Finally, I pried myself away from the chains! Here are two of my latest endeavors. The top picture has a vintage focal cab I bought from a friend. Originally, I was going to make this pendant pink. I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but it morphed into this coppery coral. Much more my colors anyway. I felt like I was coming home when I started beading it. As much as I enjoy other kinds of beading, embroidery will always be my first love.
The second picture is a pendant I just finished this week. I'm not sure what the stone is, but it reminded me of pictures of the earth from space. It was fun pulling the colors from the stone to use in this piece. As most of you know, they are rather subtle for me. Can I help it if I'm drawn to intense colors?
Eleven of us went to the NorCal Bead Bazaar in Oakland earlier this month. As always, it was a great show. We came home with lots of goodies and had great fun showing them to each other on the train ride home. I think we have become spoiled riding the train up to Oakland. We have lots of time to bead, chat, read or doze as we choose. There are no parking fees to worry about and much less stress. Amtrak gives you bus passes to and from the station to the Convention Center so there is no cost there. The only drawback we have discovered is that they don't stop at Dairy Queen. LOL
CCBS is well on it's way to another good year. At our March meeting this Saturday, we will return the Brown Bag Challenge kits to their respective owners. Each of us made up a kit of beads we wanted to have made up for ourselves. This was given to another member to bead. I had fun working on my kit for one of our newer members. Hope she likes what I did.
If
you go to www.beadingforacure.org you can see all the gorgeous items beaded for our auction on Ebay. The Auction starts today and items will change each Sunday through the first week of May. Bid early and often. I promise you won't be sorry. All moneys received go to Colorectal Cancer Research. The website will explain the purpose of the auctions in detail and you can see all the wonderful things made in previous years too. My own cuff and necklace will be auctioned in the last week. Bidding on this auction will bring you lovely beaded items and the knowledge you are helping to find a cure for this terrible disease.
Bead Happy everyone!
This year is shaping up to be a busy one. I was just elected President of the Central California Bead Society and I'm very honored. I hope to carry on the traditions set before me. CCBS is a very active club and we have some great plans in the works for this year. I'll keep you posted.
As I mentioned in my last post, I have become addicted to working with chain, thanks to a class I took from Beki Haley last November at BABE. I always knew Beki was mesmerizing, but wow! I think she created a monster here. LOL I can't seem to stop and the ideas just keep coming. I will be teaching a class on working with chain and beads this next weekend at Beads, Etc. in Clovis,CA. That is my LBS and my home away from home. I usually spend three days a week at the shop. Sometimes I just bead, but I help stock the shop and run the register as well. One of my best friends (like a sister) owns the shop and her youngest daughter, Beth, manages it for her. Since I was blessed with Grandsons, I have adopted Beth as a Granddaughter. I couldn't have a better one if she was related by blood.
She has spent many hours working on revamping the shop and it shows. It is open, light and bright, and displays many types of beads. We have regularly scheduled classes on Saturdays and some evenings during the week. We also have several of our teachers available for individual classes and spontaneous demonstrations all week long.
Pictured here is a bracelet made with the new Tila Beads. It's easy enough for beginners, but not boring for more experienced beaders. This particular bracelet is my design. I have seen it done in many color combinations now and love it more each time.
Sadly, with all my new responsibilities this year, I have had to forgo doing the Bead Journal Project for the 4th year. I just wouldn't have time to do it justice. This is not to say I have stopped doing bead embroidery. Don't think that will happen until I just cannot hold a needle anymore. God willing, that will be many years down the road.
I just received my pieces back from the publisher who is releasing Jamie Cloud Eakins' new book this Fall. I have the honor of having my work included in the Gallery of her book. Can't wait to see it. It should be released in October. Jamie has some wonderful information in it, and the eye candy from her projects is stunning.
Until next time........Be safe, be happy, and keep beading. 
you go to www.beadingforacure.org you can see all the gorgeous items beaded for our auction on Ebay. The Auction starts today and items will change each Sunday through the first week of May. Bid early and often. I promise you won't be sorry. All moneys received go to Colorectal Cancer Research. The website will explain the purpose of the auctions in detail and you can see all the wonderful things made in previous years too. My own cuff and necklace will be auctioned in the last week. Bidding on this auction will bring you lovely beaded items and the knowledge you are helping to find a cure for this terrible disease.
