Frustration

It has been a very frustrating month for me. My beading has been minimal due to another arthritis flareup. I hate this! My left hand has been unusable a couple of days. I'm trying all the remedies the law allows to combat this insidious pain.

I refuse to give in to it completely. I am in the process of making 30 crystal bracelets as belated Christmas gifts to the ladies I work with. Only 12 more to go! I have to say they are being very patient waiting for their gifts. They work so hard everyday and oftentimes get so little recognition. They deserve something pretty.

I have missed doing my bead embroidery recently. I made a start today on a page based on a cab I bought a year or so ago. It will include some "cherry quartz" I bought at the first big bead show I went to see. I have to laugh when I think about that day. I went into major sensory overload. I must have bought everything I could get my hands on. LOL. I bought the quartz because I love that color more than any other. Oops! Don't let purple hear I said that.

I continue to be in awe of the wonderful work I see everyday in the BJP. I feel I have learned so much since I started this project. Not just techniques, but more importantly I am learning the reasons why others bead as they do. I'm learning to put my own feelings into my work and I can see a difference in before and after. Those projects I just do for the sake of doing just do not have the soul I want to see in them. Maybe that's why I'm doing so little jewelry lately. The bead embroidery calls to me and I enjoy it so much.

Had a wonderful Christmas. Anytime I can spend whole days with my grandsons is wonderful for me. They are growing so quickly. Sometimes I want to keep them small, but I also love seeing the changes as they get older. They are 18, 14, and 8 years old now. my DIL made a great picture album of the boys for all the grandma's. What a treat looking back and seeing them over the years. Had to be my favorite gift.

My beady family also had a great Christmas party. My LBS owner for whom I teach, gave all her teachers rolling duffle bags with our names on them. We all go to the bead shows together and now we'll know whose bag is whose. I received some wonderful storage pieces for my beads too. How lucky I am to have met these wonderful women.

I see I have been carried away with my blog entry, but I had lots to say.