BeAd ExPo in PoRtLaNd

Oh, but it is good to be here! I love my bed, my dog, my welcoming home and studio! I really appreciate everything after I have been away and everything feels new and refreshed!

I have for you here a photo from the opening of Bead Expo in Portland, Oregon. It's the sign at the gateway to all the marvelous beads and treasures contained within the show. Not to mention all the friends that I only get to see on the road. Friendships that you build between customers and set up or breakdown.

I have always been a person who says to people seeking answers to " ask the universe " and wait for an answer. The trick lies in listening and then hearing the answer. Sometimes I am asking a question without even being aware, consciously, that I have asked a question and then, POW!, an answer appears and you can say I WAS asking. That's the case with this sticker that appeared on the Do Not Enter sign on the walk from my hotel to the convention center. Now IS all you have. A reminder from the guiding universe to not worry about the small things ( Will I make money at this show? Can I cover my expenses? ) and to remember now is the moment and now is what I have. MmmmHmmm, Lois

In Portland

Here I am in the Rose city; a city that inspires me with all its' green philosophy. Mass transit, ( free downtown ), low flush toilets, recycle bins everywhere and it just feels good and right and well, inspiring. The Bead Expo show has been fun and with the threat and actual snow everywhere in the area; I am pleased that customers are still finding us.

We are all feeling a tad homesick. Not for each other for as Phil reminds us, we are all here as a family but for our actual home, all its' comforts, the dog, the cats and my studio. It is wonderful to be around all these bead classes and jewelry that everyone wears and tragic that I can not get to my studio! On the road knitting and my sketchbooks are as arty and crafty as I can get! Speaking of getting, I better get back to work! Now! Watch for pictures & more! xxooo, Lois ( p.s. It is snowing in PT right now! )

Ready, Set, Go!

After hours of packing, sorting and choosing inventory and trying NOT to create more work for myself; I think I am ready to go to Portland. I just have to pack my clothes which I truly hate, hate doing! One of these days I am going to buy a whole wardrobe and just leave it packed between shows in my suitcase so I can grab it and go! Now there is a career for someone who is looking for something unusual to do! Be a packer for others, get them ready to go on a trip.

Phil has taken my camera and said, " you do want to take this? " and off he and the camera went to be packed. So I am forced, absolutely forced to share these really cute pictures of Jacob with you. He was just a little guy in his Bob the Builder clothes and his favorite fleece cloud hat. You can tell these are old pictures, my kitchen is a boring white! Way before I got hold of color cards and a tile catalog! How did I ever live with so much white in my house?

I my write again tonight but you may also not hear from me until I return. Marty will be here watching over my Regina and enjoying the solitude of our home. Have a fun week! I can hardly wait to shop Powell's bookstore ( it covers one whole city block ) in Portland AND it is NOT a chain store but a real honest to goodness, independant book seller! Love, Lois

Happy Easter!

It is Easter afternoon on a cold, windy, rainy northwest kind of spring! Perfect day to be inside and make things or in my case; pack for a show. My mind races as I get ready to choose which of my inventory to take with me to a show. I pack this and then think, " oh, I better take this, too and maybe this and maybe that.... " and before you know it there is no organization and I have a bunch of " stuff ". I just always want everything with me and then usually my first few customers ask me for what I did not bring! AAARGH! But... you know I love this crazy bead life!

These are some photos of Jacob with his Easter basket and Regina. Jacob best liked the tins of mints he received in his basket. I am going to keep these forever he says! My sweet little boy, my last child, is growing up so quickly! He didn't even remind me to dye eggs or ask for a basket! I miss that boy who loved hunting eggs in the soggy garden on Easter morning!

Phil is off buying special treats for dinner and I can hardly wait. For what is an Easter dinner without ham, potato salad, applesauce and sweet gherkin pickles! Yum! Happy Easter! Make some bunny happy today! xxoo, Lois

First Day of Spring

Here it is already the first day of spring and the days will be getting longer now. I love spring and all the possibilities of birth and renewal that fill the air and my soul. I have to admit though that I really lust for winter. The cold gray days make me feel productive and nestled in my interior life. Spring and I have to expand my horizons and leave my comfort zones and get out. Outdoors, out everywhere, out here, out there, never sitting still until winter comes again. I do want to get some tomatoes planted so I guess now I am waiting for spring to become summer. Hope takes the form here in the pacific northwest of those who annually plant tomatoes knowing there is never enough sun to ripen them! Laughing at the absurdities, Lois

Aren't These Cool?

Well, I am guessing that these photos turn out alright. Sometimes working with my laptop is like working with a machine from Jupiter! We just don't understand each other. I am an idiot and it just punks out and refuses to work!

