We're All Different....but the same....

I have missed my beautiful jewelry blog so much...

I've been making alot of really neat things and posting them to my facebook (www.facebook.com/jewels2njoye4u) so please if you're out there, click the link just in case I run out of time to post here.

Geesh....I've got some catching up to do!

So tonight's creation, I LOVE.  I found these paper beads.....I can't remember where....but I've seen them online and when I found them on one of my Saturday buy-beadathons, I had to have them!  I've had them for a while now.  I decided that what ever I did with them, would have to be absolutely special.  I didn't want to create anything that would take away from the uniqueness of the beads so I decided a simple stringing of graduating size obsidian beads would do the job.

"Same Difference"

The thing that I love the most about paper beads is that - they are all different. You can buy them separately or strung but it doesn't much matter because there will still be variations with the spiraling of the paper. Cool, right!?

In the midst of the paper beads, I used metallic pyrite beads for a little extra kick.  You all know I love my sparkle.  When researching what the components of pyrite was...I learned that this mineral is most commonly known as "Fool's Gold".  Awesome!  I've always heard of "fool's gold" and just thought it was like an old wives tale/cliche to mean somebody was taken advantage of with a "thing" that was worth nothing....*shrug* I guess I wasn't absolutely wrong, right?

I love the way this turned out! The drop earrings mirror the graduating sizes of the obsidian  beads in the necklace (which I learned is volcanic glass...yeah...it really comes from lava!)...the pyrite and finally the paper bead. I repeated this in the wrap bracelet. Mission accomplished. The accompanying beads didn't take away from my beloved paper beads. I <3 me sometimes! hahahahaha...

As I tried to come up with a name for this set and began to write this blog post, I sat back and took in everything about these beads...the shape, the colors, the differences, you know?  I began to relate that to people.  Yes, on to my humanitarian platform I go.

I'm a member of many beading and jewelry designing communities and I've met A LOT of people. People who I admire. People from different places, different languages, different cultures, races and religions and we've all connected with one thing in common.  And within this one thing, we all are so unique and different but on the other side of the coin, we all share the same love for jewelry making.  We share many of the same frustrations and feelings of accomplishments. I was floored when a discussion came up and a lady mentioned her "box of ugly"! I thought I was the only one with a box of mishaps!  And then there's our physical and geographical differences.....well, those little things....just don't seem to matter.  I've befriended a wonderful woman all the way in German.  We try to communicate and share friendly conversations about our children, our weekends and all the general things girls gab about....and I think that's amazing.  So, yes....metaphorically speaking....if these beads that are so different can be put together to become this beautiful piece of work, why can't people....aren't we all made from the same "material"?