Thursday, February 7, 2013

Inspired by Winter :: What Lies Beneath

Sally at The Sutdio Sublime put out a challenge to help keep us a little motivated during those shorter, darker days of winter. It can be tough to find inspiration when you've only got a couple of hours of decent light for photographing, or even just to get outside and smell the air and be inspired by what's around you. I don't know about all of you, but winter can be tough sometimes to find that inspiration. 

So Sally is encouraging us to get out of our winter rut and think about how winter could actually inspire what we are creating on our beading tables. The prompt that caught my eye was to look at the "muted colors of nature as it awaits spring."  Specifically that meant to me what lies beneath the surface. No horror music necessary. I'm thinking of the crocus when they start to push up through the snow, or perhaps the dormant plants just under the frozen layer of a local pond patiently awaiting the spring thaw. 

That image of a frozen pond is exactly what this slice of of moss agate reminds me of: the green life just beneath the surface with bits of snow still mixed in. I set it up on its side so you could see how the light comes through the agate ... it makes for a beautiful effect! 

I wanted to make a simple necklace and use a winter white that had some warmth to it ... I used jade rounds and carnelian cylinders ... the color is unusual for both of these stones, but nonetheless, that is what these are. I was gifted the gorgeous carnelian from my friend Christine at One Kiss Creations and I've been looking for just the right setting to include them. I just love how these match up to the jade rounds. Thank you Sally for the inspiration on these long days of winter - it got me using some very beautiful pieces from my bead stash! Check out all the other lovely bloggers participating in Sally's challenge:

Sally  Russick                          Karin Slaton                       Lola Surwillo
Patti Vanderbloemen             Rochelle Brisson                Veralynne Malone           
Shelly Buettner                      Renetha Stanziano            Mary Lamoray
Therese Frank                        Tanya Goodwin                  Lynsey Brooks
Donna Bradley                        Jenny Davies Reazor         Mary K  McGraw   

Jo Tinley                                Cynthia Machata               Pam Farren
Ailsa Cordner                         Karin King                          Jess Green
Staci Smith                             Beth Emery                        Susan F.
Rana Wilson                                                   

35 comments:

  1. What a gorgeous piece of moss agate - perfectly represents the springtime flowers just itching to make their appearance! I would never have guessed those cylinders were carnelian - there is such a softness to those beads. Beautiful!

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  2. This is stunning Cynthia, love it...the colours are perfect and I really like that it's not all busy-busy.

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  3. I really like the thought of what lies beneath. Since, no matter how much we love winter, we all begin to long for spring at some point. Great piece, and like how you used the fiber in it too.

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  4. That agate is gorgeous and I love your take on this challenge!

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  5. The moss agate representing a frozen pond was genius! *very nice*

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  6. Perfect focal! And I love that you coupled it with such a brilliant selection of restrained tones. Even though it's a rainy day in Georgia, your post makes me want to go outside, rake up some leaves and breathe in the richness of the soil! Reminds me to be creative. Feel hopeful. Take notice of the beauty of the earth that is changing along with the weather.

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  7. the thoughts of what lies beneath coupled with the visual of this piece make for pure poetry. dare i say, this is in my top two of your creations? (#1 being the headdress, of course :-) )

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  8. The moss agate is gorgeous and your creation by keeping it simples, really showcases the stone. Love the unexpected element of the thread wrapped around the stone.

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  9. Beautiful! So simple, yet so elegant! I can just feel the spring wanting to jump out! Great Job.

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  10. I love your interpretation of this challenge Cynthia!!! So very creative and so very beautiful!

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  11. A stone frozen in a pond in winter. Beautiful, just like your necklace.

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  12. Beautiful creation!
    How lucky you could comment on my blog! I missed you!!!!
    Have a wonderful weekend, dear friend! and my g+ for you...

    Besos, desde España, Marcela♥

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  13. I am sure you are enjoying your challenge. It's wonderful how you combine all the different pieces to make your final creation!

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  14. Cynthia, I never realized until you said it but the moss agate does look just like when you look down through the ice! Your necklace has such a lovely softness and elegance, and represents the muted colors of winter beautifully! Thank you so much for jumping in and hopping!

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  15. Ooooo... Moss agate is my favourite :) This piece really does look like dormant water plants drifting beneath the ice. Your necklace is so pretty, love that your jade and carnelian are white! It's like they've been imbued with winters ice.

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  16. What a great idea for a theme! I've found that one of the best ways to get through any season is to embrace it fully, and this fits so well with that philosophy. Beautiful piece.

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  17. I love that gorgeous moss agate and the way it perfectly represents your inspiration! And what unusual carnelian - I've never seen any that was quite that shade. Beautiful!

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  18. I love being allowed a glipse of what someone is thinking while they create! The agate is beautiful and does make me think of succulent greens snuggled up for the winter waiting for their moment to shine.

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  19. That necklace is just beautiful! I actually like using winter as a theme and think more people should wear jewelry in the winter! ;)

    btw - I tried to reply to a comment on my blog but it was "no-reply" for some reason. I know it's been fine before so maybe it's a temporary Google glitch.

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  20. Hi Cynthia,
    You necklace is gorgeous and I love the moss agate pendant you used to represent the frozen pond. Those are some gorgeous jade and carnelian beads also.
    Therese

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  21. Beautiful Cynthia!!! I totally see what you see in the moss agate. The markings are so cool. I love how you lightened it up with the lighter beads. Good luck with the snowstorm if you are in its path too!!!

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  22. That moss agate is stunning and I love how you used it in the necklace. It's a beautiful piece!

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  23. So pretty! I love the stone! And, I love the image of a frozen pond! Perfect!

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  24. Lovely work - it's a perfect bead for this piece!

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  25. Absolutely stunning! The focal is divine, you have captured the essence of winter with this design!

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  26. Gorgeous! The muted colours in this piece do give the impression of a frozen pond. Moss agate is an interesting stone :)

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  27. Do you ever cut your own rocks?

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  28. Oohhh this is pretty! Love the color on the agate and the detail on the chain, gorgeous. What a nice picture of what lies beneath in winter.

    Hope you don't get hit with a huge amount of snow. Stay warm and dry, no heavy shovelling!

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  29. Such a gorgeous piece, Cynthia - you're absolutely right about the carnelian! Love your necklace and the name you have chosen is perfect.

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  30. This is beautiful! I love how delicate it appears!

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  31. I like your description of the moss agate as a symbol of winter - poetic! Nice necklace!

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  32. I love that moss agate pendant - it's so beautiful! Your interpretation of the challenge and how you described winter and your inspiration was lovely. I simply adore this necklace - it's amazing!!

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