April Sneek Peek

Here is a sneek peek at my April page for BJP. No, I am not a beading maniac (well, maybe I am). I have a perfectly good reason for beading ahead. I'm hoping to get a kit for this year's BFAC (Beading for a Cure). I figure if I can get the kit, finish it and send it off right away, then I can't lose it like I did last year. Duh! Wouldn't you think I would quit putting things in a "safe" place?

This page is totally unusual for me. I hadn't a clue what I was going to do when I started it. If you look back at most of my beading, I don't use a great number of colors in one piece. This one has everything but the kitchen sink thrown in. Think tropical; think fiesta; think Jamaica, etc. HOT colors!!! I'm having great fun with it. More when it is finished.

I spent the weekend being pea green with envy as one of my best friends was at the coast with her husband. I am craving to get to the ocean. I feel like a lemming! Don't get me wrong. I don't begrudge them their anniversary trip, but they wouldn't take me. Can you believe that????? I promised I would leave them alone. All kidding aside, I hope to get to the ocean soon. It seems to renew my soul. Does that make sense to anyone?

Starry, Starry Night- March

This is my March page for the Bead Journal Project. I know, I know. I've been a little obsessive since I started the first of the month. I freely admit it. I figure I might as well bead while I can. Who knows what will happen later. I might lose my muse again. I sure hope not. That is not fun!

I bought the gemstone bead while I was in Tahoe last October. Beki had way too good a selection so I indulged myself. This stone reminded me of the night sky. As I was working on it, I kept thinking of Van Gogh"s painting "Starry, Starry Night". I realized I was beading in circles just like the painting. I remember now why I don't usually bead in all dark beads. Even with good light, it can be difficult. I'm not sure if I will continue to encrust my pages for the whole year, but it has been intensely satisfying to work on these first three pages.

California has been inundated with rain and snow this past week. I don't want to complain as we need it so desperately. We've had some real gully washers, tornado warnings, hail, landslides, etc for a week now. Yesterday was bright and sunny and today started out that way too. However, we are supposed to get more rain tonite and several days this week. I just hope it can soak in so it doesn't cause more damage. Of course the ski parks are loving it. One of them got 9 feet of snow this week. Brrr!

Pathway To My Heart

I seem to be on a roll. This is my February BJP page. I call it "Pathway to My Heart." The heart in the center is a button. I fell in love with it and just had to use it for this page. These are some of my favorite colors to work with. They just seem to speak to me. I have selected my colors for the March page already. Won't tell what they are yet. A girl has to have some secrets. LOL.

Took a class yesterday from Leslie Frazier. It was great fun. The necklace has a focal of three oak leaves with acorns on a herringbone spiral cord. Very yummy! I feel so fortunate to be able to bead with such a great group of friends. We know each other very well and have lots of fun together.

Winter Storm

Well, I finished it. These are not my favorite colors to work with, but our recent weather seemed to call for it. Makes me cold just looking at it. Brrrr! I promise the rest of my pages will be more cheerful. I already have ideas for next month, but I have a few special projects to do before I can start it.

We are doing inventory at our LBS where I volunteer. Not sure I would do it if it weren't beads. LOL. I remember when we moved the shop to its present location, about five years ago. Trust me, you don't ever want to do that. We only moved diagonally across an intersection. My fellow teachers threatened to put me in a shopping cart with my arms out to hold bead strands. The mental picture is hilarious! I told them they would have to get the fire department to use the jaws of life to get me out. Needless to say, we found another way.

Just a Tease

Thought I would blog just a teaser of my January BJP page. I really like the 3x5 size I chose for this year. It's easier to hold in my hand to work on, and still gives me room to play with different ideas. My focus this year is on color. I want to climb out of my box a bit and try some new color combinations. In deference to the cold, windy weather much of the country is experiencing right now, I chose to start the year with white and silver. Hopefully, I will become a little more imaginative as the months go by. I am so pleased that two of my best friends from here are joining me in the adventure this year. I know it will make it even more fun.

