These Seagulls

Anyone who knows me understands that I have an affinity for birds especially birds that I can feed. I so wanted to get pictures of these seagulls that were hanging out at the PT bead show over the weekend that I fed them nearly an entire package of oatmeal cookies to get them to psoe for me. Now who is smarter ... the birds who ate all the cookies or the person who kept feeding them? After taking a bazillion shots finally the older seagull turned to face me or maybe he was too full to fly away! Anyhow, I got the shot! Oh and for you east coast people; our seagulls are BIG here, really big sort of like small turkeys in more ways than one! It's for the birds! Lois

With Love from the PT Bead Market

The PT Bead Market is now over for another year. It was well attended and a great deal of fun. I honestly enjoy meeting up with old customers and making new ones. I have here a photo of Lisa from Zizzyzaza Beads and Carol from Montanna Reflections. Lisa runs the show with me and Carol, nutty girl, is our security guard and sleeps with the merchandise every night. I also just threw in a couple of cool pictures of beads and new Czech buttons. I never get tired of looking at bead photos sort of like those ink blot pictures. What do you see in them? I can always see new things in pictures of bead arrangements. I will add more photos in the coming days as I maaged to take a lot of seagull and PT pics. I am beat now so it is off to dreamland for me! xxoo, Lois

Before Bedtime...

This is the end of the second day at the Port Townsend Bead Market and what a fine day it was! Sunny, warm and wrapped up with a light dinner at my home with all the vendors. Nothing I like better than snack type foods, good company and conversation!

I left my camera and all its' pictures at the show so I will just leave you with one more crow picture that I found. I just love these birds!

Tomorrow - more pictures. And one more thing, I can't help but say it ... Hillary Clinton for president!!! You want change? Put a WOMAN in the white house as president, not as someone's spouse! You go girl!!!!

LOIS

Time to Sleep

I found this totally awesome crow picture while running through the internet in our unheated office! If only I could get into my studio where it is warm.... anyhow, doesn't this bird have a great eye sort of a bird's eye view? HAHAHAHa - Tomorrow is the Port Townsend Bead Market so I will be at the Pope ( no, not THAT pope ) Marine Building over the water for the next three days> I will eventually get my camera and take some photos. It's a small and cozy show with great stuff and people! Good night - Lois

Howard, I love you! I am so glad we are friends!

BEADS! 2008

How this EXCITES me! If this works and we do know computer skills are not a strong technique of mine; you should see the cover of the new BEADS! 2008 issue - Editor Picks! You will find my work on pages 10.11.12. 16 and 18. Thank you Beadwork magazine and Interweave Press. I love ya"! This news makes my studio lock out almost bearable! xxxxx00000. Lois

A Picture to Hold Your Interest!

I am at a loss! Yesterday, I could not get into my studio because of the concrete pour and now the great concrete cure! I can't get to my camera, my beads, my silversmithing, my drawings, my journal, my everything! I am lost! Yesterday, with the housekeeper here; I couldn't even veg and knit in front of the great TV mind emptier. So what, you may ask did I do? On a day off so to speak!? First I had a pedicure, ran errands, grumped at city hall, ate lunch out and STILL had the rest of the day to while away! I headed to Andrea's where we took a drive ( hmmm ... helicopter moving creosote logs off the fort's beach ) after getting ice tea and chocolate cookies, then back for more tea and dinner ingredients and then some silver fusing in her studio ( I learned something and exercised this old brain! ) and then we had a wonderful dinner originally promised to Andrea's dad ( sorry Armand - NOT! ) and then watched the Rise of the Silver Surfer a Fantastic 4 movie, that Jake loved, then strawberry shortcake ( 3 servings for Jake ) and then home to Men in Trees ( yum - love that Cash guy ! ) and then today, I STILL can not get into the studio! Sigh....

This is a photo of Jacob showing his cat at the cat show. It is for Andrea and Whit so they can see how it is done! HAHA, Thanks for dinner! Lois

Just a Funny Note

I do not have much to say this evening so I thought that I would add this picture of one of the cards Melissa received at her bridal shower. I thought it was pretty funny but then maybe it was just the snacks talking!

A cold and sunny day here. Phil and I had a nice walk with Regina and a yummy lunch out at the Spruce Goose.

April What ( ! ) Brings May Flowers?

What a surprise! This is our third day of on and off snow storms. This is April with a twist, a vengence, a dang,it's cold out here kind of month! I like it though as long as we get a spot of sun now and then. It's a great day to spend in the studio although the snow does scare off less hardy customers from the shop. They must all stay home and create, too. Hmmm - I have a small comfort zone weather wise so hot days do not appeal to me and cold days do. This day fit right into my I like it cold days. A little more sun and venturing customers would be good for the soul and pocketbook.

