tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-303332732024-03-13T08:37:05.605-07:00The Bad LizThe bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.comBlogger273125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-50695991118784266422020-05-27T06:46:00.004-07:002020-05-27T17:20:15.653-07:00Coronavirus Pandemic 2020 - How I am keeping sane<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR_dlhBBA6hj5-1eGgQaJAsGqRxKg5hGWtkfiSDDzndMWMUnBJEvFDMbWKiJnw6Cg4gtNNwF88bq1k_3l-eycT5nqUppYsnJ9Ir7F_ukDefRMB_fYfLRhfwNjG63pqqWb0CEIs/s1600/caps1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR_dlhBBA6hj5-1eGgQaJAsGqRxKg5hGWtkfiSDDzndMWMUnBJEvFDMbWKiJnw6Cg4gtNNwF88bq1k_3l-eycT5nqUppYsnJ9Ir7F_ukDefRMB_fYfLRhfwNjG63pqqWb0CEIs/s320/caps1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
In late January 2020, the media started reporting about this new "flu-like" virus that was rampant in China, the Coronavirus, or COVID 19. Since I work at a hospital it was easy for me to get information from the physicians about this virus. They said it would be not the normal flu or influenza, but it shouldn’t be too much of an issue. But that was very early in the game. And very far from the truth. No one knew.<br />
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In the weeks that followed the COVID-19 spread further and faster than anyone realized it would. Borders were closed first with China and then too people coming from China (even if they were US citizens) into the USA. Finally it would end with the USA, along with many of the countries of the world, closing its borders to all. Cruise ships were stranded without ports of entry as they were closed. People on the ships died from the disease. The last time I remember the airport being so quiet was right after the 9-11 terrorist attacks. (I live 6 miles from the Detroit airport, under a flight path - I hear planes. All. The. Time.)<br />
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On March 19, when I left the hospital for a long weekend I was just thinking I would be back to work on Monday. My weekend started with taking my dogs to the veterinarian for an annual check up. But it wasn’t a normal appointment. I drove to the veterinarian office And called when I was in the parking lot to let them know that I was there. One of the office personnel walked out wearing a mask and took Chloe into the office for her check up. Several minutes later she came back out with the dog, and took my other dog and my credit card into the office. Again several minutes later, Emi was returned to me, with my credit card and we were on our way. Very surreal. I also made a stop at my local meat market and then to the grocery store, most likely for weekend snacks.<br />
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The following Monday the program coordinators through the hospital were given the choice to work from home if desired. The following day, the governor issued a stay at home order, which covered employees deemed to not be essential employees should not be in the hospital. Effective that day, it was completely working from home.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8F2-t2L_gvB31kOVNiDGyUg_NT5OeMgSyUMaEXeJbpfiR9JsqRZrSSwkdVuAcf-viOJu2X8UyM4ILirGZKDBCkLdmEJgLAKiqERYbh0fbNEqKiRspt8Jb_pzjLI_DA088gY_o/s1600/caps2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8F2-t2L_gvB31kOVNiDGyUg_NT5OeMgSyUMaEXeJbpfiR9JsqRZrSSwkdVuAcf-viOJu2X8UyM4ILirGZKDBCkLdmEJgLAKiqERYbh0fbNEqKiRspt8Jb_pzjLI_DA088gY_o/s320/caps2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Star Trek fabric and Taco Trucks - everything will be used.<br />
Self made binding tape - so many burnt fingers</td></tr>
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Many employees were not able to actually work from home and had to use their vacation time through the generosity of Henry Ford Hospital, employees were granted 80 hours of COVID time off. This would prove invaluable in the coming weeks.<br />
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From March 21st through April 28th, I never left the house. Well, I might have walked the dogs, or talked with a neighbor across the driveway, but I never left the area. On April 29th, I went to a local restaurant for Middle Eastern cuisine carryout. While in the restaurant, I was stunned to see 4 persons without masks on! Don't they know what is going on in the world? Or don't they care? I was practicing my social distancing, staying 6 over more feet apart, when another person walked in, and tried to go right up to the counter. "Yo, dude, there is a line" - he looked at me as if I was insane. I glared over my mask at him. Don't fuck with the short lady, I'm from Detroit.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQw2-BbM4mcXH8ArEW7aN3xmQQ4cP73NuP1FzQLWz9qlICRnKW8o3B4IfcYYQmOIGyGirGag45QZY0q_N8kv3IABrh7QatX5MSWgCkhPCOxJZT7gwyPjlrZ7Vvz3oGqUqWChQ7/s1600/caps4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQw2-BbM4mcXH8ArEW7aN3xmQQ4cP73NuP1FzQLWz9qlICRnKW8o3B4IfcYYQmOIGyGirGag45QZY0q_N8kv3IABrh7QatX5MSWgCkhPCOxJZT7gwyPjlrZ7Vvz3oGqUqWChQ7/s320/caps4.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caps using African prints</td></tr>
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Then I was home again until May 21st, when I ventured out for a double mask haircut. You know, it's when your friend who can cut hair wears a mask and you wear a mask. That's a double mask haircut. I have never been home that long in my entire life. Many of us were feeling the same way.<br />
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I've been able to keep my sanity by sewing surgical caps and masks for the MICU (Medical ICU) at Henry Ford Hospital. Dr. Rana Awdish submitted a plea on Facebook in late March for surgical caps and I knew it was something that I could do from home. Most of my off hours have been sewing, using all of my machines. It is amazing how my four year old computerized sewing machine wasn't as strong as my 70 year old Singer sewing machine in the multiple layers of fabric in a mask. That featherweight punches through layers like a boss.<br />
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(In the fall of 2018, my friend Susan and I stumbled upon a sale that netted us hundreds of yards of cotton quilting fabric for $20. Much of this fabric has been used in the making of the caps and masks. This was a bonus as I sewed and sewed and sewed.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecSDT-53cVZI7Kuchk8LovGAEXp4bO-q1WeWAVEhuzasIspcQ0kgJs0b6WpbJ780CXc4aSdUrgM_xdHXYmXWeWcEiX_Il7UvhLJqJjMF1XSuCU2S_RY-lQVb7VOVAv3Vap9QX/s1600/masks+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecSDT-53cVZI7Kuchk8LovGAEXp4bO-q1WeWAVEhuzasIspcQ0kgJs0b6WpbJ780CXc4aSdUrgM_xdHXYmXWeWcEiX_Il7UvhLJqJjMF1XSuCU2S_RY-lQVb7VOVAv3Vap9QX/s320/masks+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Masks for all! Mom's Featherweight <br />
sewing machine is a rock star</td></tr>
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On May 4th, my hours were reduced by 50%, so I was working 20 hours, using my COVID time off and then vacation time. It did give me more time to sew. Hopefully by next week, I will be back to working full time, before I have to look at the budget.<br />
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Susan also donated part of her fabric stash and several hundred yards of elastic for the making of masks. Another welcome gift was a donation by one of my beading friends for the purchase of materials needed.<br />
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I've probably completed about 200 caps at this point, about 75 or so masks - at one point, I have stopped counting because the number doesn't really matter, it's the making that matters. In order to get the caps to Dr. Awdish, I have been mailing them to her, so she can take them to the hospital when she works next. It seemed to be the quickest solution. I've also mailed caps and masks to New Orleans for a former chief and his wife, made a few for a former fellow for herself and family. What keeps me going? Things like an email from a grateful nurse:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIBoq-ZY5W6IzCSgy8g0LoXiAPl89ZYfUOCl8f7euT6GVXEuU4y1oT3eEV8xJQgFDYgQYmzx8HoBzs9dwi2Cj45-RvY0gmMnOd04DAFuFuf_UkBOivwz26ie0XRbkCeG03VfW/s1600/caps3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIBoq-ZY5W6IzCSgy8g0LoXiAPl89ZYfUOCl8f7euT6GVXEuU4y1oT3eEV8xJQgFDYgQYmzx8HoBzs9dwi2Cj45-RvY0gmMnOd04DAFuFuf_UkBOivwz26ie0XRbkCeG03VfW/s320/caps3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bouffant caps - these are not my favorite to sew but I persisted</td></tr>
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<div style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
"Early on in this Covid 19 struggle it became apparent that we were all very concerned about inadvertently bringing this terrible virus home with us. We were lucky enough to get top notch respirators. However, wearing the appropriate respirator mask was literally tearing my hair out every time I took it off. </div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
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<div style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
The solution to this issue was to wear a scrub cap...of which I had none and the disposables quickly disappeared. I was too tired each night to try to figure out ordering one online. Enter Rana with a bag of super cute scrub hats. I was lucky enough to get a super cute one with red hearts and later another one so that I could change them out. I simply cannot thank you enough."</div>
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(Yes, in my next batch waiting to be mailed, there is one with this nurses' name on it! I don't know if I made one with red hearts or not, but she will have another cap soon)<br />
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Next, my thoughts on things that are going on out there, you know in the real world, not the bubble that is my home.<br />
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Reference:<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_coronavirus_pandemic_in_Michigan">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_coronavirus_pandemic_in_Michigan</a><br />
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<br />The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-27757288129029607602018-12-11T08:23:00.000-08:002018-12-11T08:23:08.055-08:00Another hobby? Yes, I am crazy!<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It’s all the fault of another beader. Truly, it is. I was gifted a set of really nice watercolors, a couple of brushes, and a sketch pad for Christmas in 2016. I took the items camping in August 2017. So maybe it is my fault because I did take them camping. And I started to paint.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6yo0rgjE2SDt4AsqmZ0ZduE3lLRKGw5EhdZLG7WNdVix_VkaJczPmyBoX1k2rL54ATLWDeMu_vBimcG5uRr_DsKPxRXO0G2ayljzIdgGqnCSO8HFnSjYQzkN5R7v4nrQV-BT/s1600/bunny+finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6yo0rgjE2SDt4AsqmZ0ZduE3lLRKGw5EhdZLG7WNdVix_VkaJczPmyBoX1k2rL54ATLWDeMu_vBimcG5uRr_DsKPxRXO0G2ayljzIdgGqnCSO8HFnSjYQzkN5R7v4nrQV-BT/s320/bunny+finished.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rabbit (from a royalty free website)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFct2ol60NamZrnusODAoHr9WU8PVNX4LJJIfrxA8YLUD5DiC9zP2XVsr_O1Bg4FIejmHXQx098SgIRTSBSQg2QvB13yX5e_NHhfV39m4lzQmrLG9HMQVY3gOE3H06CMIUJwgo/s1600/door01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFct2ol60NamZrnusODAoHr9WU8PVNX4LJJIfrxA8YLUD5DiC9zP2XVsr_O1Bg4FIejmHXQx098SgIRTSBSQg2QvB13yX5e_NHhfV39m4lzQmrLG9HMQVY3gOE3H06CMIUJwgo/s320/door01.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Door (from a royalty free image website)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwuf1RkAu_kVT_hGeAtRwf58ePJqFGP3dmhUVIUv-JOYxwAq2YjxEzc-Ji-_laOPt4swQvGc3saEq5vkhchGwqkz930tAL3Su468v5Z_JpDEfyPzlMeLMwhNhpbdfcS73LeB9m/s1600/hawk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwuf1RkAu_kVT_hGeAtRwf58ePJqFGP3dmhUVIUv-JOYxwAq2YjxEzc-Ji-_laOPt4swQvGc3saEq5vkhchGwqkz930tAL3Su468v5Z_JpDEfyPzlMeLMwhNhpbdfcS73LeB9m/s320/hawk.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hawk from a photo that one of <br />"my doctors" took and allowed me to use.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLNefOX5yH5AZB3fbNqJxQ3WxSCHDQ8mlL6SnaY0aDYf_xizD8FuGLJ_vLuHwlO_h-u8MQbWq9DFvfI4mXLDeIJ-SrdQI4na7iyigH5EWvgkjZ1r4txGGlj1TGWGD2chyol3Jk/s1600/journal02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLNefOX5yH5AZB3fbNqJxQ3WxSCHDQ8mlL6SnaY0aDYf_xizD8FuGLJ_vLuHwlO_h-u8MQbWq9DFvfI4mXLDeIJ-SrdQI4na7iyigH5EWvgkjZ1r4txGGlj1TGWGD2chyol3Jk/s320/journal02.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfF7bbhfN5L2InyhhGmajGMTG8NOvih6yGlB-GyjVnuhbOipHxPDhEgrPZpkzmn4HkVkH1O6xRDhdGrhknouYUS1oQIqeiiC-eVqP_P9K7PefnsmOye6wEV-h13uSfYACiLCC/s1600/journal03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfF7bbhfN5L2InyhhGmajGMTG8NOvih6yGlB-GyjVnuhbOipHxPDhEgrPZpkzmn4HkVkH1O6xRDhdGrhknouYUS1oQIqeiiC-eVqP_P9K7PefnsmOye6wEV-h13uSfYACiLCC/s320/journal03.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaves from the back garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJxm1AncCHrFXcAMa8iGaOSTPMcrFXISNJyRmDL5Vs9oB03HXOmzc-nDg9Ie7uXaHV573bB1Ewjw4x8RWQe34eM3ZkEL8LE9NX38PwP2y6RjkHHOD2puuNgD0rzBP3ZWdrjZA/s1600/leaf+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="466" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJxm1AncCHrFXcAMa8iGaOSTPMcrFXISNJyRmDL5Vs9oB03HXOmzc-nDg9Ie7uXaHV573bB1Ewjw4x8RWQe34eM3ZkEL8LE9NX38PwP2y6RjkHHOD2puuNgD0rzBP3ZWdrjZA/s320/leaf+02.jpg" width="155" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaf from a campground or my <br />back garden I try to keep notes<br />of what paint colors that I used <br />and what brush I used.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNR9Q1t3pvX5h7bLOgCm3VqZlfTiqWDfgm_0rscS8Jsy2QjKtAcqtIPs38IOOM_8TRqYUpvPpV1301FqU0qB0fHvm7KAe27dfWAbrZI1HmaWa_C4oojoHSrS9gOO0mCKGO7on/s1600/rothenbergobt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNR9Q1t3pvX5h7bLOgCm3VqZlfTiqWDfgm_0rscS8Jsy2QjKtAcqtIPs38IOOM_8TRqYUpvPpV1301FqU0qB0fHvm7KAe27dfWAbrZI1HmaWa_C4oojoHSrS9gOO0mCKGO7on/s320/rothenbergobt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watercolor of a street view of the village<br /> of Rothenburg ob der Tauber</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODm12YKj2yC783f4z5QBTmY1-HBZ9XLpPBLVhRtPEHrwhCxi3pbp9Ht-KPFBclNC75uaKjY83nqTS-Hzzre0Td_Dlv2gYeU_-OsRLLAQuYEH5ESDZfEa_nXM5d-GoXQvsYWoz/s1600/winter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="960" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODm12YKj2yC783f4z5QBTmY1-HBZ9XLpPBLVhRtPEHrwhCxi3pbp9Ht-KPFBclNC75uaKjY83nqTS-Hzzre0Td_Dlv2gYeU_-OsRLLAQuYEH5ESDZfEa_nXM5d-GoXQvsYWoz/s320/winter.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These were all from videos that I found on YouTube.</td></tr>
