Saturday, January 12, 2013

Memories and Thanks Blog Hop

As usual, Lori Anderson of Pretty Things, organized not only a hop to bring us all together and enjoy each other's creativity, but also one with meaning, wrapped in love, and memories.  For myself, the predictable tribute would be for my Mom, but I decided that was too easy, it didn't challenge me (been there/done that) and that I needed to dig deeper...

I drew a blank until Thursday morning.  I had nada!  No ideas, no plan of action, and no more time to "think on it."  About that time in walked my 11 year old, demanding we get started on the day's lessons...what kid does that?  Yes, that is when the good ol' proverbial light bulb went off!

She faces obstacles that definitely aren't noticeable by looking at her, or even after talking to her...they are hidden...like so many other learning disabilities, yet still affect her every second of every day.  Her Dyslexia doesn't by any means define who she is, but rather forces her to try harder, view things in a different light, not to judge anyone/anything by what she sees, to look deeper within to herself to find a way that makes sense, and has a wisdom that I can't seem to fathom....things that SO many of us should learn to do!  Disability? Or is it a gift that few us of can ever obtain??



Moobie Grace - December 2012.  She was so proud of her "ugly" shell.
"Because if you scrape off the bumps, it looks like a rainbow!"  While
she struggles with many things, I'm proud that she can see deeper than
what's on the surface!

So, I set out on a mission to create a tribute-worthy piece.  It was only logical to let Grace pick out a few of the elements....okay, most of the materials!  They may not make sense to you or I, but that is entirely the point!  Because, try as I may, I know I will never understand what she faces, how she feels on a daily basis, or how her mind learns.  What I can compare the LD to is trying to read/write in a different language every day, and nobody else having a problem doing so, and no one being able to explain the logistics...makes you think, doesn't it?

"She Believed She Could, So She Did" - Necklace


Let me break down the symbolism of each element:

Copper spirals and wavy spikes because that's how words sometimes appear to her (these were my choices in the piece).
The Labradorite & lampwork Grace picked because "everyone sees things differently."
Green jade/pearls because that's her favorite color.
The Czech glass flowers she chose because she said "I'm still pretty even though I have a LD...and so is everyone else!"
The leather dragonfly she wanted to add "because I can do anything except fly!"
The silk ribbon simply because she liked it!

* She also wanted me to tell everyone that it has three dangle charms "because it takes me at least three times to read something for it to make sense!"  < Got to love a kid who can giggle and joke about their biggest challenges in life!  And, that she wasn't too happy that I didn't have a mountain or a hiking bead/charm because that's what she loves to do, and does it well, I might add!

I used to raise my fist and curse the universe for dealing her such a crappy hand in life.  I don't anymore.  There are times when we're both so frustrated with homeschooling that the only plausible thing to do is go eat ice-cream (so we do), but there are also those triumphs that I'm that I'm blessed to be able to be a part of!  

These days while I have my moments, I'm almost thankful for the Dyslexia (but not the stigma/bullying/narrow minds)...it's a hard road, but it has opened my eyes to things I was blind to before, and I thank God that Grace never has had that "blindness."

Thanks for stopping by, please take a moment to check out the other participants in the hop!!




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

36 comments:

  1. Beautiful piece! What a meaningful post. Grace's words are precious nuggets of wisdom for everyone especially those of us struggling with our issues. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Gorgeous girl, gorgeous mom, it is no wonder He put you two together. You are both truly inspiring!

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  3. Love your post and your inspirational daughter's take on life. My daughter Fern goes through the same struggles, but like your lovely girl she smiles through and never complains. Love the colours and those swirls are a joy.

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  4. Beautiful, beautiful piece and I love each and every sentiment behind it. Please tell Grace for me that she'll do just fine. She's learning incredible life lessons that will help her throughout her lifetime. I have 4 children, all with learning disabilities - 3 of them severe. We could talk for hours about it. I will tell you that each of them knows that they are such hard workers and don't give up because they learned early on that hard work paved the way. My oldest daughter is a surgical technician, getting ready to go back to school to become a nurse. My youngest daughter, who spent hours and hours on her homework each night while her friends whipped it out in an hour - there were many tears, has just completed her first Associates Degree and is working on her second (then on to a Bachelors for the second). My boys didn't choose college, but my youngest started his own business while in high school, merged it with another and is an Operations Manager for that company. With love and support, she'll thrive!

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  5. Your daughter is very observant, and your tribute piece is perfect. I love how all of the elements come together to tell her story.

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  6. Best. Necklace. Ever.

    Kids = best teachers of all. Just think what would happen if they ran the world.

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  7. A beautiful piece for a beautiful little girl!

