Lockets anyone?

Bead and Button proposals are in, of which these lockets are included. I have been having fun with the scarab form.

So we're off on our marathon junket! Set up began for Sunapee today and all went surprisingly smoothly, given the 5 inches of rain that fell overnight. Tomorrow all inventory will be installed and then I'll be a shopkeeper for a full 9 days. I am looking forward to it. My reality shifts every year for this span of time.

Juanita, parts of the pile!

So many projects, so little time.

How about those polka dotted daggers?

The pile accrues.

As anybody in this bead business understands, my life is a series of baggies, all sizes, all shapes and I've handled most of them, many times, over the last few weeks. I am heartened to report that finished pieces are starting to emerge out of the chaos. Two long days of assembling has yielded some fun work.

I was so sure that yesterday was Monday that I went down to the mailbox....I didn't figure it out until way later in the day. It's always so strange to lose total track of time, a whole day, though?

I am immersed in so many different things, like a kid in a candy store and it has all of my favorite kinds of treats.

Having fun.

The objective was to see how many layers I could incorporate into one closing acorn. The answer is many.

Anyone out there interested?

Squam Art Workshops is a lovely thought and a prospect I have been relishing. As I think the fall through and try and line up my priorities I see that my limited time and 'thumb power' leaves no room for R&R, and taking on ANYTHING new. I write this in hopes of drumming up an interest in someone to buy my spot. Elizabeth, the director has assured me that whomever takes my spot is not committed to the same workshops that I signed up for. Anyone ready to experience the early fall in New England immersed in an art undertaking in an idyllic setting on the pond???

Please let me know!

Just for fun a necklace created for Jessica Lundevall of Studio Beads using dog chew toys from her sweet husband, Torias's company, Petstages. I was totally taken with the luminous play of light in the blue beads/dog toys. They also come in red!

Yesterday I turned 54, aaack. I feel every inch of it. Weird to think that my grandmother died at 108, exactly twice my age now. Can't imagine.

When life throws you a learning curve.......

Between learning curves, bee stings, studio clean up, children coming...and going....and preparations for Sunapee I have been out straight but in a way that is different than when I am in total 'reaction mode', i.e. home for three days, just time enough to clean clothes, repack, reorder and fly out the door again.

I have been enjoying working with all 3 metal clays and working on some neckpieces. My metal smithing skills are rusty and haven't been practiced since my time at Mass Art when I had the priveledge of taking some classes with Joe Wood, a thorough and disciplined task master. Of course the metal clays weren't on the scene yet but the stand by methods of forging and soldering live on. It comes back to me slowly, I make many mistakes. It is frustrating and rewarding.

As I look over sign ups for my next teaching situation, I see that people want to learn more about metals and less about feltmaking. The Embellished Brooch is one of my very favorite classes to teach, Beadfest Philadelphia is the place to find me, for either Coloring Metals or the lovely brooch, the feltmaking is probably coming to a wind down so if you would like a taste, now is the time.

Eagle sightings, power animals!

My time on Camano Island with my dear friends and the out of doors, including probably 40 eagle sightings, was lovely, restful and fun. These 2 days were the final reward for a hectic paced, non stop extravaganza running hard since Tucson in February....not kidding. I have no shows or teaching dates planned for the ENTIRE month of July. Sunapee starts on August 1 and goes for 9 days so it really is just a delusion/illusion that the month is 'OFF', but I can make progress with out total interruption during this time. Karen Flowers will arrive here towards the end of the month so we can work together on new ideas and she can 'ransack' my stash,and go home with an influx of new materials.

All is well here, I'm setting my sights on creating order and paving my way. Maybe even some time to update this blog?