(40) Washington

Capitol: Olympia

I really struggled with this one. Originally (and finally) I had planned to bead Mount Saint Helens, but couldn't figure out how to bead it. I tried to come up up with another idea. Lots of people suggested beading the Space Needle, hmmm., or Starbucks, but it just wasn't happening.

Bill and I spent a wonderful weekend in Seattle years ago, but the only things I remember from that trip are Mt. Ranier and eating at a restaurant with a "maritime theme". The inside of the place looked like an old ship. The lights that dangled from the ceiling swung back and forth to make you feel like you were out at sea! (Didn't work). I don't know how we ended up there, but on the plus side we discovered creme brulee there, because the desert was included with the meal... yum. But I digress...

Back to the pin. Finally I decided to bead Mt. St. Helens, because that is what I think of when I think about Washington state. It is one of the first major natural disasters that I vividly remember tv coverage of. I beaded a 3-D Mt. St. Helens, with the pyroclastic flow (swift avalanches of hot ash, pumice, and gas) spewing forth. At the base, long black bugle beads represent the trees that were ripped from their roots by the blast. The pictures of destruction I found online were amazing.

Here is a side view of the pin, so you can really see the mountain/pyroclastic plume.