Don't you love the little dinosaur that Jake snuck into the hole in one of my garden rocks? He is so cute covered in snow and Jake thought I did not even notice this cold blooded beast in my garden! Ha! He has been there a long time but now the poor guy needs to hibernate. I am making a dive for my down comforter and a fast People magazine read. Nighty nite! Lois

The Wavy Views of my Dr. Suess Walkway

As promised, here are a couple of views of my walkway under construction. I think they will pour concrete today and the big trick will be keeping the dogs out of it! I need to find some gemstones though to scatter into the cement. We are also having steps constructed down to the warehouse. Oh - la - la ! Lois

This Picture

Just a quick blog in tonight. I'm not sure why but this picture of my feet and my lovely pedicured toes taken on the railroad bridge over the Dungeness River; ( did I give you enough description? ) makes me smile! I think it is because my feet are striped with the sandal straps and I have this thing for dark and contrasting stripes. They turn up all the time in my paintings and even in my charm designs.

There was a bit of sun today but snow ( !!!! ) is in the forecast so the weather could all change again. I felt sorry for Jacob, the young guy working on my walkways when it was cold and drizzly yesterday but he just said the weather was a piece of cake, he also works on a fishing boat in Alaska! I suspect the day felt balmy to him. My walkway is all outlined and looks like a Dr. Suess path. I will get pictures posted soon. Have a great night - Lois

One More Picture - I couldn't resist!

It is Spud my man! I was trying to take his picture and every time I called to him; he rolled to his side on the gravel pathway to my studio while humming his little song! Speaking of gravel walkways - tomorrow they begin their new life as concrete walkways! Yippee - no more weeding!

Spud the Dog!

This is Spud, a dog that lives down the street from me. He is a very B-I-G love but he has to sneak away to see us. We just love him to pieces but although he looks well taken care of, his owner is a bit of a stick in the mud and is not friendly and for some reason, Spud never wants to go home. He is in the studio and you can see how big HE is compared to his surroundings. When Spud eats a Milkbone, it is like having a lake in the house, crumbs and drool everywhere and best of all, he sings!!!

Off to a wedding/bachlorette party for Melissa who works for me and is already married. Should be fun, Lois ( Please don't make me play dumb shower games! There oughta be a law! )

In This Magazine

Page 8 in this wonderful magazine ( ! ) features one of my sterling toggle clasps! It is the one that says HOPE and I made it because some days when the entire world gets me down from the mess in Iraq, the deaths of our youngest, brightest soldiers, global warming, the economy and I could go onnnnnnnnnn; I need to remember to have HOPE, to feel HOPE, to promote HOPE.

My thanks to the magazine and the wonderful jewelry designer Linda Muscante ( I hope I spelled this correctly ) for adding my piece into the magazine. I am proudly mailing a copy to my best friend and my mom plus I have a stack of the magazines prominently displayed in my shop. xxoo, Lois

Look What I Found!

Look what I found while on a drive ... Lois Lane and the sweet yellow mustard flowers at the base of the sign! Imagine that! The REAL Lois Lane! HAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA - Lois

A Brief Bit of Sun!

The sun briefly made an appearance this afternoon so Phil and I dashed off to East Beach on Marrowstone Island for a quick walk. There was sun, a low, low tide and no wind. We just about had the place to ourselves. I took all my broken cabs and bliter pearls to the beach and made an offering of thanks to the earth as I tossed them into or back to the water. The earth gives me so much in my business to sell or work with; it only feels right to return what I can not use because of breakage.

Poor Andrea, stranded in Seattle for the night instead of being on her way to Texas. Dang airlines!@# %6!8 *()&* There I said it for her! See you later gator, Lois

A Purple Day

These pictures have a theme in common; the color purple. It is our funky lavender flower bed with the bowling ball we found on the beach as an ornament ( who would get so mad at bowling that they would toss the ball into Puget Sound?? ), my beautiful purple vincas which grow along the walkway to my front door without any help from me at all and finally, one of my folkart paintings of english canal flowers that was framed in a small but elaborate gold frame.

We greeted this day with a mad rush to get Jacob to school or rather Phil did as I just snoozed away, only to find out that there was no school today because of a teacher's training day. That just forced Jacob and I to visit Andrea and Whit and have hot dogs at John's hot dog stand downtown. MMM .. jumbo veggie dogs! All this during a brief few hours of sun!! Now if only Jacob would quit bugging me about running off with my ancient IPod! Time for bed! xxoo, Lois

Twenty Six Years Ago ...

On this day twenty six years ago; I gave birth to my oldest son, Michael. I named him with a long distinguished moniker, Michael Ernest James Venarchick Morello and after a difficult few weeks of worry; took my sweet baby home. I am to this day amazed that I could be entrusted with a new human life and not need a license or any specialized training or education. Michael has been a wonderful boy and now a man. He kept me company, made me laugh, worry, cry, rejoice and delight in life and him. Even now that he lives so very far away; I miss him terribly and yet, he still makes me feel all warm, cozy and motherly inside. He is and always will be a joy in my life. My now grown up treasure!

I am adding this photo of Seattle's famous Space Needle for Michael. When he gets home one of these days we are going to head to the top! Happy Birthday Michael!! Love, Mom

Pretty Trees in Portland

I am feeling pretty tired as it is getting late and world weary tonight so I am just going to post these pictures of the lovely, blooming fruit trees at the Portland Convention Center. Aren't they beautiful? I have always had a love affair with flowering trees! It is so spring! Sweet dreams - Lois