My annual yarn outing

It's become tradition that I have a yarn outing in Milwaukee with my friend Helen, also a bead artist and knitter and a lover of fashion.  This year I invited along another knitterly friend, Elke from Germany.  She knits beautiful things.  I fell in love with a hot pink Birch, a lace mohair knit that she wore last fall in Germany.  It's on my list, but I'm still knitting for my little Love, Malayna.  I want to insure that she always a Grandma knit to wear.    During our yarn outing to the River Boutique and Yarn in Brookfield Wisconsin, I purchased the second Sublime baby silk and bamboo dk book.  The yarn is a dream to work with.  The pattern is simple and I being nothing if not impulsive, bought the right size needles so I could knit on the plane on the way home.  I accomplished all of this on my flight from Milwaukee to San Diego, so I predict it's going to be a fast knit.

Also along and joining us for lunch was Maggie Roschyk.  It was great fun getting to spend some solid time together.  Helen guided us to the Middle Eastern restaurant Casablanca  on Brady street where I had the dolmas and hummus.

Sublime Little Constance Cardi

Baby silk and Bamboo DK

Culinary delights and visits with friends continued through the week including dinner with my German friends at Calderones, dinner at the Noble with the Bad Liz, Debi from Beads of Colour, and Janice, a wired art girl.

Saturday night was Downtown Dining at the Chophouse with Huib and friends Gabriella and Jeroen.  Gabriella shared with me her Beads in Motion gallery design which is in typical Gabriella style a piece of unique and thoughtful beauty.

Sunday was a wind down evening with friend Judy of Judipatuti who was a vendor this year selling her beadmat, thread catcher and tote collection.  This latest collection will be available on line soon and it's all I could do not to purchase my 6th or 7th bead mat.  So many new prints I was in love with.

And continuing our culinary outings, we had Monday morning brunch at the Noble, where the eclectic menu satisfied the taste buds with a lamb burger topped with fried egg.  Beautiful flavors.  We were joined by Amy Blevins who I only recently met and love.  She has an infectious sense of humor.  Her and Bad Liz became fast friends cavorting around the show floor taking photos with an interesting point of view.

Amidst all of this fun, Liz and I taught four classes, met many new and old friends at Meet the Teachers where Pat joined us.  Liz took me shopping to a 14th floor trunk show, where I fell in love with a clothing line by Mary of Facets.  I ended up with a Shibori died mesh top and skirt in, hard to believe, red, well kind of a fuchsia red.  Very versatile, very good for travel.

So now, a day to unpack, do laundry, grocery shop and attend to some of life's more mundane details.  A return to reality and to the last bit of work to do on Beads of Motion.

Bead and button show wind down....

Yep it's over for another year. I spent an extra day...doing a demo in the Toho booth this morning




Then some shopping and visiting with friends, the best part!

Here is
Sabine, Amy and Betcey...pink really suits her, and I love Amy's curls.



And I visited Perry from York and Kerrie Slades beadwork which was in the York booth, fabulous design aesthetic.



Huib and Petra. Petra is the Pied Piper of beads, her enthusiasm creates a lot of followers.
Huib is looking extremely dapper!




Off to brunch at the Noble and then the trek home. I'll have the company of JudiPatuti of bead mat fame, who is on the same flight with me.

I am planning a re-entry day of relaxation and then the final book push before my anniversary vacation.

Crystal Collage

Saturday's bead and button class.....ten accomplished beaders are prolifically creating the embellished bezeled rivolis





And shortly there will be more of these!





the gals are studiously beading, and all is quiet. I think they are focusing. contrary to popular belief, beading all day everyday can be hard work.

Bead and Button

I know I promised updates.....but I'm staying up past my bedtime and getting up early and am busy the entire time in between having lots of fun!

so a few photos...

the lovely Sherry wearing a Sabine Lippert pattern.It was stunning!





The bad Liz




Laurel's rings of Saturn necklace, brilliant





The beautiful crystal ninja Kellie DeFries.


My favorite Hilton employee Tim, helping me get to meet the teachers.


It's been a great time teaching and visiting with friends.

More later!

Finished in class

Jennifer Ehrichs finished the rising sun in class, a first!



Jennifer is the gal who beaded every piece in Beaded Opulence. Yes she is faster then your average beader!

and I'm off

Well at 4:45 a.m. I'll be off....flying Southwest, through Las Vegas and onto Milwaukee arriving mid afternoon to begin the adventure that is Bead and Button.

I taught for them once in the 2000 ish time frame and then due to corporate job constraints I didn't apply again until 2003 and I was rejected and I applied in 2004 and was rejected and applying for 2005 was really really hard....and I was accepted.

And I've taught ever since.  I love teaching, I love the classroom and sharing the passion for beads and I love seeing all the folks that I only see once or maybe twice a year if I'm really lucky.

I've seen Liz once already this year, and again this week.  I saw the German girls in October of last year and again this week.  I manage to keep in touch with Gabriella multiple times a year and again this week.  I'll see Pat, who I usually manage to see in October as well.   And any number of folks who come to my classroom each year, all of whom I've grown really fond of.  And I'll see vendors I adore, and Debi and Lisa and the Wired Arts Girls of course, and all of the Swarovski ambassadors....

It's a magical week really.  I'm traveling with the iPad, the camera equipped iPad so I hope to share some moments with you. I'm meeting with Sonoko, and I'm taking my book for her to sign, and my Making Wire & Bead Jewelry for Janice and Tracy to sign.  I would like to travel with all my books, but I suspect my luggage is already in the overweight category.

I'll do my best to honor requests if you have one.  A favorite bead teacher I can catch for you, a bead dreams you'd like to see, your favorite vendor?  No guarantees, but if it's possible I'll work it out.

and I'm off!

Color Theme

It seems that all my jewelry lately is using soft colored pearls and metallic crystals.  And I can't say I mind.  If you work in a theme for awhile you end up with jewelry that all works together.  

Which is a great bonus.  Each of these pieces while subtly different in their coloration, when worn to together make for a very coordinated look.  And with my wardrobe....black, white, some lavender thrown in for good measure and some hot pink, these look excellent with all of them.  

It may be this will be my Bead and Button 'uniform' cuts down on the decision making.

Do you have a tendency to work in a color theme?  I know at least one artist who has made an exploration of stitch construction and texture, using all one color seed beads.  It makes a stunning statement.

The bracelet I showed you in process the other day is done, you can see it in the background there.  I love it, and can't wait to do the next one, or three.  I want to do this one in the inverse colors.  The 12 mm platinum pearl is on order so I have to find some patience.  Although I think I may have same mauve in the 12 mm and if I do that will be my plane project.

I thought I had sworn off of 6:30 a.m. flights, but apparently not...it never seems so bad when you're making the reservation, but getting up at 4:30, it's a tad early.

A few more preparations, signage, important paper organization, some packing and perhaps tomorrow will be a day of relaxation before Monday's early morning flight to Milwaukee!