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| "Spirit Bead" by Wenona Gardner One special memory I have of my Grandmother Gardner was the day she decided to teach me how to do beaded loomwork just her and I. I was sitting on the floor in her bedroom looking at all her romance novels, and she said "Buffy do you want to learn how to do beadwork?" and I said "Yeah, that would be cool." So she pulled out her black loom, her string, and her Planter's peanut blue can filled with beads. I loved to look inside the can and see all the colors mixed in together. I watched as she threaded the loom. She taught me the technique step by step. She made a mistake on one of her lines, and I pointed it out. And she said that's okay that's my spirit bead. And I was like "What is a spirit bead?" She laughed and said she always puts a mistake in her beadwork to remind herself that she is human and it also acts like a signature to show that she is the one who made it. I started to laugh when I heard that she purposely makes mistakes in her beadwork cause I am such a perfectionist I would never think making a mistake would be a good thing. We talked, laughed, she did the beadwork, and then she had me try to make some lines some more. This has been a very useful traditional skill she taught me. I was able to use it when I made my very first Native American dance outfit. I also made gifts of beaded loomwork for those that I loved. And everytime I have made beaded items of any kind I always think of that special day Grandma and I had, just the two of us, that I will always treasure. Plus, remembering the wisdom of the Spirit bead. |
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| Table of Contents Page 1 - Morning Star Page 2 - Bask in the Glow Page 3 - My Mother Page 4 - My Dream for the Future Page 5 - The Rose Page 6 - Spirit Bead |
| Design and concept by Copyright & copy;1997 Wenona Gardner.Copying the art work or writing from this site is illegal.No part of this virtual publication may be reproduced in any form, andor copied for personal and or commercial purposes, (i.e. web pages,printed copies, logos, etc.), or stored in a data base or retrievalsystem, or transmitted or distributed in any form or by any means,electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording, or otherwise, withoutthe prior written permission of Copyright ©1997 Wenona Gardner (author of web site and writer & artist) |