Lori's Memories & Thanks Blog Hop

When I saw Lori's post about a hop for her friend that allowed us to not only create jewelry in honor of those we love (living or passed on) as well as that the theme could use the color red... well!... I just knew I had to join.  My maternal grandmother, Mimi, passed away several years ago but we all knew her favorite color. Red. You know, like those old glass dishes that were red. Yeah. That.  Every time I'm in a store and I see red dishes or red glass accent pieces, I think of my Mimi. Shoot, more than half of her "junk" jewelry was red!  To this day I kick myself that I didn't think to as my Uncle Don if I could have a few of those pieces as mementos.

I'd also had this idea of some memory jewelry I wanted to make for my mom and her sisters (as well as my Uncle Don's wife as she helped to lovingly care for Mimi at the end of her life) but I haven't been able to do it, as yet. Still working out the logistics of it, but it involves using copies of their old love letters to each other (which are a HOOT to read because they are NOTHING like the grandparents I knew in their later years! haha!) and, possibly, some copies of their old photos (Mom has several).  Just... really... still chasing my Muse around.... (*pant*gasp*wheeze!*)

Anyway, I did manage to make a number of earrings, all red (except two pair that have a small splash of a different color) that I am glad to be able to share with you. I just know my Mimi would have loved them. Mom has already claimed a pair and I'm going to see if the Aunts would like to have a pair as well (above and beside what I'm still planning/working on for them).

Without further ado, I give you my tribute to Mimi:



The top left is called Fruit on the Vine and the beads and bead cap are
strung on copper wire which was hammered into paddles to hold them into place
The top right are called Tears of the Forbidden Fruit (I was feeling poetic) and
are dragon's blood briolets wire wrapped to dangle from a necklace link into
which I wire wrapped a red glass bead using hematite colored 22g wire

These are cranberry colored beads (been in my stash awhile!) and the bead
caps are ones I made myself (SO proud of me!) using my new disc cutter
I received for Christmas (thanks, Santa!) Top left, Cranberry Florets. I
used some chartruse/yellow flower beads I'd received in Lori's last Bead
Soup hop.  Top right is Cranberry Offerings. They just looked like a
giant berry on a dish that the ancient version of "The Littles" might have
offered to their gods. (I believe I said I was feeling poetic!)

Final Set... Top left, Silver Paths. I just played with some soft, silver colored
aluminum wire I had and made a sort of "pathway" for the beads and finished
by hammering the ends into paddles. MUCH easier to hammer than the copper
wire in the first picture!  Top right is Caged Hearts. You can't really see it in
the picture, but there's a red glass bead inside the "cage" below the floral looking
bead cap. I also decided to add a little pop of color that wasn't red (or any variation
thereof) so this one has a little pop of blue in with it.

So, there you have it, my contribution to Lori's wonderful idea for a hop. I kind of think Mimi would have taken the Fruit on the Vine earrings, those bottom glass beads were just the kind of red glass she loved (but, she might have surprised me!).  Mom, on the other hand, has claimed the Tears earrings (we short necked women don't usually wear long dangles, they catch on our clothes!) and I'm going to pass photos on for the Aunts to choose from the others, if they like.

Please, take a few moments and go visit these other sites to see what these wonderfully creative women have come up with for their memorials for gratitude and love:

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  ~~ You are here!
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