September 1, 2012

Senegal in Micro Macrame - Challenge of Travel

Erin Prais-Hintz of Treasures Found and Marcie Abney of La Bella Joya  issued this challenge:
choose from one of five regions of the world connected to the five rings on the Olympic flag:  Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe & Oceania ( you cannot choose the region where you live).  From that region, select a nation, or opt to have one selected for you (I chose this one – I love a surprise!).  Create an accessory that evokes that nation based on anything that inspires you.  Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?  I chose Africa and got Senegal.

I had to do a bit of research because I’ve never been to Senegal.  Or anywhere close to there, for that matter.  It’s a long way from Nebraska.  

The facts:  the Republic of Senegal is a country located on the coast in western Africa.  Its capital and largest city is Dakar, which is a port located on the western most tip of Africa.  The landscape ranges from beautiful coastlines to rolling plains to arid sand dunes.  Islam is the predominate religion and polygamy is a common practice.  Senegal is one of the most stable democracies in Africa and participates in international peacekeeping. That's all fine and dandy, but I'm a very visual person:
Something about the sand speaks to me.  I know, I'm usually an ocean kind of gal and I'm amazed that I didn't go right for making a piece based on the tropical blues and greens, but for some reason these dunes fascinate me.  I even found a closer photo of the sand:
I based my piece on the colors and the rolling, undulating waves formed by the wind over the sand.  I made a bracelet in micro macrame with glass seed beads and a little dangle of beads of bone.  I call it Sands of Senegal.
I hope you will take a few minutes (OK, it might take more than that!) to visit the other participants:





































Name Blog Region Chosen Inspiration Nation
Monique Urquhart http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.ca/ Africa Burkina Faso
Niky Sayers http://silverniknats.blogspot.co.uk/ Africa Egypt
Therese Frank http://www.theresestreasures59.blogspot.com Africa Kenya
Raychelle Heath http://abeadloveaffair.blogspot.com/ Africa Lesotho
Joan Williams www.lilrubyjewelry.wordpress.com Africa Mauritania
Sherri Stokey http://www.KnotJustMacrame.com Africa Senegal
Regina Santerre http://reginaswritings.blogspot.com Africa Seychelles
Raida Disbrow http://havanabeads.blogspot.com Africa Tanzania
Kristi Wodek http://livedinlife.blogspot.com Africa Zimbabwe
Sally Russick http://www.thestudiosublime.com Americas Brazil
Melissa Trudinger http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com Americas Mexico
Tracy Stillman http://www.tracystillmandesigns.com Americas USA
Sandra Wolberg http://city-of-brass-stories.blogspot.de Asia India
Tanya Goodwin http://pixiloo.blogspot.com Asia Japan
Susan Kennedy http://suebeads.blogspot.com Asia Japan
Beth Emery http://storiesbyindigoheart.blogspot.com Asia Japan
Lisa Cone http://inspiredadornments.blogspot.com/ Asia Japan
Tanya Boden http://fusionmusebangkok.blogspot.com/ Asia Japan
Inge von Roos http://ingetraud.wordpress.com Asia Laos
Erin Prais-Hintz http://treasures-found.blogspot.com Asia Nepal
Dee Elgie http://cherryobsidia.blogspot.com Asia Phillipines
Carolyn Lawson http://carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com Asia South Korea
Lisa Stukel http://carefreejewelrybylisa.blogspot.com Asia Sri Lanka
Elly Snare http://themagicsquarefoundation.wordpress.com Asia Thailand
Shelley Graham Turner http://www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com Europe Austria
Mallory Hoffman http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com/ Europe Bosnia Herzegovina
Paige Maxim http://www.pmaximdesigns.blogspot.com Europe France
Jenny Davies-Reazor http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog Europe Germany
Sharyl McMillian-Nelson http://sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com Europe Greece
Evelyn Shelby http://raindropcreationsbyevelyn.blogspot.com/ Europe Iceland
Holly Westfall http://silverrosedesigns.blogspot.com/ Europe Ireland
Rebecca Siervaag http://www.godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com Europe Ireland
Toltec Jewels http://toltecjewels.blogspot.com Europe Ireland
Lee Koopman http://StregaJewellry.wordpress.com Europe Ireland
Laren Dee Barton http://larendeedesigns.blogspot.com Europe Italy
Cindy Wilson http://www.mommysdreamcreations.blogspot.com Europe Norway
Kathleen Lange Klik http://ModernNatureStudio.blogspot.com Europe Poland
Shaiha Williams http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/ Europe Portugal
Jennifer Justman http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/ Europe Romania
Elsie Deliz-Fonseca http://ladelizchica.blogspot.com Europe Spain
Lola Surwillo http://www.beadlolabead.blogspot.com Europe Sweden
Kim Hora http://www.kimmykats.com Europe Switzerland
Leanne Loftus http://firstimpressiondesign.blogspot.com Europe The Netherlands
Patti Vanderbloemen http://myaddictionshandcrafted.blogspot.com Europe The Netherlands
Marcie Carroll http://labellajoya.blogspot.com Europe Turkey
Marlene Cupo http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com Oceania Federated States of Micronesia
Ine Vande Cappelle http://jewelsbyine.blogspot.com Oceania Fiji
Tammie Everly http://ttedesigns.blogspot.com/ Oceania Guam
Alice Peterson http://www.alice-dreaming.blogspot.com Oceania Kiribati
Elisabeth Auld http://www.beadsforbusygals.com Oceania Nauru
Susan McClelland http://mistheword12.wordpress.com/ Oceania New Zealand
D Lynne Bowland http://islandgirlsinsights.blogspot.com Oceania New Zealand
Denielle Hagerman http://somebeadsandotherthings.com Oceania New Zeland
Rebecca Anderson http://songbeads.blogspot.com Oceania Papua New Guinea
Mischelle Fanucchi http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com/ Oceania Samoa
Kari Asbury http://hippiechickdesign.blogspot.com Oceania Solomon Islands
Cece Cormier http://www.thebeadingyogini.com/ Oceania Tonga
Emma Todd http://www.apolymerpenchant.com Oceania Tuvalu
Debbie Price http://greenshoot.blogspot.com Oceania Vanuatu































photo credits: gbaku via photo pin cc; gbaku via photo pin cc; gbaku via photo pin cc; kalyan3 via photo pin cc

