Memories & Thanks Blog Hop

I'm very lucky to have a mom who, despite the trying times I've put her through growing up, is still one of my best friends, if not THE best friend...I mean, after all, friends may come and go... but mom's are kinda stuck dealing with our crazy butts, now aren't they ;)

My first piece is for my mom. Not surprising, since some of my favorite ( and biggest ) 'art projects'...( or attempts >.<) have been for her :)

Background ... my mom LOVES frogs... especially Kermit the Frog and those red eyed tree frogs. so needless to say, My eyes have become programmed to spotting 'frog' or 'Kermit' stuff across a busy store with no problem... despite my having to squint to make out the sign four feet away...I can see that frog keychain hanging on the tent pole ten yards away, past two or three dozen people moving past ;) lol  When my mom got a dark green pick up truck one year...I painted a giant Kermit the Frog head on her tailgate... and made a patching one for the back of her jacket. Everyone LOVED it... she was known as ' Mrs. Kermit' all over town :D

And of course I've made her plenty of frog jewelry. Every time I find a cute frog bead or pendant, I make something for her. My dad, however, is NOT a frog fan, so she doesn't get to wear the cutesy frog earrings when they go out, because 'they're embarrassing'. I did make her a pair that she wears with his okay, because the frogs are itty bitty images on itty bitty brass 'coins'... so you can't tell they're frogs until you're up really close >.< Bored of making earrings she 'can't' wear, I decided to make her something that would fit with just about every 'dressy' outfit she had, as well as most of her casual stuff, that contains her precious frogs, but not in such an obvious way that dad would grumble.

 

Four simple silver frog charms that 'blend in' with the silver chain,  four little green Czech Glass beads, and one little charm that says simply 'mom'.

Mom's a big fan of black and silver for her dressier outfits. For several years, every dressy outfit she had.. was black and silver. Seriously... she wore black to my wedding... although I really can't fault her on that one ;) *L*

The monochrome wardrobe is something we've tried to break her of by introducing other colours into her wardrobe that she likes, but not matter what colour she ends up wearing, you can usually find black and silver being teamed up with it. Usually in the form of a beautiful black velvet jacket decorated with a silver frog pin 'climbing' up the front .. so the bracelet is a win-win ;)

My second piece is for HER mom. My Gram doesn't love frogs... or Kermit. No... she loves Tweety Bird and dolphins ;) She's pretty much told us 'no Christmas gifts' her reason is that she has too much stuff already. Personally I think she just doesn't want to feel like she has to get us something in return... so I always bypass that by sending her something for her birthday instead... which is just four days before Christmas ;)

This year was not a good one, and her birthday was far from happy as news arrived that my cousin, George, had been lost at sea. By the time I learned of this, I already had this made, but  it oddly enough kinda makes me think of him, as well as her... I don't know if she feels the same, but I heard she did love it.

 Silver, black and dark & light blue... simple, understated, but very pretty at the same time, I think. the darker colours I think are what make me think of George.. A silver heart toggle that hangs in front over her heart... and a black dolphin - rather fitting to commemorate a death at sea... Not done intentionally. Like I said, I already had this finished, photographed and boxed up when I heard about it.

So two pieces of jewelry made as 'thanks' to two wonderful women in my life... and inadvertently in memory of a man I  really didn't know at all, since the last time I saw him he was still pretty much a boy.

Alright, now you've seen my pieces, and maybe someone of you have put a tissue or two to use over the last piece... so off you go to use up the rest of that kleenex box while you visit the rest of these blogs!

You can use the main list on Lori's blog 

Memories & Thanks Participants List