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  8. What a beautiful post! I absolutely love this gorgeous collaboration with Grace! We have a son with significant learning differences, and he is now a high-school teacher, and his father's hero. My daughter is homeschooling her autistic daughter, and I just sent her a link to this post - for the beautiful candor, wisdom and inspiration.

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  9. I love your piece Tania!!!! I especially love your story behind it!

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  10. A beautiful collaboration between mother and daughter. I am inspired by your positive and encouraging words, though I know from personal experience that the sweet moments are so much more precious because they are hard-won. Bravo Tania and Grace!

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  11. Oh my...Love the piece and understanding it is beautiful, just like Moobie. Blessings to you all!

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  12. What an amazing piece, you are both amazing!

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  13. Beautiful piece, I love the story behind it. Grace is a wonderful girl and a huge inspiration.

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  14. That's so sweet and I love the charms part. Thanks for sharing.

    ~cryssT

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  15. Tania - a wonderful post, thank you for sharing your story. Grace is a wonderful girl and while the struggles might be hard on both of you now, they'll be a precious lesson for later in life: it is the ones that know how to try again and again who will get what they want! Your team-work on the necklace is splendid - a lovely tribute to a wonderful girl and to you too!

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  16. Thank you. Each post is worthy of a moment or twelve to process. You all have poured so much into this, thank you for sharing.

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  17. That was wonderful! My son is autistic and has learning disabilities and we homeschooled until he entered high school. He taught me an awful lot (and still does). Thank you for sharing Grace with us (now I want to go make an autistic necklace or something that DOESNT include a puzzle piece in it).

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  18. I want to just reach out and hug your daughter because she is so much me when I was younger.I am dyslexic and it makes me have a hard time wanting to share in a blog but I wrote my first one for momma today and thank you so much for joining the hop.I see her piece perfectly and it is BEAUTIFUL just like she is.In a world where everybody seems to want to be just like everybody else it is good to remember that it is the differences in us that make us great. <3 to you and your daughter and thank you for sharing. :)

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  19. So much Grace between the two of you! What an awesome collaboration I just love it! You are such an inspiring momma!

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  20. A truly loving tribute to your daughter! I love all of the elements of your necklace and their meanings.

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  21. You and your daughter have an amazing bond that comes out in this piece you created together. I love that she believes that the only think she can't do is fly!!

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  22. Very pretty. I love that your daughter helped with the design.

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  23. Such a beautiful mother/daughter collaboration! And such meaningful messages behind it all! I love her positive outlook on life. I can only imagine the struggles she (and therefore, you) face, but with her attitude and your help, she will go far. Such a special young lady! Tell her I said so! :-)

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  24. Aww Tania. The necklace is a gorgeous piece and has wonderful meaning. GRACE sounds like a AMAZING girl, how perfect a name for such a beautiful child.

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  25. A beautiful necklace for a beautiful girl. Thanx for sharing.

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  26. You're such a talended designer - again a wonderful, unique piece of art from you. I admire your work!

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  27. What a wonderful tribute to Grace, she will cherish this always.

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  28. That beautiful smile is so heartwarming! What a beauty your Grace is! I love the way that she sees things, that the bumps on the outside hide the inner rainbow, that the squiggles might be a challenge but they can also be beautiful. I feel honored to have read this and to know a bit about your sweet girl! She is a gift from God. I absolutely love the creation, it took my breath away! Thank you for sharing your story and your creation. Enjoy the day! Erin

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  29. A beautiful post and and a beautiful necklace rich with meaning! Thanks for sharing and giving us a little more insight to what the world is like to those who have Dyslexia. I have a friend who's daughter has it but it does not define her either. I think this has a lot to do with the type of Parent one has. Recently my friend shared with me that her family members were shocked when they learned her daughter was going to college. Too much to write here about it all. But it looks like your little one is on a great path!Hope you enjoyed the hop.
    Hugs
    Terri G.

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  30. I love her, too, just from the way you've written about your beautiful daughter! You created a gorgeous piece of jewelry that perfectly represents your love for Miss Grace.

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  31. You are an amazing mom and teacher and beader. I was in a classroom full time for 10 years and I loved every child.... with all of their learning disabilities. Its up to us teachers to make every child believe in his or herself and to look at their disabilities as gifts that allow them to see the world differently and to help others grow. Tell Moobie Grace, I think she is one cool kid and she has a pretty cool mom too.

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  32. Beautiful necklace, and an even more special message to go with it. I hope it will be a constant reminder of such a positive attitude.

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  33. Grace is lovely and I think she's a free spirit! Lovely tribute and an AWESOME piece created!

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  34. What a lovely tribute to your daughter- and to your investment in her! My brother has dyslexia and went on to not only get his college degree but a double master's as well. What a piece for her to treasure.

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  35. A very sweet tribute to your lovely courageous daughter!

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  36. Beautiful and touching...Thank you for sharing..
    Peace and Love..

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