Goodbye 2009

Can you believe this year is over as of today? In many ways it has been a good year: Sharing with friends and family, going to Retreats and bead shows, and beading.
Unfortunately, it has also been a sad year. Losing family members and friends is always sad. This post is dedicated to those who no longer walk beside us. This piece of bead embroidery has been done since Christmas. I've spent so much time thinking of my friend, Lora, and her fight to overcome Inflammatory Breast Cancer that I decided to call this piece "Lora's Song". She was a friend to many and always positive and upbeat. She will be missed.

I have a good feeling about 2010. I think it will be a creative, productive year for all of us. Tomorrow we start our third year of the Bead Journal Project. What a blessing that has turned out to be for many of us. Robin Atkins has touched so many people with this project and continues to do so.

May all of you have a wonderful New Year, and may you love, laugh and be happy for all your days. Be safe this holiday and be creative, no matter what your chosen medium.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wish It Were Snowing

Merry Christmas everyone!


These pictures were taken in Tahoe during our Retreat there in October. Sure wish it would snow just this much here in Fresno/Clovis for the holidays. Not bad to drive in, yet beautiful to look at. We have received a good bit of rain, but it's not the same. Guess I should be thankful for the rain. We needed it soooo much.


I'm sitting here listening to Christmas carols and thinking of all of you. For you, I wish a happy, joyful holiday. May you have all your wishes come true and may you enjoy your families in this Blessed season.


I will be spending my Christmas with my family and friends. I am blessed to have them so close by me. Every time I look at my grandsons, they have grown another inch. They are 20, 16, and 10 years old. I am so proud of all three.


I am also fortunate to have a wonderful beady family here. They are my sisters of the heart. Then there are all of you, who I know from the Internet. I've been lucky enough to meet many of you in person and it's as if I have known you all my life. How blessed I am.


Have a wonderful holiday and I'll see you next year.

Printer is fixed!

Hurrah! I now have a new printer. Once again, I can share pictures. These are two of my favorites from the Tahoe Retreat. Dustin and Beki look like they are having a giggle, don't they? Nikki, Dustin, Sherry and Marcia always add to the fun of a party.

It seems like I have been doing a lot of everything but beading lately. I know I've been buying beads like I was running out of them at home. NOT!

I am working on a new bracelet design right now. Of course, it is bead embroidery, but is not a cuff. I hope to have some pics of it soon.

Is everyone ready for Christmas? For a change, I have most of my shopping done. I started back in September. This is something I never do. I am a world class procrastinator and usually am scrambling to finish at the last minute. I am actually looking forward to the holidays this year, which is something I can't always say.

More soon.......

Happy Thanksgiving to all

I wanted to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you are able to spend it with family and friends. May this holiday find you all well and happy.

A fervent thank you to all our troops for your sacrifices being away from your families and loved ones at this time. You are all in my prayers.

As you can tell, I haven't fixed the picture problem yet, but it will be done soon. My tech support grandson will look at it this weekend for me.

It's been a busy late Summer and Fall for me. We had our local Bead Show in September. Several of us immediately went to Tahoe for a Retreat. What a ball that was! We took three great classes from Beki Haley, Marcia DeCoster and Sherry Serafini. Just as soon as we returned to Clovis, we had a maraton weekend of classes through our Bead Society and our local bead store, Beads, Etc. in Clovis. We topped that off two weeks later with a class from Leslie Frazier. That just about classed me out. LOL. I have way too many patterns running around in my head right now.

We changed our annual trek to the BABE(Bay Area Bead Extravaganza) Show. Instead of going for several days, we took the train up for just one day. Seemed kind of strange to not be staying at the hotel this year, but there is always next year. It sure didn't stop us from shopping! I have been working at our LBS three days a week and teaching classes as needed. I just got permission from the owner to set up an area focused on Bead Embroidery. Just ask me how jazzed I am about that!!!

Have a wonderful holiday.

