Sugar Me Sweet ~ Pendant: Cindy Gimbrone, Enamel Bead: Sue Beads, Lampwork: J Savina Beads, Ceramic: Golem Studio.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Owl at Midnight

It's time for another blog hop challenge! When Lorelei announced that she was hosting another blog hop I jumped at the chance to play! I participated in her last one, the Michael's Challenge Blog Hop and really enjoyed pushing my boundaries by working with beads chosen by someone other than me! This Challenge uses beads from Fusion Beads, one of my favorite online bead stores. You can see a list of the beads for this challenge here on Lorelei's blog.

The great thing about choosing Fusion Beads for this challenge is that we can all order the exact same beads, unlike Michael's which seems to have a slightly different selection from store to store. The only problem though is that since we were all ordering from the same place, some of the items sold out! So unfortunately I had to substitute a few. The owl clasp by Green Girl Studios, which was a major component of the selection sold out but I bought the next best thing, a cute owl pendant by Green Girl Studios. Close enough, right?

Owl Pendant
Owl-at-Midnight-Close

I was excited about the owl theme. I feel a special connection with owls and I'll tell you why. A year ago, New Years Eve morning I woke up suddenly from a deep sleep. I didn't know if I was hungry, thirsty or sick but my stomach felt "off" so I went downstairs for a drink of water. I filled my glass, walked across the kitchen and there in the maple tree outside our window was an owl. I raced upstairs grabbed my husband and dragged him down the stairs to confirm that my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. He looked and mumbled, yep that's an owl, and went back to bed. Obviously he wasn't as excited about this as I was but I had never seen an owl in the wild before and I felt that this might be some sort of sign.

The next morning I looked up owls online and found that they symbolize wisdom and intuition and that if you are visited by an owl, you may share these characteristics. Wow. This visit came at the perfect time. My son had been diagnosed with autism 5 months earlier and we were struggling with decisions for his treatment. I felt as though this visit from my nocturnal friend was a sign to follow my gut. So I did. Here we are a year later and I've never questioned a decision we've made regarding his treatment. Thank you Mr Owl.

I decided to call this piece Owl at Midnight to honor my late night visitor.


Owl at Midnight
Owl-at-Midnight-Collage

For my necklace, I layered the owl pendant with a ceramic pendant from Chinook Jewelry. I strung the pendant with the wooden and fire polished glass beads from the challenge and finished the ends with seed beads (slightly different from the challenge seed beads but the color was close). I attached some Vintaj brass chain which I wove the leather cord through and finished the ends with a wooden bead and knot.

I enjoyed this challenge and even though I couldn't get all the materials I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Thanks for hosting Lorelei!

Intuitively yours,
Lisa

PS: Check out the other players in the blog hop!

http://lorelei1141.blogspot.com/
http://erinsiegeljewelry.blogspot.com/
http://beadingbymalindekoning.blogspot.com/
http://beadhappytoday.blogspot.com/ (You are here)
http://thebeaddreamer.com/blog
http://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com/
http://fryestyle.blogspot.com/
http://www.madmaggiedesigns.blogspot.com/
http://reginaswritings.blogspot.com/
http://www.mylifeunderthebus.typepad.com/
http://jennibead.blogspot.com/
http://maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com/
http://silverrosedesigns.blogspot.com/
http://lindalandig.wordpress.com/
http://fireflymyst.blogspot.com/
http://www.awishandacloud.blogspot.com/
http://spiritrattles.blogspot.com/
http://formysweetdaughter.blogspot.com/
http://songbeads.blogspot.com/
http://beautifullybrokenme.blogspot.com/
http://threeredbeads.blogspot.com/
http://christinec3.blogspot.com/
http://www.earthenwood-beads.blogspot.com/

29 comments:

  1. Hi Lisa!
    I loooove the necklace! that pendant is one of my favorites- it all came together nicely!

    Please include the links for the blog hop on your post- just come over and copy and paste the links from my post.
    THANKS!

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  2. The necklace is gorgeous! I love the layering of the owl pendant with the ceramic pendant from Chinook Jewelry.

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  3. Wow! I LOVE the leather through the brass chain! It looks really great!

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  4. Beautiful piece. I too love the look of the leather with the chain and the owl pendant layered with the Chinook pendant. And I especially love it that your owl guided you to find good treatment for your son. We have an owl that has lived here for years and I love hearing it hoot. It is exciting and comforting at the same time.

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  5. Love the pendant!!! Great job - love this owl : )

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  6. What a beautiful necklace, inspired by a beautiful story. I love how you used the leather cording with the brass chain, and the owl pendant is perfect. Thanks for sharing!

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  7. Beautiful, inspiring story behind your creation and the actual piece is perfect :0)

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  8. I love it!
    And your story about the owl. Impressive. They are so powerful. I've always wanted to have an owl living near our house. I've heard that if you put up an owl bird house you can be almost dead shure one will move in. Their natural places are getting fewer. I must have that arranged this year.

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  9. What an awesome story, Lisa! That gives me chills. I think that the layering of the Chinook pendant is just genius and frames the owl so perfectly. Thank you for sharing your inspiration! Enjoy the day.
    Erin

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  10. Love how you layered the pendant! Turned out great!!!

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  11. OK, you had me with the banner necklace. Then I got to see your piece for the blog hop and I love it. The design shows a real sense of harmony, balance, and visual interest.

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  12. Love this so much! The pendant turned out beautifully and you redid a classic design, very appropriate for the owl. It feels new and classic at the same time. Love the chain, too. Gorgeous! <3

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  13. Lisa, I love the story to your piece, hope all is going well with your son.
    The pendant layering was a creative decision it looks great.
    I also like how you attached the cord with a bead and threaded through the chain, great job.
    Enjoy browsing, jenni

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  14. I love your necklace. I also like how you put the ceramic piece under the owl pendant and wound the leather through the chain.

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  15. I love your necklace. I really like the leather cord through the chain and the owl pendant.

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  16. What a wonderful story! The necklace you created, beautiful!

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  17. I think that owl pendant looks wonderful with the underlaying of ceramic, and I like how you used the leather in your necklace. I think your night time visitor will be very pleased with what you have created in his honor. Inspring!

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  18. What a wonderful story. I'm glad you were visited by mr. owl and for getting to see your gorgeous design.

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  19. So pretty! I stopped by to check out your blog and thought, hey...I recognize that pendant edge! Love what you did, very creative layering :)

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  20. Just beautiful Lisa! Love that you added the ceramic piece!! :) Great necklace! Love what you made!

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  21. Great job of using the components suggested yet making something unique, that reflects your own style. I never thought of layering pendants like that; I also love the idea of weaving the leather through the chain. Way to be creative!

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  22. what a nice story. your encklace is beautiful.

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  23. Perfect necklace for your experience with "your" owl!

    Great job!

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  24. love that you used an owl pendant,gorgeous

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  25. Fabulous, I like this very much with the owl pendant, not toggle!

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Your comments make me smile. :-)

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