35 comments:

  1. First of all, I loved your visual tour! You found some awesome pictures! But, the way that your bracelet totally suits the waves of the sand is FANTASTIC! The colors, the pattern, love it all! Wonderful job!

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    1. Thank you, Patti. This country is such a study in contrasts - the natural beauty of the coast against the squalor of the city... I didn't know how to show it any better than with photos.

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    2. I love your pictures and your bracelet is stunning!

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  2. Your blog post is great - it puts this relatively new blogger to shame. And the lovely bracelet - WOW!

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  3. Wonderful pictures! It really made Senegal come to life for me. And the sand......yes, it whispered to me also though I'm not usually a brown or neutral kind of girl. Your bracelet is just gorgeous and truly reflects the mood of the shifting sands. Well done.

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  4. Hi Sherri,
    Thank you so much for taking me on your trip to Senegal. I enjoyed getting to know the people and the places. I love the keepsake bracelet you made as a reminder of the trip to the sand dunes. I love the colors and the waves of beads to mimic the ripples in the sand, beautiful!
    Therese

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  5. Thanks for an interesting tour and geography lesson of Senegal. Your bracelet absolutely captures the look and feel of those dunes. Nice Job Sherri! :-)

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  6. Beautiful. All of your work is awesome. Love the colors of this piece. Beautiful photographs.

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  7. This travel around the world has me fascinated, not only by the wonderful posts about the countries I will never see in person, but the beautiful creations inspired by the trip. Your's is at the top of the list. Breath taking!

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  8. Sherri - its fantastic! I loved the pictures you selected - but love your inspiration even more. You didnt stop at the surface - but let the journey take you somewhere else. The sand - your beads - the composition of the bracelet, the rippling dunes... Wow.
    Tangent: have you ever heard of the Drakar rally? Its an annual road race, all vehicle from trucks to motorcycles. Yup - racing in the desert... Its pretty intense!
    Jenny

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    1. I did see some information on that when I was researching - sounds WILD!

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  9. Your bracelet is just perfect. It moves like the sand and the beads look like little pebbles and grains of sand.

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  10. Oh my! Miss Sherri this is so stunning! The undulating waves of sand do mimic water. The intricacies of this design astound me. I am so glad you took up the challenge with me. Enjoy the day! Erin

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    1. Thank you, ma'am - and thank you so much for letting me play along with your hop. This was great fun:)

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  11. Your photos are fabulous and I enjoyed looking through them! I love that you chose the desert sands as inpiration. And what a stunning piece! I love how it seems to undulate much like the dunes. Your beadwork is fabulous!

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  12. The bracelet is lovely! Love the color combination and the shape! And of course to patience to make it :)

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  13. I've always wanted to visit Senegal--and partly for the vibrant people and their colors. I like how your bracelet instead used the sandy colors. I generally love the colors you use in your macrame, and this one is no exception!

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  14. Sherri, I am gaga for your wonderful sand-inspired bracelet! And your photo gallery gives a taste of the many sides of Senegal. It is another country on my wishlist to visit.

    Thanks for you visit and comment on my blog, too!

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  15. Beautiful combo on that wave bracelet. Like it.

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  16. The photography you chose was beautiful and I love the bracelet! Your work is gorgeous ;)

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  17. Gorgeous bracelet, you have captured the beauty and the symmetry of the desert sands so perfectly. I have been to Senegal, to the southern province by the sea many years ago. I remember buying a strand of green Malachite beads at the local market. Brings back memories. Thank you and happy travels!

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    1. Lucky! I'd love to have a chance to visit there - and I'd love the malachite:)

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  18. Really lovely bracelet the colors are fantastic!

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  19. I have always wanted to visit senegal. I love the photos. Your bracelet is simply gorgeous..

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  20. What a stunning bracelet! Great job on the post!

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  21. That bracelet is incredible! I am a desert rat and it takes me home.

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  22. What an incredible bracelet, beautiful! Thanks for sharing the amazing photos, love your post.

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  23. I have NO idea how you did that, but it's beautiful! It captures the sand perfectly!

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  24. I live near some dunes in Northern Michigan so I could greatly relate to your inspiration and can't believe how beautifully you captured the essence. I am in awe. Truly beautiful!

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  25. Your pieces are ALWAYS beautiful and this one is no exception. I love the sand colored beads and the movement of the windblown sand is mirrored in your bracelet. Love it (and then there is that creepy hand! LOL)

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  26. I know! I'm starting to see that hand everywhere now. Are people borrowing it just to confuse me? :-) Anyway, this is an incredible bracelet. I always think micro macrame and seed beading are amazing, but I really love the pattern you created, with the wave-like sand designs. This brings back a memory I have of climbing a sand dune in Australia. It's one of my very favorite memories! There is something very special about the sand as well as the water, I do agree!

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  27. Awesome sand dune in your bracelet.Love and hugs Tanya

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  28. Stunningly beautiful. you can feel the wind sweeping across, creating these waves. I love it!

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