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Yes, another hobby! Watercolor paints. I've learned what I like and what I don't like. I like Arches 300 gsm paper, I don't like Canson XL watercolor paper. I like inexpensive Chinese brushes. I love Daniel Smith watercolor paints, but I also haven't tried any other brands. I've learned that I like watching the YouTube videos - what artists I like and artists that I think are just a little to full of themselves.<br />
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I've learned that I like to watercolor.The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-822942682685813142018-12-11T08:03:00.001-08:002018-12-11T08:03:55.602-08:00Update of My BUJO yearEarly in 2018, I learned about a planning system that revolves around the person and not what is printed on a page in a premade planner, called a "Bullet Journal" and in late January I decided to try it. You can read about it here: <a href="https://thebadliz.blogspot.com/2018/03/my-adventure-into-bullet-journaling.html" target="_blank">My Adventure Into Bullet Journaling</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDLXOTXrvzitvd0Y6h5ba4-9EIHyEkRNLRpDkovtcbsqtafAhxcCiYjPjeZFZSXbZZVpmt2HRNI_103on4Bmv_s7LGsPEqBkz0zh__Dd6-J-tgYQNoY384IL8ptw6d0ulxab0/s1600/2018+bujo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="711" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDLXOTXrvzitvd0Y6h5ba4-9EIHyEkRNLRpDkovtcbsqtafAhxcCiYjPjeZFZSXbZZVpmt2HRNI_103on4Bmv_s7LGsPEqBkz0zh__Dd6-J-tgYQNoY384IL8ptw6d0ulxab0/s320/2018+bujo.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2018 BUJO</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've been really good about keeping track of what I have done, what I need to do, what should be done when, and when I received the things that I need to do. It's helped me stay on track, prove that things were completed and when (very important when you get the phone call accusing you of not doing it, then you know what day you did it, can go back through your emails and say "Um, this was emailed, to YOU, on Sept 4th at 2:36 p.m.").<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6R2-gIVLA4NcHHAM_CuDsR5iZld7W-XbHfn2ow09kHBMKVFSFPDB17fyUX-EHzBzm_dWB9i_9Ak7QjUS2wHr6hrdM3NfKtY1-oOkdJjUV-aYdTKBmVPW-3GSkwi3-nDPSjWbL/s1600/48223972_520111678467753_4838103697701470208_n+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6R2-gIVLA4NcHHAM_CuDsR5iZld7W-XbHfn2ow09kHBMKVFSFPDB17fyUX-EHzBzm_dWB9i_9Ak7QjUS2wHr6hrdM3NfKtY1-oOkdJjUV-aYdTKBmVPW-3GSkwi3-nDPSjWbL/s320/48223972_520111678467753_4838103697701470208_n+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see how the 2018 has expanded with use. <br />The 2018 was about the same thickness that the new 2019 is now.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've tracked movies I want to watch, sayings that I found interesting, wrote a mid-year review for my benefit, future log for 2019 items (reminder, move this information to the new book), tracked how much I did of certain things; expenses, verifications, pages used, etc.<br />
<br />
Has it helped me? Yes, definitely, it has helped me. So much so that I have my 2019 BUJO in my hand and starting to plan with it. It's a Leuchtturm 1917 and I have heard some really good things about it. I will probably add some paint to the front of it, with these fun stickers that I found.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQQ3dAqMGuhfhKzMsp5D6zCgnP0Uxyz6iqZOzh1Ib-DiAFiYh7LCCaByK4R494SnltJNs04X_7StyNaMcoxqTmTxqmYKO3-hYhmCXXEvJTpO2rl1XWKuJe6Ax4EqyTI6hxOGC/s1600/2019+bujo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQQ3dAqMGuhfhKzMsp5D6zCgnP0Uxyz6iqZOzh1Ib-DiAFiYh7LCCaByK4R494SnltJNs04X_7StyNaMcoxqTmTxqmYKO3-hYhmCXXEvJTpO2rl1XWKuJe6Ax4EqyTI6hxOGC/s320/2019+bujo.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paint or more stickers - that is a hard question!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Let's see how on track I can be in 2019 with this BUJO system.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichU91OjekpBkScqlWlqax8W1ZbCbzOcd4tWZLkwj_sYz4cE2MiVZc5-ujKzvu6H6ggq-y2CLGmgTJ0H3pkXExfnLZbhPm4yzRUVZi7bG7jdPj1sUkmtUtWwmTgg5Rzyn5RNNN/s1600/bujo+03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichU91OjekpBkScqlWlqax8W1ZbCbzOcd4tWZLkwj_sYz4cE2MiVZc5-ujKzvu6H6ggq-y2CLGmgTJ0H3pkXExfnLZbhPm4yzRUVZi7bG7jdPj1sUkmtUtWwmTgg5Rzyn5RNNN/s320/bujo+03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxOoGsFPIGvvLuN66UsiznGktPQRKol-nQ3ijX96o49P6i39ZWcNxIkAhhpnfJTVtB7DUnLQCj-Nb5N1RTwEl7mKviyCyPAxmZWouFqMkTE8DSZ0lS7iRoW-W5Jmw_S6DVlaX/s1600/36736090_10156775072163825_20969469153116160_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxOoGsFPIGvvLuN66UsiznGktPQRKol-nQ3ijX96o49P6i39ZWcNxIkAhhpnfJTVtB7DUnLQCj-Nb5N1RTwEl7mKviyCyPAxmZWouFqMkTE8DSZ0lS7iRoW-W5Jmw_S6DVlaX/s320/36736090_10156775072163825_20969469153116160_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIBG4s1DliIehnpJRfN_z5Z-w728j2Gz-9Aw_zLA6aa9oCfjHgkbKr_W_zROqCeuSWGe1Uu4PJLSd_edeW3NZ-huypk2PwoNUvAinTmbJKsVnL2hlqjEx-XTJiQN1BVobh2oY/s1600/2019+page.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIBG4s1DliIehnpJRfN_z5Z-w728j2Gz-9Aw_zLA6aa9oCfjHgkbKr_W_zROqCeuSWGe1Uu4PJLSd_edeW3NZ-huypk2PwoNUvAinTmbJKsVnL2hlqjEx-XTJiQN1BVobh2oY/s320/2019+page.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-86438879065503809142018-11-26T14:09:00.000-08:002018-12-03T13:38:31.420-08:00My Weird Obsession<br />
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This weird obsession started pretty innocently.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For years I have sewn on a mid-1980s Pfaff Tipmatic sewing
machine that I purchased while I was living in Germany, it’s was a great
machine that I really liked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One year I
just got the bug in me that I needed (needed, not wanted) a new sewing machine
and decided on a Babylock machine called the “Soprano” (nicknamed Tony, of
course).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I couldn’t let go of the
Pfaff machine – I might need it one day!<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YGwx6QW5ynURLEOYYELbDn2-HbOc2GD4pW1JAgmxJ68Pbemjwtsq1Zwr5LxDz1egqt2arZC2Ch9adWJsNoWiQiDbPXVXevtXXU0uMDHve0ZZadDTIxwTCpLx74wyTIN-nFKS/s1600/soprano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YGwx6QW5ynURLEOYYELbDn2-HbOc2GD4pW1JAgmxJ68Pbemjwtsq1Zwr5LxDz1egqt2arZC2Ch9adWJsNoWiQiDbPXVXevtXXU0uMDHve0ZZadDTIxwTCpLx74wyTIN-nFKS/s320/soprano.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2016 Babylock Soprano Sewing Machine aka "Tony"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I was given a vintage sewing machine by a friend from work,
in a cabinet that needed some work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nice, older White Rotary sewing machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pretty cool, but there wasn’t a real emotional pull to that
machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a great present, the price was right,
but no love was involved.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDcrhSF9Ku-EPcNofGkh2Cx8wUmPD5kv635EaPKI5KAs_pblcC2JN1I4-YN5Sq622peMo2EXXEjFdqoouVMqjgloLXWBs6OxVDsmO7w8EJP30x0tUzubiEzbGawPxaJmEfVVXU/s1600/white+rotary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDcrhSF9Ku-EPcNofGkh2Cx8wUmPD5kv635EaPKI5KAs_pblcC2JN1I4-YN5Sq622peMo2EXXEjFdqoouVMqjgloLXWBs6OxVDsmO7w8EJP30x0tUzubiEzbGawPxaJmEfVVXU/s320/white+rotary.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Rotary Sewing Machine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Many years prior, Alan found a sewing machine and cabinet in
the trash one day – he brought it home, cleaned it up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an end table for years, at my home, my
brother’s home, but again not a huge emotional connection to the machine.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjhA8rXeSuwwgz6_yEIjCCjCRck5ItgNjOMSSd2Dry3uelUPPpMuLIQdh-Wck-Y0_o6PEs6u2Wd7kVbgOxa6LjxEzkRtLtqCxQbDupHYUHiE0FlKrDiPapRwP23nGjI6bOat0/s1600/featherweight+moms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="960" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjhA8rXeSuwwgz6_yEIjCCjCRck5ItgNjOMSSd2Dry3uelUPPpMuLIQdh-Wck-Y0_o6PEs6u2Wd7kVbgOxa6LjxEzkRtLtqCxQbDupHYUHiE0FlKrDiPapRwP23nGjI6bOat0/s320/featherweight+moms.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom's 1953 Singer Featherweight</td></tr>
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Then I started thinking about my mother’s sewing
machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a cute little Singer
Featherweight that I learned how to sew with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I started by just moving the balance or hand wheel as Mom didn’t want us
to use the foot pedal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon, though we
were allowed to use that as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This practice
sewing that was used to make Barbie® clothes and blankets and more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The more I thought about this machine, the
more I wanted one.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now, that’s an emotional connection!<o:p></o:p></div>
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I started searching on Ebay, Facebook Marketplace, CraigsList,
etc. and found out that these little vintage machines are crazy expensive!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I reached out to my ex-husband (aka
step-brother) to find out if the Featherweight was something that my father had
in the house up north (that he was currently living in).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was found and shipped to me within a week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hurray!<o:p></o:p></div>
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I took it to the neighborhood sewing machine repair shop to
give it a tune-up and fix the electrical repair that my father did at some
point in time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was not going to have a
Featherweight with a white extension power cord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sandy at the Sew and Vac Center did a great job and the machine runs
great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a little power horse for
going through multiple layers of denim fabric.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So Liz was happy with her Mom’s 1953 Singer Featherweight machine,
her old mid-80s Pfaff, her new Soprano <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">and</b>
the Brother Overlock machine that her husband surprised her with!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What more could I need?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t need a thing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Until.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Tsw4xnyNzEAM-sKL8p-Bpi44RPFqZywtgcnu2Xsd4ov3-U-nwjusJthfzMIyKWBdh3BVDzIwQtYC2qw3jbRHfKUCMw08L62T5jvipznGmpvRA3IrYsrloiGuMDqG5GSDWltN/s1600/singer+128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="960" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Tsw4xnyNzEAM-sKL8p-Bpi44RPFqZywtgcnu2Xsd4ov3-U-nwjusJthfzMIyKWBdh3BVDzIwQtYC2qw3jbRHfKUCMw08L62T5jvipznGmpvRA3IrYsrloiGuMDqG5GSDWltN/s320/singer+128.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1941 Singer Model 128 AG133259</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Until I saw a 1941 Singer model 128 with a Godzilla finish
in a bentwood case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I really
fell in love with the box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That had to come and live with me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdlrJtnZIgel2ExKvRvwk3r4lQsv5BfZ-WQL1U93-bjnxoVqgzgxunoH0PNvMv9RtLllMAoLKL0dZ_9dbCl2ktqn7p2ECFQUITKcdMPwZaWtrX3Vs1ypB4T7pXm7e9AqpIdYt/s1600/pfaff+130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdlrJtnZIgel2ExKvRvwk3r4lQsv5BfZ-WQL1U93-bjnxoVqgzgxunoH0PNvMv9RtLllMAoLKL0dZ_9dbCl2ktqn7p2ECFQUITKcdMPwZaWtrX3Vs1ypB4T7pXm7e9AqpIdYt/s320/pfaff+130.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1952 Pfaff Model 130</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Until I saw a 1952 Pfaff model 130, with an original sewing
cabinet with dovetail joinery, and a coffee grinder attachment (it’s actually
an embroidery attachment, but makes a coffee grinder noise).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost mint condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> This is a beautiful sewing machine.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtNZQGjpjXShP3xfHMXSY28S5PnhExmaaBnocamBkY0R_1-gTUmXAyH0XaNKw2-bvhnKCbxF79gbGzhbSbpeSEqx3cGnJSFPGZ8owkcUGxzINOu-UpQ_Oa1j9vxl3uzRdREKe/s1600/featherweight+1947+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtNZQGjpjXShP3xfHMXSY28S5PnhExmaaBnocamBkY0R_1-gTUmXAyH0XaNKw2-bvhnKCbxF79gbGzhbSbpeSEqx3cGnJSFPGZ8owkcUGxzINOu-UpQ_Oa1j9vxl3uzRdREKe/s200/featherweight+1947+1.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3qRfBERylEmvRjX0_SA0mEh_fj25bpGdDglvRqO4qLhPDiNK4dsCHRLnq9O7COs2e8yYgeItVfGlCU5XmmwKMQwVZu2NYzH2-MRXfJVmbYBDGO1aXlt_WphaRLFsEAT64ifD/s1600/featherweight+1947+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3qRfBERylEmvRjX0_SA0mEh_fj25bpGdDglvRqO4qLhPDiNK4dsCHRLnq9O7COs2e8yYgeItVfGlCU5XmmwKMQwVZu2NYzH2-MRXfJVmbYBDGO1aXlt_WphaRLFsEAT64ifD/s200/featherweight+1947+2.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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Until I saw a 1947 Singer Featherweight with the scrollwork
on the front plate of the machine.</div>
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<br />The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-80717755378773667622018-03-02T17:23:00.003-08:002018-03-02T17:25:29.654-08:00My adventure into bullet journaling <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3wBq2D4VewgEi_9xQ1ZggAPxJn4-PCyAVlqDOUesF7M0p-4p0yERA-v_CvEwUZQgWLBg65HxXIpB8z3x2TH1XqaUE0GrOnshI8Dhy5jkOr9sWhbsOCnOvLiSecnBt4McMdi-/s1600/20180302_182541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3wBq2D4VewgEi_9xQ1ZggAPxJn4-PCyAVlqDOUesF7M0p-4p0yERA-v_CvEwUZQgWLBg65HxXIpB8z3x2TH1XqaUE0GrOnshI8Dhy5jkOr9sWhbsOCnOvLiSecnBt4McMdi-/s320/20180302_182541.jpg" width="180" /></a>I just started with bullet journaling in late January 2018 and I have been watching many you tube videos and Pinterest items to learn how it's done. I’ve used traditional calendar systems for years and usually discard it within a few days. Here’s how I have been put my "Semi" Bullet Journal together.<br />
