Yesterday I sent off a package of beads and goodies to my
Bead Soup Buddy,
Heather Pyle. I mentioned that she is a polymer clay artist and an art quilter too. What I did not say or show is what she is sending me. She calls them
Alamo Stone Beads because they were inspired by the sculptures on the Alamo. The Alamo was actually one of several Spanish Mission Chapels in and around San Antonio.
Now, what Heather (and probably you) did not know is that I am a
descendant of Texas Revolutionaries for Texas Independence who fought to capture San Antonio before the big battle (The Battle of Bexar).
~~My husband would say my people 'fought with everyone', as one of those ancestors also fought in the Revolutionary War as well. ~~
So the Alamo is very special to me and to my mother's family. "Remember the Alamo!"
Another thing that is VERY special to me is limestone carvings like you find at the Alamo. I fell in love with limestone carvings from medieval cathedrals like this one from Lincoln England. Yes, it is in terrible shape, but you would be too if you were created in 1150 or so.
Limestone is relatively easy to carve because it is sort of soft. It is also best suited for interiors because if water gets between the layers, it begins to flake off over time.
What I love about Heather's pieces is that they have that sort of worn and abused, flaked-off medieval look to them. I cannot wait to see these beads in person!
And this is what she made of them -- gorgeous!
And guess what -- Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Swap has been picked up by Bead Works Magazine. Check out the Bead Buzz page when the June issue hits the stands on May 27th.
And this is what she did with it.
and this . . . and this . . . .
Now get on over there and tell what a great job she did! (She is #81 below)
This is the Sneak Peek I posted a few days ago.
And here is the finished piece. I wore it a couple of time and receive loads of compliments and the 'stones' are as light as a feather so I did not get a headache -- love that!
I had enough left over to make at least one more piece and a set or two of earrings. I will post those during the week. 
Now, what Heather (and probably you) did not know is that I am a descendant of Texas Revolutionaries for Texas Independence who fought to capture San Antonio before the big battle (The Battle of Bexar).
Heather is a polymer clay artist and she loves working in color. She is also an art quilter like me. She commented that she loves to incorporate lampwork glass into her pieces ("hint, hint") so I have included three from Lisi, right in the middle there. The rest of the beads are amethyst, dyed fossil beads, dyed Freshwater pearls, some cloisonne, one of my hand-made clasps, and the focal is carved stone in the shape of two fish.
