Bead Classes

I had an excellent week last week. Bracketed by two weekends of teaching with a week of visiting friends and family in between. I love Northern California, the rocky coastline, crashing waves and even the fog. It's been a cold summer there, apparently the coldest in the last 40 years with days on end without sunshine. But since Southern California where I live is filled with sunshine a few days visit into overcast days was welcome.

A highlight was the American Craft Council show where there were many accomplished artists in many different mediums. Dear friends Rachel Nelson Smith and Maggie Meister were both exhibiting. I took public transportation into the city from Burlingame and walked past Ghiradelli Square, and along the water.

Susan and I had dinner in a San Mateo wine bar. Sadly I don't remember the name, but they had the most excellent bruschetta. We split four, gorgonzola with honey, marscapone with proscuitto and figs, ricotta with dates and pistachio, and basil, tomatoe and mozzarella. Enjoyed with a glass of wine and a three piece jazz trio. A very lovely evening.

Saturday I taught Aurelia



for the first time. I've taught for the Beading Frenzy every year for the past ten years so I walked into to a classroom full of people that I know. I love meeting new folks, but there is also something incredibly special walking in and knowing every single person by name and by history. Fae, Judy and Lynn we're all met at Tahoe last year, or Beading by the Bay or both. (pssstt....I've seen Maggies and Jean's Beading by the Bay pieces and you are going to love them! More later this week, when I'll give you details!) Karin has taken classes with me in Clovis and last weekend in Oakhurst and again this past weekend. And the rest of the class are all old friends from the beginning of my beading career.

One of the great joys of teaching a new piece is seeing all of the different color combinations and Aurelia was no exception. Here are a few....

This is Fae's. If you start with the pinky gold metallic bead and then add some turquoise and jet ab2x, well pretty much I'm going to love it.

And Karin's, with a volcano sequin and a turquoise ab2x. The matte 'spine' bead sets it all off beautifully. Karen later decided to change to a sage sequin which made the medallion a more analagous and beautiful colorway.

Next up we have Mary and it wouldn't be Mary if there weren't pink. The blueish/pinkish/purplish matte seed bead was the perfect backdrop. Other excellent colorways were also underway. (I have no idea why Mary's upload took the landscape photo and made it portrait!)