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I had a book from the hospitals' 100 anniversary and thought it would be a good place to start with - I put some dot painting on the cover to brighten it up.<br />
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I added a key just inside the front cover to help me with keeping track of the items that I would have in the journal. Along with a small piece of my art "What do you want?"<br />
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To do (smal box)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Ft67ihBWyjPe847kPTj8LUx_N23pM1_25rJTC_e42_MWQQC3MFEBrYlMxY4gCUgQnbaedcRKtYV4hcuWbNFYS7HVgb6q7JRGi-l0oQUhs_rs8_u729W7jSMV0zQhyDbleMNI/s1600/20180302_182601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Ft67ihBWyjPe847kPTj8LUx_N23pM1_25rJTC_e42_MWQQC3MFEBrYlMxY4gCUgQnbaedcRKtYV4hcuWbNFYS7HVgb6q7JRGi-l0oQUhs_rs8_u729W7jSMV0zQhyDbleMNI/s200/20180302_182601.jpg" width="112" /></a>Completed (check mark)<br />
Migrated (arrow to the right)<br />
Note (*)<br />
Event(!)<br />
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<b>Monthly calendar:</b> While I appreciate the idea of writing out the monthly calendar, I know that I will never do that. I found a monthly calendar on the computer and printed it. It’s easy enough to cut out the month and tape it with double sided tape to my journal page. I just couldn’t see the logic of reinventing the wheel. The hard part was determining how many pages to leave for each month in my book so I haven’t taped them to the book. Currently they are evenly spaced throughout the book.<br />
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<b>Dividers:</b> I found dividers with the month on them, cut them down to fit in my journal and taped the the calendars to the divider. I am certain if I looked though the stores, I could have found mini dividers that would fit, maybe next year. I have placed them evenly through the journal, but not attached them. It makes it easy to move should I have an extra busy month and need extra pages.<br />
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<b>Next Week Item:</b> Another portion of the on line tutorials that confused me was having a list for next week. Then, when it is next week, you copy the list into your calendar - certainly not a time saver for me. When it is an item for another month, I have taken to putting a sticky note on the divider for the appropriate month, or writing in pencil on the month divider things that need to be completed, and possibly a deadline, if there is one. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyOmZfWKbMsdNfpwW48I4jg7uLbHQW0kraswAOvUgsnay_zRjtXPyU8rJ1Kgx7_RysQ9JQCAA3wgRZCFZwIAa5cw2s8WvvmG8zIMoBvYSxH-ocuJbHh0Tz1u11T3FleRLi5yp/s1600/20180302_182756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyOmZfWKbMsdNfpwW48I4jg7uLbHQW0kraswAOvUgsnay_zRjtXPyU8rJ1Kgx7_RysQ9JQCAA3wgRZCFZwIAa5cw2s8WvvmG8zIMoBvYSxH-ocuJbHh0Tz1u11T3FleRLi5yp/s320/20180302_182756.jpg" width="180" /></a>Much of my job has somewhat fluid deadlines. If it’s an absolute deadline, I actually enter the event on my Outlook calendar with a reminder on the day, maybe a little before. That way I’ll get an electronic reminder, and it’s in the bullet journal.<br />
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February had eight pages of "To Do" items. While I realize that my journal looks more like a huge to do list, why waste the time making a daily, weekly or monthly calendar if I am not going to use these items?<br />
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I have taken to decorating my journal with small watercolor paintings of mine, washi tape and funny sticky notes.<br />
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I love colors markers and pens, fountain pens with great ink and all these items keep the journal fun and interesting.<br />
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There are many more things that I can do with this; track days that I am spending money or not spending money, working out, etc. Pictures can be taped into the journal, samples of paint colors. I added a "Wish List" and have been adding items I would like to get or do.The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-81140909645546458252017-06-23T13:43:00.000-07:002017-06-23T13:43:30.217-07:00What would you do?<div class="_1dwg _1w_m" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; padding: 12px 12px 0px;">
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On my recent trip to Milwaukee a couple of weeks ago, I was sitting next to a woman on the train - we were about 2 hours or less from Chicago and we started chatting. The conversation started innocently enough and then turned a direction that I never would have expected. Here is my FB post in case you missed it:</div>
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"Woman sitting next to me just wondered if I was afraid to live in Dearborn because of "those" people living there. I answered that yes, living with many insecure white men who could buy a gun easily scares me tremendously but it doesn't stop me from going to work in Detroit or shopping in Dearborn. Conversation has now ceased.</blockquote>
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I bet if she could find another seat she would move."</blockquote>
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Being on the train with this woman today really made me wonder about people - <span style="font-family: inherit;"> it </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">made me think about "people being people"</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. My friend, Ahmad said something that he is right about. That it doesn't make it better or right.</span></div>
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I know that there are a lot of people who don't know any one from outside of their home communities, much less people who know persons from overs<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">eas. Perhaps living in Detroit growing up, living in Dearborn as an adult, and living out of the country for a number of years has shaped my way of thinking and acting more than I realized. I certainly can't remember a time when I thought I hated people because of race or religion or politics. If I hate (I do try not to hate because that's a lot of negative energy that I don't need to waste my time with) or dislike someone it's usually because they are closed minded, bigoted, or an ass.</span></div>
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I had the opportunity to tell this woman today about the great people that I have met through my life and could not. But she closed off before I could.</div>
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I wish that I could have told her of the doctors that I work with that I would trust with my life. I wish I could tell her about the places that I have seen and the joy when you can say thank you in someone's native language, even if that's the only word that you know in that language.</div>
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I wish that I could tell her that we all came from some other place and that we are talking together because we are supposed to, that an immigrant from the 1880's is no better or worse than one from 2008. That my religious beliefs are no better or worse than her beliefs, or any other beliefs.</div>
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But I couldn't. Maybe I should have just talked even if she didn't want to hear.</div>
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But, it might have gotten through. Maybe. Hopefully.</div>
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The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-90665373686773197312016-09-14T11:34:00.002-07:002016-09-14T14:36:32.139-07:00The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-31808048100492662272016-09-14T11:34:00.001-07:002016-09-14T14:36:08.407-07:00Liz and Tricia's Great Adventure 1981<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">
In the spring of 1981, a co-worker of mine asked me if I would take a trip to Germany with her that summer. Her sister was stationed with the US Army outside of Darmstadt. I don’t think it took much convincing for me to say yes. Little did I realize this would be the beginning of a life-long love to travel.</div>
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My family had always gone on a “summer vacation” – camping our way to such places as Florida, North Dakota (my grandmother lived in Fargo and we stayed in Minnesota, just across the border), the north shore of Lake Superior in Ontario, Canada and Yellowstone. Thinking back on these trips, while they were a lot of fun, they were also educational. Dad taught us how to swim, fish, and look at the constellations in the stars, taught us about plants, animals, driving, campfires and more.</div>
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Trish and I were co-workers, we’d been out a couple of times, but this was the beginning of a great adventure. I only had 2 weeks of paid vacation and took one week of unpaid time off. This was a big deal. </div>
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My mother found through adult education offered in Dearborn Heights a beginning German course that she and I signed up for. It was fun to do something like that, and we did go to a German restaurant in the area. I don’t know that I learned much, but it did put the language in my ear.</div>
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Trish and I thought we would save some money by joining the Youth Hostel society, we became members so that our lodging costs would be decreased. We decided that we could rent a car, but most of the cars were a standard transmission (automatic transmission rentals were very expensive). We didn’t know how to drive a stick shift! My older brother helped us with that, he taught us on a Dodge Omni how to use a stick shift. We went to AAA and received our international drivers’ licenses. We made our reservations and away we went.</div>
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We found travel books about Germany, the AAA was a great resource for us. We plotted and mapped, made decisions and settled on a basic plan of what we wanted.</div>
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I had only flown once before this trip. My grandmother was in a Fargo nursing home and we flew there over Easter break. I remember that my mother dressed the siblings in our dress clothes and it was very exciting. I think that I was about 11 or 12 at this time.</div>
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This trip had our plane landing in London – and it was a very hard landing. Many of the oxygen masks popped out of their overhead containers and scared the crap out of me. The pilot did come on the in-cabin radio and apologized for the hard landing. Whew, nothing was wrong. Our next landing had a different shock for me. Police. Not just police, but police with machine guns. Sure, I am a Detroit girl but I never saw police with machine guns.</div>
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We stayed a couple of nights with Tricia’s sister and her husband in a small village, Wolfskehlen which is just outside of Darmstadt. As we wandered through this small village, we were greeted by the people we passed on our walks. “Guten morgen (morning)”, “tag” (day), and “abend (evening)” became very familiar to us as we walked around. In the Detroit area, people didn’t talk to strangers on the street – you just didn’t do that. It was hard the first few times to answer back, but slowly became more natural. The people on the street actually made eye contact and acknowledged that you were there. Inconceivable!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-66j_N3DKFrW9WLxH1QaNxsL1O_p947_JpNAtGUPdwqDVDibyhSiV3_fn_qi9GYJFnrzE2oqqFmPvqPB-ChX4VOPQPcxZsN4pwDoKdcS99-Xf5Ibp-IYU0KoIH0_qpO0Af5h5/s1600/20141025_140620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-66j_N3DKFrW9WLxH1QaNxsL1O_p947_JpNAtGUPdwqDVDibyhSiV3_fn_qi9GYJFnrzE2oqqFmPvqPB-ChX4VOPQPcxZsN4pwDoKdcS99-Xf5Ibp-IYU0KoIH0_qpO0Af5h5/s320/20141025_140620.jpg" width="180" /></a>Then we started our travels. To Burg Frankenstein to Strabourg to Austria and Switzerland to Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Munchen and Dachau. We saw castles, churches, cathedrals, walled cities, wild boar, and frog crossings. We ate in cafes, gasthaus, bought food to go at bakeries. We used our menu finder to try different things. I mistook schinken for schnecken and learned that I loved snails in garlic and butter. I drank different beer and wine, tried Spezi and love it (still do!). </div>
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Why this long trip down memory lane?</div>
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Because on this trip, I bought a pair of shoes. I loved these shoes. They were a white clog with a wood base made by the Danish company, Ecco. I loved these shoes from the minute that I put them on. I wore them until they couldn’t be worn any longer. They were an extension of my feet.</div>
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Recently, I purchased a pair of Sanita clogs with a wooden base. And they make the same noise when I walk in them. The exact same noise. And the noise took me back to 1981. And I thought about Trisha and my great adventure.</div>
The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-47591986848154975262016-09-07T10:28:00.000-07:002016-09-07T10:28:30.283-07:00The Year so Far<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">2016 has been a different kind of year. Full of political innuendos and campaign truths and lies (and sadly, the average voters just don’t make the time to figure out what is the truth). This sparked my Facebook post on September 1</span><sup style="font-family: garamond, serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "garamond" , serif;">Political rant: We all know that to some degree, politicians have their own agenda and are looking out for their own interests. ALL politicians. It's up to us, as informed voters, to figure out who is going to be less harmful to us, our town, state and our country.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "garamond" , serif;">You are not a Republican or Democrat because Mom or Dad were one. Make an informed decision as to where you are in the big picture.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "garamond" , serif;">Your homework for the time between now and Election Day is going to be to find this out. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "garamond" , serif;">Not just watching the mud-slinging commercials on the television. Go to web sites, read, and investigate. </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "garamond" , serif;">And to watch this movie: (<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Face_in_the_Crowd_(film)&source=gmail&ust=1473354919410000&usg=AFQjCNGOSFeshNsArk7mvPudwGPYDnARNw" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Face_in_the_Crowd_(film)" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/<wbr></wbr>wiki/A_Face_in_the_Crowd_(<wbr></wbr>film)</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "garamond" , serif;">Play close attention to the character that Andy Griffith plays. Watch the things that he says and does as the movie progresses. Pay attention to any parallels that you see.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "garamond" , serif;">Then vote in November, an informed, honest vote. Rant over.</span></div>
