Beads of Colour

In my bead travels I am privileged to meet so many wonderful people and this year was no exception. I can't name names, because it would be incredibly long and I'd be bound to forget someone, but there are many many people that I hold in my thoughts as I contemplate how fortunate I am to have this 'job'.

As I write the blog I highlight many of these meetings as they happen. Back in August I wrote this , but I didn't tell you the whole story......it was a difficult show for me from a personal timing perspective, but also a wonderful one. On the first morning I met four gals including owner of Beads of Colour Debi Keir Nicholson. They invited me to breakfast with them and we became fast friends.

They visited the classroom at lunch, during which point I had discovered that all three samples for the class I was teaching had been left at my home studio. The gals promptly offered to bead up a sample from one of my kits. Which they graciously and expertly did before the next days class! We ran into one another several times during the course of the two days, and I know I love these girls.

I can see that I am not the only one as I discovered this blog entry from Cynful Musings I was fortunate enough to have Cynthia in my Bead and Button class this past year. She is a true delight who also lives in Toronto. So it is with great pleasure that I look forward to traveling to Beads of Colour to teach in July of 2010. I'll keep you all posted once I have dates and projects decided.

Screwts!

Yesterday I continued playing with Kate's Screwts, this one is double ended, with a second double ended one inside of the first.

This one is destined to be a bail, but I see other possibilities as well.

And on an unrelated note, tulips which grace the studio in all their tulipness and were a bright spot in yesterdays wild storm.



40 mph gusts resulted in six huge branches breaking off the pepper trees. Minutes before, I saw the possibility and moved my car to a safer location. I'm rather glad I had that foresight, as one very large branch rests directly where my car had been.

The most amazing weekend

Where beads 'soldiered up' students 'rocked on' and 'dew drops' were gifted.

Here's Kate looking her adorable self, and notice her fabulous felted brooch.




Kate was an amazing teacher who shares freely all her thoughtful learnings. She was generous with her kits and supplies providing each student with the making of a felted brooch, choice of kits, a handout for both projects and her project workbook, full of photos and instruction.

Nancy, a longtime student, shared her incredible version of the urchin,

Brilliantly strung together with this version of the 'Earth Sky' beads

Here is Linda and her constant companion Maya. Maya is a well loved little dog and she's considerably happy when her favorites come for an entire two days. Linda patiently beaded with Maya either sleeping contentedly behind her back on the chair or on her lap, with head poised on the table.


My felted brooch, which after noticing both Linda's and Kate's may require some editing...I wanted to put on everything....

I especially love the little lavender felted ball provided by Kate

And the sequin stack, and Michelle Goldstein lampwork and my spotted daggers, and let's not forget that excellent feather

And in class, I made a double bat ended screwt, attached a romantica medallion (an unlikely combination judging by name alone) ended with an unbelievably gorgeous dagger......I'm pretty much in love

Sunday's class was enriched by a visit from Jeannette Cook, the arrival 'home' of Janice Berkebile (she was teaching at the Shepherdess, but fortunately for me, accepted my invitation to stay with Mark and I) We spent a lovely, low key evening of visiting, laughter and friendship.

And then Janice updated my already owned dewdrop bangle and presented me with two more!

A pretty stellar weekend!

Everyone is on their way home and I am a treated to a cozy, stormy day, listening to rain and watching the wind. The perfect day to finish my second double batted screwted ended bail.

Beaded Bangles, in Stock!

A few unaccounted hours presented themselves yesterday and I caught up on all kitting and shipping, which means.....




Pink and Green beaded bangles are in stock! This has been my most popular kit and as of now I've exhausted all my current sources for that beautiful pink/medium vitral tiny dagger that I love so much. There are 8 kits left with this beautiful dagger until I find another source, so if you're contemplating one, now is the time.

Update...
As of Monday December 7th, There is only one kit left which contains the pretty pink/vitral dagger....that is not to say that pink green bangles are unavailable, they are, the the replacement dagger is also quite pretty, a paler pink with an ab coating, just not the one pictured. I hope to find more soon, but in the meantime if pink is your color, these bangles are still a great choice.

Woof Out

Could she be any cuter?

Outfit provided by my daughter Casey, Thanks Hon!

A Most Excellent Evening

It's rare that I get to spend time with my traveling bead artist colleagues. Typically once or twice a year at a show we'll manage a dinner or a quick hug between classes, a small chat perhaps. So it is with great excitement that I am hosting both Janice Berkebile and Kate McKinnon this weekend! Janice is here teaching at the Shepherdess and Kate is teaching in my studio, which is all very nice, but mostly I'm happy to spend beautiful evenings over a meal, sharing time together.

And the other bonus...my ring has returned home. You may remember that Kate and I did a ring trade last year, my ring to her was beaded and hers was done in metal clay. This amazing ring is part of an upcoming book and had been held captive for photo shoots until now. Both birds spin just freely enough to position themselves while wearing and for a ring with 2 spinny birds, 1 inch high it is surprisingly comfortable to wear. Here they are flying away from one another

Kate refers to the little one on the left having a peevish expression

I think the one on the right is looking sweet and rather long suffering as if he's been turning his back on her too long

Occasionally I look down and they are totally aligned flying in the same direction. Suffice it to say that I love this ring!

The weekend is going to be stellar! Today I'm off to Heather Trimletts garden show where I will see Jeannette among other artists. This is followed by dinner with Janice. Tomorrow I will sit in class with Kate and then off to the Walkabout in South Park where I will be selling some beadwork at the Grove (a rarity for me, you may want to stop by) and then Sunday more of the same good company.

And to top it off the weather is producing a perfect cool, clear, sunshiney San Diego day!

Design Gallery

I love to see where others go with my designs. I especially love to see what colors they bring to them. So I was delighted when these two were posted to facebook.

Disco Squares published in Beadwork last year is done here in bright reds and greens by Shannon.



I met Shannon at Alaska Bead Company last year. She's great at bringing a new color perspective (and she's lots of fun!). Here is her 'jelly fish' from the urchin class and brightly colored ringlets from the ringlets class.

And then here is Tali's twilight, a freefrom right angle weave cuff from the fabric chapter of the book.



Thanks Shannon and Tali for sharing your beautiful work!