Wednesday, December 31, 2008

2008 - Year in Review

2008



2008 - can it be over already?? It just started. I had a really rocky start to the year with my mother-in-law passing away on New Years Day (not a good start to any day....), but that was the lowest point of the year. Although she had dementia due to Alzheimer's, and it was a mixed blessing, she is still missed.



For my artistic side, it was a pretty good year:
  • I received notice that I was in the 2008 Bead a Day Calendar (three days)
  • I had my Korean Dragon accepted for publication in the August 2008 Bead and Button magazine. I have received emails from beaders around the world letting me know how much they liked this piece
  • Nicole Campanella (Beadwright) accepted four pieces of bead embroidery in her book "Flatwork"
  • I worked with Marcia Decoster as a teacher's assistant in Milwaukee in June. I also lied to her about the weather - it was scarey. But I wasn't going to let her freak out. Besides, John the bartender would have saved us if necessary.
  • Simply Beads published an article on traveling beaders which featured a picture from the 2006 Bead Cruise, of which I am in.
    I finished the 2007/08 Bead Journal Project with Robin Atkins and company, and have started the 2008/09 Bead Journal Project.
  • Our study group from the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild continues to meet. We worked on a round robin project this year, of which the projects should be coming home soon.
  • I entered a funky pair of reading glasses into the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild challenge to Bead an Everyday object.


Alan and I had a good year - we went on our second Bead Cruise with Beady Friends in January, we found a campground that we like in Monroe, MI that was can get to in 1/2 hour for long weekends. We also camped for a week in Brighton as gasoline was too expensive to drive too far this year. The state park there is very nice.

Dad and Patsy are doing well and wintering in Mission, TX - enjoying not being in Michigan with all the snow this year.

I hope that your year was as good as mine was.

6 comments:

abeadlady said...

My year wasn't quite as exciting as yours, but good, none the less. Hope this coming year is a good one for all of us. Happy New Year, my friend.
Arline

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Well, I would say that you had an exceptional year!! Good for you. I am looking forward to a good one too! When it gets warm, it gets good. (I am in Northern Indiana)

Robin said...

Congrats on all your artistic achievements... What I love about beading is that it never ends... there is no visible top... therefore, we can just keep the upward treck going forever! Yay!

Robin A.

Mary Timme said...

I feel really blessed that my DH at almost 80 years old beat the odds on having lived through the West Nile Virus Encephalitis, being in hospice and getting better the day I was sure he was dying. That was my biggest excitement. This next year I hope to do some stuff with beads. Have a good New Year.

pam T said...

I like your November page, and what a great year you had, how fun! I hope 2009 is just as favorable, and that the sun shines brighter on some of us!

a2susan said...

Wow, Liz, you have been busy! Thanks for showing and sharing all your accomplishments, it's a nice way to end the year and start the new one.

Any bead cruises for you this year?

Susan