This week’s Summer of Color challenge was to create something using the colors Coral and Teal with a pop of White. And since I’ve decided to use this opportunity to make a small journal each week, here’s a peek at what I created:
I love the teal paper – it looks as though it has little bits of printed paper and alphabet letters embedded in it. It’s actually tissue weight and printed rather than having bits really embedded into it, but I love it. It is/was a commercially available paper and when I found it I was so delighted. The white paper I made myself some time ago when I was heavily into paper making, and it does contain bits of cut up print and alphabet letters. And some of those bits happen to be teal blue which made it my perfect pop-of-white addition.
The Summer Solstice arrives for those of us in the Northern hemisphere on Saturday and so I included a glyph for summer on my white bit. And then I happened to find that sweet little paper flower outlined in blue when I was hunting through my bead stash for the spine dangle flowers. A serendipitous find which of course immediately got glued to the cover as well.
I’ve been thinking about coral all week thanks to the prompt and so I pulled out a necklace I strung last year that includes a couple of coral beads.
All the stones in the necklace represent aspects of my astrological natal chart and I looked a long time to find those coral beads. I wanted to be sure to use vintage beads already in circulation so as not to add to the destruction of our already endangered coral reefs. And it just so happened I found 3 beads as part of a tiny stash of broken necklace bits in a resale shop. Another serendipitous find.
It’s good to remember that coral is endangered because of climate change due to the buildup of greenhouse gases which is affecting our oceans so profoundly.
Whenever I think of coral I also think of the poem by Grace Nichols called To My Coral Bones:
Deep
I Cariwoma
have always
carried deep
these islands,
this piece
of Atlantic coastland
inside me.
Sky-deep
Sea-deep
As star is to stone
As tide is to shore
Is just so I hold
these islands
to my coral bones.
And long before
hurricane strike,
some little butterfly,
some little blue messenger
of the soul will ride
the wind to bring
first news to my door.
Lovely isn’t it? While she’s talking about being Caribbean, the image of having coral bones has stuck with me ever since I first read that poem. I’ve come to think that I carry coral bones that are anchored in my own personal sea of being. Just as you do. Just as we all do. Strong and fragile. Fragile and strong.
What colors are speaking to you this week? Have any serendipitous finds? Keep your own stash of flower beads? Think of yourself as The Sea of Me? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
What a cool little journal!
Thanks Rita!
The jouranl is so pretty. I really like the way you put it all together. The coral is special. A stone to heal and protect children, to sooth emotions and to cleans blood and bones. So the poem is appropriate. My granddaughter’s name is Koral. She lives by the sea.
Have a great weekend
Nicole/Beadwright
Thanks for sharing some of the gifts of coral. And how fun you have a connection to a real-life living-by-the-sea Koral – that is special indeed.
I do like the idea of recycling things into, well, new things & also to use the things you have instead of buying new ones, the journal is nice. I like the texture of the teal paper, reminds me of the sea.
visiting from SOC, hope you have a great day.
There’s inspiration all around us in everything isn’t there? Thanks for stopping by and wishing you a wonderful, color-filled week.
how lovely to make journals of the colors!
nice that you looked for old coral beads and then found them, magic
such a lovely poem
speaking of flower beads, i once made some of rose petals, they smelled so good
i wonder where they are now…
Oh yum Tammie – rose beads are so delightful! I hope you find yours, or maybe are inspired to create some more.
Thank you for sharing! Your collection is going to be wonderful 😉 xo
Can’t wait to see what color combo you’ve got planned for us next week Kristin. It’s such fun playing.
I love your journal cover. I’ve also made handmade paper, but mine never looked that white and pristine. I adore the way you described it, too. That poem was perfect, and I agree that coral needs to be protected. Sounds like you and I feel the same way about the environment.
So glad to be peeking at what you’re doing as well Elizabeth. Thanks for stopping by.
Hi, love your journal. Super idea to celebrate the SOC challenge.
Thanks. I’m delighting in this challenge, and love seeing what everyone else is creating as well.
Your journal is so pretty, as are your beads! That poem and your words are beautiful, I like that image of our coral bones anchored in our sea of being, thanks so much for sharing!
It’s fun to think of ourselves in different ways isn’t it? Thanks so much for stopping by Kat.
Thank you for your visit! I love the journal and the beads!! real pretty!
Thanks Joanna. It’s fun touring SOC posts isn’t it?
I really like your little journal, so much! Very ingenious!!!! And your necklace is absolutely beautiful. But the poem really touched my heart! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful talents with us!
Thanks so much for stopping by and saying hello! The poem really is wonderful isn’t it?
A really adorable journal 🙂
Thanks! And happy SOC.
I love this journal too. I love pretty and handmade papers. Your idea to make a journal each week is great.
Thanks – I’m having great fun with the SOC challenge.