Yep, I'm still alive

Tucson Flashbacks: Frozen fountain here in my backyard in Florence, OR a week ago. It was COLD.

I've been a lazy little blogger lately. Sorry. I've just been busy. I've been working on contest pieces, magazine submissions, etsy orders and lastly, maintaining my little bead store inside the antique mall, Brown Dog Antiques. There are many changes going on in the store and as a result, my section was moved. In the moving process, the shelves broke and hundreds of tubes of seed beads went rolling all over the city of Florence. It took me one full day just to reorganize the tubes. But my section is looking good and soon Denise Saunders of Dema Designs will have her beautiful lampwork glass, beads and photography in our shared section. I will be sure and post photos as soon as this happens.

In addition to the bead frenzy, I've been diligent about keeping up with playing my guitar. I practice A LOT. I just resumed my lessons with Byron Case over in Eugene. After our lessons, I go over to the blues jam at Quackers and get to watch the best of the best local talent do there thing. In this photo is Rick Markstrom on drums. a really cool guy whose name escapes me at the moment, on bass, Byron Case on guitar and Skip Jones on the Hammond b-3, who totally knocks both my shoes and socks off every time.
Still Alive & Well~ Carolyn Wonderland

Fringification

Finito!

My friend Lloyd calls this my cod piece.

Work in Progress

I've been working on this collar for several months now. I'm happy to report that I added the clasp last night and I should be finished with the fringe by tonight. No, I WILL be done with the fringe tonight, if I have to stay up all night. I thought I'd post the work in progress.

These wonderful stones were cut by rock god Gary Wilson. They include copper fire brick and Moroccan mud crack. That's right mud crack. No, not butt crack. Also, among the mix are keishi and freshwater pearls,Swarovski crystal, 24k gold charlottes and bronze charlottes. I used to use Lacy's as a bead foundation, however, since I discovered Nicole's Beadbacking, that's all I use. It comes in many nice colors and is less than half the cost. Amen.

Sorry for the blurrrr...

Almost done...
Stay tuned for the finished product, which includes a fine, handmade brass clasp, brass chain, and super fringy fringe.

True Love

My two loves.

Keep on Rockin in the Free World

This is what bliss looks like.
I hadn't played my guitar in about two weeks, since before I left for Tucson. Sometimes when I don't play for a while and I pick it up again, it's like I'm all thumbs. Other times it's like magic. Like reuniting with a long, lost friend that you've missed terribly. Yesterday when I picked Neil up, it was bliss.

Who's that at the door?!

While dining in the lounge at the Harris Ranch Inn, we were seated beneath a photo of Secretariat.

It made me want to do The Dance. But I refrained.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE3vyYhwCMo&NR=1

JOGS Beadwork Show

While I was in Tucson, my good friend Marcie Stone told me about the International Beadwork show going on at the JOGS show. I went to check it out and take some photos for her. While I was really impressed with the quality of beadwork in the show, I must admit I was disappointed in the presentation. Necklaces appeared to be thrown haphazardly on stands, some beadwork didn't even have identification tags and to sum it up, there was just no "flow" to the presentation.
I kick myself in the ass for not asking to have Marcie's gorgeous button necklace straightened.

Look at the way the pieces above hers hang over the edge of the glass and look as if they were just piled in the case sideways. I'm sorry, I don't remember whose pieces they were or if they even had tags.
Here's a picture of all three of Marcie's pieces:

Like I said, the beadwork was impressive but had a little more thought and time been put into the presentation, it could have really been nice.