I love Holland

I love braving the elements, which made Mark laugh as it's not so brave....but I do love the rain and the wind. We ventured off to Alkmaar today where I hadn 't been.

The usual bus route was not available because of roadwork, which tried my language skills as I deciphered where to go. Tvee kaartjes naar Hoorn Station alstablief?

Alkmaar was charming as promised, starting with een copje koffie met caramel and slag room (whipped creme)



we walked in the city centre and I quickly found my type of store with eclectic clothing, but being day one I found some discipline, although I may truly regret the bronze reindeer salt and pepper.





I suspect that may have been short sighted.

I did visit the Swarovski store




See a windmill





And enjoy The Dutch vignettes



Before returning to Zwaag, and the home of Angenita and Michel, where we found the secret light switch and took photos of Joris.




Tomorrow Haarlem where we lived for one year in 2004, and where there are many memories!

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Portland and the PBS

I am teaching for the Portland Bead Society which is truly wonderful. Karen who I have met several times in the past,


came to class wearing a beautiful example of Amphora.





A brown iris, dark ruby and olivine color combination which was wonderful.

I love seeing how people have interpreted the pieces in the book.

This was a two day class and Linda came day one and was a speed beader in the crowd, finishing two rings. Unfortunately Linda was ill for day two but she was able to call on her sister Darlene to sit in on day two.


How wonderful to share a beading passion with your sister.

Carmen, a PBS board member, using her own colors did a beautiful color way, closing her ring with a two mm light gold metallic crystal and embellished with bronze shade loch rosen. Gorgeous.



It's been a great two days. Tomorrow...portico bracelet.



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Bead and Button was stellar

Visiting with so many friends, perhaps one of the best parts of Bead and Button, that and all the beautiful work.

Yesterdays Aurelia class was wonderful with many of the folks I see year after year taking the class.

There was Mary Ann and Ellen and Bonita, and new friends Anna and Judith and Marty and Yvonne and Donna and Jane, Kathy King of bead quill fame and friend Kimberly. Everyone did such a beautiful job.

Here's Ellen



And Anna



Ellen has been taking my classes for a long time and Anna and I were Facebook friends and now in person friends. The world is changed by the connections we now make so easily. A beader in Israel connects with a beader in California and they meet in Milwaukee.

Four beaders in Germany make a connection with me on-line and a beader in England comes to there attention through my blog and fast friendships are made.

Four North Carolina girls befriend me while I'm living there and they know the wired art girls, my dear friends.

I meet a beader in a class in Atlanta, she becomes a friend, she gets to know Kate in the blog world, we attend the seed bead summit together, and she comes to Milwaukee for a visit, exchanging big hugs with Huib (they're both Dutch) but I didn't know they knew each other.

I was invited to lunch in Patonga Australia by Sue who had hosted Andrea Guarino. We talked about our lovely time there.

I was so struck this time by the connections that the bead world affords me.

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It's a Hoot

Little Hoot that is, who got a new do from Cyn Bicker





He got around tonight visiting the Chophouse




and many a Bead and Button friend...

He's here with Huib Petersen




And Suzanne Golden





More of Hoots travels tomorrow, now he's retiring early as I am teaching The Rising Sun to a full class tomorrow and it's time for bed.



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