We're All Ears :: July Reveal

This month's inspiration photo (above) took me on an interesting personal journey to the Great Lakes, my childhood, and cherished family memories and treasures. My aunt and uncle, who lived in Michigan, owed a beautiful sailboat, and our family was fortunate enough to have sailed with them on the waters of Lake Michigan. I distinctly remember Uncle Phil's sailing instruction and endless jokes related to "coming about." The wonderous freedom of gliding across the blue water, leaving a gentle wake around us. The vastness of the lake. The flapping of sails. Such strong sensory memories. Recently, while snooping around in my dad's trays of slides, I discovered this photo of my mom and I on my aunt and uncle's sailboat.

Seeing that loving look on my mom's face really made me miss her. To feel that comfort and safety in my mother's arms again. To be that loved. That childhood wonder and innocence. These memories and emotions led me to my treasured stash of my mom's old jewelry. Two pieces spoke to me - the black and silver necklace and the silver bar chain. The cupped triangular shapes captured the shapes of the billowing sails, and their black stripes seemed reminiscent of sail graphics. The knotted textures of the bar links resembled sailing ropes. I was off on one of those gloriously-inspired creative whirlwinds. 

After adding some jump rings, a beaded-and-paddled dangle, and some handmade earwires, the earrings for this challenge were done. Certainly, I ignored color palette similarities this time around. Now that I really think about it, I often am most inspired by shapes and textures in these challenges. If the color works out too, then it's an added perk. Anyway, without further ado, here are this month's earrings. 

I seldom can stop with just earrings alone. There were all those other "sail" pendants left on the table and the creative juices were still flowing, so I made a matching necklace. I punched one more hole in the pendant and added a Czech glass dangle. The large-holed ocean jasper beads fit perfectly on the black deerskin leather. Serendipitous that it is "ocean" jasper. More water. I just noticed that!

So here's to my mom, my aunt and uncle, and sailing. Wearing this set will comfort me with sweet memories.

*For this month's reveal, I tried to focus on improving the quality of my photos. I used FotoFuze and Snapseed editing programs on these. Always learning!

Thanks, Erin, for another inspiring photo. To all participating artists, thank you for sharing your creative process and your artwork.  

                                                                                 ~ Cindy 

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