No Mercy for America's Most Unwanted

Beads and components, that is.
Since the beginning of the Neverending Necklace in July 1998, people from everywhere have donated beads for this project. And very often, these beads sat in drawers all but forgotten.

Until a gentle soul remembered their lingering fate and had the good idea to give them new life within this novel project. You can see the names of those who have contributed here >>

Not that all donated beads were surplus: many gifted bead makers and bead dealers have donated brand new and fantastic beads because they cared enough to participate.

Take for example Inez Ancell, who painstakingly makes beaded beads using tiny beads and gigantic skill. Inez had donated beads very early on, and her beads have a very special place on the necklace. See some of them here >>

Of course there are others who donated: the late Shannon Hill, Jeri Ann and Roger Golba, Laurie Smith, Jeff Ursillo, Donna Jostiak, Jack Stamper, Cynthia Tanney, Melinda Schwartz, Terre Beasley, Wolfgang Eccarius, Audrey Quetier, Rick Baldwin, Suzie Moncada, Barbara Barry, Maria Richmond, Sara Harary, Carol Robertson, Courtney Tavares, Chris Noel, Dru Ackerman, Harriett Flashenburg and many other kind individuals.

And all those beads that are yet unstrung are already part of a design for their new section.
Without these donations, it would be very difficult to keep building on this project and it certainly would not be nearly as spectacular.

What makes it even better is the recycling aspect: great care is being taken to give all beads a meaningful new life on the Neverending Necklace.

Next in line is a section named "Grandma's Box" - which is literally what these components came from. See the picture below.

"Grandma's Box" donated by Donna Jostiak

This box is a conglomerate of parts, buttons, beads and components that came from the estate of Donna's "Grandmother-In-Law".

I always try to keep lots together, but sometimes I will break them up, depending on the design.

Hold onto your seat, because this collection is eclectic, to say the least, and I have plans to make their section as stunning as possible.

I promise it'll be very nice!

About being not irreplaceable...

...au contraire: I do believe that there are many individuals that are more qualified in certain areas of expertise than I am.

Yesterday I was inadvertently made aware of that. Being somewhat active in online social networks, I had posted my most recent section of the Neverending Necklace on facebook.
Shortly thereafter, I had gotten a comment which described that section as being "cutesy".

Not that it crushed me (only very few things can do that, if any), but that word is dreaded in my vocabulary when speaking of the necklace.

But I have to admit that the person posting it is right. And I am VERY happy for that, because he is a respected artist and ranks high in my personal scale for having a secure style.

It was a catalyst for pushing ahead and relaxing the restraining reigns of "Ingy Control". (I'll explain shortly)

The Neverending Necklace was never meant to be an archaically serious project, but rather fun and light-spirited. It also never was supposed to be my monopoly to determine its appearance. It just worked out that way over the years and it became settled comfortably in that groove.

The comment on facebook ignited a spark inside my very core that kept eating its way out. On a hunch, I had asked the commentor whether he'd like to design a section himself, and it looks like he's taking me up on the offer. (I do hope that)

A proverbial bucket of worms got opened and I can't seem to rein them back in and reseal it.

That's good.

A fresh wind to blow out the halls of stuffiness is very welcome.

And so I am asking (publicly and openly) for assistance from creative people. If you would like to actually design a panel for the Neverending Necklace, just drop me a line.

I believe that you will represent a beautiful addition to the Neverending Necklace!

In the Mood...

While I'm working on several sections at the same time, let me show you some of my favorite completed ones in the meantime.

The name for this section was really a no-brainer. Made with various second generation mood beads, "In the Mood" has an overall blue theme. However, the blue is not dark: it is a lively Turquoise-blue with a much happier undertone.

While the beads do shift color depending on temperature, they create an ever changing image because of their property.

You can see more about this section here, and it is still up for grabs for a lifetime sponsorship.

I'll try to introduce a section a day on this blog, so if you'd like to know what's going on in my world, just follow me...