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<img src="webkit-fake-url://7c95d1f9-7bd6-499f-bccf-98561ebbce1f/imagejpeg" /><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "garamond" , serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "garamond" , serif;">I’ve been voting since I was 18 years old and 9 presidential election. One of the first things that I remember hearing about voting is my mothers’ voice “If you don’t vote, you can’t complain” and I have voted in all the presidential elections since then. I have voted in most of the primaries. Do you know how many people don’t bother with the local elections – these are the people that will make the most difference in your lives. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "garamond" , serif;">Look up the word dilemma in the dictionary: “</span><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: "garamond" , serif;">a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones” is one of the definitions that I found in my search. A grade school teacher once said that a dilemma is a “decision between two evils” and I like that definition. Because we know that all politicians have their own agenda – it’s searching for the “evil” that is going to be best for each of us.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "garamond" , serif;">It’s up to all of us to make a sound political decision based on what is important to each of us; based on the candidates personal experiences, their expertise in their field, their ability to surround themselves with experts that know what is important in their field of expertise. Not what the information/entertainment channels deem is important in their eyes. This needs to be important to YOU.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "garamond" , serif;">I am not going to tell you who to vote for, it’s actually none of my business. But I am going to ask that you really make certain that you know why you are voting for your candidate and that you know that your candidate can successfully complete the job before you mark your ballot.</span></div>
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The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-44189730685628128452016-02-22T08:36:00.001-08:002016-02-23T09:55:56.009-08:00Tintern Abbey AKA Abbey Rose Pendant<div class="MsoNormal">
About this time last year, I designed a small pendant with
8mm Chatons and metal round beads. The
pendant turned out pretty wonderful (even if I do say so myself). I made a couple of versions and wrote up the
instructions. I taught Tintern Abbey
locally several times, and beaders really seemed to like it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighN-2h2hMDDJJ3zCvoPRG8CdKevh5gpWRRTeen_oW32MscH_TRbu0PS_u73ImYOV5W3X5TzLOAAq38jsPv0tSzpirbGM21Mak_DGYUC2bycx25jKEklh4usYVauy2_0Jgu5ar/s1600/tintern+abbey+pendant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighN-2h2hMDDJJ3zCvoPRG8CdKevh5gpWRRTeen_oW32MscH_TRbu0PS_u73ImYOV5W3X5TzLOAAq38jsPv0tSzpirbGM21Mak_DGYUC2bycx25jKEklh4usYVauy2_0Jgu5ar/s1600/tintern+abbey+pendant.jpg" /></a></div>
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I took the instructions to the Bead&Button show to
sell. While there, it caught the eye of
one of the editors of Kalmbach Publishing, who encouraged me to submit the
piece for publication. Yes, I have been published before: I have had several works published in the Your Work section, one piece in the gallery of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Seed-Bead-Chic-Projects-Inspirations/dp/1454708174" target="_blank">Amy Katz's "Seed Bead Chic"</a> book and a couple of bead embroidery pieces in<br />
<h2 class="shop-title" style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/Beadwright#" target="_blank">Nicole Campanella</a>'s "Flatwork".<span style="background-color: transparent;"> In the interim,
it was also time to submit for the 2016 Bead&Button show, and I submitted
the pendant for a possible class.</span></span></h2>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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To my surprise, it was accepted for both! The Abbey Rose (the name was changed at the
magazine level) was published in the February 2016 Bead&Button Magazine –
my first pattern to be published. Perhaps the magazine editors and show organizers didn’t
realize this, but I have the go ahead to teach it at the show.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSsk8uCwEZ0Dh1wedXryOY-Eh0x6vJEqdSzbJkNoaA7Z7WJHfqekwDHSFb_PUZkMps0uwfkkeirQhIObaoOZLPX7oJuTrSLS4tC3NEKtyt-Fwwo9OzgyabrolgwxPQmHg4wmt/s1600/BNB+tintern+abbey.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSsk8uCwEZ0Dh1wedXryOY-Eh0x6vJEqdSzbJkNoaA7Z7WJHfqekwDHSFb_PUZkMps0uwfkkeirQhIObaoOZLPX7oJuTrSLS4tC3NEKtyt-Fwwo9OzgyabrolgwxPQmHg4wmt/s1600/BNB+tintern+abbey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The class at <a href="http://www.beadandbuttonshow.com/store/classes?date=&time=&techniques=&skillLevel=&teacher=T894&price=&classType=&q=" target="_blank">B&B</a> will be on Friday, June 10 from
5-8pm. <o:p></o:p>Class will be a great learning experience as we will also discuss how to join pieces to make a larger necklace, how to use different size chatons, and more. Can you imagine a belt made of these? It would be stunning (not on my waist). Or a hat band? A bracelet! Great possibilities are out there!</div>
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Here are a couple pictures that were completed by others. Thank you Sharon, Angela and Isabel for letting me use your picture. Sharon used a different color bead and I think it really accentuates the shape of the design. Isabel used slightly different sized chatons and made it work. Angela's is made with 14mm crystals and is a stunning piece.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWFyB-W9KoRIAs6xg8p0X0DC9TiPnMeZ2f_rx0GSYvdQJrNV2MgfhQM2HMrAnVeBOTWbr3qYti-Xmnr55arJGi-00FtCwZ2b14_dA0ZP0STP-10P6HJwnUXnjZxZIDZX70Qme/s1600/abbey+rose+rowen+isabel.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWFyB-W9KoRIAs6xg8p0X0DC9TiPnMeZ2f_rx0GSYvdQJrNV2MgfhQM2HMrAnVeBOTWbr3qYti-Xmnr55arJGi-00FtCwZ2b14_dA0ZP0STP-10P6HJwnUXnjZxZIDZX70Qme/s1600/abbey+rose+rowen+isabel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Made by Isabel Rowen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kEsOqo5Ak71PNAfgdZuf2iifiHQWUa_i_k93UKuOUA9VeOX5fFY8jHNSTrl7ZrbN5LJPGidB-JMzXB0Owp_rwQrWtf5ms6Vq8rXdQJWXfA-4rwpeJ9mVS8SDIF9zb9zDdMBw/s1600/bachelor+abbey+rose.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kEsOqo5Ak71PNAfgdZuf2iifiHQWUa_i_k93UKuOUA9VeOX5fFY8jHNSTrl7ZrbN5LJPGidB-JMzXB0Owp_rwQrWtf5ms6Vq8rXdQJWXfA-4rwpeJ9mVS8SDIF9zb9zDdMBw/s1600/bachelor+abbey+rose.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made by Angela Bachelor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjutwgWc9xinTzYdVx-9-ZGYWPPRADmaSev_dWwskuMOptC0n2UjZLSnALfY6D-heyGBkz_qAPSOVjwfDx9HYlJUM-3uj0K-QflUYHljtPFc7fbQACBSDU6RbnBXSkkDIxp7-/s1600/hessoun+tintern.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjutwgWc9xinTzYdVx-9-ZGYWPPRADmaSev_dWwskuMOptC0n2UjZLSnALfY6D-heyGBkz_qAPSOVjwfDx9HYlJUM-3uj0K-QflUYHljtPFc7fbQACBSDU6RbnBXSkkDIxp7-/s1600/hessoun+tintern.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made by Sharon Hessoun</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-85643491113727520662015-12-28T08:51:00.004-08:002015-12-28T08:51:48.078-08:00This Pensive Time of Year<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.6pt;">I don’t know
about everyone, but at this time of the year, I become pensive (</span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 15.6pt;">engaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought; <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">"a pensive mood"). I think about many things in my life –
including people who are no longer in my life, persons that I thought that I
would have never lost touch with. I do
know that friendship is a giant revolving door or </span>roundabout (</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; line-height: 15.6pt;">a type of
circular intersection or junction in which road traffic flows almost
continuously in one direction around a central island); friends and even family
members come and go throughout one’s life (family members are always family but
the occurrence of their association with a person does change through the
years)</span></div>
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An example would be “K” who I have been friends with since 8<sup>th</sup>
grade. She and I were inseparable for
several years, until later in high school, when I wasn’t cool enough to hang
out with or walk to school. I know that
it was new friends that she made – I made new friends also, but was hurt seeing
her walk home on the opposite side of the street that I walked on. We managed to get over that by the time
graduation rolled around and we planned our senior trip together to
Florida. Throughout the years, she made
it clear that she didn’t like the life I was living as a young adult and didn’t
want to associate with me during this time.
Looking back, I know that I made some really stupid decisions, but
nothing that was damaging, lasting or terminal.
She would come back into my life and leave with the wind. I truly believe that it was hard for her to
have more than one friend, one person to hang out with at a time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In our 40’s, we again became close friends. During this period of time, it was pretty
bleak for “K” – she ended up losing her job, and in desperation asked my
husband and I to loan her some money. We
weren’t much better off, but we had credit and offered to do a cash advance on
a credit card with a really good interest rate, which she agreed to. After taking more than 6 years to pay back
the money that was charged, she bristled at the interest that was on the card,
but paid it back mid-2013. Following
that, I received a few emails about her brother who wasn’t doing well physically,
and a phone call in the fall of 2013 letting me know that he passed, and she
would call me back when the memorial service was scheduled. I am, sadly, still waiting for that phone
call.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There was a time when I would have said that nothing would
have gotten between the two of us. I was
wrong. My husband and I now agree that
we are no longer the “Bank of Thompson” – that has closed. He firmly believed that “K” thinks we ripped
her off with the interest and that is the problem. I don’t know if I believe that, but something
did – and I don’t know if anything would ever be the same. Hell, she had a major medical issue that I
only found out about because her boss mentioned something to me thinking that I
should know (as a close friend). “K”
never told me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I had another friend, “J” who I did everything with for
years and years. We drank together, went
to bars and clubs and danced and hung out.
We did so much together when I left my practice husband; he told my
father that he believed that we were lesbians and that’s why I didn’t want to
stay with him (the truth was that I didn’t love who I was when I was with him,
but men like their own version better).
She even visited when I was living in Germany and we traveled around
together. When in Paris, my husband fell
asleep in the hotel room early and “J” and I looked at each other and left the
hotel. We walked the streets until the
wee hours of the morning, stopping for a drink or coffee in several bars or
cafes. We learned that “woo woo baby”
means the same thing in French or English!
What a grand night!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Soon after I moved from the area that we both lived in, I
learned that she wouldn’t come north 20 miles to see me and if I wanted the
friendship to continue, I would have to drive down all the time. So, slowly, as I made new friends, it fizzled
out. I last heard from her because she
was in the hospital and she wanted me to get some medical information for her;
shortly after getting it for her, I never heard back, her phone was
disconnected, and multiple attempts to find her were unsuccessful. I wish her well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As girlfriends got married and families, I seemed to have
less in common with them. It’s the “you
don’t understand because you don’t have kids” phase in life. Through the years as the children grew, the
friends and I seemed to have widened that gap and it’s hard to cross. Or it’s the gap when a friend marries and
their husband really doesn’t like me (or my husband) and you just separate because
it’s less stressful.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When the internet because popular and on-line interest
groups developed, a number of on-line friendships developed. As interests changed; those friendships also
waned.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I was deeply involved with a bead society locally that I
thought would never change as long as I was involved with that medium of art. The leadership I started with and deeply
connected with has changed and new leadership is now in place and I don’t
connect with it any longer. I have a
different outlook than some and it was a time for me to remove myself from the
leadership, as much as I didn’t want to; the time was right.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At this time of year, I think about those friends that I am
close to now; don’t worry about when they will leave my life as I don’t have
control over what might or might not happen.
I think about old friends and what we had then and what we have
now. I think about the friends who made
the decision to leave my life; and I don’t worry about their decision. I can’t do anything about it and I can’t make
them stay connected to me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am just grateful for those who are in my life. Past.
