Yesterday, I received a message saying I wasn't giving credit where credit is due -- this, in regard to the design sources for the beaded jewelry photos I've been posting on Facebook. In point of fact, I have tried to give design credit for all of my beaded jewelry items on both Etsy and on my personal webpages. Perhaps the commenter overlooked this. But the post left me thinking about a particular quote: "Good art is like music. It should be enjoyed and not dissected."

At some point in their lives, artists receive inspiration for their craft from the experts that came before them. Experts who unwittingly paved the way for starstruck wannabe's like myself who aspire to achieve a high caliber of artistic expression.

Here's a bit of history:  Three years ago, I was enrolled at Companion Animal Sciences Institute in Canada. My course of study:  Canine Behavior Science and Technology. The program was all consuming - enjoyable, but leaving me wanting for a creative outlet as a much needed diversion. I began schooling myself in the art of chain mail and worked diligently at creating jewelry I could enjoy forever. When the piles of bracelets and necklaces became more than I could possibly wear in a lifetime, I decided to sell them on Etsy.

Then the unimaginable happened on November 17, 2012. My 26 year old son, Bobby, was tragically killed in a car accident near my home in Round Rock, Texas. Needless to say, my life as I knew it changed forever. Creating jewelry evolved from an enjoyable past-time to a necessary obsession. Making things with my hands helped ease the sorrow of my loss. Bobby became the source of inspiration for my need to create.

With the help of Round Rock Honda and Penske Automotive Group, the Bobby Bove Memorial Scholarship Fund was established. My subsequent desire to honor Bobby's memory and help endow his annual scholarship began to drive my motivation for creating jewelry. It was that or quit Etsy -- a thought I entertained momentarily.

In 2013 I discovered Jill Wiseman online. Her unique variations on traditional bead-weaving themes and her flair for color combining were awe-inspiring. I knew then it was time to add a new technique to my repertoire.

My office is my studio. I have a 4 x 6 photo of Bobby in front of my workspace. His beautiful smile brings love and warmth to my heart as I work. It also helps stem my pathological mania for creating jewelry just to ease a tormented mind.

I truly love making jewelry. But I take very little credit for any of it. I've learned that the gift to create does not define a person and, more importantly, the gift of success can be lost as quickly as it was received (just as people in our lives can inexplicably be taken from us). I'm thankful, though, for the outlet to create - most especially when the agony of losing Bobby was greatest. For that, I can't thank the bead-weaving and chain mail communities enough!

The Wild Sparkleberry Necklace and matching bracelet seen here in the photo is from Jill Wiseman's fabulous book, Beautiful Beaded Ropes. It's been a favorite on Facebook. I created the set in sapphire blue because it was Bobby's favorite color. I thought of him as I worked. I like to think he would love it!

Dear Readers:  It's never been about me or the jewelry. It's about the art. It's about Bobby.