Peace is the Key to Ones Heart

“Peace is the Key to one’s Heart.”
"Find comfort in your heart and your days will be forever peaceful." jonathan mceachern

The inspiration for this bracelet surprisingly came from words my son Jonathan wrote in a story I read after he died. Words that have been following me in my art and life as I continue to travel this new path I am on surviving life without him.
While creating this bracelet for the mother's of whom I call my sister's now, I realized the symbolism is universal. With a loss of any kind you must live moment to moment some days.  I have lost my mother, my father, family members, friends, my job, my first cat, my first dog, and have even lost my keys! Finding comfort with loss isn't always an easy task, offering this bracelet for sale makes sense, sharing with you gives me peace!

The Series... look for more designs coming soon.

peace, vonna

5th Bead Soup Just Vonna Take 2

Hello and Welcome party hoppers!
I thought I would call this necklace "My String Theory" I got out the string and strang the beads, or is it strung the beads? Oh, never mind, on with the show.

Yes, the inspiration for this necklace came from the bead soup I received from Stephanie, but the technique used to create this piece was inspired by the book Beaded Treasures by Robin Atkins.
 
Believe it or not creating this necklace was a challenge for me! It has been a long time since I have put together a design so thought out! I had forgotten how much I enjoyed this process.

The natural earth tone colors of the elements used are blended with a pop of crème from seed beads and charms I took from a vintage charm bracelet.

Here's a little fun story for you. I actually emailed Robin Atkins when I started this piece to inquire about the "hemp" used as the stringing material.  Robin was so generous to answer my questions as well as give me a few clues so I would figure it out myself and learn.

How am I going to attach this clasp!

"Your necklace looks great!!! I like the colors and the balance it has without being perfectly symmetrical. I'm sure you'll work out the attachment of the clasp. From the picture it seems you already have a solution. My honest opinion is: Bravo!" -robin atkins

It took me a week to finish off this necklace because I thought to hard!  Who would of thunk! - or is it think or thank! -- haha!

I have donated the necklace to be auctioned off on March 10th to benefit for the Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation is a 501(c) 3 national organization founded in 1992 by CEO/President, Kathleen A. Casey a High School friend of mine lost her son Barrett “Bear” Krupa, to pediatric cancer in 1993. I donated this will out of love! "The Bear Hugs Program, here in Chicago, offers patients comfort & courage through everyday acts of caring because we understand that the little things mean a lot." You can find them on FaceBook or visit their Website for more information.

So the second piece pictured I used the resin horn beads Stephanie sent to me as the two side focal beads. The front focal is a free formed honest to goodness traditional Raku Fired Ceramic piece I had made a year ago.  Conditioned Deer Hide, a vintage cuff blank, freshwater pearls, seed beads, fiber and more seed beads! I still have to bead on the finishing touches, but for the most part this is as done as it's going to get for now.

I also made a series of bracelets with the left over soup that I will have listed in my Etsy Shop soon!

Venetian Glass Beads

Thank you for stopping by & have fun party hopping. 
I know I will...

Oh, just in case you didn't know

 you are here # 99. Vonna Maslanka

My blog partner Stephanie LaRosa hop on over to see what she has cooked up with her soup if you haven't already!

peace,vonna


Your Hostess for this partay! Lori Anderson

Here is the link to all the participants.

What am I going to do with my Bead Soup?

I received my soup mix from Stephanie LaRosa, a wonderful mix of organic colors, colors I love to work with! Stephanie's designs have been published in many magazines like Stringing, Bead Trends, BeadStyle, Creative Jewelry, Beadwork and Jewelry Affaire; her blog "Confessions of a Bead Hoarder" what a clever clever clever name!

The two round beads in the center of the picture with the flowers were created by Beadymonkey on Etsy they are made from horn, then decorated in paper and coated in resin! Pretty cool huh!

The Ceramic pendant that you see peaking from the left side was created by Starry Road Studio on Etsy.

You have to admit it ..... aren't we all bead hoarders of some sort?

I am so glad she likes to hoard beads!

Well, I guess you're all going to have to wait to see what I come up with.. heck ... I can't wait to see what I come up with!

Have a great rest of your day!
peace, vonna

I am comfortable with my grief!

I share my thoughts and feelings with you today with hopes that an understanding can be met. An understanding of grief felt by a mother, a wife, a friend, a fellow artisan.

Please know that I am okay...

When I share my thoughts just as when I create my ART; I heal just a little bit more.  I am Vonna, the same person in the same body as I was before my son died; I just have a different pair of shoes now, shoes that wouldn't fit you!  I pray you never have to wear my shoes!

I am comfortable with my grief ~ why aren't you?

You can talk to me, you can joke with me, you can be my friend.  I swear I won't bite you or get you sick.  You can mention Jonathan's name in front of me.  I may cry or I may not.  So what you may learn something new! I have emotions just like you and sometimes I just need to be heard, just like you. Please don't judge me. I would never judge you.

I am not afraid of me, so why are you afraid of me?

It's been four long hard years today since my son passed away.  Four years isn't that long as I have a lifetime to miss him.  I go to the park each year and light a candle in honor of my son.  Skateboarding is what Jonathan loved to do.  I go with good memories that fill my head with joy!

I share this video with you in hopes that Jon's friend does not mind, know that I shall be forever grateful to him for sharing this with me! What a treasure to be able to have. I shall go to the park and light a candle in his memory and shall pray for all the others

He's coming down the stairs in the video at .19 seconds in...

FwR minitage

"Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose." ~From the television show The Wonder Years

peace,

vonna