Anchor Bead

I've been wanting to make this one for awhile. I've had this idea to have three symbols for the theological virtues- faith, hope and love since last year.  I already have the praying hands for faith, and now this anchor is a symbol for hope. Next is the symbol for love; a heart of course. I promise it won't be too girly :)

The three beads will be placed at the beginning of every rosary, after the Our Father bead. This is where most people pray for these theological virtues since we cannot obtain them on our own efforts unlike the other virtues. These are total gifts from God since they come directly from Him.  

I love the symbol of the anchor for hope. It is very powerful.  Hope is the virtue of having confidence in God's mercy that we will be in heaven with Him someday.  When we have that hope, nothing in life can move us. We are anchored in God.  Now that is something I need to pray for everyday and I hope you are inspired and reminded by this bead to pray too.

Now for the bead making process.  First I mixed a ton of clay.  Broke my new roller a little and made my husband hate clay :) He is a good sport for helping me mix this hard stuff when my hands are completely sore from mixing all day.

Then I made the bottom of the anchor with the barbed edges.  I added the center and filled with clay around it.

I put the top of the anchor on and filled completely around with clay.

Then I started with the rope.

Finished rope and filled in.

Starting to roll out...

A few of the rolls in reduction process. I added some background clay that I thought made the rope stand out better. Plus, I am in love with mustard yellow :)

I chopped some of the beads and punched holes. Some have these stripes, some have yellow. I like the mix.

The baked bead ready for a rosary.