There are events that can throw you off your schedule...

...to say the least.

On last Friday was to appear a continuation of the Neverending Necklace story, but something infinitively bigger had taken precedence.
(I will continue that story in just a few days)

Japan needs us right now. Expert emergency personnel, funds, prayers, goods, services and moral support.

The Japanese need to know that the world is pulling together to help them any way possible.

And they need to know that we care. I am as sad over this catastrophe as anybody, and I would like to offer a message of encouragement and hope to those people who have lost so much.

"Dear Japanese, please be strong, keep faith in life and the earth and know that you are thought of."

We are their family now, and together we can allay their fears and soothe their emotional wounds.

There will be a long time of grieving, of cleaning up, of burying, of despair and endless tears. But Japan will rebuild the part that was taken by the earth and the sea.There will be a new beginning amid hope for a new future.

Please help me make a special panel with dedications as encouragement to those stricken by sadness and grief.

Dedicate beads to the people of Japan. It's easy and free.
Once all beads o the special panel are dedicated, I will send a list of the dedications to the Japanese Ambassador in the US.

Spread a little kindness and help comfort the victims of this tragic disaster.

Making the World's Longest Necklace. How crazy is that?

As if we didn't have already enough world record attempts floating around the atmosphere, cluttering people's sense of aesthetics.

Well, the Neverending Necklace wasn't really designed to dilute the pool of 5-minute-fame-holders. Notoriety is not what I was after when I incepted the idea of raising money and awareness for a local Veteran's charity.

It all started out with a very well written and researched article in our local paper, the Palm Beach Post. It talked about Chris Noel and her wonderful charity that made it its mission to help Veterans who are disabled and/or homeless.

It left an impact on me, as my memories brought me back to my own teenage years, back in time and far away.

I grew up in a part of Germany that had US troops stationed all around us. The American soldiers and their families were a part of my upbringing, and when I was in High School, some classmates and I had befriended a few GIs.

The emotional recollections about their time in Vietnam were detached to a sheltered German teenage girl, but we all felt the dark clouds that shrouded these men's pain in hazy attempts to camouflage their experience.

Not to forget that Germany's own war-torn past was something our parents and grandparents had lived through.

War was not pretty. Not heroic. And very undesirable to say the least.

In other words: I grew up hating a monster that I had never encountered, but that was described to me vividly by those who I loved and trusted.

War would forever become a permanent resident on my shit list.

So - a cause helping Veterans was personal. I decided I would help.

That was almost 13 years ago and I have learned a lot.

For one: don't attempt to "help" without a concise plan. And, above all, try to be financially stable when you decide to implement a novel fund raising idea.

But, the Neverending Necklace was born, and with it the commitment to make it a messenger of peace. And love. Love & Peace.

At the time I owned a nature store selling rocks, fossils, birding supplies, tea, incense, books, gifts, gem stones and beads.

The idea was simple:
choose beads and dedicate them to people you love. Each dedication was $1.00 and that money went to the Veteran's Charity.

I could raise a little money and the new project was quite popular in my store. However my dreamy bubble burst when I had to close shop for the lack of traffic. Rent was high and sales low, and somehow this equation just didn't work.

The necklace, at the time about seven feet long, went into hibernation...



Read more in tomorrow's blog

So, What Do You Do With a Blog?

Not that I don't know that already, but it's a question I asked myself after I sat staring at the white and very virgin text box.

And because you don't want to read about me and my humble life (which is just like Millions of other regular lives), I hope to give you something of value.

Something that will keep you intrigued or at least entertained for a couple of fleeting moments.

I'd like to share my knowledge about pearls and beads and, of course, the Neverending Necklace.

While I have been working on making the World's longest and most endearing string of beads, I have also accumulated a wealth of information and some wisdom to boot. 

"Pearls of Wisdom" and "Beads of Knowledge", so to speak.

Grab a cup of tea, hold on tight and follow this blog. You just might find some gems along the way...