The Women in My Family

As you can see from the photo above, I come from a long line of strong women. They are my inspiration, my goal.

In the photo, I am the 3 year old girl in the front. My sister is the baby. Holding me is my mother, then her mother, then her mother, then her mother! My mom, my Mam-Maw Jim, my Mam-Maw Tillman, and my Great-Great Grandmother Smith.

Amazing.

I often feel I am not worthy of their blood coursing through my body.

Then it pushes me to keep going, to try harder, to never give up.

Just like them.

A Victorian Wedding Bouquet

Here is my passion . . . French Beaded Flowers.

If you've never heard of French Beaded Flowers, you are not alone. This is an art form that dates back to the 1500s, and consists of stringing tiny glass beads onto wire, and then shaping the wire into petals, leaves, and flowers.

I've been learning how to do this for the last 6 years (I'm a slow learner when it comes to anything artistic or creative!)

The picture is of my Lily Bridal Bouquet.

Here is a top view:




It's so much fun to have a passion for a certain craft or art form!

In all the years that I prided myself for being a left-brained logical Spock, I never realized how much I was missing!

Now I know . . . .

Beaded Doily

My most recent summer triumph --- A beaded doily!
I've been working on this on and off since last February, and finally finished it last week. The pattern came from the February issue of Bead & Button Magazine.
I love the feel of it. It has weight and substance and beauty. I am always amazed to find that I can create something beautiful! What a gift from God!