Two Things

I want to smile every time I think about this last weekend. We returned last evening from the Bead Unique Tahoe Retreat totally exhausted, but replete in all the beadiness we were able to indulge in all weekend. Great classes by even greater teachers made each day a delight. Often, after taking a class, I will neglect to finish the project due to disinterest after learning the technique. Not this time! All three classes were totally interesting and will be finished ASAP. I plan to wear them all proudly.

The staff who planned and executed the retreat are to be commended for their diligence and unfailing good grace. They were cheerful and helpful in all ways. There were so many sponsors it would be impossible to name them all. To say a mere thank you is not enough. We all received a goodie bag filled with beads, tools and patterns and I, personally plan to make good use of them. Then to provide snow was a bonus we hadn't anticipated. How nice of you. It was a beautiful venue and endlessly entertaining.

Of course, no thank you would be complete without mentioning Pam, Beki and Shawn. Pam, I know you and Beki worked unceasingly to provide us with the ultimate in retreats. You succeeded very well. Beki, thank you for sharing your beloved Shawn with all of us. I don't know what we would have done without him. It was so nice to touch bases with Russell again and to get to know Joanna and all the rest of the retreat planners. You all gave us a rare treat and deserve our thanks.

While at the retreat, I was able to share with others about one of my other passions. The Bead
Journal Project. I've been a part of it for two years now and have signed up for a third year. It is such a fun way to share with others and make them a part of your life. Robin Atkins started it in 2007 to encourage beaders to share their feelings and work with others. I hope she knows how much good it has been for so many of us. I can't encourage you enough to look into joining us in January. Go to: Beadjournalproject.com. to learn about it and sign up for next year. Whether you are a beginning beader or an expert, there is something for all in the BJP.

Just as soon as I get my new printer up and running, I will post pics from the retreat.

Happy Beading!

Kit Work

These four pictures are the pieces I did from our Bead Society kit this year. There were many beautiful and diverse art pieces made from this kit. Of course, the colors were right up my alley.

This first piece had an odd shaped donut that cried out for fringe. Did I ever tell you I hate fringe? It never seems to lay right for me. Oh well.
This necklace includes three lampwork discs made by one of our local bead makers, Vicki Cedarquist. I love using them in my work.
This piece is one of my "hats". Apparently, viewed from the top, it looks like an old fashioned decorated hat. I must be getting in a rut as several people have made the same comment about some of my pin/pendants.
You can never go wrong making a freeform peyote bracelet from a kit. There are always lots of options for embellishments.

It's been a busy week for me. I helped our LBS owner, Becky, in her booth at the Woman's Conference on Tuesday last. It was tiring, but fun. Robin Roberts from Good Morning America was an inspiring speaker. We were able to talk to hundreds of women about the shop and how much fun beading is.

The above pieces were displayed at our annual CCBS Bead Show on Sunday along with those of other members. It was a nice display and will be at our County Fair in October as well.

A week from tomorrow we leave for the Bead Unique Bead Retreat in Tahoe. I'm really getting excited about it. I need to get Marcia's book out and brush up on RAW. I do use it often, but practice never hurts. Beki Haley's class will give me a really blingy necklace when finished. Hope it goes with my jeans and teeshirts. LOL. I know I will get a lot from Sherry's class. I feel like my work is a bit static right now and I'm hoping she can give me some suggestions to improve it.

I took some pictures at our show and of some of my newer works, but Picasa is being stubborn today and won't take them. I'll try again later. Have a great beady day!

Swap Pins

Here are two of the pins I will swap while in Tahoe for the Bead Unique Retreat. It's getting closer all the time and we are all getting excited about our trip. There are six of us coming from the Fresno/Clovis area. We'll be sharing a two bedroom suite and even have a full kitchen. All reports state the Retreat site is beautiful and will be perfect for our purposes. I still have to finish my UGLY project but it is coming along nicely. Have to make a run to Michael's before I can finish it. I can't wait to see everyone else's work.

I have admired the work of many of the attendees for years. It will be such fun to finally meet them all and be able to exchange ideas and techniques. The Internet made it possible for so many of us to get to know one another over the years. Now BU has made it possible for us to get together in person. The classes scheduled should be loads of fun.