Present. Future.<o:p></o:p></div>
The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-51599479973921749342015-10-21T05:14:00.000-07:002015-10-21T15:52:49.107-07:00Flashback to Germany - it happens in the Autumn<div class="MsoNormal">
Many of you know I spent the majority of my first
marriage in Germany from 1984 through 1987, while husband #1 served in the
military. I loved living overseas and
might have stayed if I could have figured out how to do it, but things called
life happen. If I did, I would not
have married Al and met many of the people that are really important in my life. Things did turn out the way they should have.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I was feeling a little nostalgic this morning and looking though Google Maps at roads that I walked and seeing if restaurants I knew were still in
business.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmvK1NP4_xLkdJR9jouEuc-9JLpgG4pOQVyBXeA0JDFGMPJCmUi3VXtatMMMZT0M-YW_IB8rwUPhG2exGovt1gDBd61_z4RNBhB86wMXuVOQlH2KCtuyhdex_TKpkOE4rLyNs/s1600/lammackerweg+strasse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmvK1NP4_xLkdJR9jouEuc-9JLpgG4pOQVyBXeA0JDFGMPJCmUi3VXtatMMMZT0M-YW_IB8rwUPhG2exGovt1gDBd61_z4RNBhB86wMXuVOQlH2KCtuyhdex_TKpkOE4rLyNs/s400/lammackerweg+strasse.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute little apartment building with a small balcony. Great for beer storage in the winter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5r2yQ_DlCgh3sCBmuvkDCyEpX8AVRO-aySMVz1mZAsbRlQkZ-jEeAkDRyciO3DLex1gyRmqr9JTnfnY-DqOvRxkeETFimtg6yuudhRkt1n5-hNSYUl_mg9yHormKHmoLLOX0/s1600/lamm+apt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5r2yQ_DlCgh3sCBmuvkDCyEpX8AVRO-aySMVz1mZAsbRlQkZ-jEeAkDRyciO3DLex1gyRmqr9JTnfnY-DqOvRxkeETFimtg6yuudhRkt1n5-hNSYUl_mg9yHormKHmoLLOX0/s1600/lamm+apt.jpg" width="341" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Lou and Vada at the wedding reception party - it was 31 years ago this month</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I lived here – first on Lammakerweg (on the third floor with
the slanted ceilings and skylight windows) and then on Andreas Fauser Strasse
(on the third floor with the great balcony off the front room and the tiny
balcony off the kitchen that over looked Martinskirche) in the village of
Mohringen.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMcxH_6CXl3uKNYxmC1sNe1aaP3-tnR7kgx5xmDt30PTleJeEaAKs3UnJ2ma-VfZKUQCq7Yr8Q4sptzekPaE6VIggFfXq1AtXIJe134MASH1Ie9xRcMcdkFw7V5J864L-LnrF/s1600/andreas+fauser+strasse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMcxH_6CXl3uKNYxmC1sNe1aaP3-tnR7kgx5xmDt30PTleJeEaAKs3UnJ2ma-VfZKUQCq7Yr8Q4sptzekPaE6VIggFfXq1AtXIJe134MASH1Ie9xRcMcdkFw7V5J864L-LnrF/s400/andreas+fauser+strasse.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andreas Fauser 24 apartment building</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was a nice suburb of
Stuttgart and I really enjoyed walking through the village and the orchards
surrounding it. We had a lot of
restaurants and bistros within walking distance. For the first months there, Tim did not own a
car. Many of his friends did, and with a
great system of streetcars and buses, a car wasn’t truly necessary.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqtJrfQzK8BGBFi2ISZmR1TYf8r7yCZEugkz1re2r_2-pOCIOGB0KQhJbdD9qg-gqGQrmzDcTbxIZyFaeqLn8uNOn26hVx0eAEz3h4FlpgbBhG5l2AWjcTLJI_BzWwmHpYW5P/s1600/eis+cortina.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqtJrfQzK8BGBFi2ISZmR1TYf8r7yCZEugkz1re2r_2-pOCIOGB0KQhJbdD9qg-gqGQrmzDcTbxIZyFaeqLn8uNOn26hVx0eAEz3h4FlpgbBhG5l2AWjcTLJI_BzWwmHpYW5P/s400/eis+cortina.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Italian Ice shop is still there - we would walk up for gelato in the eveing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1YIfaol38264t4F8yCALL6hhSHBp9PwloxqNvd_Zm1p4Ps1hlAzW5LXA0kLxX6AxAhxNX0f0HOiFK8tNEv4XpClkYofu1tHrZHphGaE4lf2qbEJJcp8GJm2Jon_HkW12AabUm/s1600/flower+shop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1YIfaol38264t4F8yCALL6hhSHBp9PwloxqNvd_Zm1p4Ps1hlAzW5LXA0kLxX6AxAhxNX0f0HOiFK8tNEv4XpClkYofu1tHrZHphGaE4lf2qbEJJcp8GJm2Jon_HkW12AabUm/s400/flower+shop.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The flower shop where I would treat myself to flowers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3B0VgRP3XDrwrmV1L5tWn4qKLHvonJ3_kyf4esIxZA4-tTqQ8hUwTA_2QBdUF5ArO_QHa7rWWdvE3ZjolGT1tM_Hu91qyvP6bnNZFa6fzOLDC6A5Ewbe_ambHP8j8wfxyPvEM/s1600/mohringen+church.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3B0VgRP3XDrwrmV1L5tWn4qKLHvonJ3_kyf4esIxZA4-tTqQ8hUwTA_2QBdUF5ArO_QHa7rWWdvE3ZjolGT1tM_Hu91qyvP6bnNZFa6fzOLDC6A5Ewbe_ambHP8j8wfxyPvEM/s400/mohringen+church.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martinskirche where there was a small farmers market on the weekend. I would walk over for fruits and meats, fresh from the farm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxWgIa6deVhW49CDWM2-S4UPCI5nYfj0BTwwVtuFJQYCROigkXx7Rlw05OadWmJV97KxJ3OVuHTPUqt64ukCq_vUe-HS5YXXHYRoHlEUFtIR2_pcuWvY0WSpbVEpYS_QloeVh/s1600/bierbrezelclosed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxWgIa6deVhW49CDWM2-S4UPCI5nYfj0BTwwVtuFJQYCROigkXx7Rlw05OadWmJV97KxJ3OVuHTPUqt64ukCq_vUe-HS5YXXHYRoHlEUFtIR2_pcuWvY0WSpbVEpYS_QloeVh/s400/bierbrezelclosed.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sadly the Bier & Brezel is closed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of the first places that I had dinner out with friends
was Bier & Brezel – where a ton of military guys frequented. It was located at a main intersection between
two fairly large US bases. Another local
place was the Terrazino for “teller pizza” – which is a pizza that was the size
of a plate (or teller). Note: if you are
in Germany and ordering a meal, anything that says teller means that it’s big
(teller schnitzel, etc). Gasthof Anker
was another place, and my parents stayed there during an extended visit.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sRSv7QfdaWQlf2089fUXJy61iXNMKVEyWtTGx2h5KcjhGatpUm1bDvpAFr5uDzBnse57zr9i47aGFtPQO9ePvf4-RBfdcRtcKkAWjofaRjyhcNDsu624dAOFoCzmRl2V6BeJ/s1600/degerloch+house.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sRSv7QfdaWQlf2089fUXJy61iXNMKVEyWtTGx2h5KcjhGatpUm1bDvpAFr5uDzBnse57zr9i47aGFtPQO9ePvf4-RBfdcRtcKkAWjofaRjyhcNDsu624dAOFoCzmRl2V6BeJ/s400/degerloch+house.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These photos were taken from Google maps of houses I remember seeing as the streetcar went up and down Degerloch Hill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOy-wq6KFzgqNSNQneeNDo7TtkyMYIaI5xm1M6UljDQ5RgZKRK5WkRB_vHV3tiwZLCwmeRKt8y2bfpTWiLYvcb2CH-GVmbb18QunIHwQPJA4bOKzfIig1Rd1qm8mZFL99jhr3M/s1600/degerloch+hill.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOy-wq6KFzgqNSNQneeNDo7TtkyMYIaI5xm1M6UljDQ5RgZKRK5WkRB_vHV3tiwZLCwmeRKt8y2bfpTWiLYvcb2CH-GVmbb18QunIHwQPJA4bOKzfIig1Rd1qm8mZFL99jhr3M/s400/degerloch+hill.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJagDkUqbI5xt3AkTT-JvPOG8ukD32AM4mHNr5ufCFjh0O7WZ_nsArvJZSbmcPTfJDC2qfJ3Iji2v1OmUE31jtKOiLXjz7MYJvxe3L7WTJ6fH2iPW7bomanNyvlAL12tggbpU/s1600/degerloch+strassenbahn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJagDkUqbI5xt3AkTT-JvPOG8ukD32AM4mHNr5ufCFjh0O7WZ_nsArvJZSbmcPTfJDC2qfJ3Iji2v1OmUE31jtKOiLXjz7MYJvxe3L7WTJ6fH2iPW7bomanNyvlAL12tggbpU/s400/degerloch+strassenbahn.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">The tracks used to be in the middle two lanes of the road, which made it really hard to drive as you had to get out of the way</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfjQOxdoTiI_7h87PPci4P7LkAL7g-WEcGFDa47-hKuplWwgg7Qk4b1uehAGIWsEGJZ7l2peLCPBGFSJALuHg-VFO05VaiELp9OdaeU6Ca461vGOcG0Xeqpe-Nzj1UoOeF2QJ/s1600/degerloch+vista.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfjQOxdoTiI_7h87PPci4P7LkAL7g-WEcGFDa47-hKuplWwgg7Qk4b1uehAGIWsEGJZ7l2peLCPBGFSJALuHg-VFO05VaiELp9OdaeU6Ca461vGOcG0Xeqpe-Nzj1UoOeF2QJ/s400/degerloch+vista.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZw4EZlCzdoGcFGhqNIAQN2I4y5sVz1HPe7Gc53Kd0lnMdPuijnCAOmw5393oO1cHc86Dh4A113kl5PhIO2ddbByMJBFerzZkE_9QLSxfFzoy6bAQghhudB732rbKrDlKgrkdl/s1600/vineyards+in+the+city.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZw4EZlCzdoGcFGhqNIAQN2I4y5sVz1HPe7Gc53Kd0lnMdPuijnCAOmw5393oO1cHc86Dh4A113kl5PhIO2ddbByMJBFerzZkE_9QLSxfFzoy6bAQghhudB732rbKrDlKgrkdl/s400/vineyards+in+the+city.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since my ex was working all day at Kelly Barracks, he made certain I was comfortable with the streetcar system, buying tickets and traveling
on my own. One of the things I
loved to do was to take the straβenbahn up and down Degerloch Hill. I loved to look at the view over the city of
Stuttgart and look at the glorious old apartment buildings as the straβenbahn
got closer to Stuttgart. I would wonder
how many were still as glorious on the inside as they were on the outside. Many times I did wish I lived in one of
those houses with the 10 foot ceilings and plaster walls, terrazo floor tiles. There was still an area where
you could see some of the damage from the bombs from WWII.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNJNTUjS7HXDIo8OTretDRdy3b1guAflaKgapoQMofX2NRvI8NPk7pPzl9bkFoug1eFu2ST4w6UzAl1eFoUc5giUWlSvUaxCwA0B_NMiXc4bGoeVx1XoXaqPIKm7zwfBbankh/s1600/konigstrasse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNJNTUjS7HXDIo8OTretDRdy3b1guAflaKgapoQMofX2NRvI8NPk7pPzl9bkFoug1eFu2ST4w6UzAl1eFoUc5giUWlSvUaxCwA0B_NMiXc4bGoeVx1XoXaqPIKm7zwfBbankh/s400/konigstrasse.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I remember the umbrella and leather store was in this first group of shops</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After a time, I was pretty familiar with downtown Stuttgart
and I loved walking on the Konigstraβe and go through the shops. I bought a wonderful leather purse I used for
years and a wallet that I still use occasionally. I bought a great umbrella with a duck handle
and a shoulder strap (How freaking handy is that!!), and a scarf that I wore
European style for years (until it fell out of the sleeve of my coat and it was
lost forever). I do still mourn the loss
of that scarf. I remember the time that I was browsing the shops and was asked for instructions to the train station. As I was searching for the German words in my mind, the gentleman said "Oh, you are American, you can tell me in English." <br />
<br />
I know for many of the
military guys the Konigstraβe was a different experience. They would prowl the Konigstraβe and side
streets for the clubs and bars in the evening and pick up the German
girls. If they were completely drunk
before a certain hour, it was called “getting ugly early!” That expression is still one that I use today to describe certain situations in life.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps I am nostalgic because this is the time of the
Oktoberfest in Germany and there was a huge one in the Stuttgart area. OMG – I remember being so drunk at some of
these festivals, but especially this one.
