Ornament Thursday - LUCK

Welcome to Ornament Thursday! Each month, a group of diverse but like-minded artists come together to create pieces based on a common theme. For more information regarding Ornament Thursday, please go here.

This month's theme is "luck". Now, I think everyone had in mind "luck of the Irish", given the timing of this theme, but I decided on a departure from this interpretation. I don't know - call it "luck of the Chinese" or, more properly, "luck of the Chinese Take-out"? Please bear in mind that I am not Chinese. Of course, neither are fortune cookies, really, so I feel that it's all good. Accounts differ as to where the first fortune cookie was invented. The Husband believes that Chicago was the location, other accounts seem to indicate California. As far as I'm aware, fortune cookies remain unique to US Chinese restaurants. (To my non-US readers - I'd be interested in any information to the contrary.)

I am not a superstitious person, but I love fortune cookies (I have even been known to eat them). I tend to save the good fortunes and the funny ones. They end up in ceramic vases, desk drawers, books, candy dishes, etc., etc. all around my house, my parents' house, my friends' houses. So, when I started working with PMC and resin, fortune cookie fortunes seemed like a good candidate for a piece of jewelry. It seemed obvious to me, anyway.

I think this is a good example of finding inspiration in everyday objects. These days, I am unfashionable and I do not follow trends - I barely manage to wear matching socks and have, on one memorable occasion BSO (Before Short One), managed to show up at the office wearing my shirt inside out. When I design a piece of jewelry, I look to the things I find interesting - poetry, manga, movies, music, games, traffic lights and, well, fortune cookies. To me, nothing epitomizes good luck like a favorable fortune cookie fortune.

The fortune used in this necklace (and you can click on the photo for a close-up) is actually from our local Chinese restaurant, a very child-friendly place where the Short One (a picky eater) will condescend to eat a little chicken and all of the baby corn from the restaurant's version of lemon chicken. Our family, is, as a result, a regular at this restaurant. So, there is a little bit of our daily lives infused in this necklace, which I find appealing. To cap it off, the fortune itself says, "Something wonderful is about to happen to you". I can't imagine a better sentiment to help one get through the day.

For more luck (and who can have too much luck, after all?), please visit the websites of the other participants of this month's Ornament Thursday project:

Art Bead Scene
Lucky ABS! We're part 2 of Lucky Knots!

Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva
Luck is knotted up in Part 1 of this tutorial

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie is inspired by a lucky Leprechaun to make a fairy tale, treasure filled necklace

Jennifer Heynen of Jangles
Lucky Charms Bracelet...The name says it all. This bracelet has everything to bring you good luck.

Jenny Harada
Jingly Good Luck Charm

Joolz by Lisa
As Luck Would Have It...Lucky Earrings

Katie's Beading Blog
Make your own luck with these fun, swingy earrings!

Labyrinth O' Luck
Hali has created a finger labyrinth journal designed after a 4-leaf clover.

Linda Augsburg at Make It Mine magazine
Lucky doesn't begin to describe the adventure I had making this T-shirt...

Lucky
Lucky to be... based on a coin holder a friend made for me...

Lucky To Be Me
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? Well, YOU, of course. No matter who you are when you look into this magical mirror, you'll be reminded you're lucky to be you!

Lynn Kvigne - Beading Help Web
Irish Proverb Window Ornament - step by step instructions for making this year-round ornament that may bring luck right through your window!

Savvy Crafter
Get Lucky over on Candie's blog! She's giving away some Lucky charms and see her earrings made with napkins! Bon Appetit!!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
You'll "make Jean's day " if you check out her lucky Pendant with a Clint Eastwood eighties twist.

Swelldesigner
Swelldesigner gets lucky this month with some super colorful, sparkly painted bangles.

The Impatient Blogger
Luck starts with a wish...Margot shares an project she created for Simply Beads last August.

Thanks for visiting!