The past year has been filled with many personal and professional challenges.

Some tragic circumstances ( a suicide death of a remarkable friend and a manslaughter death of a co-worker.)

To say that it was a tough year would be an understatement.

I’ve learned over the years to just do my best to stay in the present moment,

and this has served me well. I tend to focus not on memories, but on what is happening in this moment.

I had no agenda or design plan for this blog hop and allowed my hands do the work for this one, rather than relying on my brain.

I decided to use some materials hanging around on my work bench:

wool yarn, bone bead, twin beads, leather strip, lampwork beads.

Technique: kumihimo braiding, macrame and hand sewing.

This is a modern, organic, primitive looking piece.

I thought about these words as I was putting it together…

Remember always that you are just a visitor here,

a traveler passing through.

Your stay is but short and the moment of your departure unknown.

None can live without toil and a craft that provides your needs is a blessing indeed.

But if you toil without rest, fatigue and weariness will overtake you,

and you will be denied the joy that comes from labor’s end.
Speak quietly and kindly and be not forward with either opinions or advice.

If you talk much, this will make you deaf to what others say,

and you should know that there are few so wise that they cannot learn from others.

Be near when help is needed, but far when praise and thanks are being offered.

Take small account of might, wealth and fame, for they soon pass and are forgotten.

Instead, nurture love within you and and strive to be a friend to all.

Truly, compassion is a balm for many wounds.
Treasure silence when you find it, and while being mindful of your duties, set time aside, to be alone with yourself.

Cast off pretense and self-deception and see yourself as you really are.

Despite all appearances, no one is really evil.

They are led astray by ignorance.

If you ponder this truth always you will offer more light, rather than blame and condemnation.
You, no less than all beings have Buddha Nature within.

Your essential Mind is pure.

Therefore, when defilements cause you to stumble and fall, let not remorse nor dark foreboding cast you down.

Be of good cheer and with this understanding, summon strength and walk on.

Faith is like a lamp and wisdom makes the flame burn bright.

Carry this lamp always and in good time the darkness will yield and you will abide in the Light.

Dhammavadaka

Thank you Lori Anderson for hosting this blog hop.

See what other participants have created using the following links:

Hostess, Lori Anderson       Pretty Things

Adlinah Kamsir                   Dream Struck Designs

Aimee Biondolillo               Aimee’s Jewelry Treasures

Alicia Marinache                 All the Pretty Things

Andra Marasteanu               Handmade by Indra Marasteanu

Andrea Trank                      Heaven Lane Creations

April Grinaway                   Brooklyn Bead Goddess

Barb Solem                         Vivi Magoo Presents

Becky Pancake                    Becky Pancake Bead Designs

Beth Emery                         Stories by Indigo Heart

Birgit Klughardt                  Gites Beads

Bonnie Coursolle                Jasper’s Gems

Cassi Paslick                       Beads: Rolling Downhill

Catherine King                    Catherine’s Musings

Cece Cormier                      The Beading Yogini

Chandra Leitz                     Juniper Goods

Charissa Nesler                   FireStorm Designs

Charlie Jacka                       Clay Space

Christina Hickman              Vintage Treasures Jewelry

Christine Murrow               Charis Designs Jewelry

Christine Stonefield            Sweet Girl Design

Chrizette Bayman               Bead Soup Mix

Cindy Wilson                      It’s My Sea of Dreams

CJ Bauschka                       4 His Glory Creations by CJ

Crystal Thain                      Here Bead Dragons

Cyndi Lavin                        Beading Arts

Debbie Rasmussen             A little of this, a little of that

Denielle Hagerman             Some Beads… and other things I like

Diana Gonzalez                  Arte y Poemas

Diane Hawkey                    diane hawkey

Dita Basu                            ankarshilpa

Donetta Farrington             Simply Gorgeous

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell     Deeliteful Jewelry Creations

Elena Adams                      ~~TBA~~

Emma Todd                        A Polymer Penchant

Erin Kenny                         beadiful therapy

Erin Prais-Hintz                  Treasures Found

Gina Hockett                      Freestyle Elements

Gloria Allen                        Innovative Dreams Jewelry

Heather Marston                 CSW Designs

Inge von Roos                    Inge’s Blog

Iveth Caruso                       Creative Atelier

Jacqueline Marchant          Fiddledeedee Jewelry

Jami Shipp                         Celebrating Life!

Jean Yates                          Snap Out of it Jean, There’s Beading to Do!

