A lovely end to a difficult year.

Looking back at it... it's been quite an 'annus horribilis'. Not very long after my MIL passed, my father left this earth too, short before his 92nd birthday. I didn't get a chance to see him irl one last time, although this was planned - but my husband ALSO ended up in hospital at the same moment, and nearly died - they nearly let him die and then saved him in extremis. He needed me here.

My dad with his partner An,
photographed by my MIL at her place.

My dad had a bad fall resulting in 2 broken ribs. The doctors decided against surgery because of his age, giving him no other option but going in a care facility, wearing a corset all the time, completely dependent. Although he didn't complain, I know that he would have hated that. He contracted a chest infection at the same time, probably Covid, and passed away. I could only see him one last time through Zoom......
I've decided to be grateful for these two things: that I could see him (he clearly recognized me despite his slowly progressing dementia), and that he didn't have to finish his life in a care facility, suffering every day, away from his friend(s) and family. I still have moments of pure frustration when I think about it. Life can be so mean. And then I think of what he always said "you've got to make something out of it somehow - and you do that so well, with your beads".

So I bead on. And thankfully, I cannot complain, beady wise. Rather the contrary. Beading is and will remain my life-line, my occupational therapy. It is also a way of creating bridges between me and you, so that it remains a source of joy. There is no fun in beading all alone. I'm grateful that there are still Zoom beading meetings.

Two projects that I love dearly were published this year in the Beadworkers Guild Journal, the Princess Check pouch & hounds tooth earrings and the Spindle Berries. The latter surprisingly ended up gracing the cover of the October Journal. Doesn't it look really nice?!

             

In May, my Polar Project got awarded the BWG Founder's Award in the Yearly Challenge which theme was Fur & Feathers. I learned recently that this kind of artwork is also called Craftivism. I like that!

I didn't include it in the challenge submission, because it would have been too long (we may only use a limited number of words to talk about our inspiration) but when I created my polar project for the Beadworkers Guild, I felt the urge to write this poem, which I didn't add to my already too long article about it:

~~~

Oh let me see
the frozen arctic sea,
where polar bears frolic in the snow,
and baby seals change as they grow
and watch Northern lights glow.

But not now.

Let me delight in the sight
of silent snowy owls in flight,
above a tundra covered with ice,
the frigid kind of paradise
for arctic hares to colonise.

But not now.

When I'm old,
may there still be this land of cold,
where each and every amazing creature
has a thick coat of feathers or fur,
to stay snug and warm
even in a bitter-cold winter storm.

~~~

In fact, Nanuq, Natsiq, Ukpiq and Ukaliq are a beaded poem. I am really proud of this project. I promised our lovely new Challenge admin, Elaine Wood, that I would send her a photo of me with this award. Instead of making another bad selfie, I decided to ask a professional photographer - Jo Simoes -, but the award took some time to arrive here and, believe it or not, my hairdresser succeeded to mess up my hairdo twice, so it had to grow a bit before taking an appointment. Then I caught covid and my hair nearly became too long. I nevertheless love the photo - styling and make-up myself, photography Jo Simoes:

Yours truly with the Guild's Founders Award

This year, again, I've done plenty of things that took a lot of time and which I cannot show. I wanted to publish more Muserie designs, and do Octavio, but I've got only one head and two hands... Last year was the same, so in 2024, I think that I will do things a little bit differently. Don't expect miracles though: I have an allotment in a communal veggie garden since short, and I love being there each time the sun is not around, which happened nearly too often this Fall. 

I could make the two necklaces below: a  spindle berries necklace & earrings, made for the jumper I'm wearing in the photo with the award, and a similar yet more Art Deco one, with olive branches, which is another piece I've been wanting to make since long. I hope to write a pattern for the olive branches soon, but the materials are hard to find, which might be really annoying for those who want to make the same piece. I am actively looking for substitutes.

             

I could also finish a "last minute" something that was waiting patiently for attention. Perhaps you  remember that I wrote an article about my new Puluz light box? (I still wonder how I could live without it.) Well, the first photo in that article shows a bead embroidered pendant with a lush fringe which I made within the framework of a Meet, Mingle & Make meeting of the Guild. I could not make it entirely to my muse's desire, so I promised to redo and show it if I could find more of the madder rose fire polished beads I needed more of. I could. And so here is the result.

Before

After 

 

Which one do you prefer?

The muse and myself prefer the new version because the fringe still has an arrow design pointing down, but also an arrow pointing upwards, like an elevator. And well, yes, it is sooo lush, and quite Art deco-ish and a bit of Art Deco is something that I like too.

 

 

Now could you please help me to choose an avatar for my future articles and blog posts, FB profile pic, etc? Jo Simoes's offer included two photos, so for the second one, I chose a to wear a dress, with my Thétis épaulette - my entry in the 2022 Guild Challenge. Here too, the jewellery was made for the dress.

I like both photos. Perhaps one for the winter season and one for the summer? Which one do you prefer?

             

 

The more I look at them, the more I prefer the one with the jumper. 

Note that I still had sparks in the eyes from the beautiful show of the Sokol Company who presented their absolutely wonderful adaptation of the book by Saint Exupéry, the Little Prince. 

When hubby and I caught Covid (our first time - we were really sick), it felt like this was a very bad ending to an already too hard year. I had to find something to change that to the title that you are reading above. So... still sick, I booked the seats to boost our spirits and beat the Covid. 

We beated it. We had a wonderful time. Husband was as happy as me. The video below gives a good impression of how lovely this show was:

We're still tired and taking it easy, but it's all good now!

2023, good bye!

And to you: thank you for reading me, for following me, for supporting me. 

I wish you all a wonderful Season, be it Christmassy or not.
Have a wonderful time and a wonderful start of the New Year. 

See you on the other side!

Cath