My final mandala

This is my final mandala for the 2007-08 BJP. I call it Spring is Blooming, and I wanted to capture the feeling that spring is on its way, that life and nature both have evolving cycles.

I wish the photo turned out clearer so you can see more detail, but try as I might I couldn't get a better shot. I enjoyed making this mandala a lot, first because it follows the flow of a true mandala, starting in the center and working out, and second because it feels light to me, like winter is lifting and hope is waiting.

Beading for a Cure Project

Here are images from my Beading for a Cure project. Each year a kit is put together through the All About Beads forum and participating members use that kit to make an item for auction. All profit goes to colorectal cancer research. I made a lariat this year, and added a pink felted ball to spruce things up (we're allowed to add one additional bead separate from the kit). So far, this has been a challenging project for me, first because you have to work with the colors in the kit, and second, you design the piece. The pleasure I get from knowing where the proceeds go and that some happy person will have this lariat are great.



You can knot the lariat...

Here are the felted beads...

A photo showing the components together...