Beers were the size of a barn and the schnapps! But we had the best time at these
events. One especially entertaining
evening was when the schnappsfrau was trying to hit on my father in the beer
tent! He was tickled pink. The laughter and fun from these days are
forever in my mind.<o:p></o:p></div>
The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-83995219208716651592015-10-04T06:33:00.005-07:002015-10-04T06:33:48.808-07:00Ink, Ink, Ink<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-blmEl379DwqpIklu1OZ6_J0ZLocKegJqjwggS45iox_6SKGsLsYjxtkiAjqqDYePQUzVhvfKQhdPyLsU4GC3thj9qdA5WZVfvlxAhd3Oh3V8s4zMs1YtYPGQe8Mqlkd8IL5/s1600/tattoo+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-blmEl379DwqpIklu1OZ6_J0ZLocKegJqjwggS45iox_6SKGsLsYjxtkiAjqqDYePQUzVhvfKQhdPyLsU4GC3thj9qdA5WZVfvlxAhd3Oh3V8s4zMs1YtYPGQe8Mqlkd8IL5/s200/tattoo+4.jpg" width="158" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSCM8wFQIMcTkUakrZ0bCTJw123HlkoNsGTHmxortwteXaAFsJRmL4zbymbEewqqPMdbGUYOzDnN_O0-IP1YqEPf3KkJBPVisa-cnduYN8-zccL8kQdKt8ChGvesViRDjTU2F/s1600/tattoo+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSCM8wFQIMcTkUakrZ0bCTJw123HlkoNsGTHmxortwteXaAFsJRmL4zbymbEewqqPMdbGUYOzDnN_O0-IP1YqEPf3KkJBPVisa-cnduYN8-zccL8kQdKt8ChGvesViRDjTU2F/s200/tattoo+1.jpg" width="150" /></a>It's been since January 2012 that I last had a tattoo. I tend to think long and hard and it this what I really want. I almost had one added when I was in New Orleans, but I didn't want to make a snap decision and regret it.<br />
<br />
My first tattoo was when I hit 50 years old (and I actually have now said that outloud), and it was a hummingbird that was inspired by Native American art from the Pacific NW (Haidaa), it's not your grandmothers' hummingbird. This was in May 2010, after I returned from a cruise to Alaska and fell in love with this image. The picture was taken minutes after the tattoo was finished which is why it's still shiny in places. It isn't small, measuring just over 6 inches long from tip to tail. Pretty big for a first tattoo. My second tattoo is another hummingbird that is facing this one, about the same size. My thought now is to get something to tie them together that is not a black tribal band.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKy3PN9vEfykhvtxG3Df1vFUDDMO894SYloiaQW3WIyG7vTLvo6BA9T9nydL8oKbjQr1Fn9yMGKwJ-k7K8dBqehaxWibZhPL5-aiApzqI2HU2Qf6mHEnvC4Rwe-c6Bsxlu2HQ/s1600/love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKy3PN9vEfykhvtxG3Df1vFUDDMO894SYloiaQW3WIyG7vTLvo6BA9T9nydL8oKbjQr1Fn9yMGKwJ-k7K8dBqehaxWibZhPL5-aiApzqI2HU2Qf6mHEnvC4Rwe-c6Bsxlu2HQ/s200/love.jpg" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Love</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tattoo #3 took some work researching, Several of the residents that I work with showed me pictures and I knew that I wanted a word in Arabic - love or peace - something sweet. I ended up with this in January 2012: The love or الحب. this of course is a stylized calligraphy version, and I do love it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0oUB3YT3px7f8PmLNeMgelYxaFcEozrup_k58mLSM6fw5dgS6H3FcvfQhn-T5Hp07CY2nREi0IHEIWMwttKqmettbrjJuzOq8o-VLJOhORyHC4Cl4Ky0wPV0CB6wFN6P8AIc/s1600/elizabeth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0oUB3YT3px7f8PmLNeMgelYxaFcEozrup_k58mLSM6fw5dgS6H3FcvfQhn-T5Hp07CY2nREi0IHEIWMwttKqmettbrjJuzOq8o-VLJOhORyHC4Cl4Ky0wPV0CB6wFN6P8AIc/s200/elizabeth.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsf3uNyZAR5LClROK1rWNZxpbeTbnsjj7dc_xet49ByfgG7_FKpmxgetR-frDx_hBNDZ8ZXzgZ3WIdsJ2o6nq9KT4gEKhs7X1NMqpHN-s9uQOJTTXG9tGcOzpjvLgrLveKUKFA/s1600/gujarti+elizabeth.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsf3uNyZAR5LClROK1rWNZxpbeTbnsjj7dc_xet49ByfgG7_FKpmxgetR-frDx_hBNDZ8ZXzgZ3WIdsJ2o6nq9KT4gEKhs7X1NMqpHN-s9uQOJTTXG9tGcOzpjvLgrLveKUKFA/s200/gujarti+elizabeth.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
So I have been playing with the idea after one of the doctors wrote my name in calligraphy many years ago - that it would make a great tattoo. Another doctor suggested the Gujarti script which is really pretty, but not for the first one. I would have to find a new tattoo artist as the person who did the first three moved across town, seemed unstable, make a comment about fat ladies on an airplane (actually it was just that comment that made me decide that he didn't deserve my money - it reinforced to me that while I am overweight, he's an <b>ass-hat</b> and I can lose weight). The second artist, who has been working with my husband on several tattoos was really good, but he wanted to do this in black and I didn't want black. One of the new interns this year suggested white, which was also was my friend Fiona had and I really liked the idea of that. So I went back to my original shop and talked with one of the artists Jay. He said that he was booked up for the next day, but no one left a deposit - if you are serious about a tattoo, carry $50 for a cash deposit - I was scheduled for the next afternoon.<div>
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Jay did a phenomonal job; I didn't want black, he wanted a black outline as a minimum, I wanted lighter, he thought fading would be good. I didn't want the blue of the hospital, we agreed on a turquoise blue and to make me really happy, he shaded in some white at the top. The black shading at the bottom actually just looks like a darker blue fading upwards to white. I didn't know that this was what I wanted. I love it!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0NZCyNnlGRd3wfyODEF9CTCOxIgxIUZcwtwXXbtag-uys6s5hrYgpZVSHk1Ui9aHu8sZfo-CwW5gVEYyWIQU2jm1-7Vc5WqH3s66lF1xITI_Gpe4Vtk4qrro8mY72BiSXExO/s1600/tattoo+03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0NZCyNnlGRd3wfyODEF9CTCOxIgxIUZcwtwXXbtag-uys6s5hrYgpZVSHk1Ui9aHu8sZfo-CwW5gVEYyWIQU2jm1-7Vc5WqH3s66lF1xITI_Gpe4Vtk4qrro8mY72BiSXExO/s320/tattoo+03.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's perfect for me - Elizabeth</td></tr>
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<br /> Now the next question is "Why Arabic?" Why not? It's an old culture, it's beautiful script, it's me. If I see my name written in another script that I like just as much - Hebrew, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Nigerian, Hindi - I would probably do it again. So send me my name (Elizabeth) in a beautiful script - I will add it to my wish list for a future tattoo.<br />
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(p.s. On the inner forearm, this tattoo hurt - way worse than the others WAY WORSE. About 15 minutes into the project, I was forgetting about the pain and watching the process.)</div>
The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-31091332394136522622015-08-07T15:46:00.001-07:002015-08-08T06:10:57.520-07:00Musings from the CampgroundThursday, August 6th - 7.30am<br />
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We are so connected with each other via all the different social media, that it's really hard to accept a sudden and total disconnect as I did this week while camping. I found myself very jealous of the limited connectability that my hubby had, and I would sneak glimpses on his phone to see what was happening with our friends.<br />
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As the week progressed, a curious thing happened. I found myself looking less and less at his phone. I wasn't even carrying my phone - I picked up my real camera instead and took pictures. Not just pictures to be posted on Facebook to say "Look what fun I am having", but pictures that had a shape and form that I liked - and that pleased me.<br />
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Alan and I did a lot of nothing this week. Lake Hudson State Park is a beautiful spot and I would come back. The campsites are large private. There are massive hedges of shrubs, small trees and branches, separating each site so you can't see your neighbor. The sites are also off-set so you can't see someone directly across the road. Lake Hudson is a "Dark Sky Preserve" and has no exernal lighting - no street lights. No building lights. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjB3SkUD8RRg8usLlgbmLqKIJgxmy6d_Ubi0AuS5XQx2LRqyMfRRZAy9dJ7th4eJTmQh9aC6uylincqyVpEnqJkLZKbHRgLu61p25IqilYj_BqIHai8OFRdU8-i5MZRUk7G6t/s1600/P7310434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjB3SkUD8RRg8usLlgbmLqKIJgxmy6d_Ubi0AuS5XQx2LRqyMfRRZAy9dJ7th4eJTmQh9aC6uylincqyVpEnqJkLZKbHRgLu61p25IqilYj_BqIHai8OFRdU8-i5MZRUk7G6t/s320/P7310434.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Above - camper in the moonlight.</div>
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It's also low on ammenities. There are two outhouses (one for each loop) - they are new, but still outhouses. There is one water pump. You know, a hand pump. The only modern ammenity at the campground is electricity. As it was put in the park, it was done thoughtfully - the electric stations are tucked away into paths cut in the brambles so many of them are not seen from the road.</div>
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It's very quiet. Very little street noise - only when the breeze is at the right angle. There are very few planes. Even with weekend campers, the park was quiet well before quiet hour.</div>
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Aside from the night when the largest storm of the summer came through with rain, thunder, lightening lasting clost to four hours; the weather has been good - perhaps a little too hot and muggy. But that storm! It might have been the second worst storm I have camped in - and I have camped in some bad ones. The thunder and lightening was so fast and furious that it just all rolled together and you didn't know if the thunder was starting or finishing.</div>
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But it was a good week. I finished a few UFOs, put away a project that has been frustrating me (I will pick it up later) and started another that I sketched awhile ago.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8o3e4jaE2akcrSQJT3FTR-v6BL3D-6b46lSj58lb5r7fwfNTuDD2tbkrk378KdTV4lLjR9ZqkWs-1cJ3eIZIvhzIQwXG-CySQhr6NPygLQ4qEL8C3Cjz6ThJTrDMnXb4rHDQx/s1600/P8060512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8o3e4jaE2akcrSQJT3FTR-v6BL3D-6b46lSj58lb5r7fwfNTuDD2tbkrk378KdTV4lLjR9ZqkWs-1cJ3eIZIvhzIQwXG-CySQhr6NPygLQ4qEL8C3Cjz6ThJTrDMnXb4rHDQx/s320/P8060512.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beki Haley's "Tango" necklace</td></tr>
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The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-89776357843921266742015-06-22T08:27:00.001-07:002016-06-24T15:37:43.752-07:00Bead on it Board versus Bead Pad<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There has been a lot
of on-line discussion about the “<a href="http://www.beadonitboards.com/" target="_blank">Bead On It Board</a>” and the newer “Bead Pad.” When I was at Bead and Button early in June 2015,
I was able to see both and I have been using both this past month. This is not going to be an argument about copyright, patent, and trademark. This is my impressions about two different products. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">This year, I bought three different BOIB from Betcey at <a href="http://www.beyondbeadery.com/" target="_blank">Beyond Beadery</a> and two from </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><a href="http://www.beadpads.bigcartel.com/" target="_blank">www.BeadPads.bigcartel.com</a></span><span style="background-color: white;">. It was in the back of my head to write a blog post that would talk about the two products, MY opinion of the products.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Don’t get me wrong – I love my BOIB, all of them – to the point where I have eight different one in avariety of sizes from small to large. I
realized it is obsessive behavior, but one was a gift and one was a
trade (how’s that for justification?). In
the beading industry, there is always competition (Swarovski and Preciosa,
Miyuki and Toho, Nymo and One G (or KO, silamide, Fireline; etc).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal;">The first and the original product is the “Bead on
It!” beading board (BOIB). According to
the label on the back of my board, it has a 2008 copyright, and a trademark patented of 2010. The “Bead Pad” (BP)
just has a small label on the back.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal;">Since I have used the BOIB for many years, I
have been working with my new Bead Pad for the last several weeks. My thoughts are:</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">The fabric is where you see the most difference.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">The BOIB is available is
many, many colors and combinations of colors – mostly with velour fabrics, with
some really exciting prints.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> The fabrics feel really nice on your wrist and hands as you bead. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">The BP I
saw at B&B were of a different palette with earth tones in a rich
upholstery fabric.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">I actually like the
variety in both boards – perhaps, I could see the BP wearing a little better
and not getting as dirty. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> But b</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">oth are nice –
this would completely be the personal preference of the consumer.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">Functionality:</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">Both boards have a great base fabric.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">Both boards have a similar feel when working with them, the beads lay
nicely for scooping with the needle or for the jab method of one bead at a
time.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">The deck of the BOIB is a little “spongier”,
but I didn’t see that as a positive or negative for either board.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">On both boards, seed beads get stuck in the
groove between the bumper and the base fabric.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">It means flicking them out with your Scoopula, triangle tray or fingernail.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">A friend of mine attempted to fix this with
some satin cording (rat tail) glued in the groove, which just now has the beads stuck in between the cording and the base fabric.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">The BP board is <b>much</b> heavier than the BOIB. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">It feels as if it’s made out of a dense plywood,
versus the lighter plywood that they BOIB uses. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> That said, I take my BP to the patio to use because I know that it isn't going to move as much if the table is jolted. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">If you are not moving it between your studio
area and classrooms, then this isn’t as much of a concern for you.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">Price:</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">For an 11x17 board, the BOIB price is $120.00.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">The price for the BP for about the same size
is $50.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">That’s a big different if you
are a budget minded beader.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">Backing Material:</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">The BOIB uses a felt fabric on the bottom
side.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">On a non-fabric surface, the BOIB
does slip, but not much.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">The BP uses a
latex free shelf-liner material, which won’t slide on any surface.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">I do think the BOIB board is finished a little
nicer, but not enough to make it a deal breaker.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">One of my BP had a broken staple that didn’t
lay right and scratched me, but a quick whack with a hammer took care of that.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In summary, I do like both boards (and I will admit, I was going into
