Holiday and Grandma inspires beads with hearts

The Valentine holiday…. I have been sculpting these hearts on beads. I made them last year at this time too. It is the first time I have ever really been all that inspired by a holiday.

The thought of somebody giving one of my beads to someone they love is inspiring to me. I am happy to make a symbol of love. That is why the two hearts are inter-twined; a symbol of two hearts together. And the four hearts, that could be symbolic of a number of things…four friends, or a family of four…

Most important of all; my Grandma Sally was born on Valentines day. For that reason, I actually like the holiday. Even though it is a Hallmark thing; I think of it as a holiday for her (I pretend like the whole country is celebrating the life of my Grandmother).

My Grandma was one of the nicest women I have ever met, to this day. Not just your normal nice. She was passionately nice. She had 10 kids, and she wanted more. I can still hear her (in my head); when she would put me to sleep at night, she would say, “wake up happy.” I was comforted by those words. I say those very same words to my children every night. Even though, she is no longer with us, her spirit is kept alive. And, in my mind, the whole country celebrates her life on Valentines day.

Sheila Morley is an artist living in Southeast, Michigan. She has an art blog, and her work can be purchased at her website, ebay, Etsy, and various shows and shops.