Rings~n~Things

Last night I had this brilliant, or so I thought, idea for a bracelet. While at the Bead & Button show I found some fabulous light sapphire ab dentelles along with some beautiful pink rose montees. It's difficult to describe what I had in mind but I thought I was going to bezel the dentelles and connect them to these super cool lampwork borosilicate glass rings made by Greg Hanson. http://www.hanson-stone.com/ . Welllll.... it didn't not quite work out. It turned into bead disaster and I ended up taking it all apart.

I have an abundance of Greg's rings, which will be traveling with me to the Puget Sound Bead Festival with me in two weeks. But if you really can't wait and you need some now visit: http://www.etsy.com/shop/hansonstonehandmade .

I've used some of these rings in my Bamboo Garden necklace which I will also be teaching at the Puget Sound Bead Festival. For details click here: http://www.pugetsoundbeadfestival.com/store/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=39

Getting Ready for the Puget Sound Bead Festival

I'm busily finishing up my directions and kits for my Raven Moon Lariat which I will be teaching in just a matter of a couple of weeks and the Puget Sound Bead Festival. http://www.pugetsoundbeadfestival.com/ . Both the kits and the directions are just about done.
I have a copious amount of lovely borosilicate lampwork beads made by the equally as lovely, Allison Byrd of Vortex Glassworks http://www.vortexglassworks.com/ which are just wating to be dropped into the kits and then, they'll be finished. I must admit I've been procrastinating in putting them in the kits, not only because I am the queen of procrastination but because I like to look at them all! Each one is so unique and beautious I'm quite temped to roll around in them. Don't worry. I will refrain.
If you'd like to see a list of all of the classes I will be teaching at the festival please click here:
http://www.pugetsoundbeadfestival.com/store/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=39 . I absolutely love teaching at this show. The host hotel, which is the Hotel Murano http://www.hotelmuranotacoma.com/ is a work of art in and of itself. What a treat it is to stay there. The loby is full of paintings and sculptures and makes you feel like you are in a gallery rather than a hotel lobby. Tacoma is fantastic city with wonderful galleries and is a mecca for glass art. How could anyone not love glass art? Within walking distance from the Hotel Murano is the Chihuly Glass Museum http://www.museumofglass.org/.  If you haven't been, you really should visit it.
Have I concinced you yet??!!

What rock have I been hiding under?

While I was at the Bead & Button show I discovered that I must have been living under a rock for quite some time, as I was unaware of the fabulous German beading magazine Perlen Poesie. http://www.perlen-poesie.de/ Where the heck have I been??!!
The super talented and extrmemely kind (anyone who has had the pleasure of meeting her in person knows her smile simply lights up a room!)  Laura Andrews http://www.lauraandrews.com/ introduced me to Andrea and Freddie Ott of Perlen Poesie fame. Lucky for me, since I don't know any German, they spoke perfect English and I was able to have a nice converstation with them. It turns out they had been to my neck of the woods, Florence , OR. What a small world. Most people in the states have never even heard of Florence, Oregon! Andrea gifted me with a copy of their beautiful magazine and I was really impressed. I'm going to subscribe, I was so impressed. The photographs are wonderful and although I can't read German, the diagrams are so well done that I don't think it even matters!
Please visit their website to check out photos of this year's Toho party in Milwaukee. There's even one of Andrea and I that Freddie took! Check it out: http://perlen-poesie.de/neuigkeiten/details/toho-empfang

Adios Milwaukee

The Bead & Button show is officially over which is always kind of sad but I'm really looking forward to getting home to my dog, who I have missed like crazy. Plus, I'm anxious to get back to beading as this show is always an inpiration for new ideas. AND... I really miss Nadine- my guitar.

We spent our last night in Milwaukee at a fantastic restaurant that my former big boss man Shaun Haley of Out on a Whim Beads fame, (mug shot pictured above) recommended. It was called Molly Cool's and it was some of the best sea food I've ever eaten. Now, I live on the Oregon coast so, you know that's really saying something. I had to take a picture of my dinner because it was so lovely. Here we have Dover Sole stuffed with crab, cream cheese and peppers served over garlic mashed potatoes, topped with a dill sauce. Yum. Painted on the wall of the restaurant was this: "Molly Cool's is shucking amazing." I couldn't agree more. They even had this cool placemats with intructions on how to clean fish.
Stay tuned for more Bead & Button photos including highlights from the Bead Dreams cases.

Bead & Button Update...

I'm still having a blast here at the Bead & Button show. Last night I taught my second session of my bezeled bottle cap earring class and it went very well. I was amazed at how quickly the students in my classes who had never done peyote stitch before caught on. I was impressed.
After class was over, I rushed to get over to the Toho party, which as always, was very nicely done. The Toho family really treats us well. My favorite part about going to the party was getting to visit the gallery and view the inspiring beadwork. Not only that but practically everyone at the party was a walking work of art wearing their best beady creations. I saw some of the most jaw dropping wearable art last night. One of the highlights of the evening was getting to meet the lovely Barb Switzer in person! http://www.beadswitzer.com/ She's been a facebook friend for a while and it was cool to see that she's actually a real live talking person! Plus she's super nice.
I've been really bad about taking photos. S orry! I'll try to get on the ball and take more. Stay tuned for more B&B updates...

Bead & Button Adventures

I'm thoroughly enjoying the Bead & Button show. Last night I taught my first session of my Bezeled Bottlecap Earrings class and I had a blast. It was so much fun to see what my students came up with. One of my students bezeled a pair of champaigne bottle caps with a woman's face on them. They came out so beautifully and resembled cameos. Darn me- why didn't I take photos?
It was quite an experience to participate in the Meet the Teachers Reception. Usually I'm a shopper, not an exhibitor so it was quite an honor to be included among such an amazing and talented group of instructors. Above middle is a photo of me at my table just before the doors opened and the crazyness began. It was great to meet so many of my facebook friends and admire everyone's beady creations.
 I thought I'd post a few photos of the show and some works in progress that I started in Laura McCabe's Master Class. The class focused on incorporating unconventional materials into beadwork designs. The top photo is of my sculptural piece where I used an old porcelian doll head and two pieces of fossil deer antler. Her body is acutally segmented and articulated. The bottom photo features a bezeled walnut sheel and a fossil deer jaw bone cut by rock god Gary Wilson. Laura was such an inspiration. She even gifted us with a fabulous book she wrote just for her master class students and her dvd on tips and tricks. Too cool.

Bead & Button is Almost Here

I have been severely remiss in tending to my blog lately. I've just been so busy getting ready for Bead & Button and the Puget Sound Bead Festival that I've barely had time to do much of anything. I know, I know excuses, excuses...I'm finally almost all caught up and ready for B&B and I feel like I can breathe again.
And then there's my guitar, Nadine. She is a big, however, much needed and appreciated distraction. I love my guitar as much as I love my beads. Now that's a lot of love, people.
Dare I tell you that I'm working on an outline for a book proposal? Yes, it's true. That's all I'm going to say for now. I don't want to jinx it so, I shall keep it on the down low for the time being. Wish me luck...