Home Thrift Lab: Bead

Lori Anderson is hosting another blog hop today that revolves around memories of a loved one. Unfortunately I have been feeling under the weather so I did not complete my piece and I feel really bad about it.

My grandfather died almost two years ago after battling Alzheimer's for seven years. He was a great man who influenced me in ways I am still discovering. He grew up in the mountains of North Carolina (Beasley Cove to be exact) where he learned most of what he taught me. Aside from good work ethic and the value of friendship, he showed me how to preserve food, find food in the wild and other home-ec type skills. My favorite lesson was learning how to spin wool.

When his family home caught fire (after he was grown and living in his own home) the only thing they were able to save was his mother's walking wheel (probably because it remained on the front porch, always.) Grandpa wasn't able to remember exactly how to spin (he was already showing signs of that horrible disease) but we were able to play around enough to spark a lifelong interest in me. I have my own spinning wheel now and a pair of socks that were made by his mother from the wool she used to collect off the neighbor's barbed wire fence (they could not afford their own sheep.)

My grandfather moved to Michigan to work for General Motors in the fifties and there met a man who would change the direction his life. This man taught grandpa how to become a watchmaker and it remained his passion for the rest of his life, over fifty years. I remember standing next to his workbench and just staring at all those little tiny cogs and gears and springs, just mesmerized by it all. I learned many lessons at that bench, not the least of which was attention to detail :)

Grandpa used to collect keys, especially skeleton keys. I only have one from his collection but when I found a pile of them for sale recently I snapped them up and do what I do...I put a bead on it!

Please visit the other participants:

Hostess, Lori Anderson Pretty Things

Adlinah Kamsir Dream Struck Designs

Aimee Biondolillo Aimee's Jewelry Treasures

Alicia Marinache                 All the Pretty Things
Andra Marasteanu               Handmade by Indra Marasteanu
Andrea Trank                      Heaven Lane Creations
April Grinaway                   Brooklyn Bead Goddess

Barb Solem Vivi Magoo Presents

Becky Pancake Becky Pancake Bead Designs

Beth Emery Stories by Indigo Heart

Bonnie Coursolle Jasper's Gems

Cassi Paslick Beads: Rolling Downhill

Catherine King Catherine's Musings

Cece Cormier The Beading Yogini

Chandra Leitz Juniper Goods

Charissa Nesler FireStorm Designs
Charlie Jacka Clay Space

Christina Hickman Vintage Treasures Jewelry

Christine Murrow Charis Designs Jewelry
Christine Stonefield Sweet Girl Design

Chrizette Bayman Bead Soup Mix

Cindy Wilson It's My Sea of Dreams

CJ Bauschka 4 His Glory Creations by CJ

Crystal Thain Here Bead Dragons

Cyndi Lavin Beading Arts

Debbie Rasmussen A little of this, a little of that

Denielle Hagerman Some Beads... and other things I like
Diana Gonzalez Arte y Poemas

Diane Hawkey diane hawkey

Dita Basu ankarshilpa

Donetta Farrington Simply Gorgeous

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell Deeliteful Jewelry Creations

Emma Todd A Polymer Penchant

Erin Kenny beadiful therapy

Erin Prais-Hintz Treasures Found

Gina Hockett Freestyle Elements

Gloria Allen Innovative Dreams Jewelry

Heather Marston CSW Designs

Inge von Roos Inge's Blog

Iveth Caruso Creative Atelier

Jacqueline Marchant Fiddledeedee Jewelry

Jami Shipp Celebrating Life!

Jean Yates Snap Out of it Jean, There's Beading to Do!

