I'm Not Typing

Okay, I am typing. I'm just not typing what I should be typing. This is what I did instead:This is my Laura McCabe Dahlia Locket. I bought the kit last summer and finally put it together a couple of weeks ago. All I had left to do was attached the loop and toggle today. Let me just say as a project designer, kit builder and beadwork technique teacher that I absolutely love Laura and her projects. I have never done so much with just one stitch. The instructions were clear and, oh my stars, if I could do hand rendered graphics like she does, I'd be in seventh heaven. I hate struggling with computer rendered graphics. The kit is generous in the amount of beads and thread, and she sent FIVE needles in two different sizes. I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that a beginner could do this (knowledge of peyote stitch is definitely needed), but it was not a difficult project and I am just pleased as punch with it! And I happen to have a pink blouse that needed a spark. Yowza, this sucker sparkles! Swarovski crystals and cubic zirconium abound (you just can't quite see the spark with the scanner). I can't wait to do my other LM kit and, by golly, this summer I'm buying more of her kits!

So, what have I done today? Well, I've been corresponding with my gal pal Gaye. As her daughter gets older, Gaye gets busier. We just haven't been able to get together this year the way we have in the past. Of course, I don't have a bead shop down the street from TSU (where she works) like I used to! Hah! Do you think that has anything to do with it? She is now the proud mother of a new driver (snicker). They'll get through it okay. Their insurance rates may go up, but they'll get through it. My problem is that I remember this girl as a small child who used to come to my store with her mom, and she always got to pick out beads. I have a bracelet that I made based on a palette that Victoria picked out, and I never fail to get compliments on the color. Now she's a grown up, gorgeous young woman. She really needs to stop making me feel old!

I've also been in touch with Pam Way today. She is also putting things together for the San Antonio Bead & Ornament Society's bead bazaar. Hopefully we will have booths next to each other. I happen to know that she has a whole bunch of new sets ready. Maybe I can shop before the bazaar begins! Hee, hee, hee!

I also stayed in bed sleeping until 10:30 this morning. The insomnia has been hellish this week. I have another appointment next week regarding the sleep study, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens. In the meantime, I'll just deal with feeling like a lazy slug.

It's obvious to me that I'm not going to get any typing done today, so I'm off to finish beading another project and I will definitely take pictures when it's finished. You just might not see them until right before the bead bazaar (I want you to purchase a kit or pattern, you see). We're off to get our little chickies tomorrow, so I'll have lots of pictures of them for you, plus wildflowers in my back yard and T-man's little garden (our lettuce is an inch tall now). Ariel is at her weekly chess club meeting today. I hate to say it, but my little girl is going to be a nerd just like mom was. And Natalie has things to do for Relay for Life tonight. I am very proud of her for getting involved in this. Please go visit her team page and consider making a donation. Natalie will be putting her info up there sometime this week. "We Hate Cancer" is the number two team in the amount of donations so far. It is such a worthy cause, and such a personal cause to us, and it would mean so very much to everyone involved to receive donations from you. Okay, I'm off the soapbox for now. Remember, don't worry -- bead happy! (groan)

My Head Is Full Of Mush

Okay, an explanation for that title is probably in order. I have all these fantastic ideas for jewelry, dolls, etc. floating in my brain. Constantly. My brain never seems to stop whirling (and I realize that might sound a bit bipolar). Sometimes I write the ideas down, sometimes they even manifest themselves. But there is so much going on in there that I cannot possibly keep up most days. I don't want to spend all my time taking notes. I'd much rather spend it in front of a pile of beads with needle and thread in hand! So I remain stuck in a whirling vortex, adrift in a sea of ideas, mired in . . . . I think you get the picture.

Yesterday I took KC (who is pretty much a baby beader even though she has strung and she has torched and she has fused) to visit a couple of the local bead stores. I took A with us and we took KC's teenager with us (cute as a button!). My little Miss A is invited to a big b-day party next week, so we picked out some cute, cute beads to make a bracelet for the birthday girl. I got some yummy glass beads (of course) and a few margaritas (no, not the drink) at the wonderful Mica Beads & Jewelry in San Antonio (unfortunately, they do not have a web site). Then off we went back to Austin to my fave LBS. I got some metal components and a few beads. KC grabbed up some Charlottes that were on sale. I have to admit, it's impressive when a baby beader gravitates to charlottes and crystals right off the bat! Then it was off to the book store, where I got my copy of Laura McCabe's new book Creating Crystal Jewelry with Swarovski. And I got a copy of Somerset Studio's Artful Blogging. And basically, perusing those two books will add to the mush that is my brain. *sigh* Maybe I should go attempt to execute something. Ciao!

Beadful Things

Well kids, today I would like to send you out into the World Wide Web. If you are going to be home this weekend, maybe you would like something new to bead or something new to read. Maybe you would like some mindless entertainment that doesn't involve grown men chasing a leather ball. And maybe you just want to look at some pretty pictures. I'm going to try to keep these links as bead/jewelry oriented as possible, but I might slip up here and there.

Live in the middle of nowhere? Want to take classes from nationally known teachers without the hotel fees? Go to Beaducation for their online classes (Laura McCabe! Lisa Niven Kelly!). Some of the classes are even free!

Want some eye candy? Want some fun? Suzanne Cooper's newsletters are full of both. Be sure to check out her Jump Start Classroom if you are new to bead weaving. Suzanne has some of the best instructions I've ever seen. And by all means check out Suzanne's vast listings of links.

Bead Pattern Central is the place to go for advanced bead weaving patterns (Laura McCabe again!). Yes, I have purchased from them. And if you prefer kits, visit Beads East.

Need color inspiration? Margie Deeb has it. Check out her Muse (which you can listen to as a pod cast), her patterns, her books, everything.

Need a smile?

Would you like to play a game?

That should keep you busy for a couple of hours! Have a wonderful weekend, whatever you do, and stay safe and WARM. By the way, the only place I found for camping in Texas that did not have rain in the forecast has SNOW. We are seriously considering it. After all, it's just one evening and one night, and the high the next day will have any icy roads thawed early. SNOW, yes I said SNOW in Texas! So much better than rain. I'll let you know next week.