Friday, August 31, 2012

Challenge of Travel

While I was browsing on Facebook several months ago, I stumbled across a post that mentioned a blog hop that was themed around using countries as inspiration for creating jewelry. 
 
 
I knew I had to choose Norway as my inspiration, in part because it is a beautiful country but also because it is part of my heritage.
 
 
      

My grandfather was the first Anderson born in the United States (well, our family of Andersons at least).  Harry and Matilda had two daughters, Emma and Marie, who were born in Norway.  After coming to America, Matilda became pregnant 12 years after Marie was born and gave birth to Henry. 
 

Fishing is a staple in Norway and my Poppop was true to his roots.  He was working at the oyster docks from the time he was eight years old and fished up until his death at 80. 
 
 
 
This picture is of a coastal town in Norway, via Facebook (Attracting Places). 
 
The coast of Norway provides a great place to fish.  The most common fish include cod, coalfish, pollack, halibut, catfish, shark, flounder and mackerel.  Poppop loved to fry fresh flounder that he caught in the Deleware Bay, off the Atlantic Ocean.
 
 
 
If you've every watched "Deadliest Catch," you are no doubt familiar with the fishing vessel The Northwestern and it's captain and deckboss, Sig and Edgar Hansen.  Their practical and pragmatic temperment is classic Norwegian.  There was not a problem Poppop couldn't solve with just a few tools and some old-fashioned ingenuity. 
 
 
Official photo of  the Northwestern in Dutch Harbor, Alaska.
 
 
I think I get my love of snow and winter from my Norwegian heritage.  I get as excited seeing the first snowflakes falling now as I did when I was a child. 
 
 
 
Photo via Facebook (999,999,999 People) 
 
I love to visit old churches and if I ever was able to travel to Norway, I would definitely visit the Nidaros Cathedral as well as some of the local chapels
 
 
Nidaros Cathedral, the largest church in Norway.
 
 
 
An old chapel in Norway, image via Facebook
 
While Norse mythology is not as well known as Greek or Roman mythology, it is certainly worth getting to know Odin, Thor and Loki.
 
 
 
The scenery is something that photographers are always traveling to Norway to capture.  I think I would love to live in this house!
 
 
Photo via Facebook (999,999,999 People)
 
 
Photo via Facebook (Attracting Places) 
 

Do you feel inspired by the beauty of Norway?  I certainly was!
 
I created three pieces of jewelry for this challenge...I really wanted to teach myself a netting stitch that would resemble a fishing net, but it has taken a little longer than I expected.  But I will figure it out and share it when it is completed.  
 

The first piece was a brand new stitch for me, a helix stitch.    
 
 
I'm working with a new light box and was able to capture the changing color of these amazing czech glass beads.  This was a really fun design and I can't wait to try it with different types of beads!
 
 
My aunt decorates her Christmas tree with  traditional Norwegian red and gold ornaments.  I looked through my stash and found some gold glass pearls that were the basis of this necklace.  I haven't made a wire wrapped necklace in a while, so this was a lot of fun to design!   
 
 
 
 
The round clear glass beads have a spiral ridge detail that adds to the visual interest of this piece.  I used antique bronze wire and antique copper bead caps to complete the monochromatic color palette.
 
My final piece of jewelry was inspired by the amazing photo of a person sitting on a ledge with all the shades of blue below. 
 

 
I used matte aqua blue drop beads and matte white glass seed beads, highlighted with transparent aqua seed beads.  The different shades and textures created a stunning necklace.  I have to find the perfect piece of white sea glass in my stash to create a pendant to go with it. 
 
 
Be sure to take a walk around the world and view the other creations inspired by the countries of the world. 
 

