Inspired By Reading Book Club: Where Did You Go Bernadette?

                         Where Did You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple   Close up of its book cover

Just a few days ago, the Inspired By Reading Book Club had its 4th Birthday.  I  have enjoyed being a member since day one but have to admit that I have not participated much in the last year.  I wanted to post for the March selection, partly because it was my choice for one of the books this year, and also because I just loved reading this book and was inspired.  My inspiration came primarily from the part of the book that had to do with Antarctica.  It was my favorite part and the landscape I knew least about.  It seemed so surreal and so very QUIET.  During this time I had come across a ceramic blue glaze that I thought was the perfect color for Antarctic ice in sunshine.

.  I checked out some pictures and there it was that ice cold beautiful blue in the water around this iceberg.
                                       I made the beads out of porcelain ceramic clay.

                                         Iceberg blue ceramic beads by Mary Harding

The story of the rest of the inspiration for this necklace is rather long but I will keep it short. My fellow team mate at Art Bead Scene, Michelle McCarthy  of  Firefly Design Studio came up with a challenge last month based on a necklace designed by Lorelei Eurto in the book she co-authored with Erin Siegel: Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry. You can see that post HERE. I was intrigued and purchased some ultra white peanut beads and some white O rings. Then the light went off: I could use them with these blue beads and create a cold antarctic atmosphere. I more or less did that. I changed up Lorelei's design by making some handmade chain with soldered links that looked ice like as well. When I put it all together, I folded the necklace in half to intensify the juxtaposition of the icy elements and here is what I got.

In case you noticed the two toggle clasps, that could be an error or it could be a nod to the zaniness of Bernadette, the main character  in the story!!
Where Did you Go Bernadette is a fun and heart warming read.  I hope you will try it out.  You can check out the other creations this month in the Inspired By Reading Book Club Facebook page HERE.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Mary