Utah!

Okay, I am trying this again. I don't usually travel with my laptop and since this is an actual, honest to goodness vacation, I had promised myself not to use a computer for 7 days. Obviously, that thought has flown out the window!

Anyhow, I am in Orem, Utah visiting family and doing things that I do not normally do. Like riding the ski lift up 1000 feet at Sundance. I once read that you should do one thing that scares you everyday and yesterday, on that ski lift I was scared enough that it should cover a month's worth of doing a daily scary thing!

Ah, but the view of the snow capped mountains, the rushing streams and the singing birds was exquisite. It was about 64 degrees with a soft wafting wind and beads were the furthest thing from my mind until... high in th trees, just below my dangiling feet, were strings of mardi gras beads draped in the aspen branches. The sun caught their sparkle and you could not miss them! I had to laugh and smile to myself with the thought that the universe always confirms to me to " trust the beads "! What a joy!

More pictures to follow including photos of the grandkids ( how can I be this old? )

Utah

B&B Exhibition !

Here is some of the work that was on display at the B&B show in Milwaukee. These flowers, all handmade silks are covered with Swarovski crystals. The work exhibited at the show was inspiring and awesome both in its' technical abilities and original designs. The originality was overwhelming. I am always a bit astounded and humbled how people, creative, unique people take the same techniques but expand upon it in such original ways that it is never once thought of as like another. 

 Although this picture is not at the top of my photographic skills, these are all individual bead worked circles, kind of like an old fashioned yo yo quilt, that were joined on this mannequin that became part of the beaded sculpture.

This beaded, embellished doll took my breath away! It was like she was draped in crystal ice and glass. She was beaded and worked on every surface and just encrusted with seed beads, crystals and a bit of silver. Plus wings!! 

I think this piece was from the Ukraine and features cabachons, seed beads, itty bitty gem stones and shaped glass beads. What a piece to wear! The drape was so elegant and the palette of blues, grays and ivory was very inviting to the eye.

More pieces that astounded and inspired me. What a great collection of stitch work!

This piece was so layered in a leaf like shape that it was airy, delicate and tremendously textured. From a tube of glass beads comes such artistry! Are you inspired yet? More pictures to come tomorrow and then I will have to show more of my found and purchased treasures.

Don't let anyone intimidate your artistic vision. Create, play, wonder, enjoy!

Tantalizing & Tempting

Our Bead & Button booth just after set up.

Everything all neat and tidy and the first customer.

Down the aisle nearest us. 

The giant importer display kitty corner in front of us. 

Hurrah! Shoppers!

More heaps of imported beads.

Here are a few shots of our booth and the show itself at B&B. I spent most of my picture taking time shooting the exhibits of finished work which this year was exceptional. I will post those pics tomorrow. Why I did not take more photos of friends and fellow exhibitors, I will never know! I guess it is the beads that get me most and my camera just seems to navigate to them. Like the old James Bond movie, For My Eyes Only -BEADS!

HOME!

We are home from the Bead & Button show in Milwaukee! It feels so good to be on the water and smell the heavy laden salted air. My lungs feel free again and the moisture from the ferry boat spray feels refreshing and rejuvenating on my skin.
The show was great fun, seeing old friends, making new friends and selling my work to rave reviews.  My new charms and designs were so well received that I came home with very little of them. Thanks to all who stopped by the booth and confirmed that the direction I am heading in is a good one. The doors of creativity have sprung wide open and I am heading through them with tons of new ideas!

I bought some lampwork beads and have new thoughts on how to combine them with silver to make interesting charms and focal pieces. I feel so incredibly inspired by all that I saw and by the day I spent at the art museum. Believe me, I took plenty of pictures ( 149 ! ) and will be posting some of them in the coming days.

My special treat while in Milwaukee? deep fried macaroni and cheese. Never heard of it so of course I had to give it a try. Pretty tasty stuff but you could feel the old arteries clogging as you ate it! What a memory - a FOOD memory! HaHa!

I have missed being in my shop so I am heading into town now for the afternoon. Come by and see me! Until later, Lois

Leaving on a Jet Plane

I am packed! The clothes are all wrinkly rolled in their suitcase, the jewelry I will wear at the show weighs more than my make up, the knitting is nestled in its zippered pouch and I am feeling at once excited and sad that I am leaving. The house sitter, a long time friend is here and I know that Jake, the kitties and the dogs will be well taken care of. The merchandise is shipped.
Seeing friends, laughing together and getting new ideas for jewelry are the side benefits of attending B&B. I will take tons of photos but I will not be on line until my return. I don't travel with a laptop and I am IPad free and my phone, is a simple one. There will be so much to share when I get home! I have exhibited at the Bead and Button show since it began in Portland, Oregon. It is Bead Mecca, I tell everyone. If there is one show you should save your pennies and attend, it is B&B! This year there is an exhibit of beadwork form the Ukraine. I saw a glimpse of it on line and it was amazing in its intricacy and detail. Inspiring - that's what this event is. Oh, a full of hugs and kisses as we all greet each other, many of us seeing one another for the first time since last year. Thank goodness for things like FB and blogs so I can keep in touch! I love them for the ability to bring long distance friends into my living room!

A piece of bead embroidery I am working on to display some of the new Czech shaped beads  I am selling.
Of course, I could not resist adding sequins, too! I am only sorry that the colors appear a bit faded here.

A close up of some of the embroidery with a couched piece of trim that I also will be selling.

New Port Townsend charms I made, front and back images. 

Have a great week and I will see you beady soon with lots of jaw dropping inspiring, idea triggering, awesome photos! xox, Lois

Daisy

She exasperates me and pulls my plants from their flower pots. She takes four foot long pieces of landscaping timbers and drags them all over the yard. She ate the beak off the wood crow on my porch and chewed the steeple from my church birdhouse. She walks all over my toes when I am wearing sandals and leaves bruises. She wants to eat anything and everything at all times.....

And then she goes and does the sweetest things! She lays next to the cats and lets them rub against her. She lays at my feet and gently snores while I make jewelry. She leaps to her feet if she thinks I am threatened. Approach the house and she will eat you.

And then to finish off the day, she brings me her new favorite toy, one of the seven dwarfs! What can you do but love a dog like that? So I won't plant any flowerpots until she grows up some more. I will pick up the timbers and put them back. I will rub my sore toes and throw my arms around this dog's neck and give and get kisses until we are both basking in each other's love!