  
Rebecca Anderson               Song Beads
Rebecca Sirevaag                 Becca's Place
Robin Kae Reed                   Artistry HCBD
Rochelle Brisson                  a creative chelle
Rosa Maria Cuevas              Helena de Troya
Sabine Dittrich                     perlendschungel
Sandi Volpe                          Sandi Volpe
Sandra McGriff                    Creative Chaos
Sarah Goode                         Pookledo
Sarah Singer                         String a Song of Sixpence
Serena Trent                         All Things Made Jewelry
Shai Williams                       Shaiha's Ramblings
Sharon Palac                        Sharon's Jewelry Garden
Sharyl McMillian-Nelson    Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections
Sheila Davis                         Stone Designs
Shelley Graham Turner        Fabric of My Life
Sherri Stokey                       Knot Just Macrame
Sherry Baun                         Unicorns Jewels
Skylar Bre'z                         Brising Beads
Stephanie Haussler              Pixybug Designs
Tania Spivey                        Moobie Grace Designs
Terri G.                                Blooming Ideas
Terry Carter                         Tapping Flamingo
Terry Matuszyk                    Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry
Toltec Jewels                       Jewel School Friends
Tracy Kruse                         Goldkisses Art
Tracy Martin                        Nutkitten's Jewelry
Zia Parks                              Anzi~Panzi's Work Shoppe
Zoe Marcin                          Beads, Tea and Sweets
  

31 comments:

  1. What a happy piece! I'm sure your friend would be honoured that you remember the happy times spent around her husband.

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  2. Thank you Karin! I am going to make a piece of jewelry for my friend and her boys from some of the items that he collected--a remembrance and celebration of one of the facets of his life that he so enjoyed.

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  3. What a great idea to use tears as part of your inspiration...the teardrop beads make for a remarkable bracelet and wonderful memories for you

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    1. Teardrops are especially fitting for me, as I cry over every little thing! Thank you!

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  4. Such a beautiful bracelets and using the teardrops is so fitting because we cry both from sadness and happiness. Thank you for sharing.

    ~cryssT

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    1. Thank you! After I finished my post, I thought of so many more "representations"--will probably be adding beads for some time to come!

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  5. Absolute lovely inspirational piece.

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  6. What a lovely way to pay tribute to life's sorrows and successes.

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    1. Thank you, Shai. I like the fact that I can continue to add to it and it will one day be a "memory" for my children and grandchildren.

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  7. Thanx for sharing your story with us. Your bracelet idea is very clever. Like a charm bracelet only much more personal and totally fitting for a beader.

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  8. I love your decorative tears. Whether bitter or sweet, they're part of most of our memories, aren't they? (I know I've shed a few reading everyone's stories this week-end!)

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  9. A fabulous bracelet to celebrate life!

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  10. Such a beautiful sentiment and tribute to your friend.

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  11. Beautiful bracelet. Thank you for sharing your touching story.
    Peace and Love.

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  12. How wonderful to have all of your life's memorable moments always close to you in such a creative way. Enjoy!

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  13. Love the bracelet, nice work! Blessings!

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  14. What a lovely 'celebration of life'...and I love the symbolism of the teardrop beads!

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  15. Love how your bracelet is loaded full of meaningful memories. Happy and sad ones. Thanks so much for sharing your story. Hope you are enjoying the hop.
    Hugs
    Terri G.

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  16. Wow Gina what a powerful design. Moving. Touching. Beautiful.

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  17. Love it! You are right tears are shed both for happiness and sadness. Wonderful bracelet design.

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  18. I agree, there are lots of happy tears too! I think your bracelet is lovely!

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  19. I am so sorry for your friend's loss - so sorry. Your bracelet is beautiful, and you have chosen your beads (especially the shape) so wisely! Truly a keepsake!

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  20. What a moving tribute to your friend's husband. I think that this gentle jingling pf the charms will be a good reminder that you need to notice every moment. I wish for peace for your friend as she deals with this new reality. Thank you for sharing your story. Enjoy the day. Erin

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  21. Such a pretty bracelet, full of so many memories for you, and a lovely remembrance of your friends husband. Thank you for sharing.

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  22. I love how you honored your friend's husband and your family with the bracelet. Wonderful job!

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  23. Beautiful sentiment. That is truly celebrating life the wonderful acheivements, relationships and happiness along with all the other tears - just wonderful

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Thank you for your comments!