Jennifer Reno                     Musings of a Crafty Jenny

Jenny Robledo                   Peppa’s Dream

Jennifer VanBenschoten    Jewelry, Art and Life

Jessica Klaaren                  Cellar Door Jewelry

Jessica Murray                   Whimsical Monkey

Joan Williams                     lilruby jewelry

Jo-Ann Woolverton            It’s a Beadiful Creation

Joanne Browne                   josjewels1

Jodie Marshall                    Jodie Marshall Lampwork Beads Wearable Art

Johanna Rhodes                 Fire Phoenix Creations

John Rasmussen                 Rasumussen Gems and Jewelry LLC

JuLee Wolfe                       The Polymer Penguin

Julie Bean                           Blue Pig Blog

Karen Mitchell                   Over the Moon Designs

Karin King                         The Sparklie Things Blog

Karin Slaton                       Backstory Beads

Kat Douglas                       Washoe Kat’s

Kay Bolton                        Toodles and Binks

Kayla Potega                     The Eclectic Element

Kelly Hosford Patterson     The Traveling SideShow

Kim Ballor                          Vitamin C … A Daily Does of Creativity

Kim Dworak                       CianciBlue

Kim Houston                       The Pink Martini

Kym Hunter                         Kym Hunter Designs

Laren Dee Barton                Laren Dee Designs

Lea Avroch                          LA Jewelry Designs

Leanne Loftus                      First Impression Design

Liddy McLaughlin               Liddy McLaughlin Art

Linda Florian                       Lily’s of the Valley Jewelry & Creative Creations

Linda Inhelder                     Must-Haves Jewelry

Lisa Hamilton                      Simply Irresistable Jewelry

Lisa Suver                            Fancee That

Lori Bowring Michaud        Artfully Ornamental

Lori Poppe                           Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

LouAnn Elwell                    Southpass Beads

Mallory Hoffman                 For the Love of Beads

Mandi Effron                       Craft-o-licious

Marcia DeCoster                 MadDesigns

Marcia Dunne                     The Alternative Foundry

Marcy Lamberson              ~Studio Marcy~

Marie Covert                      Creating Interest

Marjorie Savill Linthwaite     bennubirdrising

Marlene Cupo                        Amazing Designs by Marlene

Martha Aleo                           Ornamento

Marti Conrad                          Marti’s Buttons -n- Beads

Mary Ellen Parker                  BeeTree by m.e.

Mary Govaars                        MLH Jewelry Designs

Mary Lindell                          Mary Lindell Artisan Jewelry

Maureen Connolly                 Mrs Beadsley’s Workshop

Maybeline Tay                       The Jewelry Larder

Melissa Elgin                         The Addicted Beader

Melissa Mesara                      one-eared pig beads

Menka Gupta                         Menka’s Jewelry

Michaela Pabeschitz              la mar de bonita

Mischelle Fanucchi               Micheladas Musings

Mona Rae Baroody               Who Does She Bead She Is?

Nan Emmett                          Spirit Rattles — Spirited Earth

Nancy Pedersen                    Something Heartfelt by Nancy

Natalie Davidson                  NorthShore Days

Nikki Douglas                      Bead It and Weep

Pam Farren                           re-maker

Pam, the Crazier Sister        The Crazy Creative Corner

Pam Traub                            Klassy Joolz

Priya Krish                           Hellopalz

Rebecca Anderson               Song Beads

Rebecca Sirevaag                 Becca’s Place

Robin Kae Reed                   Artistry HCBD

Rochelle Brisson                  a creative chelle

Rosa Maria Cuevas              Helena de Troya

Sabine Dittrich                     perlendschungel

Sandi Volpe                          Sandi Volpe

Sandra McGriff                    Creative Chaos

Sarah Goode                         Pookledo

Sarah Singer                         String a Song of Sixpence

Serena Trent                         All Things Made Jewelry

Shai Williams                       Shaiha’s Ramblings

Sharon Palac                        Sharon’s Jewelry Garden

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson    Sharyl’s Jewelry & Reflections

Sheila Davis                         Stone Designs

Shelley Graham Turner        Fabric of My Life

Sherri Stokey                       Knot Just Macrame

Sherry Baun                         Unicorns Jewels

Skylar Bre’z                         Brising Beads

Stephanie Haussler              Pixybug Designs

Tania Spivey                        Moobie Grace Designs

Terri G.                                Blooming Ideas

Terry Carter                         Tapping Flamingo

Terry Matuszyk                    Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Toltec Jewels                       Jewel School Friends

Tracy Kruse                         Goldkisses Art

Tracy Martin                        Nutkitten’s Jewelry

Zia Parks                              Anzi~Panzi’s Work Shoppe

Zoe Marcin                          Beads, Tea and Sweets