Thursday, December 11, 2014

Inspired by Reading November Blog Hop...

I know... it's already December, but with the holidays we pushed back the blog hop of November's selection of the Inspired by Reading Book Club, "Proust's Overcoat" by Lorenza Foschini.  It was a short book about a man's obsession with the possessions of the melancholic and unhealthy author.  I thought it was a quick read and was entertained by the treasure hunt quality of the book.  It was studded with all kinds of gems of inspiration perfect for our purposes.  If you're not familiar with the Inspired by Reading Book Club, we read a book and then create something that was inspired by what we read.  Then we share what we made.

And without further ado... here's the reveal:
I made this necklace.  The focal is made of polymer clay, wood, and a stone bead.  In the beginning of the book, they talk about the protagonist's upbringing and how he amassed his wealth in order to afford Proust's belongings.  The main character is an heir to a perfume company and develops a scent called, "Le Dandy D'Orsay".  In the book, they describe an octagon-shaped bottle with a rounded black topper that looked like a pearl.  The rest of the long necklace is made of vintage Czech glass in black and gold.

Here's what Laurel made.  She made a tiny mustache out of a recycled leather bag and did a decorative bead edge  The mustache can be hung from a long chain necklace, so that it can available for quick access.  She styled the photo by laying it on French bottled water and a fur trimmed coat... kind of like the coat in the story.  The mustache was inspired by Proust and his brother's mustaches.

This necklace was made by Alison.  She said she was inspired by the description of Proust's desk.  The author described it as being very ornate and made of black pear wood with brass accents.  Alison used a mix of Hamilton gold knots, glass, stone, and filigree to create this piece!

But wait... there's more!  Check out what other participants were inspired by in the book:


We are taking a break from December!  But the full list of books can be seen by CLICKING HERE.  January's book selection is, "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer.  We have tentatively scheduled the meet-up for Wednesday, January 28th at 5PM at Allegory Gallery.  The blog hop is the following day.  To find out more about what we do and to keep up with the events, CLICK HERE to visit our Facebook group page.

5 comments:

Sarajo Wentling said...

Great pieces, everyone! I adore that perfume bottle you made, Andrew. The whole piece feels very elegant.

Laurel, your mustache is too funny. I love the whimsy and playfulness... and those dudes did have some serious 'stache action!

Allison, what a great interpretation of Proust's desk! I love the visual (and I'm guessing, actual) weight of the piece with those chunky beads and the gold knots in the front.

Alison Adorns said...

Thanks Andrew for hosting this fun and always informative blog hop! I knew little to nothing about Proust, now I may know too much! ;)
Your perfume bottle is just perfect! as well as the stringing to go along with it! Laurel, hysterical! I love that you can always think outside the box and aren't ever stuck for ideas and projects! Great Job everyone!

Mary Harding said...

It is so great to see your pieces and get your takes on the book. I love the light touch of the mustache and the perfume bottle jewelry Laurel and Andrew. Allison your necklace is quite haunting in its ability to conjure up the feeling of Proust's desk for me. All of your creations, Andrew, Laurel and Alison, have added so much more to my enjoyment of this wonderful book.

Mary Harding said...

I have really enjoyed your creations in response to Proust's Overcoat. Love your sense of humor and creative necklace Laurel, your perfume reference necklace Andrew and your rendering of Proust's desk Alison, which seems to have the "spirit" of place in it. It has been a great read for me and your jewlery pieces have made it even better!!

Unknown said...

I love all these pieces. When I haven't read the book and then I see the pieces, it makes me want to read the book.

Andrews necklace is beautiful. I love that pendant!

Laurel's mustache is so charming. I love the idea of hanging it on a long chain so it can be at the ready. Never know when you might need it!

Alison's necklace is wonderful and makes me almost able to see a desk I didn't even read about!

Great work everyone!