Saturday, January 12, 2013

Memories and Thanks Blog Hop

When Lori Anderson put out a call for folks to sign up for a special blog hop, I knew that I wanted to participate. The Memories and Thanks Blog Hop is based on sharing a creation to commemorate a person in our lives or to honor a person that has a big impact on our lives.  I chose to honor my fiance, Rome.



Rome and I have been together for 16 years. We started dating on January 1, 1997. We had met the previous Summer but we were both involved with other things and didn't get to know each other very well. When Rome came looking for me on New Year's Day, I wasn't looking for a relationship. I was in school and working and I didn't really want complications. I didn't know he'd completely change my ideas about settling down, LOL.

Rome is warm and funny. He has a personal strength of character that I admire greatly. He is loving and kind and he is my rock. He and I have been through some really horrible stuff together and instead of running away, Rome has always opened his arms and supported me and lent me strength to get through the hard times.

My piece for the blog hop is not a new one. It's one of the first pieces of 'guy' jewelry I ever designed so it's about 7 years old. I made this piece for Rome and he loved it. I have to admit to wearing it too, I love the earthy mix of materials, it's a boho chic look that I really love. For the blog hop, I updated the necklace. I restrung it on better beading cable and finished it off with a chain around the back instead of the original Liquid Silver bugle beads I'd used when I first created this one. The piece is titled Madagascar and it's features an elephant skin jasper pendant and chips, brown sardonyx, Czech glass and sterling silver.



Be sure to check out the other participants blogs to see their creations and read their stories! I really enjoyed doing this one. Thanks to Lori for organizing this hop, it's been an honor to get to share my Rome with everyone.

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
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

19 comments:

  1. What a wonderful, strong piece of work! Very lovely.

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  2. Isn't it amazing how a single person can change our ideas...without really trying? This piece is a wonderful piece and your tribute was really special.

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  3. Thanx for sharing your story with us. I like the necklace that you created as a tribute to Rome.

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  4. I love your bold design. The silver really makes the honey browns pop .
    It takes a special kind of love to carry you though the ups and the downs of life.
    A wonderful tribute to Rome.

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  5. A wonderful tribute to your fiance and I love the boho chic necklace!

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  6. That's a great piece, it's nice to see "man's" jewelry sometimes. He sounds like a great guy!!!

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  7. Your description of your wonderful man reminds me of how wonderful my husband is. I chose to honor my mom this time, but Mark has been my rock for thirty years. Unfortunately, everytime I try to make him jewelry, our three sons tease him and he never wears it. Oh well. Madagascar is a beautiful, earthy piece.

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  8. You had me at "Pink Martini"!!! Great story...I think I love Rome, too!...and beautiful jewelry. I love the necklace.

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  9. Fabulous necklace! Maybe it's not new but it's new to me. Thanks for sharing your story about Rome with us and what a remarkable man he is.
    Hugs
    Terri G.

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  10. A very chic necklace in tribute to your fiance. It's so difficult to make jewelry for man - you've made a extraordinaey piece, in wonderful colours - I could feel with him loving it!

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  11. I love your necklace! A great tribute to your fiance! Men's jewelry is a difficult design for me! You did fabulous!

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  12. A beautiful and classy necklace for your rock of a man! What a nice tribute to him. Thanks for sharing your story and creation. Enjoy the day. Erin

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  13. Not sure that I could get my man to wear that but oh I would, it's gorgeous!

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  14. Thanks for sharing your lovely work.
    Peace and Love.

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  15. Very cool piece. Rome sounds like a wonderful guy.

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  16. Your fiance sounds like an amazing guy! Lucky you to have found him :-). That necklace is stunning and I can certainly see why you'd want to wear it too.

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  17. so happy for you - I love your necklace!

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  18. Love that I'm seeing a wonderful hunk of rock while you tell us all about Rome as your rock. Beautiful tribute

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