this experiment hoping that I would like the BOIB better - and I might because it has been a staple on my desk for several years). I think that there is a different audience
for both boards, just as there is an audience for Mercedes and Lexus, Swarovski
and Preciosa crystals, Japanese and Czech seed beads. The winner will be all the beaders who are put off by the price of the BOIB who fall in love with the BP. And then they decide that they can't wait to put their own test together.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-36339361157487087182015-06-09T15:22:00.000-07:002015-06-09T15:22:14.677-07:00Bead & Button 2015 - The Heavy HaulThe heavy haul...4 rolls crystal cup chain, 2 packs of 3mm preciosa bi-cones, assorted rondells, 2 large bags of assorted pearls, box of 16mm, 14mm and 12mm rivolis, drops, metal beads, bag of vintage rivolis in assorted sizes, more cup chain, assortment of One-G thread, vintage 39mm chatons, cool bronze castings from Russia, <a href="http://www.beadonitboards.com/" target="_blank">Bead On It board</a>, <a href="http://www.oakgroveyarns.com/" target="_blank">Bead Pad</a> (I think I will write a comparison of the two an how I feel about them).<br />
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For many years I have written an annual post-B&B report, as I did in <a href="http://thebadliz.blogspot.com/2014/07/bead-button-2014-part-2.html" target="_blank">2014</a>, <a href="http://thebadliz.blogspot.com/2013/06/bead-button-annual-report-2013-we-are.html" target="_blank">2013</a>, <a href="http://thebadliz.blogspot.com/2012/07/2012-bead-and-button-show.html" target="_blank">2012</a>, <a href="http://thebadliz.blogspot.com/2011/06/bead-and-button-show-update.html" target="_blank">2011</a> and as far back as <a href="http://thebadliz.blogspot.com/2007/06/bead-and-button-2007.html" target="_blank">2007</a>. I will get caught up and blog that soon!</div>
The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-55176773144454778842015-05-05T16:14:00.000-07:002015-09-03T16:48:49.176-07:00Ahhh, Bead Embroidery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHGxKMpUijw0zp3I2eO_HPfk4IXZwYsOD5eL3mpeUPaGluMHdxwao9c11Oz-7stBmuqhD92mzpBkwTCQQ21OY1fc8MI9ctexd_HGeO8hw1HhzVcepAOBw1WgYK-Rk02Zg7-czg/s1600/tiara2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHGxKMpUijw0zp3I2eO_HPfk4IXZwYsOD5eL3mpeUPaGluMHdxwao9c11Oz-7stBmuqhD92mzpBkwTCQQ21OY1fc8MI9ctexd_HGeO8hw1HhzVcepAOBw1WgYK-Rk02Zg7-czg/s1600/tiara2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Over the years I have done a fair amount of bead embroidery. Oh, okay - I have done a lot of bead embroidery. I don't talk much about the base fabric that I use, but people have started asking what I use and why. When I started, I was using an interfacing fabric, then craft felt, interfacing with an iron-on "canvas", Lacey's Stiff Stuff, Nicole's Bead Backing, and just recently a bead foundation by the BeadSmith company. Here are my thoughts:<br />
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<b>Interfacing (i.e. Pellon or Peltex)</b>: Actually it's pretty good stuff, but I have only seen it in white. If you bead fairly close together, it's not a big deal. It comes on the bolt, so you can get great lengths and cut interesting shapes and patterns.<br />
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<b>Craft felt</b>: I didn't have good luck with this. Pilled, shredded and was uneven to work on.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93yPooGBJ4vSLQsdDuy1XFTQdmxrWpB_KdwwZaVThQmCsitqO48k2h-YSXG_kKY97JAk8Kc35GZhXThQVPL_XDojKXGVjESNmDfrjm7pZspIwawdeyAdumxp4XGWphVjxN8PK/s1600/laceys+stiff+stuff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93yPooGBJ4vSLQsdDuy1XFTQdmxrWpB_KdwwZaVThQmCsitqO48k2h-YSXG_kKY97JAk8Kc35GZhXThQVPL_XDojKXGVjESNmDfrjm7pZspIwawdeyAdumxp4XGWphVjxN8PK/s1600/laceys+stiff+stuff.jpg" width="200" /></a><b>Interfacing with an Iron-on Canvas</b>: I used this with the Taj Mahal. Man, oh man, was this a bear to bead through!! Interfacing was fine, but the iron-on that I printed the outline on was so hard to get the needle through. Maybe that is why it took years to finish. I will not recommend this to anyone!<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.lacysstiffstuff.com/" target="_blank">Lacey's Stiff Stuff</a></b>: Decent stuff, but never felt the best for me. Many people do love it and swear by it - we all have what we love. It did shred a little, can be dyed to other colors, made larger by placing the edges next to each other and sewing together but is a decent product.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakyR95gXmUq3c1TFS1DIT_Lnx5S6io7vNHHDFdyf1_dBy2_LyEUF4u0f6yUkFn1m8MODrVG6Hyf9STuhFybiQ6jop3xqnWfpMKA81rD3aCxWhJtTloE8ctiC2aB72U2m7qiGR/s1600/nicoles+bead+backing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakyR95gXmUq3c1TFS1DIT_Lnx5S6io7vNHHDFdyf1_dBy2_LyEUF4u0f6yUkFn1m8MODrVG6Hyf9STuhFybiQ6jop3xqnWfpMKA81rD3aCxWhJtTloE8ctiC2aB72U2m7qiGR/s1600/nicoles+bead+backing.jpg" width="320" /></a><b><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/Beadwright#" target="_blank">Nicole's Bead Backing</a></b>: This is my hands down favorite bead embroidery product to use. It doesn't pill, minimal shredding, comes in 16 colors, takes iron-on transfer pencil, stamps and more. My silver tiara is actually on the green bead backing, because I was going to use a sample and then just decided to go for it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MMF77jSTRJqYh2ID7kuwlhO9fG9lPbLFZ9M9vQUSZYHlRG__dgpIjq0d6ltasUpyNt-PKIxTKTKo0Qwf8L4Loo_Wk4lGjUft_j_2UGfjWVo8xS6CRoOos_2Kg1i2YXS_Zjcx/s1600/beadsmith+bead+foundation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MMF77jSTRJqYh2ID7kuwlhO9fG9lPbLFZ9M9vQUSZYHlRG__dgpIjq0d6ltasUpyNt-PKIxTKTKo0Qwf8L4Loo_Wk4lGjUft_j_2UGfjWVo8xS6CRoOos_2Kg1i2YXS_Zjcx/s1600/beadsmith+bead+foundation.jpg" width="200" /></a><b>Bead Foundation by BeadSmith</b>: I just used this recently for a project and I don't care for it at all. It feels thin, flimsy and shreds. I think it's obvious that I didn't like it.<br />
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These are just my opinions, you may love a product that I don't care for - which is perfectly fine. There is room for all sorts of opinions on different products.<br />
<br />The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-64414981463438153992015-04-14T05:33:00.001-07:002015-04-14T05:33:10.644-07:00Bead Embroidery has taken over my life!<div style="text-align: center;">
Over the years, I have done many bead embroidered pieces. Small postage stamp sizes for "bead quilts" that have been donated to raise money for charity to larger pieces that I have been fortunate enough to sell.</div>
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two Ganesha figures that are now owned by doctors that I work with (thanks guys), </div>
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a picture of my beloved Casie who passed to the big dog biscuit heaven in the sky.</div>
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I have been inspired by pictures that I took on my travels - which is where this temple guardian came from - a temple from Soraksan, South Korea</div>
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From my three years living in Germany and visiting Neuschwanstein Castle many times</div>
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From Robin Atkins and the annual "Bead Journal" project</div>
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African beads made from old record albums - yes, I do need to finish this one. I bet that many persons don't realize that record albums used to come in different colors. That's something I do remember.</div>
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Meeting up with fellow bead embroidery artist, Dot Lewellen, in a bar in Milwaukee (we are such pick ups, I know!)</div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">I have completed two tiaras (and an outline for how I did them is in process)</span></div>
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And my newest piece that was to be a necklace. Until yesterday when something hit me. And I love what it's turning into.</div>
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Stay tuned to this bead station, this bat channel</div>
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<br />The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-10456365766949206182015-02-18T15:58:00.000-08:002015-09-03T16:49:22.199-07:00More February musings on my mind<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Thinking all day (which is a scarey thing for me to do) as we do when we are in the phases of the moon (not the Phases of the Moose which is a bead embroidery piece of mine) , I realized that when I was a beginner beader, I wanted it all, but there wasn't much all on the internet.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3JjtTPPA5mhngaAEzyvQJCZFe1NEnk-pd7Wf6rr1NZhgpxjpGffrpTX4jTAN5sfRM4UJLIOFvVYy6IaTjY6Lich6UEZPSQq4o6LUcNrcHOBkiy_4Fy938zXabhwEA_3qYl9t/s1600/phases+of+the+moose+2007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3JjtTPPA5mhngaAEzyvQJCZFe1NEnk-pd7Wf6rr1NZhgpxjpGffrpTX4jTAN5sfRM4UJLIOFvVYy6IaTjY6Lich6UEZPSQq4o6LUcNrcHOBkiy_4Fy938zXabhwEA_3qYl9t/s1600/phases+of+the+moose+2007.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
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It was 1996, and the internet was really beginning to take shape. I wanted patterns for everything that I saw, and when I did find one, I printed it and put it in a folder. After a while, I became friends with beaders who had a little more income than I did and they bought pattern books - O.M.G. Books? With beading patterns. And they let me make copies. Wow - could life be much better? Free beading patterns and copyright be damned.<br />
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Fast forward many, many years as I was clearing out the closet in my studio of items that I haven't touched in a long, long, long time. I ran across a stack of those patterns. From many of the names that I now recognize and count amongst my friends. Shameful behavior on my part. One of the things I really noticed? I made few, if any, of the pieces from these free/illegal patterns. The few items that I did make, I went to the web page and spent my $7 to $20 and bought patterns. Why after several years? Because it's the right thing to do.<br />
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As I continue to clear out boxes, I toss the patterns in the recycle bin, shake my head and wonder what planet I was from. Then I purchase patterns, Yes, I still purchase patterns. And books. I buy books with patterns that I may never make. Because now I want to support my friends and colleagues. Who, someday, may support me.<br />
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Now, as I start on my teaching career with beads, I completely understand that what I did was incorrect. Wrong. WRONG. Will it happen to me. Of course it will. I'd be pretty naive to think that it wouldn't happen. I will just hope that several years down the road, this unknown beader will have the same epithany that I did. And buy my patterns.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqn2ZpPwe8UQyMx0M4oNloBpkyvIbVGV1q0MsUMmYnJTBCGDHk399EHyYdaDjhvQekRVZcR9eUylIwo6usLZWvDz32qph4-SNO_6-Nk3hyphenhyphenFGaezB9FtkCr_nnhPKJvVM6uLMB4/s1600/bead+embroid+dragon+2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqn2ZpPwe8UQyMx0M4oNloBpkyvIbVGV1q0MsUMmYnJTBCGDHk399EHyYdaDjhvQekRVZcR9eUylIwo6usLZWvDz32qph4-SNO_6-Nk3hyphenhyphenFGaezB9FtkCr_nnhPKJvVM6uLMB4/s1600/bead+embroid+dragon+2008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now, if I could just come up with a name for the Etsy store, I could really start this phase of my life.<br />
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<br />The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-56630282861215059312015-02-18T06:44:00.001-08:002015-09-03T16:50:11.609-07:00February 2015 Musings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We have all heard that the world gets crazy when there is a full moon (luna-tics, right?), but there is the same affect when there is a new moon - and it's been out in force. Less than tasteful posts on Facebook (which, sadly, has become an important way to keep in touch with friends and family around the world or just a few miles away), I turned off notifications to social media last night, watched a less than wonderful movie called "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Corsican_Brothers_(1941_film)" target="_blank">The Corsican Brothers"</a> with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and spent some time with my beads and wondering about copying, derivatives, and when it stops being a copy or a derivative and starts being my own design.<br />
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Many of my designs have been heavily influenced by my friend and mentor, <a href="http://www.marciadecoster.com/" target="_blank">Marcia Decoster</a>. Marcia and I worked closely for many years and I took what I learned to heart. Did I copy from her? Yes, there are portions of my work where you can see what I learned from her. But an actual copy of a design. No. I don't believe that I did.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghylop_aZ18w9TFSHv1sjUmUaXc4LA8Lm2ASqQZDRFvyJ-XofbJmx5iIJyQrwshWTJ0K6bcAdK-bn3etF895dAvKfV2OBoTWeuk7qM1TNylOuBQguppuPRKPRVAXGfIzbc5qJl/s1600/hever+castle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghylop_aZ18w9TFSHv1sjUmUaXc4LA8Lm2ASqQZDRFvyJ-XofbJmx5iIJyQrwshWTJ0K6bcAdK-bn3etF895dAvKfV2OBoTWeuk7qM1TNylOuBQguppuPRKPRVAXGfIzbc5qJl/s1600/hever+castle.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
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Above is a piece that I call "Hever Castle" - the netting around the crystals is netting, it's been done before and will be done again. The bail (top) and the connection between the crystals is a modified Right Angle Weave (raw) that I learned from her many years ago in her <a href="http://maddesignsbeads.blogspot.com/2014/07/romantica-re-visiied.html" target="_blank">Romantica</a> necklace, you can see the same thing in neckstrap. But because the pieces are so different, it's not a copy, but influenced by or a derivative of her necklace, but still my design.<br />
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I also bought a pattern by <a href="http://www.shelleynybakke.com/" target="_blank">Shelley Pleines Nybakke</a> - her Tennis Anyone bracelet, pictured below on the left. These are pieces made from a pattern, a copy. The Tiara Necklace on the right is very similar except that it's cubic right angle weave, not a three sided RAW as the bracelets are. This is not a copy, my design, but using a technique from another instructor. <br />
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Thinking about it, I learned cubic right angle weave from <a href="http://www.petersenarts.com/" target="_blank">Huib Peterson</a>, so I was influenced by what he also taught me.<br />
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In your heart, a person knows if they copied another artists design. When I was just starting to make patterns, I had a dancing moose pattern - resembling a kokopelli, but it was a moose dancing. I walked into my local bead store at the time, and there was a woman who was wearing a necklace with MY moose on it. At first I was tickled that she liked it enough to make it. She told me that she took the picture from the internet, enlarge it so that she could see the peyote pattern in it, and then she beaded it. But then, the more that I thought about it, she couldn't be bothered to spend the $5 for the pattern. THAT's copying.<br />
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Bottom line - you know if what you are doing is right or wrong. If doing wrong doesn't bother you, nothing that I can do or say will make you change your mind.<br />
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But enough about that!!<br />
