Saturday, January 12, 2013

Memories and Thanks Blog Hop

Lori Anderson invited us to participate in a blog hop in honor of her friend Marianna, who passed away.  To read Lori's post about her, click here

We were to either make something in honor of Marianna or someone close to us.  I really wanted to do something for Marianna too.  Lori told us that Marianna's favorite color was red. When I started working on the pieces for this post, I thought that since it was the holiday season an ornament would be nice. 
I made this ornament with twin beads, crystal tear drops and seed beads. 

I knew who I wanted to make my jewelry in honor of right away.  My Dad passed away 16 years ago and I miss him every day.  He had a great sense of humor, taught me the meaning of sarcasm, got me started on Monty Python and movies like Young Frankenstein, and introduced me to the world of fantasy fiction.  He gave me my first Tolkien book, The Hobbit and then the Lord of the Rings not long after.  I started reading the Dune series by Frank Herbert because he recommended it.  He convinced me that Star Trek really wasn't that bad, and then it wasn't long before I loved it as much as he did.  There are so many things that make me think of him.  He was a huge Bears fan, but didn't like watching basketball because the squeaking noise the players shoes made on the court drove him crazy.  He would watch it with the volume turned down though, I remember that.  He always encouraged me to do the best job I could no matter what I was doing.  
When I was in 3rd grade, we built a dollhouse together.  We picked out paint, wallpaper and furniture and he put it all together.  I really loved that dollhouse.  

I wasn't sure what to make so I looked up his birthstone.  It's aquamarine (March) and I had just gotten a pair of cabs in that color.  I had to use yellow too, because when I was little and we lived in Chicago, he painted our whole apartment yellow because it was my Mom's favorite color (except thankfully for my bedroom, because yellow is not my favorite color).  

I finally had all the beads I needed and was working with them last weekend. Saturday night I started making dinner.  I was using the broiler in our new oven for the first time.  The heating element (it's electric) hangs down quite a bit lower than it did in the old oven.  I stuck my hand in without a full glove on and hit it on the heating element.  I have a pretty bad burn on my right hand, it's healing well but I can't bead right now, using my hand that way really hurts.  I will do another post in a week or two with the completed project, but I wanted to at least show you the beads.
Here are the cabs, I'll be making earrings with them.  I'm using Nicole's bead backing, it is wonderful and I just love the colors it comes in. 


 These are the other beads I picked out.  I need to pick one set of the yellow ones for the top part of the earrings.  I can't decide between the tear drops and the rectangles.  I'll probably bead both and decide then. The background is the the ultra suede I'll use for the backing, and there are also some of the seed beads I'll be using for the top part of the earrings. 

One last thing - I had mentioned the last time my sister and I were in Hobby Lobby together that it made me sad to see the dollhouses and I missed the one Dad and I had made.  For Christmas, my family got me this:
 

 It is the same one I did with my Dad, except this one has a porch.  I will be working on it after I finish my earrings.

Thank you for stopping by and sharing my memories.  Please go and see what everyone else created for this very special blog hop.  

Hostess, Lori Anderson       Pretty Things 
Lena's blog -- Mommas lil Birdies

 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    <------------------You are here
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



27 comments:

  1. Sweet, I enjoyed reading your post! The beads are lovely and I really like that doll house!

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  2. I love Monty Python and Tolkein, too!

    The ornament is gorgeous -- I have no idea how to make anything like that.

    My favorite gift I got for Christmas as a child was a dollhouse my dad made from scratch. I still have it, after many moves across the ocean and country. I'm so glad you got one for Christmas.

    Thanks for being in the blog hop!

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  3. KIm - what a lovely tribute to your Dad this post is. I am quite sure the pieces you create will be just as wonderful a tribute to him - and I do love how yellow and blue look together.

    The ornament is beautiful!

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  4. I can't wait to see what you do with the blue and yellow! It seems we have a lot in common, as did our dad's; mine LOVED Star Trek too. I never liked it until Next Generation came out, but I can't ever talk about it or watch it without thinking of my dad. What a special gift that doll house is; looking forward to seeing that too!

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  5. Oh, I would have loved your father! All those wonderful things that he introduced you to are my favorites too. Beautiful tribute, Kim :-)

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  6. Your dad sounds like he loved you very much and shared all his loves with you. Bet you are gonna paint that dollhouse yellow. Great post!

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  7. Lovely tribute to your dad...and the ornament is amazing!

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  8. What I love the most in this blog hop is the emotions coming from every single post. The memories are sometimes bitter-sweet - but they are something to be cherished forever.

    You have been blessed to have such a wonderful relationship with your dad, and to have the opportunity to share his love for so many beautiful thing in life. This is a wonderful tribute to your dad - I hope you will post the finished earrings when you heal your hand, they will be wonderful!

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  9. You made a great Christmas ornament. Sorry to hear about your hand. I will check back to see what you make for Dad. I worked with light blue & yellow for the first time last summer & I like the combination. I have used it a couple of times since. In fact one of my next pieces is planned for blue & yellow.Thanx for sharing.

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  10. A lovely tribute to your dad - I'll check back to see the finished pieces. How fun that your family got you that dollhouse!

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  11. Your dad must have been an amazing person. He had great taste in books and movies :-). Thank you for sharing about him. I can't wait to see the earrings you'll create. And that ornament is gorgeous! So glad you took part in the blog.

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  12. I loved reading about your dad...so fun that you are going to do a dollhouse just like the one you did with him. I can't wait to see your creation -feel better soon!!

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  13. Your Dad sounds just like my husband and he has interested my boys in Lord of the Rings, Star Trek and of course, Monty Python. Oh, I forgot the Three Stooges. Look forward to your finished creation

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  14. I loved reading about your memories of your dad...I envy women who had great relationships with their fathers; I think it's probably the first step in learning how to engage in healthy relationships with men. I think he was as lucky as you!

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  15. A lovely tribute to your irreplaceable father! Thanks for sharing. I hope you are enjoying the hop!
    Hugs
    Terri G.

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  16. Oh no - sending you get well soon wishes thru the net, hope your hand get well soon! I'm sure you will make a wonderful piece in tribute to your dad. Thank you for sharing your story here!

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  17. What wonderful memories of your Dad! Those earrings are going to be gorgeous, and I'm coming back to see them. Healing wishes for your hand - burns are the worst!!

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  18. Thank you for sharing such tender parts of your life. The earrings are beautiful! I love the ornament.

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  19. Ouch! I am sorry that you burned yourself and hope you heal fast! You have some creating to do! Your tribute to your father is lovely. I like the pop of yellow and the pretty blue. And the dollhouse reminds me that I always wanted one. Pined for one. And then they built one for my sister when she was about 5. I loved to play with it even though I was well past my doll playing years! I know you will fix this up so cute! Thanks for sharing your story and creation. Enjoy the day. Erin

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  20. Wonderful tribute to you father, the earrings will be gorgeous.

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  21. The ornament is beautiful. I can't wait to see the doll house

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  22. Lovely work and thank you for sharing your story with us.
    Peace and Love.

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  23. Aren't Dad's great? Thanks for sharing your memories and your beautiful creations.

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  24. My Dad built me a doll house for my fourth birthday. It has real working lights and it's wonderful. I can't wait to pass it on to my daughter. Dad has requested he gets to make renovations before she gets it. Happy to hear you are having a second go at a dollhouse too. Those earings are going to be beautiful

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  25. Ack, I meant to add, heal quick! Burns are the worst. I had my fair share while working at McDs as a teen.

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  26. It sounds like your dad was a wonderful person, and you were blessed to have so many wonderful memories with him.
    I hope your hand is fully healed by now.

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