Challenge of Travel Blog Hop

Time has slipped through my fingers so quickly.

I had the most amazing visit with my friends.....a post to come about our "Put a Bird On It" theme.  School starts next week so my time has been absorbed with school preparations.

But today, it is about the Challenge of Travel Blog Hop
My country of inspiration:  Zimbabwe

My problem continues to be to focus.  I had so many ideas floating through my head (and still do).
I was intrigued by the color and organic shapes.
The flowers that I found while researching were gorgeous.

Another note I would like to add.  I had the extreme pleasure to go to the local art museum to see a glass exhibit by Howard Ben Tre´.  Fabulous.  But what was so poignant to me what his 10 minute video about inspiration.  The timeliness couldn't have been better.  I tend to get caught up in literal inspiration and he talked about inspiration from your surroundings and how it can gently influence your work.  I think I tend to over think it and try to make a very obvious literal connection.  And he taught me that I don't........in ten minutes no less!  I tried to go with my gut on developing these pieces.  And trust that the inspiration from Zimbabwe would be there.

For the earrings, the texture of the fabric felt right.  The colors felt right.  The need to have the design pull you into the center felt right......just like the beautiful detail in the flowers.

The bangles.  The combination of beads, wires, fibers and in an organic way just flowed.

I need to preface the following pictures.  Sadly I waited to the last minute to photograph and man am I regretting that.  I need to go and study other blogs and how they display and photograph their jewelry.  I do apologize for these photos.

Right now I am really into bangles and this is a combination of techniques and to be honest, I love the very organic feel of this grouping.

Thanks for stopping by.

To Fellow Challenge of Travel Blog Hoppers.......I can't wait to stop by and check out your creative endeavors.

Be sure to check out the other fabulous participants.  It has been very inspiring!

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

Real quick..........

A new inspiration.  Hope to develop some jewelry from this dried blooming tea flower.

Balance

My two older kids and I went for a hike this morning.  We were surrounded by light filtering in through the canopy of leaves above, birds talking to one another, discoveries of various plant life and then we saw this.

Quite simply put, I think it means Balance.
As our summer winds down and the flexibility that we have with time dwindles......I will once again have to deal with Balance.
Balancing my time.

 This is not a new struggle, nor am I the only one.
Hope you have a well balanced day!

Hiking through Nature

Not like I needed an excuse to go hiking, but my Ode to Nature class is definitely making me be more aware of my daily choices so that I soak in as much nature as possible.

Hiking in the woods I discovered these beauties.  Simple and pure.  Always amazed at natures creations.  The curl of the flower, the shape of a pod, the delicate flower blooming beneath the massive trees.

Slow and Steady

oh my goodness.  The ideas are flooding my brain.  I want to do them ALL.... right now.  But slow and steady...or at least steady is the course I need to go.

Working on my collections for the Ode to Nature Class.  Boy, Alisa sure makes it look easy to take those gorgeous photos!  This was my attempt this morning after my morning walk.  I grabbed some scissors and snagged these after I did my 50 minutes of walking.  But the lighting just didn't quite cut it.  I was trying to use natural lighting and with a storm fast approaching I had limited resources.

These wild grapes are growing on the edge of our property!  

My collecting also included a tick!  Thankfully I took care of it before it got serious with me.

I am continuing to work on my birds for the big swap next week.

I can't even tell you how much fun these little birds are.

I am also working on some swag for my friends.

I am so darn excited for their visit!

Minnesota Swap

Last summer my Minnesota friends and I did a swap.  The swap directions were to decorate 2x3 1/2 inch thick pieces of wood.  We had to create four sets of five so that we would all have a complete set.  The pieces did not have to be identical.  We met at Psycho Suzi's in Minneapolis and swapped outside on a gorgeous summer evening along the Minnesota River.  It was one of those nights that you will remember for ever.  Laughter, friendship and sharing.

Here are all of the pieces framed.

Each piece has a story.  I love how I can look at this and be instantly transported to that August night and the feeling of friendship.

This year, the lovely ladies are making a road trip to me!  I can't even tell you how thrilled, honored and excited I am to have them here.  To show them my place.  

To continue the tradition we have another swap planned.

This year it is "Put a Bird On It."  

My friend Kim is from Portland and last summer she was telling us about her inspiration for her contribution to the 2x3 swap, the extremely funny, Portlandia.  Click on the link to watch the 1:51 episode of "Put a Bird On It."  

The instructions for Swap 2012 is to make a 3-4 inch bird that can be hung from a piece of drift wood to make a mobile of sorts.  The bird needs to be weather proof.

I have had a ridiculous amount of fun with my birds.  Here is a start of my swap.  Ladies....if you are reading this swap, stop now......unless you want to see a sneak peek.  I will be continuing to work on this quirky birds today.

Beach Finds

I am taking Alisa Burke's ode-to-nature-online-class and she has asked us to consider some questions.  One of them being, what is your favorite way to be in nature.  For me, without a doubt, is to be near water.  It has always been a place where I feel very comfortable and a place I seek out.  As a child we would spend many days during the summer at my Grandparent's cabin on Lake Huron.  It was perfect.  Hot, summer days cooling off in the crystal clear lake.  Cool, windy days surfing in the big waves (still a favorite).  Long walks on the beach with my entire family.  There was no nudging to go for a walk.  We all enjoyed it.  It makes me sad to think about the generation that is plugged into electronics.  To this day I seek out the water.  Sitting at the waters edge with a book or journal.  Walking along the shore in any temperature or weather condition.  The noise from the water helps drown out the thoughts, clears my mind in a meditative way and then, before I know it....an idea, a solution, a calm, a restorative feeling settles in.

Yesterday my husband and I went to the beach.  To walk.  To soak in the sights and the sounds.  To collect beach treasures.  This is what we found.

a seagull skull

a really nice fish skeleton

Saturday Morning Beach Walk

This is perfection!
Morning walk on Lake Michigan.
Not our usual spot. Very quiet and lots of bigger rocks/boulders.
The waves crashing in.
Found a nicely preserved fish skeleton, sea gull skull, feathers, rocks for inspiration and drift wood.

Zimbabwe's Flowers

Flowers from Zimbabwe.

Lovely.

Challenge of Travel Blog Hop has caused quite a stir in me.  

Flowers

In the spirit of the new online class that I am taking, Ode to Nature, I am looking at nature with new eyes.  I realize now that I have had an affinity for flowers for awhile now.  I have quite the collection of flower photos.  I plan to go to the library to do some research on flowers in Zimbabwe.