If you have lots of beading friends on Facebook you may have seen the recent 'Art Chain' that's going on.

The idea is that for 5 days you post 1 item of your art on Facebook and also nominate someone else to take part. It's been a real pleasure to see the politics and religious postings and arguments that can prevail slowly being overtaken by wonderful works of art in many forms.

After being nominated my first post is my most recent creation and one that means a lot to me on my beading journey.

Here is Onye 6- named for Onye Obama-Ndika a gorgeous woman inside and out who inspired me during a tough time.
Back in 2009 she wrote to me:
"I believe that what makes us artists is that we are passionate about birthing beauty from the works of our hands. Whether it's beaded/ metal/ plastic/ recycled/etc. jewelry, paintings, wood-carvings, sculpted styrofoam... I just don't think it matters.
What drives us to create these things is a fire that burns in the heat of summer all the way through the cold of winter, threatens to consume us if we don't USE it, and if the fire goes out (because the issues of 'life - coming at us, fast' or what have you), we are cold, miserable and jaded."

and that has always stayed with me. If you want to see more about why then you can read my blog on it here.

This pendant has been sitting in my mind since 2009 and I finally last week got the chance to bead it.
I love that beading never tires, and the excitement of an idea coming to fruition even years later is still a fab feeling!