I toured this building today with some friends and potential business partners. We were thinking that perhaps it is time I own a building and it could be a an evolving place in my life and career. Maybe a home, shop, studio, apartments, boarding house, restaurant. I can dream. It's a beautiful place with elaborate woodwork, lots of natural light, high ceilings, and right on the water. With a deck up high on the second floor in the back; it is like you could see forever. A very unique and inspirational future. I don't think it is in my cards though as the price is prohibitive and it would involve so many, many changes in everything I do and live.

New Resin Frames

These are the ad samples that Bead & Button magazine sent me. I had to make a choice between the red or pink color as a background. I went red. In respect to red for prosperity ( I hope ) and red for good chi and feng shui, it could only be the red. Wonderful, vibrant, red.

I can hear Jacob softly snoring ( snoftly ? ) through the office monitor and I am afraid it is time for me to do the same. I am posting this picture of the view outside Phil's sister's kitchen window of her new home in Australia. I love palm trees and particularly like drawing them so perhaps this will jump start me and I will paint a picture of them. Maybe even one day fly there!

Saw the new Star Trek movie tonight - awesome! And I am not even a trekkie!

The Little Nest

I know, I know. I should have been working in the studio but I took a break and worked in the little flower bed by my studio with Phil. It was a peaceful few moments with Regina and Jessie laying by us and the sun out, a breeze blowing. I was alternately weeding and playing with the kitties in their little house when Phil said he had found a nest in the garden. It was made right on the ground in the dense jungle of wall flowers, day lilies, butterfly bush and weeds. It is so sweet and little and very carefully has moss woven in around the dry grass. It is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. It just touches my heart.

Today would have been my mother's 80th birthday. Yesterday was my dad's birthday and he would have been in his 90's. So Phil baked a lemon and chocolate cake and we had cake and ice cream in honor of their birthdays. Funny as I was growing up I just never pictured myself this age or my parents being gone. My mom is in my thoughts every day and I am happy with the time we had together. Birthdays bring out the nostalgia and the hope for tomorrow in me. So happy B-day mom and dad. I hope you are celebrating together somewhere in the heavens.

It is always a challenge to mix beads, yarn, charms and jewelry together into my booth display. It all needs to flow into a rhythm of creativity. Samples must be displayed with their parts and it must be inspiring to the viewer and pleasing to me as well. I never know exactly how a booth setup will turn out and often I am not aware that I even LIKE the display until I am home and looking at the pictures I have taken.

Now it is busy time, whirling here and there in a flurry of activity getting ready for the Bead & Button show. You will find me all this week in the studio!