A decade, really?

What a difference ten years can make. In the year 2000 I was the Director of Information Technology for a manufacturing company. Being in charge of systems Y2K was the major buzz word and much work went into planning for a smooth systems transition.

I lived in Santa Cruz with husband, and golden retriever Ladysmith. Our first granddaughter was 3 and was a delight to be around. We made pancakes in the shape of Christmas trees and took long walks on the beach.

I had been beading a few years and in 2001 published the 2001 Bead Odyssey calendar with my then beading partner Linda. Together we were MarLin Beads and began our bead teaching career together.

In 2002 I took what may be my all time favorite trip, a sailboat caravan through the islands of Tahiti. It was magic.




I frequently traveled to Europe for my work and became enamored with Holland. In 2003 we sold our Santa Cruz house, bought a condo in San Diego and moved to Holland for a year. It was a fabulous year with much incredible travel.





When we returned in 2004 I retired from corporate life and turned my attention to beads. I soon found downtown living not to be to my taste and we moved into our current 1940 art deco home where I am totally at home.



Around that same time we rescued Miss Maya our long haired chihuahua daschund who is such a sweet girl and so full of unconditional love.



I joined the Bead Society of San Diego and spent a two year span as the President. There I met many friends including several who came to speak. I hosted workshops at my home and fell in love with Robin Atkins, Christi Friessen and Kate McKinnon. This world was so different from my corporate life, full of art and artists.

I continued my bead teaching, combining travel and beads and my love of teaching.

Beadwork asked me to submit some designs for publication and then Step by Step and there I met all the wonderful women of Interweave.

Lark approached me about writing a book and illustrating it as well. The design part was easy, the illustration had some significantly steep learning curves, but I did it. Marcia DeCoster's Beaded Opulence was released in 2009, second in the Master Class Series published by Lark.

I lost my brother in 2007 and my Mom in 2009. One daughter was married and soon we'll be grandparents again.

And so with gratitude for the happiness in my life, and hope for the exceptional things still to come, I look forward to how this decade will reveal itself.