Refuge ~ created for the 8th annual bead soup blog party

Welcome to wanderware and to the . . . 

Such a beautiful event celebrating worldwide creativity, individuality and imagination.  On top of all of that, we celebrate the tenacity and determination of all the artists and in particular that of our incredible leader and hostess, Lori Anderson.  May every element in our collective creations be a symbol of appreciation for her monumental efforts and hope for ever brighter tomorrows.

My life has truly been enhanced with the new friendship I have found with my partner for this event . . . the amazing Catherine King. I fell instantly in love with Catherine upon reading her blog site profile and perusing her Pinterest boards.  I knew that I had met an inspiring and kindred spirit who will continue to be a precious part of my life long after the party is over! 

For Catherine's creative motivation I sent the following soup . . .   

 I particularly loved the Kokopelli focal piece that I had been saving for a special personal project but was moved to share it with Catherine after seeing her incredible artistry.  When you see what she has created with all these assorted goodies, you will understand how I felt.  Just go to http://catherines-musings.blogspot.com) and prepare to be inspired!

Catherine's gifts to me for this endeavor were bounteous and beautiful.  The pieces in the bowl are what I selected to use in my creations including a gorgeous copper toggle clasp by Kathryn Bowman but minus the incredible Firefly Design focal which I started working on before taking pictures  

Along with all these amazing ingredients, Catherine shared four small plastic boxes she uses to transport her projects.  Thanks so much for these, Catherine!!!  They have helped keep me organized as well as protect my work while I am on the go (which is pretty much always!)

My inspiration for this challenge came from a most precious treasure in my life, my daughter, Alex, and a book she had loaned me entitled Refuge, by Terry Tempest Williams.  To truly do justice to the impact that Alex and this book have had on my life and how they inspired this project, I am writing a separate blog post dedicated to that story. Until then I leave you with these pictures and a few quotes from the book.  Enjoy!

~ Refuge ~

"My refuge exists in my capacity to love."

"Perhaps, I am telling this story in an attempt to heal myself, to confront what I do not know, to create a path for myself with the idea that 'memory is the only way home'."

"We are no more and no less than the life that surrounds us.  My fears surface in my isolation.  My serenity surfaces in my solitude."

"Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination."

"I pray to the birds because I believe they will carry the messages of my heart upward.  I pray to them because I believe in their existence, the way their songs begin and end each day - the invocations and benedictions of Earth.  I pray to the birds because they remind me of what I love rather than what I fear.  And at the end of my prayers, they teach me to listen."

Thank you for taking the time to read my post and comment on my work.  

Please find more quiet time over the next days and weeks to visit the blogs of almost 500 artists from all over the world who have contributed their heart and their art to this event.  You can find them at:

http://www.prettythingsblog.com/2014/05/welcome-to-8th-bead-soup-blog-party.html