I'd best get back to work now. Have lots to do for our Women's Conference on Tuesday and then our CCBS Bead Show on Sunday. Then only 10 days until we go to Tahoe.

Last Two BJP Pages

Finished on time! Yay! Talk about leaving it until the last minute. This first page is called Summer Flair. I got the fabric in a scrap bag a couple of years ago and couldn't resist using for my July page. It's a flannel fabric, but just seemed to be perfect for a velvety summer night sky. Following through on using texture, it was fun finding the right beads to show off the flaring fireworks.
My last page comes from a class I recently took from Annie Hesse. She came to our LBS to teach a doll class. Once started, it was difficult to put the face down until it was finished. I just had to show her off on my August page. Annie's class was pure, unadulterated fun. She is funny and knowledgeable and oh so patient. She is a doll herself. I call this page Bad Hair Day. LOL

This ends the BJP for this year, but you can bet I will be signing up for another year come October 1st. Knowing I have this project ongoing all year keeps me focused. I can plan my other projects around it and make better use of my time. Part of me wants to change sizes for this next year, but then again, I do like working in the 4x6" size. Not sure what I will do yet. Lots of time to make up my mind.

I have been busy getting ready for our annual Bead Show here in Fresno. We will have 30 vendors this year. It will be held on September 20th, a Sunday. If anyone wants directions, let me know. It's always lots of work, but lots of fun too.

Almost immediately after the show, six of us from here will head for Tahoe and the Bead Unique Retreat. Can't wait! I'll finally have a chance to meet some of my online friends in person. Lots of swaps, and interesting projects to finish before then. One of them is an Ugly Beaded Object. Have you ever tried to make something ugly on purpose? Not as easy as one might think.

June BJP Page

One more done! I was given this beautiful example of polymer clay work a couple of years ago. I could never decide exactly what to do with it. It just seemed to fit a June wedding theme. The background fabric is a lovely piece of silk I had in my stash. I love the color combinations in the clay. It made choosing colors for the page very easy. Once again, texture is all. I have July's page almost done as well. I'll post it when it's finished. You never know, I just may get done on time after all.

May BJP Page

This is my May BJP page. It's called "Friends". I found these wonderful gemstone faces online and knew I had to do something with them. They represent my beady friends who have become my family. I have been trying to add more texture to my pages this year. Small keishi pearls and gemstone chips have added a new dimension I think. I can't believe we are so close to the end of the year. I still have three pages to do, but expect to be done soon. I had to get some "real life" things out of my way so I could concentrate on my pages.
This cuff was inspired by the beautiful cabs I bought recently in San Mateo. I love turquoise and copper together. I enjoy making cuffs so much I am toying with the idea of doing them for BJP next year. Kelly's beautiful cuffs have made me want more of them.

Celebrate our Youth

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Being the patriotic soul that I am, this has always been a favorite holiday for me. Many years ago, I was married to an Army Officer. I got first-hand experience with wondering if my husband would make it home safely from Viet Nam. I can surely appreciate the angst families go through when their young people are in a war zone. These young men and women sacrifice their all to keep us a free nation.

It behooves us to think often and long about these young people who guard our freedom. Where would we be without their sacrifices? They fought for us at Pearl Harbor, on the beaches of Normandy, in the jungles of Viet Nam and now in the desert sands. They give their lives that we may live in freedom.

When you see a young man or woman in uniform, say thank you. Thank you for standing between us and the possibility of tyrannical dictators who have no concern for human life. Thank you for allowing us to vote for our leaders and to change that vote when necessary.

You are the lifeblood of our nation. Without you, we couldn't survive. Bless you and your families who give so much.

