Back from Bead and Button

We are back and are madly restocking all our goodies which came back from the show. But there ain't much....it was a very successful show! I will post details and pix very soon.
:)

Canceling Bead Fest

It is with great great sorrow that I have to cancel my classes at Bead Fest Philadelphia. We just found out that my Step Father has inoperable Pancreatic Cancer and I fear our time with him is very limited. I have also withdrawn my applications to teach at Bead Expo Sante Fe in 2009. In the 16 years that I have been traveling and teaching, I have never needed to cancel classes, but this is important. I live 10 minutes from my mom and Step Dad and I need to remain by their side for a while.

I cherrish this man. He is absolutely one of the most incredible people I have ever met....amazing man, friend, husband, father, grandfather and Vet. He has one of the brightest spirits you will ever come across. Please send him some good thoughts!!!!

Rain ain't gonna stop us!

Well, we are back from the Strawberry Music Festival. It rained pretty much the whole time. But thanks to an amazing community of friends and my engineer husband who had a big part in building the covered "lounge" area (with Doug and Will of course), we had a blast.

We were able to head to the main stage and see some great bands....yes, in the rain. Personally, I like dancing in the rain! Two of my favorites that got my cold buns dancin', were JJ Grey and Mofro and South Austin Jugg Band. I was back at camp putting the kids to bed and missed Emmylou Harris but she sounded great from where I was :)

We weren't able to play in the lake but it was beautiful to look at.
We pretty much sat around and did a whole lot of this (see below picture).....playing and listening to music, ok, and drinking home brew and fine wine. Oh and we did get in a bunch of walks between rain bursts. We camped with great musicians including the lovely Jill and her husband Steve of Orange Sherbet.




Just before we left, we were able to get a bite of the famous and traditional "Pamcakes" made by my buddy Pam (below)...she and I have been friends since we were 5!







Pam and her husband Will pretty much bind this community. They are our glue, the wind beneath our wings...all that good stuff. Despite the rain, my kids had a blast made some new "strawberry friends", and now we are home, dry, semi clean and looking forward to next year :)

Work hard play hard

I wrote about this saying a while ago.....I can really relate to it. I mean here I am at work, I have been here since 8:30 AM and I will be here until 8:00 PM when I need to go relieve the babysitter (husband is at work too). Oh and it's my birthday. But that is ok, I am willing to work hard so that we can leave early Thursday morning to the Strawberry Music Festival and PLAY HARD!

This will be our 4th year in a row going to this festival. We camp with about 30 friends setting up a full community complete with a lounge and stocked kitchen. My kids love it. They get to spend the days playing in the lake and the nights snuggled up at the main stage either dancin' or sleepin' under the stars.....ahhh, i can't wait. I will post some pix when we get back.

Winerack

I was given a most excellent present this weekend.
Click here to view it, it speaks for itself. WOW!
It indeed holds a whole bottle of wine, we tested it...hey, I don't get out much!
THANKS Dave!

busy busy

Things around here are busy busy! We just finished shooting Felting classes with Gail Crosman Moore. It was sooooo much fun. Felting is so cool, wow there is a lot you can do with it. Gail was a blast, she is such a fun and cheerie gal, ya can't help but be happy when you are around her. We are lucky to have 3 classes with her...and one will be FREE, woo!

I am crazy busy getting my boxes of kits, tools, wire, blanks and more tools packed up for the Bead and Button Show. It's all hands on deck here....we even have one of my employees coming in with her CUTE baby! He keeps us smiling.

Hopefully we will be launching 2 seedbead classes with Barb Switzer tomorrow...stay tuned.


Lucy came walking in yesterday with 2 of Barb's bracelets on her head, linked together worn as a halo. She looks like a little hippie angel, I love it!

Latest chain article for Step by Step Wire magazine

For 2008, I am writing a chain article every issue for Step by Step Wire magazine. I have already done 2 issues and here is the picture for my latest chain. I am really excited about this one. It is (of course) inspired by my latest obsession with classic wrought ironwork. I love how the weaves and small connecting jump rings give the illusion of a solder/welded join.

Hope you like it :)