In 500 words, tell us what it is like when it's "easy".

A small piece of non-fiction

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I have this recurring dream. In it, I'm struck by lightning. When I wake up (in the dream), I can speak many languages and learning new ones becomes easy. I wish this were true. Well, the learning languages being easy part, not so much the lightning part.

There are many things that I wish were easy; math, remembering names; losing weight. But, they're not. I guess we wouldn't have very rich lives if we didn't ever have hard things to do.

But, I do have some things in my life that have been easy. One of them is my beadwork. I make beaded embroidery necklaces, collars, and, if large enough, something more like a breastplate. That meme about, "I saw it on pinterest... nailed it!" is totally true for this.

Now, granted, there are those out there who make much more elaborate stuff, but it's the same technique, really. I just happen to like to work with tiny beads and elements rather than big, chunky things. Of course, this means that my pieces take a long time to create.

For example, this piece, which I called Moroccan Dreams, took about twenty-five hours. It measures roughly 5" by 7". The beads are mostly 11/0 glass seed beads, if that means anything to you. Basically, think "tiny, but not the tiniest." There are also other glass beads, wooden beads, and metallic elements, all worked around a druzy piece of dyed quartz. There is also, a hidden blown glass ladybug, Do you see her? I was fortunate enough to have this piece purchased by the Culture and History Center of West Virginia for their modern art collection, which is the state in which I live in the United States.

This next piece, I call Starry Night, because the color palette happen to, by chance, match Van Gogh's Starry Night palette. It took about fifty-five to sixty hours to create. It, too, is predominantly 11/0 glass seed beads. There are some 8/0 beads (which are bigger) and 15/0 beads (which are the tiniest) with metallic elements, rhinestones, and gold filigree, around a central stone of copper and lapis lazuli conglomerate. It measures about 7" by 9" and snaps together in the front. I still have this piece in stock, but have it entered into a competition. I'm waiting to hear if it's been accepted. Cross your fingers for me!

The final piece I want to share is called Meadow. It has been sold, but the new owner has graciously allowed me to put it into the same competition before she takes delivery. Meadow's central stone is labradorite. It is, as usual, dominated by 11/0 seed beads with some 15/0 and 8/0 seed beads thrown in. Other elements include pearls, jade butterflies, and metallic pieces. This one took about seventy-five hours to create and measure 9" by 12".

So, there you have a look at my artistic side.