Life and Art

Sooo . . . I joined a charm swap, lots of parameters, and kind of a short deadline for my schedule, by the time I joined. It sounded like fun . . . loved the theme, but the deadline was December 8th, smack in the middle of Christmas preparations. I was working away when I got the happy news that the deadline was extended . . . to early January. Naturally, {and mistakenly, as it turns out} I stopped working immediately . . . I had plenty of Christmas preparations to occupy my month. The new deadline was a gift, and I so appreciated it.

As it turns out, January has been a really, really bad time to try to complete this project. It has certainly been a month of highs and lows . . . all that life can throw at you, but some of it really, really wonderful as a matter of fact . . . and none short of movie fodder . . . so it is that I have let down my host, and the group, and I have finished very, very late.

That said . . . here is my completed project. The charm is tiny, made from vintage French watch crystals and vintage Children's illustrations. The theme was Fairy Tale and to include red somehow, with a finished size of no more than one inch, bail included. I bought a vintage copy of the book, and reduced it to roughly 2 1/2 inches, square. The real walnut is hinged {sort of}, and is the intended gift box, {directions here}. . . . sigh . . . all dressed up and no place to go. {The image inside the charm is one of Thumbelina comforting the Swallow.}

So, I am sorry, to the group in the swap that I let down. Life and death await no one's schedule. We have the most beautiful new granddaughter, and my blessed Grandmother is dying. Oh, my heart, my heart.