Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Challenge of Literature Blog Hop: Girl On Fire

Hello sweet friends and lovely blog hoppers!  I am so excited about this challenge!  Can you tell?  Do the exclamation points tip you off?  I have always loved books, always!  My mother read to me as a very little one and by the time I was four I was starting to read on my own.  I grew up a Navy brat and we moved around a wee bit... books were one of the great constants in my life (some of my dearest friends, in fact).  A rather awkward and odd child, I fell in love with Shakespeare at the age of seven.  I remember wandering around the Kitsap County Library, bored with they children's books and finding a slender book (the Yale Shakespeare, you know the ones, blue cloth covers?  Still my favorite!) with the gold lettering on the spine that said "Romeo and Juliet"... even I had heard of the star-crossed lovers.  Curiosity piqued I couldn't help but pull the volume from the shelves and sat down in the rather dark aisle and began to read.  At such a young age I didn't understand all I read, of course, but the language captured me.  It was magical to my young mind and from then on I thirsted even more for words, words that painted pictures, words that evoked emotions, words that inspired my imagination to fly.

Since that time I have read so many books, so many wonderful, magical, inspiring books.  I have read books from a wide variety of genres, time periods, authors... and I have very rarely found a book I truly didn't like.  I loved reading so much that I chose English as my major at the UO and loved it.  Loved!  I have many favorites... Beowulf (which I own in Old English), Emma by Jane Austen, Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare (though I love all Shakespeare, it is one of my oddball favorites), The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas, almost anything by Mercedes Lackey, Emily Dickinson's poetry, John Donne's poetry... plenty of classics and modern literature alike.  I won't deny I loved every single Harry Potter novel, I have a huge weak spot for Patricia C. Wrede's Dealing with Dragons series, and I did indeed enjoy Twilight... OH!  and Outlander by Diana Gabaldon!  Jamie makes me swoon-y.  ;).  There are many others I can't think of at the moment, but they are there... hundreds of them lol.

I know, I know, you have other blogs to hop!  Cut to the chase woman!  Ok!!!  Of late I have caught the Hunger Games bug... a good friend of mine recommended it and I couldn't put it down.  What drew me to the novels was Katniss, the main character herself, the three novels can be seen in so many ways... but it was the parallel between the greater plot and Katniss inner struggles that truly captured me.  I don't want to spoil anything for any of you who have not read it and I am worried if I try too hard I will blab on and on... so I am going to cheat a wee bit and borrow from Wikipedia's article on the novel:

"The Hunger Games is a young adult novel written by American television writer and novelist Suzanne Collins. It was first published on September 14, 2008, by Scholastic, in hardcover.[1]It is written in the voice of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in a post-apocalyptic world in the country of Panem where the countries of North America once existed. The Capitol, a highly advanced metropolis, holds hegemony over the rest of the nation. The Hunger Games are an annual event in which one boy and one girl aged 12 to 18 from each of the 12 districts surrounding the Capitol are selected by lottery to compete in a televised battle until only one person is left." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games)


One of the themes throughout the entire series is fire.  Katniss' district is in charge of coal mining, when she ends up a participant in the Hunger Games her stylist, Cinna, and his female counterpart, Portia, choose fiery costumes to represent District 12.  From there all of Katniss' "promo" (remember this is a televised event, scary reality tv) outfits involve the look of fire in its many forms... earning her the nickname "the girl on fire".  To me the fire theme is so perfect for that parallel between Katniss and her world... she is like a phoenix... going from ashes to coal to fire and back again as she grows and changes... and the journey is never easy for her, her world is a very harsh one.  Enough of my rambling, here is my piece inspired by the "Girl on Fire"


Challenge of Literature:  Girl on Fire

Challenge of Literature:  Girl on Fire

Challenge of Literature:  Girl on Fire

Challenge of Literature:  Girl on Fire

Challenge of Literature:  Girl on Fire

Featuring Fallen Angel Brass Co. brass chain, wire, and bead caps, a stunning boro by Amanda Cargill Austin of Sea Shore Glass, garnet chips from Legendary Beads, faceted onyx rounds, and a brass stamping blank from B'Sue Boutique.

I hope you enjoyed my piece :)  Now, off to see the others!  I can't wait!



Challenge of Literature 2012
<div align="center"><a href="http://treasures-found.blogspot.com" title="Challenge of Literature 2012"><img src="http://i1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg508/tesoritrovati/booksbuttonv2.jpg" alt="Challenge of Literature 2012" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Thank you all!

~Jenn

37 comments:

  1. That bead really is on fire! Very pretty necklace!

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  2. Love what you did..really good combo..that bead is divine and I am a lover of garnet in all forms. Great choice of metal colour and stamping... looks burnt and out of the ashes. I have neither read the book or seen movie but I really want to do both!
    Jenni

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    1. Thank you so much, Jenni! I beat the heck out of the stamping blank LOL. I'm so glad my vision came to life :) I hope you do read the book (and see the movie, which was quite good as well!).

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  3. Wow - truly awesome necklace! Love the darkness of the chain and pendant and the red of the beads combined! Stunning!!!

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    1. Thank you so much! :) I think this is my favorite piece I've created so far, so happy you enjoyed it too!

