80s hair

I was digging through an old dresser in the basement, looking for watch parts for my latest piece, and ran across these three photos. They were bundled up like a little Pat Benetar troika; a Duran-Duran triptych; or maybe a Flock of Seagulls trio. I can't imagine why I put them all together? Maybe I prepared it as a little time capsule to freak myself out as a middle-aged woman? It worked.

I just can't resist sharing them. I especially enjoy the third one, where I obviously thought it was a good idea to comb my extreme pompadour. Was I trying to make it look, um, better? And oh, geez--check out the pony kegs filled with Special Export in those cheeks--woah!

Beadwork Inspired by Art

I gave my Creating your Own Beadwork Inspired by Art lecture at The Bead Monkey in Minneapolis last night. It was the first time Tina's offered a lecture, and it worked out really nicely!

There were 8 women who attended, so it was a more intimate experience than some of the big-hall lectures I do. With a small group like this I could bring in the actual pieces for show-and-tell and immediately answer questions. It was also nice to get to talk to the attendees, find out what they're making and interested in.

Dulcey Heller attended. She certainly doesn't need any tips from me! But she's smart--always looking at ways to breathe something new into her designs. She wrote up a nice post about my lecture. Thank you, Dulcey!

Also got to meet three board members from the UMBS, who invited me to come talk in October. I'm really excited! Even though I haven't been able to attend the meetings the last few years because of my endless taximom and homework helper duties that always make up my school nights, I think it's really important to support our local bead societies--even if it's just to join. They are what helped build this community to its very vibrant state today!

Tucson

My trip to Tucson this month was wonderful! I hadn't been in a few years, so it was great to be back on the show floors, seeing all the great products, reconnecting with friends, and taking in the beauty of the desert. (Click here to see some of the people and things I saw during my trip.)

My first order of business was to teach my Principessa II Necklace for Swarovski. They held their classes at the YWCA--a new venue for them. It was a beautiful building with high-ceiling classrooms and a sunny courtyard where students could take breaks and have lunch.

While there, I met Andreas Wieser, the mastermind behind Swarovski's online community. I guess the idea was his college thesis, so this project is like his baby. He's done a great job with the site--it's very interactive and fluid. I signed up this weekend and already I've had people become friends and make comments! I'd highly recommend it as a good place to connect with other designers.

One very cool thing that happened while in Tucson was that Swarovski invited me, along with 19 other designers, to become a Create-Your-Style Crystallized Swarovski Elements Ambassador! We will be teaching classes on behalf of CYS, test products, and generally promote their DIY lines. I'm really excited about this opportunity. Plus, just meeting with the other designers (including Margot Potter, Katie Hacker, Lisa Pavelka, Laura Timmons, Diane Fitzgerald, Debbi Simon, Brenda Schweder, Diane Whiting, Peggy Sturman, Bonnie Clewans, and many others) was opportunity enough--what a creative powerhouse.

I was traveling with Diane Fitzgerald, so I hung out in Tucson for a couple days while I waited for her to finish teaching her classes. It gave me an opportunity to buzz around and see my buddies at the different shows. Even though traffic was down (foot, that is, not car, which was WAY up because of construction), the vibe felt as lively and energetic as ever.

We headed up to Glendale's Bead Museum on Saturday morning. I taught my Le Cirque Bracelet on Saturday and Peyote Buttons on Sunday. A perfect day out for any beader would be to attend a Bead Museum class, visit this incredible museum over the lunch hour, and then head to dinner at Europa (the fabulous little Polish joint we ate at on Saturday night within walking distance from the museum).

Diane and I had dinner with my dad's wife, Peg, and her daughter, Julie, on Sunday night. Peg is such a kick--even though she's battling the Big C, she's always resilient and fun and she just always brings everyone up.

I'm so glad I got to get away. Makes me realize how important it is, so I'm going to start saving up for next year's trip NOW!

Back home and wet

Tucson was sensational! And I can't wait to tell you all about it, but I came home to a flooded basement and have spent about 36 hours straight sucking up water. I figure it's been about 153 gallons now, but who's counting? Me and the Wet Vac are one! Looks like the inside of the drain tile is frozen, so there's nowhere for the water to go but down and in. The amount of water has been so vast that I can't get towels dried fast enough, so I ended up sand-bagging this morning. I'm going to have abs of steel after this one.

Tucson

Kits? Check. Laptop? Check. Credit card? Check. Enough clean underwear for 7 days? Check. I guess I'm ready to go! I really look forward to spending time in Arizona, where it's literally 100 degrees warmer than it is here with our -30 windchill. But you know what? I'd be happy to be spending a week anywhere right now that doesn't involve cooking, doing dishes, laundry, and constant work interruptions. I've just been feeling a little like my luggage tags here--a little blurry and boxed up.

So yes--very excited for a change of venue. Diane Fitzgerald and I will be going to the Beadwork party on Tuesday night, I'm teaching my Principessa II Necklace for Swarovski from 8-12 on Wednesday, then to their party on Friday night...If you're out and about, please stop me to say hello.

My shopping route includes a visit the Best Bead Show where I'll get to hug my buddy Jamie Hogsett and the rest of the SoftFlexers; then to To Bead True Blue to say hi to Andrew Thornton at Green Girl Studios. I'll also go to the Whole Bead Show; Rio Grande's Catalog in Motion; G&LW at the Holidome; Howard Johnson's; the Bead Renaissance Show; and I'll certainly have to stop by the Quality Inn to visit the $1 tent. If you're heading to Tucson, check out Colored Stone's Tucson Show online Guide to map out your trip--it's really slick. If you don't have time to before you go, pick one up at any of the participating hotels in Tucson.

Hope to see you in Tucson!