Holiday time continues: Pumpkins are perfect for either Halloween or Thanksgiving - gotta love that gourd!

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Inspired by Creative Challenge #20 – what does Etsy mean to me?

The beginnings of this necklace began before this particular challenge. It started as it always does – with my various beads of stone in front of me, and my asking them – what do you want to be? I had three stones who had spoken before, and they asked again to be brought together, but something was missing. So I waited. A few weeks later, a larger stone arrived, made of the same material of one of the stones in the group that was waiting patiently for the spark to bring them together again. But again, something was still missing. Then the Creative Challenge and the idea came – the linking element to bring all into focus – an aura of silver.

The piece fell together quickly, as destined pieces do. So for fun, I looked up the folklore of the stones and metal. The large focal stone, in a faceted oval, and smaller stones in octagonal coins are olive jade. Jade – the stone of serenity, longevity, and self-realization. The next stone is peacock blue apatite in faceted ovals. Apatite – the stone to promote creativity and discern the truth within. The last stone is citrine, in small discs, and it also promotes creativity. And last, sterling silver, the metal which serves as a mirror to see our true selves.

Was this chance to pull these materials together? Am I reading what I want out of the folklore? Maybe so, most probably so. But in the end I got what I wanted – a piece to reflect what Etsy means to me: a chance to create, to strive to be the best I can be, to see myself as part of a thriving community of artisans. To show my true colors.

I just love the Kenyan Womens' Shelter Project kazuri ceramic beads. After I made the bracelet, I decided to make a companion necklace, but this necklace I will donate to a fundraiser for my daughter's school, rather than sell at my shop.

It's a multicultural event, with all sorts of food and activities. The necklace will be sold at silent auction. I hope it does well for the school. I'm very excited to work with the kazuri beads, as they are produced and sold by fair trade, and as such produce real economic results for the women who make them. That really can't be said for the majority of beads produced in the world, and that's a sad state of affairs.