Just Coasting Lately

I have just been coasting for the past month or so. I have little motivation to do anything. I'm hoping it's just an accumulation of sad events that have happened recently. We had an unexpected death in the family, one of my best friends was seriously ill and I received bad news from another relative. This all happened within a two week period. I'm not sitting around crying or anything, but find myself strangely apathetic. I'm finding it difficult to stick to any one thing long enough to finish it.
I find myself doing things that are relatively mindless, such as making 52 pair of earrings, and spending my time tagging things for our LBS, etc. I'm being productive, but not creative, if you know what I mean. I need a jump start to get my engine running full speed again. Does anyone have any suggestions? I can think of all kinds of things I want to do, but starting them is something else again.

April BJP and Extras

One more page done! This is my April page and it's called "Awakening" The inspiration for this page is a raku bead by RAMA. With her soft leaves just unfurling, it seemed the perfect focal for April. Of course, here in the West, the heat has come on with a bang this year, while other parts of the country are still almost in winter. My background fabric is a batik of frangiapani. I have been trying to do some new (to me) techniques this year instead of covering every inch of fabric with beads. Sometimes, it's harder this way.

Since I blogged last, I've been staying busy. Had a ball doing a Car Show here in Clovis. Sold a little bit, but was able to advertise for our LBS classes, so it was a good day. The best part, is that it was a benefit for the Shriner's. These folks do so much good for children who are ill. I hope I can always lend my time to projects like this.

I fell in love with these heart beads by Grace Ma . They lend themselves to being used as charms on a simple spiral bracelet. Grace's lampwork beads work well in bead embroidery projects as well as focals in other jewelry projects.

Spring Pond

Is it raining where you live? We just got a storm in from the coast and the rain is pouring, the eves are dripping on the patio and I wish I had a fire going. It's not cold, but a fire would be cozy, don't you think? I know we need the rain as much as ever. If we're lucky we may get some snow in the higher elevations. That would be even better. I know we sure don't want another fire season like last year.

This page is called Spring Pond. It's my March page for BJP. I found the cute bone carvings at BABE this past November and couldn't resist them. Of course I had no idea what I would do with them, but when has that ever mattered? Now I'm only one month behind. Yay for me!

What are all of you working on right now? Besides my BJP pages, I continue to work on my BFAC project. A friend of mine asked the other day if I was ever going to do anything but bead embroidery again. It made me laugh. I still do a fair amount of beadweaving and of course, I am still teaching both at Beads,Etc. in Clovis. I can't help it if the embroidery calls to me. I get a tremendous sense of satisfaction out of finishing each piece.

I am officially signed up for the Retreat at Tahoe. I can't wait. Several of us from here are planning to go. I've taken Marcia DeCoster's classes before and they are a treat! She makes even RAW fun. I know I will enjoy Beki Haley's class as well. Her work is always so meticulous. For me though, the big draw this trip will be Sherry Serefini's class. I have admired her work for years and never thought I would be lucky enough to take one of her classes. I will be in heaven for sure. LOL

On to my April and May pages now.

January and February BJP

I am slowly, but surely catching up with my BJP pages. This first one is for February. I loved the plummy colors in the batik fabric and found a bead from Grace Ma that fit perfectly. This page kind of symbolizes a new growth to me. Seeds are planted and lo and behold we see the flowers starting to appear. I've been experimenting this year, trying to get out of the habit of totally encrusting my pages. Sometimes that is difficult for me. I have a tendency to think more beads is always better. I'm trying to break that habit. Of course, working with focals such as this one is such a pleasure. Grace's beads are exquisite.














This page is for January. It is called Shadow of Winter. The focal face cabochon is by Klew. The swirled lampwork bead is by Vicki Cedarquist who belongs to our Central California Bead Society and always participates in our CCBS Bead Show each September. I love the subtle color changes in this batik and it was so perfect for this face cab.

Eventually I will get caught up with my pages. I 'm currently working on March and am already thinking about April's page. Procrastination is one of my most prolific habits and I do it very well. I continue to work on my BFAC project for this year.

I am finally beginning to see progress in my goal to spread the joy of bead embroidery. This week has been very special in that I have had some of my students bring me finished or nearly finished works of their art. I'm so pleased to see that they have enjoyed working on them. Some of them even plan to do more. This makes teaching worthwhile.