Anyhow, these are some drilled fossilized ammonite pendants that I will be taking to the Bead Expo show next week in Portland. They are so fabulous; like little landscape paintings in each piece. Some of them are even opalized in their fossil state. I adore them and they will make such cool necklaces!

I am really tired tonight so I will keep this short. I think that a slow day at the shop makes me even more tired. I think I will hit the hay with a good mountaineering book and a slighly beat up People magazine. Good night - sweet dreams, Lois

What I Have Been WoRkInG On!

I have been experimenting with finishes on some of my silver charms. I like the antique satin finish on these charms although honestly, it came about by accident. Sometimes the best things happen by accident especially in the fine craft or art field. The bracelets are on elastic and are worked in my favorite color pallette of olive, topaz and plum. I wanted to show off the single charm drop. They are out for sale in the shop now. I also painted this locally made concrete crow. I am uncertain if it is a crow or raven but I have a mad love affair with crows. I like him all glossy and black. He is also a piece for sale in the shop and he needs a good home. Two local brothers made him and other concrete pieces. Poor man's marble, I guess!
Off to work at the shop tomorrow where I will play and sell and meet and greet friends and customers. XXXOO, Lois

Part 2 - Saint Patty's Day

Here you have our evening at my house! A great photo of Andrea and Whit plus a pic of Andrea with her favorite toy ( at least for now ) doing one of her favorite things! Finally a photo of Jacob, Phil and I feeling very satisfied after a wonderful dinner that included spaghetti squash and Elevated ice cream with tons of chocolate jimmies ( sprinkles ). Tis good to be Irish for the day! Nighty - night! Lois

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Ahhh...'tis the wearing of the green it be this day! Jacob was all dressed for school today in his favorite blue hoodie but then he dashed back into his room, ripped it off and put on the green! I told him that since I was the mom I could still give him a little pinch along with a kiss. Now, Whit and Andrea over for dinner and it will be a nice and festive evening. Think green! Lois

Almost Spring!

Although it was gray and rainy today; I still managed to trim back some of my lavender plants and maybe spark them into spring. I can never bring myself to actually cut stems from my plants in the spring or summer as I like looking at all the lovely blooms on the lavender. I should have worn gloves though as my hands are a bit scratched up but oh, the sacrifices we make for our gardens!

I played all day in the studio with short breaks for housework ( sigh ), laundry ( double sigh ) and paperwork ( extra heavy sigh here ) and managed to get quite a bit of jewelry made for the shop. I will be in the store all day Friday and Saturday. It will feel GOOD to be back in the shop. My shows have kept me out of town for the weekends so I have missed playing in there.

I am posting a not so good picture of my Guadalupe banner I take to shows with me. It is pretty small with quite a bit of bead embellishment and she goes to all my shows with me. I consider her " my girl " and she reminds me to keep the faith and makes me feel protected. I wish you could see the beading details as I added some of my hand dyed lucite beads.I may try another picture one of these days.

Time to move onto the next project. Have a great night. Lois

Windy Monday

We are having these deep, deep earthquakes some 25 miles underground under the Hood Canal. The scientists who study these things say you can't feel them but I swear I am sensing the earth's movement. I will be still for a moment and then suddenly feel this gentle swirl/swish under my feet. Interesting! The wind is also yowling outside and all the leftover from last summer tall grass is pushed low to the ground. It is a pretty fascinating place that I live in.

The Bellingham Bead Festival was great fun and it was wonderful to meet all my customers and make new ones from up there. It was a fun journey on the temporary ferry too and hey everyone, we HAVE a ferry now!!! You CAN GET HERE!!!

I promise some pictures in the next couple of days and I will try, try,try to do something interesting although honestly, after back to back shows; I just want to sleep! Nighty - nite, Lois

Leaving You With a Taste of Spring!

The sun was out in its' full glory yesterday afternoon and although there was still a chill in the air; the spring blooms that are sheltered in my flower beds softly shed their winter cloaks and bloomed! Faith IS planting a bulb in the deep dirt in the fall and hoping both it and you will bloom in the spring!

Off to the Bellingham Bead Festival this weekend! It seems all I do lately is pack and unpack my beads and self and hit the road. Maybe I will get in a little sketching time or knitting time. Maybe some sun! xxxooo, Lois

Home from SEW EXPO Show!

Finally, I remembered to take my camera with me to a show! Now you can see a photo of my booth setup and some delectable looks at my trays of colorful, tempting, dripping with pizzazz glass beads. I swear I never get tired of looking at or touching the beads. The colors make me weak in the knees with bead desire!

We had a fabulous show and I will probably need to post even more pictures of this event at another time. Having my camera with me made me feel like a kid in a candy store! I didn't know what image to choose next to photograph or post. Enjoy! xxoo, Lois