I think it's a new record - more than 3 months with no post. With nice weather and so many things to do, blogs (both mine and the others I follow) have fallen by the wayside.
Let's see - since my last blog post, the U.S. has had a birthday. Summer has come and gone. I had a birthday and turned 50, I went on vacation and so much more. Now fall is in full swing, but I feel like if I blink I'll miss it - it's already getting pretty chilly in these parts!
Since the last post, I completely lost my desire to bead, but keeping so busy I did not give it a lot of thought. I know, as with all things in life, there is an ebb and flow to my desire to bead. In my almost 6 years of beading, I had not yet experienced such a lengthy dry spell. As time went on, I did find myself thinking more and more about beads, but never did actually sit at my bead table and take them out. I have a couple of projects in progress at this point, one of which is the 2010 Bead Journal Project. I think I am still working on May.
I have since (thankfully) found my desire to bead again. It is not back with the same force as before my break, but certainly it IS back. One of the biggest factors that helped launch me out of my beading dry spell was an amazing gift received from a very special friend.
I am not sure I can adequately describe this gift in mere words. I will attempt it, but I will let the photos do most of the talking. Note - there are a LOT of photos, so if you are interested stay around a bit and sit back and enjoy!
A little back ground - This gift is from Lisa of Pursuing Art... Life and Dreams. I met her a few years ago by way of blogs and beading. I was lucky enough to meet her in person 2 years ago on a trip to the Pacific Northwest. I think it was around that time that Lisa and I agreed we would swap a beaded creation at a time to be decided upon later. We agreed on something simple and low stress. Hmmm, I should have known better - Lisa does not "do" simple! First she enlisted help from our mutual friend Monica to create the doll. Monica is a master at doll making and a dear friend to both of us. Sneaky too - the both of them.
In late July I received this very special package. It started with the cutest little book full of photos Lisa had taken of squirrels in her yard. It tells a wonderfully entertaining story. Please see Lisa's blog if you would like to see the picture book in it's entirety.
I may not have the correct order in which I unpacked the box, but it was stuffed with the following treasures...
A stunning sunflower pendant/brooch - I saw one of these on her blog and fell in love with it, so she made one for me.
the back
A beautiful little box with attention to detail that blows my mind. The penny is dated 1960 (the year of my birth)
The front
The inside
See what I mean about the attention to detail?
She even bought (and embellished) a special little picnic blanket on which the doll would sit
The other side
A close up of her embellishments
The doll carries a great little purse - imagine one of these life size
Side view - LOVE the crystals!
And if that wasn't enough - there was even a little wallet inside the purse
What you don't see inside the wallet are the quarters Lisa put inside, an Oregon quarter for Lisa, an Alabama quarter for Monica and and Indiana quarter for me. Neat, huh?
The doll adornments... a bracelet
a ring...
A butterfly brooch that sits on the doll
the back
Next - the shoes, oh the wonderful shoes!
Are those great or what?
The doll - this is one absolutely incredible creation. From top to bottom. With her clothes - I did not notice all the detail at first because I was so focused on her face and hair, but detail there is - in sparkly abundance!
The amount of crystals used in her creation is jaw dropping
Her hair is something else. I believe Lisa said she used 12 hanks, TWELVE.
With all that hair I feel a certain kinship.
Here she is in all her glory. I have to pinch myself because she is mine, I am so very fortunate!
If would like further detail on the doll and all her embellishments, Lisa lists lots of details as well as many of her thoughts while she was in the process of creating this beauty.
Lisa, Monica - I thank you both from the bottom of my heart, I am eternally grateful for this amazingly creative work of art!
9 comments:
WOW! WOW! WOW! Lucky indeed! The doll is fabulous and it sounds like you have found a true friend in it's maker. It's fabulous!
It's a very special doll for a very special lady. No one deserves it more than you.
Arline
Hi Grace
I saw Lisa's post on the magnificent gift. It just floored me. It is just beyond any thing I can put into words.
I'm sure glad you are beading again. I kind of lost that drive this year too, with all the health issues at our home. I may not finish this year's BJP. But I did sign on to help it go next year. I hope you will be back, even if you forego the balance of this year. Sometimes its just too hard to catch up.
Lisa's work is amazing. I just checked out her blog and became a follower. Thanks for showing her beadwork. It is perfection personified.
I scrolled down to see more of your work too and find it just as beautiful.
Thanks so much for this post.
Thanks ladies! It feels good to post again. I'm going to do my darnedest to not allow such a big gap before I post again. I'm also hoping to get back on a regular schedule of reading all your blogs, I've missed the beading/creative blogs I enjoy visiting so much. I have lots to catch up on!
Carol - I still plan on finishing the BJP and since I've been with it from the beginning - I hope to continue it for as long as it's around. I had my project out last night working on it.
Thanks again everyone!
Gorgeous doll and treasures! Someone has been working overtime while many of us dropped the beads! I too haven't been beading. I pulled out my projects just a couple of days ago to see if that won't push me to start back up.
I even looked at your blog a couple of days ago but saw no new post and figured you must be really enamored with Facebook still (I rarely go there myself anymore). Good to see you back. You have a talent for the beads!
OMG is all I can say
I second flying beader.....
I canNOT get over it!
Timaree - good to see you again! I lost interest in just about everything - I have had a bad case of the blahs. More and more I'm picking up beads - I had forgotten how much I do love to create with them.
Dot - me too... me TOO!
Deb - thanks so much, I only wish you could all see her in person, infreakincredible!
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