Name Blog Region Chosen Inspiration Nation
Monique Urquhart http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.ca/ Africa Burkina Faso
Niky Sayers http://silverniknats.blogspot.co.uk/ Africa Egypt
Therese Frank http://www.theresestreasures59.blogspot.com Africa Kenya
Raychelle Heath http://abeadloveaffair.blogspot.com/ Africa Lesotho
Joan Williams www.lilrubyjewelry.wordpress.com Africa Mauritania
Sherri Stokey http://www.KnotJustMacrame.com Africa Senegal
Regina Santerre http://reginaswritings.blogspot.com Africa Seychelles
Raida Disbrow http://havanabeads.blogspot.com Africa Tanzania
Kristi Wodek http://livedinlife.blogspot.com Africa Zimbabwe
Sally Russick http://www.thestudiosublime.com Americas Brazil
Melissa Trudinger http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com Americas Mexico
Tracy Stillman http://www.tracystillmandesigns.com Americas USA
Sandra Wolberg http://city-of-brass-stories.blogspot.de Asia India
Tanya Goodwin http://pixiloo.blogspot.com Asia Japan
Susan Kennedy http://suebeads.blogspot.com Asia Japan
Beth Emery http://storiesbyindigoheart.blogspot.com Asia Japan
Lisa Cone http://inspiredadornments.blogspot.com/ Asia Japan
Tanya Boden http://fusionmusebangkok.blogspot.com/ Asia Japan
Inge von Roos http://ingetraud.wordpress.com Asia Laos
Erin Prais-Hintz http://treasures-found.blogspot.com Asia Nepal
Dee Elgie http://cherryobsidia.blogspot.com Asia Phillipines
Carolyn Lawson http://carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com Asia South Korea
Lisa Stukel http://carefreejewelrybylisa.blogspot.com Asia Sri Lanka
Elly Snare http://themagicsquarefoundation.wordpress.com Asia Thailand
Shelley Graham Turner http://www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com Europe Austria
Mallory Hoffman http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com/ Europe Bosnia Herzegovina
Paige Maxim http://www.pmaximdesigns.blogspot.com Europe France
Jenny Davies-Reazor http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog Europe Germany
Sharyl McMillian-Nelson http://sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com Europe Greece
Evelyn Shelby http://raindropcreationsbyevelyn.blogspot.com/ Europe Iceland
Holly Westfall http://silverrosedesigns.blogspot.com/ Europe Ireland
Rebecca Siervaag http://www.godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com Europe Ireland
Toltec Jewels http://toltecjewels.blogspot.com Europe Ireland
Lee Koopman http://StregaJewellry.wordpress.com Europe Ireland
Laren Dee Barton http://larendeedesigns.blogspot.com Europe Italy
Cindy Wilson http://www.mommysdreamcreations.blogspot.com Europe Norway
Kathleen Lange Klik http://ModernNatureStudio.blogspot.com Europe Poland
Shaiha Williams http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/ Europe Portugal
Jennifer Justman http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/ Europe Romania
Elsie Deliz-Fonseca http://ladelizchica.blogspot.com Europe Spain
Lola Surwillo http://www.beadlolabead.blogspot.com Europe Sweden
Kim Hora http://www.kimmykats.com Europe Switzerland
Leanne Loftus http://firstimpressiondesign.blogspot.com Europe The Netherlands
Patti Vanderbloemen http://myaddictionshandcrafted.blogspot.com Europe The Netherlands
Marcie Carroll http://labellajoya.blogspot.com Europe Turkey
Marlene Cupo http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com Oceania Federated States of Micronesia
Ine Vande Cappelle http://jewelsbyine.blogspot.com Oceania Fiji
Tammie Everly http://ttedesigns.blogspot.com/ Oceania Guam
Alice Peterson http://www.alice-dreaming.blogspot.com Oceania Kiribati
Elisabeth Auld http://www.beadsforbusygals.com Oceania Nauru
Susan McClelland http://mistheword12.wordpress.com/ Oceania New Zealand
D Lynne Bowland http://islandgirlsinsights.blogspot.com Oceania New Zealand
Denielle Hagerman http://somebeadsandotherthings.com Oceania New Zeland
Rebecca Anderson http://songbeads.blogspot.com Oceania Papua New Guinea
Mischelle Fanucchi http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com/ Oceania Samoa
Kari Asbury http://hippiechickdesign.blogspot.com Oceania Solomon Islands
Cece Cormier http://www.thebeadingyogini.com/ Oceania Tonga
Emma Todd http://www.apolymerpenchant.com Oceania Tuvalu
Debbie Price http://greenshoot.blogspot.com Oceania Vanuatu

 
 
 


Monday, August 27, 2012

Storms of Life

I'm looking out my window and there are huge black clouds on the horizon that are racing towards me.  I know it's going to be a bad storm because my back is telling me so.  And while I'm thankful for the protection and safety of my house, there are storm clouds building in here as well.

So I take a deep breath, ask God for help and wisdom and start another day.

And I am reminded that without the clouds and the storms, we would not appreciate the sunshine.  We wouldn't have rainbows that appear out of nowhere and when you least expect it.  And we wouldn't be reminded that while the tough times come into our lives, they don't stay.




A few months ago, we saw this rainbow after our evening service at church.  I've never seen a rainbow at sunset and I've never seen one in all these shades of pink.  It was an amazing sight and I stood for almost 15 minutes watching as the sky changed colors and a second rainbow teased us as it would appear and disappear above the first.  (Unfortunately it was camera shy and I was not able to capture it with my phone.)

I don't know anyone who enjoys going through the tough times, but we all love the beauty that comes afterwards.  So I will stand firm on my foundation and wait to see the rainbows in the clouds.