Sunday, July 25, 2010

Jewelry Inspired by Nature and Life

When I was 11, my parents and I took a mission trip over the summer to Colombia, South America. We lived a good 100 miles from the civilization of Bogota, living in a house on a missionary compound called Lomalinda -- smack in the middle of the jungle.


There were two ways in or out. On our way in, we rode in a shoebox-looking double prop airplane that at times sported a wooden wheel, had no pressurization, and no seats. We sat on the floor, along with the cargo, strapped to the walls -- oh and don't forget the slide locks holding the door shut.)



To leave, we took a looooong taxi trip up and over the Andes mountains. We couldn't take the double-prop plane because it was missing a part, and the single prop plane couldn't physically make it over the Andes. That taxi ride was a trip I'll never forget -- four of us squashed in a cab with a very kindly gentleman who spoke only Spanish, and I was the only one in the car that knew even the remotest bit of the language.


Another interesting tidbit about this taxi trip -- there were guerilla check-points along the way, and they carefully examined all our luggage and Dad's rolls of film. I don't think they knew what to do with us other than to wave us on. But they did keep our cinnamon rolls that we were given by the missionaries before we left! Smart guerillas.


It was an inspiring trip for an impressionable 11-year old. My love of travel was spurred by this trip, and my willingness to learn about other cultures as well. Why visit a country if I didn't know at least something about its history?


All that to say, nature and life spawned this piece of jewelry.


The color is spot-on for the green of the jungle. We lived in Lomalinda during the wet season, so we got rains three times a day -- you could almost set your watch by them. The darker spots remind me of the walk to class in the mornings. We traveled through a denser part of the compound, overgrown with trees and vegetation (and ants -- lots of leaf cutter ants). Some trees were so tall all you could see was the bark unless you cocked your neck waaaaay back, and some trees were like Banyan trees, with their dark, hard roots high above the ground.



I added a leaf to commemorate the jungle -- it's not a banana leaf, but ah well -- I can pretend. And the one silver bead is for this single journey into a land so foreign and wild and dangerous that had we known then what we know now, we may never have gone.


But I'm glad we did.




Lori Anderson makes jewelry for Lori Anderson Designs and also writes the blog Pretty Things.

21 comments:

  1. An amazing memory, and a beautiful bracelet.

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  2. What a great story! Thanks for sharing such a great memory with us.

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  3. This reminds me of a trip we took to Costa Rica, way back when I was doing health research. The colours in your bracelet are so spot on rain forest jungle. Beautiful.

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  4. These Beads are fabulous. Where did you get them? I really like your bracelet - style. It is always so clean, shiny and elegant and sets the beads in scene so well. Wonder how you can do all of this with your headache.

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  5. What a great story for a beautiful piece. I love the "not round" shapes of the glass and silver beads which seem to be punctuated by the exaggerated square of the clasp.

    ...and I keep telling my Spanish classes that they never know when they will find themselves needing to use the language.

    I hope you are feeling better. I've just finished my 3rd week of prednoisone and despite thinking that I could not suffer one more second without ripping off my skin, I have had a few migraines in my life and know that they are far worse.

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  6. What a stunning bracelet! And what a great inspiration for jewelry.

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  7. What a great story, and what a wonderful bracelet. I love to hear the stories that inspire people to create beautiful jewerly. So thank you so much for sharing.

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  8. Beautiful! I love the colr, not pure green, like a mx of tree and sky together! And a wonderful story!

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  9. I love hearing about what interesting lives people have had! I feel like vanilla ice cream! What an amazing story, and a beautiful bracelet!

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  10. Great story! I loved reading about the inspiration behind this piece!

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  11. What an incredible story. Venezuela is a little dangerous, Columbia is several levels up. I loved the people, though. Most of our vacations are spent visiting our "girls." We are next off to Croatia for the wedding of Petar, who was an exchange student. It is our second time there and it is a beautiful country. I am so glad we had this experience and understand what you are saying about living with other cultures. We were not there as long...I envy you!

    Suz

    P.S. We got stopped by guerilla's in Venezuela who were not going to let us go to the airport. Kat (who was fourteen) had a screaming, crying fit i(she was going to miss drama practice) n the middle of the highway, thinking it would "move" them. They were not impressed!!!

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  12. I loved reading about your inspiration for this beautiful bracelet. What an amazing adventure this must have been...

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  13. thank you so much for sharing your fabulous memories with us. it made for a beautiful piece of jewelry, but better still it gave great depth and color to your life as well!

    my missions trip in college was to Mexico - not quite as exotic, but I went by myself! I guarantee that I was as nervous as you were in your jungle!

    thank you again for sharing!
    Alesha

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  14. Lori, what an incredible experience! Sharing culture, language and so much more with your family is a memory you will cherish forever.

    I love that your bracelet matches so closely your experience. It's only missing the cinnamon rolls! tee hee!

    Love it all!
    {Hugs!}
    Dawn

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  15. Lori, so fascinating learning more of where you lived growing up... and the bracelet is a great commemorative - leaf and all!

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  16. This experience must have made such a vivid impression on you because your description brought the amazing trip to life for me. The bracelet is exquisite and a unique reminder of an incredible memory.

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  17. Amazing trip and amazing bracelet. Your family must have a lot of faith to have done this.

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  18. Great story...felt like I was with you and the cinnamon rolls.

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  19. Wow! What a great opportunity to really experience another culture ... not as a tourist. I remember taking a course in Cultural Geography. It's the study of how people adapt because of their environment. Dark skinned people in Africa and South America, Light skinned people in Nordic countries. People with thin nostrils in cold climates, wider nostrils in warm climates. I loved that course! I am so glad you shared this story. And, I love the bracelet! Beautiful!

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  20. I loved the way you get inspiration from your life experiences. I felt like I was on the journey with you. Pretty jewelry!

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  21. What a gorgeous bracelet and I love the meaning behind it.

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Thanks so much for commenting!