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  4. Your necklace is super duper awesome! I love the hunger games! I can so see this necklace being wore Katniss! I have not seen the movie yet, not sure if I want too! The book was so awesome!

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    1. Thank you SO much, it means so much to have someone who loves the books love my piece :). I saw the movie after I read the books and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I felt they really did try to be true to the books! But the book was definitely better, still, the movie was excellent :)

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  5. Cinna would approve, Im sure.

    Love that fiery bead, too! Absolutely perfect.

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    1. *bouncing with joy* Do you think he would approve? Oh I hope so! :) Thank you!!!!

      I love the bead too! Amanda does such amazing lampwork!

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  6. Love love love it!!! I also used this series for inspiration because I love Katniss and the whole series. I love this necklace - it really captures the Girl on Fire!!!!!

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    1. Yaaaaay! Amy I loved your mockingjay, so amazing! So happy you liked my piece! Thank you!!

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  7. I love this necklace it represents Katniss well from your discription. I have not read the books or seen the movie, but from your telling of the books I want to.
    Therese

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    1. Thank you so much, Therese! If you are at all interested I highly recommend both the books and the movie :) The books were just incredible!

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  8. I have seen a lot of jewelry based on this series but I do have to say that yours is the best! It's not using the (in my mind) overused mockingbird.

    I loved the first book of the series and want to go see the movie simply because of who is playing Cinna.

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    1. Thank you so much! I really wanted to try and step away from the mockingjay image itself... wanted to make something that was how I saw the series? I don't know if that makes sense LOL, but THANK YOU. I am very honored that you like my piece so much!

      The movie was excellent, one of the better adaptations to screen I've seen for a novel, I highly recommend it! And it doesn't have any spoilers for the other novels, so you don't have to read all three first :)

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  9. Love that book, and your piece is amazing!

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  10. Jennifer - I don't don't this story other than the publicity I've seen around the film, but I love your necklace, especially the sooty, smokiness of the bank and chain. Great job!

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    1. Aww, thank you Lesley! Coming from someone like you, that I admire so, it means so much!

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  11. I keep thinking I really must jump on some of these bandwagons and read some of these great books. Hey they're popular for good reason right? As I was reading through you description I was thinking I hope there are glass beads, as in made from fire and you didn't disappoint. Beautiful!

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    1. Thank you so much! Yes, I knew I had to include at least one lampwork bead :) formed by fire, right?! Just like Katniss. I do hope you'll give the books a try! They really are amazing! I am usually relatively late to the bandwagon, but have discovered some truly enjoyable reads by jumping on.

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  12. A wonderful job, and from what you have written, you have captured the mood of the book perfectly.

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  13. A gorgeous piece! I love the all the touches of red amongst the black metal.

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    1. Thank you!! :) I knew as soon as I read this book I needed to do something in garnets and FAB!

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  14. I love the black against the red and it is just perfect for the book and character you have chosen.

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  15. Yes! The black patina on the metal, the arcs of purple in the lamp work! While Cinna would design something over the top - I can def. see this as Katniss every day wear...

    Have you seen the movies? Well done! Some gruesome elements alluded to in a way to protect the younger viewers, but for a reader of the book all the cues are there, nothing omitted. I recommend it.

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    1. Thank you so so much! What a high compliment :)

      I did see the movie! I was definitely impressed by how true to the spirit of the books it was. Adaptations can be so tricky, but I thought they did quite an elegant job :)

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  16. I think that we lived those same parallel lives as children. I can recall getting lost in the stacks at the Hennepin County Library where my mother worked when she brought me with on Saturdays. They would find me in the stacks with a pile around me. I would pull them all off the shelves. I couldn't read them very well, but that didn't stop me. I have not read these books but you have done a good job of swaying me to their power! I will have to look into it for some summer reading. I love the rich color of the red in the beads you chose and the dark black coal like chain and components. And the sentiment of "girl on fire" can mean something outside of the series as well... you are truly on fire when you let your passions out to play! Thank you for playing with me in this Challenge! Enjoy the day. Erin

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  17. Another set of books I have waiting for me in my bedside stack -- I got them for my birthday. Now after seeing your stunning necklace I'm intrigued about the Girl on Fire! It's a really beautiful design.

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  18. I love this necklace, Jenn! The beads you chose are just beautiful! I have not read the Hunger Games series yet, but I plan on getting the books and reading them soon. Maybe I'll go out and get the first book in the series today. I keep hearing such good things about them. I loved the Harry Potter series so much that I've read the entire series at least three times now. LOL!

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  19. You and I read a lot of the same authors. I loved the Hunger Games and your necklace is gorgeous. Captures girl on fire perfectly and that boro bead is stunning.

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  20. I haven't read the books or seen the movies but my mom loved them and your piece is lovely without having ever read them. Beautiful lampwork bead!

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  21. Gorgeous! I haven't read the books either, but my son has and loves them! I think you did a fantastic job and captured your interpretation perfectly!

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  22. I haven't read the books, but I love the necklace and "Girl on Fire" would appeal to many for their own reasons! I especially like the dangles and the stamped pendant. You have the perfect lampwork bead also! This seems like a style that could be worn any time! Very fun and "hot"!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, it means so much to me!