Summer Vacation Blog Challenge Reveal

When I started working on this challenge, I had in my mind that I was going to do a piece inspired by all of the wonderful trips my family took to the lake when we were growing up. I wanted to spend every minute possible on the water, fishing, boating, camping, spending time laughing and eating with my family--they were magical times in my life.  But the more I tried to work on my piece(s), the more I struggled. I couldn't pick just one trip that was special (they were all special) so I kept putting it off, hoping the inspiration would come to me.And then, when I least expected it, I was inspired by a totally different summer trip I took in college. It wasn't a vacation. It was a summer "abroad" as a short-term missionary the summer after I graduated college. I had always wanted to live in Mexico and it took several years to convince my parents that it was safe enough, and that I was ready enough to travel outside the USA by myself.

I spent 3 long months in Juarez, Mexico living with a group of college students who loved the Lord and what we were doing just as much as I did. We built houses, ran children's programs, and built relationships with the community. One of my favorite parts of the summer was our community building time. We tried our best to get to know our neighbors, fellow church members, our water suppliers, pastors, the women who made our tortillas, the gentleman who made the best burritos, the guys who ran the hardware store...it was alot of fun. The more we got to know them, the more colorful their personalities became. 

I was struck by the use of vivid color everywhere I went in Juarez. The houses, the clothes, the market, the flowers (the ones that grew in the 110 degree heat!).  Everything was so bright and colorful. As I look back on it now, I realize it was probably to brighten up the dull colors of the desert.

I was bead shopping this weekend and came across the perfect beads for my Juarez inspired jewelry. They are glass tubes that have a red core and look like they have fused yellow glass on top. I paired them with a yellow star, and attached them to one of my new hardware washer crosses that I enameled in a coral color.  I love how the colors play off of each other, and every time I look at the earrings, it makes me want to go back to Juarez.

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We lived and worked at a church while we were in Juarez and I was so inspired by the faith of the people we worked with. I also wanted to pay respect to that and create a hardware cross. It is enameled in a really vivid orange and coral combination, both colors very present and a part of our daily lives while there.

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And now a few pictures from my time in Juarez

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Please make sure that you check out the other participants in our challenge by visiting their blog links:

Karin King: maverickbeads.blogspot.ca
Annette Rivers: http://mamaowlsmess.blogspot.com
Mischelle Andrade Fanucchi: micheladasmusings.blogspot.com
Leanne Loftus: https://www.firstimpressiondesign.blogspot.com
Dolores Raml: http://craftydscreations.wordpress.com/
Christie Murrow: www.charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com
Toltec Jewels: www.jewelschoolfriends.com
Susan Nelwon Bowie http://susanbowie.wordpress.com/
Paula Hisel: http://simplybeadiful.weebly.com/simply-stated.html