Jennifer Reno Musings of a Crafty Jenny
Jenny Robledo Peppa's Dream

Jennifer VanBenschoten Jewelry, Art and Life
Jessica Klaaren Cellar Door Jewelry

Jessica Murray Whimsical Monkey

Joan Williams lilruby jewelry

Jo-Ann Woolverton It's a Beadiful Creation

Joanne Browne josjewels1

Jodie Marshall Jodie Marshall Lampwork Beads Wearable Art

Johanna Rhodes Fire Phoenix Creations
John Rasmussen Rasumussen Gems and Jewelry LLC

JuLee Wolfe The Polymer Penguin

Julie Bean Blue Pig Blog

Karen Mitchell Over the Moon Designs

Karin King The Sparklie Things Blog
Karin Slaton Backstory Beads

Kat Douglas Washoe Kat's
Kay Bolton Toodles and Binks

Kelly Hosford Patterson The Traveling SideShow

Kim Ballor Vitamin C ... A Daily Does of Creativity

Kim Dworak CianciBlue

Kim Houston The Pink Martini
Kym Hunter Kym Hunter Designs

Laren Dee Barton Laren Dee Designs

Lea Avroch LA Jewelry Designs

Leanne Loftus First Impression Design

Liddy McLaughlin Liddy McLaughlin Art

Linda Florian Lily's of the Valley Jewelry & Creative Creations

Linda Inhelder Must-Haves Jewelry

Lisa Hamilton Simply Irresistable Jewelry
Lisa Suver Fancee That

Lori Bowring Michaud Artfully Ornamental

Lori Poppe Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

LouAnn Elwell Southpass Beads

Mandi Effron Craft-o-licious

Marcia DeCoster MadDesigns

Marcia Dunne The Alternative Foundry

Marie Covert Creating Interest

Marjorie Savill Linthwaite bennubirdrising

Marlene Cupo Amazing Designs by Marlene

Martha Aleo Ornamento

Marti Conrad Marti's Buttons -n- Beads

Mary Ellen Parker BeeTree by m.e.

Mary Govaars MLH Jewelry Designs

Mary Lindell Mary Lindell Artisan Jewelry

Maureen Connolly Mrs Beadsley's Workshop

Maybeline Tay The Jewelry Larder

Melissa Elgin The Addicted Beader

Melissa Mesara one-eared pig beads

Menka Gupta Menka's Jewelry

Michaela Pabeschitz la mar de bonita

Mischelle Fanucchi Micheladas Musings

Mona Rae Baroody Who Does She Bead She Is?

Nan Emmett Spirit Rattles -- Spirited Earth

Nancy Pedersen Something Heartfelt by Nancy

Natalie Davidson NorthShore Days
Nikki Douglas Bead It and Weep

Pam Farren re-maker

Pam, the Crazier Sister The Crazy Creative Corner

Pam Traub Klassy Joolz
Priya Krish Hellopalz
Rebecca Anderson Song Beads

Rebecca Sirevaag Becca's Place

Robin Kae Reed Artistry HCBD

Rochelle Brisson a creative chelle

Rosa Maria Cuevas Helena de Troya

Sabine Dittrich perlendschungel

Sandi Volpe Sandi Volpe

Sandra McGriff Creative Chaos

Sarah Goode Pookledo
Sarah Singer String a Song of Sixpence

Serena Trent All Things Made Jewelry

Shai Williams Shaiha's Ramblings
Sharon Palac Sharon's Jewelry Garden

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections

Sheila Davis Stone Designs

Shelley Graham Turner Fabric of My Life

Sherri Stokey Knot Just Macrame

Sherry Baun Unicorns Jewels

Skylar Bre'z Brising Beads

Stephanie Haussler Pixybug Designs

Tania Spivey Moobie Grace Designs

Terri G. Blooming Ideas

Terry Carter Tapping Flamingo

Terry Matuszyk Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Toltec Jewels Jewel School Friends
Tracy Kruse Goldkisses Art

Tracy Martin Nutkitten's Jewelry

Zia Parks Anzi~Panzi's Work Shoppe

Zoe Marcin Beads, Tea and Sweets

WooHoo! My first BSBH is fast approaching...three more days :D I'm a little giddy with excitement...I even have butterflies today! I don't know if it is more because of the reveal or because I finally finished my piece. I spent two weeks working on it. First I would lay it out in a pleasing way then I would leave it for a while and return to look at it again. I did this several times every day and now, just a few minutes ago, I think it is finally finished. Well, I'm going to go look at it again before I decide...we'll see.
Here is the list of the other participants who are revealing on the same day as me. Please check out as many blogs as you can, we have all been working very hard on this project :) Make sure you check out my soup partner's blog: Diane Valasek, Dragonfly Close