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<br />The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-16861504343854265982014-12-09T10:31:00.003-08:002014-12-09T10:31:36.727-08:00The Bead & Button Show class browsing will open soon!The Bead & Button web page is open to browse for classes on-line. I am honoured that B&B invited me to teach again and I have been selected to teach four classes at the Bead&Button Show in Milwaukee in June 2015. Two of my classes are favorites from last year - Tzarina and Princess Maya - many of you saw me at "Meet the Teachers" and mentioned if you realized how pretty they were, that you would have signed up for the class - here is your chance! Along with two newer classes named Kenilworth Castle and Jeanne d'Arc.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8tBzSgB1MP44cjdrEGSL6DDclvAOSYTPIDLNfZP4rPRPtKk1kZVy5g1hbMI-qvMcc8QVYo9_d-SBfrs_-yXnpQ9M4gLQrgaESOMPkVSfBss-j2NL_JHx9OpfYsDcJOLQ9Zh4V/s1600/jeanne+darc+twins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8tBzSgB1MP44cjdrEGSL6DDclvAOSYTPIDLNfZP4rPRPtKk1kZVy5g1hbMI-qvMcc8QVYo9_d-SBfrs_-yXnpQ9M4gLQrgaESOMPkVSfBss-j2NL_JHx9OpfYsDcJOLQ9Zh4V/s1600/jeanne+darc+twins.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a><br />
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B151076 - June 1: The Jeanne d'Arc Pendant came to me totally by accident and what a happy accident. It was mentioned to me that it resembles a Maltese Cross (which wasn't exactly what I had in mind). That made me think of the only person that I know from Malta, a woman I met while working for the military in Germany, Jeanne d'Arc - of course that is what I will name it. Techniques: Netting and RAW with vintage Swarovski crystals in two colors (light sapphire blue and medium vitral - light sapphire is pictured here)<br />
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<a href="http://www.beadandbuttonshowstore.com/b151076.html">http://www.beadandbuttonshowstore.com/b151076.html</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiqZHab4TlnmJSy_prBzfbYRHa2i6lL7Rfn-ECWVMdvgwA-zdi-veJ0qQYo0IHO3XS8PSIjXu4cHTZEQoQnkBx2BCBzYeGMPofK5ukcnpod3ilimHyaoGmxI5BFvAaV2oR-fKs/s1600/tzarina+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiqZHab4TlnmJSy_prBzfbYRHa2i6lL7Rfn-ECWVMdvgwA-zdi-veJ0qQYo0IHO3XS8PSIjXu4cHTZEQoQnkBx2BCBzYeGMPofK5ukcnpod3ilimHyaoGmxI5BFvAaV2oR-fKs/s1600/tzarina+2.jpg" height="320" width="254" /></a><br />
B151045 - June 2: The Tzarina Pendant is one of my favorite pieces. I was inspired by a brooch that I saw in a photo of Queen Elizabeth. In research I found that this brooch was purchased from Russia collection in the early part of the last century. Techniques: Bead embroidery and RAW with gold or silver beads<br />
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<a href="http://www.beadandbuttonshowstore.com/b151045.html">http://www.beadandbuttonshowstore.com/b151045.html</a><br />
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B151077 - June 1: The Kenilworth Castle Necklace is so beautiful in person, photos never do justice do they? The sample is made with a rich red and shining gold, with pearls. This piece is worked in components and then pieced together. Named for a castle in England that I have visited, with inspiration from the series "The Tudors."<br />
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<a href="http://www.beadandbuttonshowstore.com/b151077.html">http://www.beadandbuttonshowstore.com/b151077.html</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWn7id43C9DuDUAUdJFaelsQFuXPsxCrUlADrRdD4aCQ6BJJmsgjTE4vyGYjL4wh2IuyvqpJW0zRZuTjIdqvILW-BqQ-DD4PL27fQO6ElgnV3-z5twZF7Q0E-B-6q-rWQBR4Z/s1600/princess+maya+gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWn7id43C9DuDUAUdJFaelsQFuXPsxCrUlADrRdD4aCQ6BJJmsgjTE4vyGYjL4wh2IuyvqpJW0zRZuTjIdqvILW-BqQ-DD4PL27fQO6ElgnV3-z5twZF7Q0E-B-6q-rWQBR4Z/s1600/princess+maya+gold.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a><br />
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B151044 - Princess Maya pendant: The "Princess Maya" pendant (yes, named after Marcia's beloved little dog) really shows how I have been influenced by Marcia. I really love this pendant and have made several versions of this piece. "Princess Maya" will be taught on Thursday, June 5th.<br />
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<a href="http://www.beadandbuttonshowstore.com/b151044.html">http://www.beadandbuttonshowstore.com/b151044.html</a><br />
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Good luck with your browsing - I hope to see you in one of my classes!</div>
The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-18318342179564051292014-10-28T16:32:00.000-07:002014-10-28T16:33:55.645-07:00October Part Dieux!In my excitement, I forgot to mention the release of Amy Katz new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Seed-Bead-Chic-Projects-Inspirations/dp/1454708174/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414537614&sr=1-1&keywords=amy+katz" target="_blank">"Seed Bead Chic"</a>, in which I am an invited artist in the gallery (page 125, artist 7 in case you are looking). This is a book with some great projects - very wearable pieces of art.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Seed-Bead-Chic-Projects-Inspirations/dp/1454708174/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414537614&sr=1-1&keywords=amy+katz" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAEKvLOEJeHKojPprYphGskFNPQZOl7yb6LF8rTtSselGhZHb8WABTwK4xiFEVwgFuv8iBM3LDz3fsg9hEwyHnZOrY5U0IvMCYZFw6Y7Jen7ptPclAw-3jRoWvYBIR-wX0kOFI/s1600/download.jpg" height="320" width="248" /></a></div>
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Also in October, we had a very beautiful hunters, harvest or blood moon - I was able to capture a couple of decent shots of it. It was so cool to see this in the early morning sky.<br />
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And I spent some time getting the closet in my studio cleared out so that I could move in here. I had boxes that I hadn't looked at in years!! Out with it!! Here is before:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_U96b9nkO9UvdXi7zKZo119RjFTm-BDXRK9rC-ssO_VqqtEVM8oX1IkYUIOJmpkFCegUxjvfmv2IeUtRPHg4JjRwBG3Z7IYr5-G4qA_i1GkkKGIOWSS1zU5f4CnFo24JNVeFK/s1600/before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_U96b9nkO9UvdXi7zKZo119RjFTm-BDXRK9rC-ssO_VqqtEVM8oX1IkYUIOJmpkFCegUxjvfmv2IeUtRPHg4JjRwBG3Z7IYr5-G4qA_i1GkkKGIOWSS1zU5f4CnFo24JNVeFK/s1600/before.jpg" height="233" width="400" /></a></div>
And then I worked, and worked, and worked and missed a chance to hang out at Stony Creek Bead and I worked and magic happened. Here is after:<br />
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I moved my bead storage drawers into the now empty closet (there is another stack of these to the left behind the door):<br />
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I even had room to add the secretary that was my mom and dad's. I don't know if they inherited it, or if they bought it. I know that it's been in my family as long back as I can remember. It looks really nice under the window. Important papers? Well, if you mean patterns and such, then yes, it has important papers in it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnkPUyQGRShU2LSlLLqtZ3FGZqUATUicMACROKM37Mf4tsxOe_rWx4fRg8SdmQzX1zIIgROrBu7p64eY9pof9MZxMtvspRWCMNL0M75MhtUPTzsb6_b7v6V4z247F1m8NCHpz/s1600/10730777_10152887097178825_1662806941252233331_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnkPUyQGRShU2LSlLLqtZ3FGZqUATUicMACROKM37Mf4tsxOe_rWx4fRg8SdmQzX1zIIgROrBu7p64eY9pof9MZxMtvspRWCMNL0M75MhtUPTzsb6_b7v6V4z247F1m8NCHpz/s1600/10730777_10152887097178825_1662806941252233331_n.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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Now I think that my October is more complete. Who knows what November will bring?</div>
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The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-64467206453452051142014-10-24T17:26:00.001-07:002014-10-26T13:05:29.552-07:00October has been a good month!I am happy and proud to announce that I have been selected to teach four classes at the Bead & Button Show in Milwaukee in June 2015.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNubq8FrVDPYy99BIZi05rAHAM4esS-YB36aaD4p13EZnXnmBw6b0LwEIqmQvCE9GnslVX70bu3Ckjgu_l2wh6zbThPV7H_8ufY0yv-DWX9qreiRb_-x0SujxZqt3_76iBI_eO/s1600/10712799_10152882877643825_8658520197317376441_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNubq8FrVDPYy99BIZi05rAHAM4esS-YB36aaD4p13EZnXnmBw6b0LwEIqmQvCE9GnslVX70bu3Ckjgu_l2wh6zbThPV7H_8ufY0yv-DWX9qreiRb_-x0SujxZqt3_76iBI_eO/s1600/10712799_10152882877643825_8658520197317376441_n.jpg" height="307" width="400" /></a></div>
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Two of the pieces are repeats from last year - Tzarina and Princess Maya - along with two of my newer items - Kenilworth Castle and Jeanne d'Arc,</div>
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Kenilworth Catle is directly inspired by a necklace that I saw in the series "The Tudors" - and made with a vintage German glass piece that is a beautiful ruby red with glass pearls. I love it. Also, below, is "Chain of Office" - inspired by the same series. I would have submitted this piece to Bead & Button also, but I finished is about 2 weeks after the due date! I will be teaching this at <a href="http://www.stonycreekbead%2Cblogspot.com/" target="_blank">Stony Creek Beads</a> in Ypsilanti in about 3 weeks.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxeA_n9AXF28yG3Ds0RwODaVAqH6wwn6DSnZuaN4W7WY-ZkEpC-qrg4uV1eV2m1MCumPlDhFa8PloXkOG5o-gUDSEGtbhpU0D5BORtbtfJRZi9JVIailYxo-v83MGKADtPXkn/s1600/chain+of+office.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxeA_n9AXF28yG3Ds0RwODaVAqH6wwn6DSnZuaN4W7WY-ZkEpC-qrg4uV1eV2m1MCumPlDhFa8PloXkOG5o-gUDSEGtbhpU0D5BORtbtfJRZi9JVIailYxo-v83MGKADtPXkn/s1600/chain+of+office.jpg" height="272" width="400" /></a></div>
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This same week, I found out that Bead & Button magazine has a picture of my tiara on page 17 of the "Your Work" section (page 17) and on line at <a href="http://cs.jewelrymakingmagazines.com/bnb/m/your-work/100868.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>. I've known for sometime that this was going to be published, but I don't know for certain which issue.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ybOOjsvHuv_SidIJ-nz4ni4QFaotxoZBMqbHmJ_KktrK9BvpQY2tG469A8UMcqqz-6wOuo3taSE5VY4sLb1qH5O8s8z07rRudweZ4GeaU_S9jZzHg7rBqF4qE_sRJNt4tkK7/s1600/the+tiara+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ybOOjsvHuv_SidIJ-nz4ni4QFaotxoZBMqbHmJ_KktrK9BvpQY2tG469A8UMcqqz-6wOuo3taSE5VY4sLb1qH5O8s8z07rRudweZ4GeaU_S9jZzHg7rBqF4qE_sRJNt4tkK7/s1600/the+tiara+(2).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Should I create a new tiara? I have an idea in my mind, but should I? I mean, how many did I need??<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZVxULe2I8mcW98nV8smF1xv_nPldHtjEniTt-slLu5esYtY09s1Pia6zToeTtUp3b6UmeCm7OeTT1Aq48a1MtU-_QsqxXo4HRjkRfDYngqXjtYrIlzIuaUwmpRHN4Uu2x3tb/s1600/colors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZVxULe2I8mcW98nV8smF1xv_nPldHtjEniTt-slLu5esYtY09s1Pia6zToeTtUp3b6UmeCm7OeTT1Aq48a1MtU-_QsqxXo4HRjkRfDYngqXjtYrIlzIuaUwmpRHN4Uu2x3tb/s1600/colors.jpg" height="210" width="400" /></a></div>
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I spent last weekend in Northern Michigan working at a conference (this was the view out the window), 50 hours in 4 days! Yikes. But with what I have earned, I am able to hange out with my girlfriends in California for a week without feeling guilty about the money. My goodness, I love these ladies - they help me stay grounded.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01G3W0i_uFfxtRx8mJ-2H2VmOirMxF-RBhmBefmlwGeYPEMlo2MEO5u89qICr6HAgb1UKNbzTotY9wPp6VJttxaM1UJhrQ5qPTY1cDTw2UB3wZWsafhOcJWuip9VJuiWquJkc/s1600/the+girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01G3W0i_uFfxtRx8mJ-2H2VmOirMxF-RBhmBefmlwGeYPEMlo2MEO5u89qICr6HAgb1UKNbzTotY9wPp6VJttxaM1UJhrQ5qPTY1cDTw2UB3wZWsafhOcJWuip9VJuiWquJkc/s1600/the+girls.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Yes, I am having a good month.</div>
The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-56973661105168470962014-09-25T10:14:00.001-07:002014-09-25T10:17:21.901-07:00Summer Beading life after Bead and ButtonThe fun never ends on Planet Bead. After the first week in June is over, we all rush home and hope to regroup for a time. Ah, time to relax, pet the dogs, kiss the husband (or pet the husband and kiss the dogs - your call), think about a vacation (because as fun as the Bead & Button show is, it's still work), all the typical summer stuff. And then...<br />
<br />
It hits you......<br />
<br />
The deadline for Bead & Button 2015 (51 weeks from that moment in time) is just 6 weeks away.<br />
<ul>
<li>What am I going to submit?</li>
<li>Am I going to submit?</li>
<li>What projects do I have that are worthy?</li>
<li>What do I have that would go another year?</li>
</ul>
Oh, nuts! I don't even have time to unpack my kits to see what I need to reorder for these kits, let alone think about a new pattern!<br />
<br />
I went through some of the items that I had been beading on since the beginning of 2014 and determined that three of them would be B&B worthy. Many people commented on two of my projects that didn't photograph well, but they wished they signed up for them because they were "stunning" (not my word) - so I will submit those three projects. Whew! With a few weeks to spare, I have some really nice pieces, and time to camp with the husband for a week.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2oJQAbTko3BJJ8vLFPW2HDrKQySaHZZsT8Jkg3hNLsq7yphrHuLR7SnrGREPDqfRirjQrFSBozRE-zAD5pdEPjPDjxCjrkiP4vVOb43RJYXnJJwYz9tfc6Dljvt7fKM05Lss/s1600/camping+studio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2oJQAbTko3BJJ8vLFPW2HDrKQySaHZZsT8Jkg3hNLsq7yphrHuLR7SnrGREPDqfRirjQrFSBozRE-zAD5pdEPjPDjxCjrkiP4vVOb43RJYXnJJwYz9tfc6Dljvt7fKM05Lss/s1600/camping+studio.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beading studio is a great set-up. Plenty of natural light and fresh air.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmKovzg7mWukK_z36t08mPkkCErW7HA8Zn6KMthWwuK5EajwnzXQGmgWku7JsL1KXMLa3xWarc1X4Z0MZOcB_GlyGn9ER-P-BVeex40dDCaI1tkLYcI2rcDGcurh-uV2fAjKm/s1600/camping+and+beading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmKovzg7mWukK_z36t08mPkkCErW7HA8Zn6KMthWwuK5EajwnzXQGmgWku7JsL1KXMLa3xWarc1X4Z0MZOcB_GlyGn9ER-P-BVeex40dDCaI1tkLYcI2rcDGcurh-uV2fAjKm/s1600/camping+and+beading.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard Apple Cider DOES count as a fruit, you know.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
Late July - Early August: Now comes the time to right the description, figure out the items needed, the price of kit, photograph taken (in good light, simple background, etc.), hours needed to hit all the teaching points involved in the project, and to write up the instructions. Jeesh! That's all? Yup. For all five projects.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Boom - submitted. Samples packed up, ready for mailing. Done. That monkey is off my back. Beginning of August - life is good. Summer is still here.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And we wait. And wait. And wait. The jury process has to be so hard for the B&B Show staff. How to decide? Are evaluations for the 2014 show looked at in conjunction with the 2015 submissions? Did the students like me enough from last year to write good stuff? What about that one person who didn't? Was I nice enough to the show staff? Did my Meet the Teachers table look good enough? My students seemed happy</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And we wait. But soon (mid-October to late November), artists and instructors will slowly start to hear if they have been accepted for next year.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Maybe, just maybe "I'll be back"!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6fPzwtbIlLumHWBNdC99TBCe0TcA6cLKtuU1lpq4-VAVWZIH6syx7AN15REPEJbybDhQadTulqOPmNHYeT1GrpJyP83rUKo3GdbhJ5zsm2jcmoUecNTbOj42WqdoWkwNQr1I/s1600/BE+Pendant+progress+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6fPzwtbIlLumHWBNdC99TBCe0TcA6cLKtuU1lpq4-VAVWZIH6syx7AN15REPEJbybDhQadTulqOPmNHYeT1GrpJyP83rUKo3GdbhJ5zsm2jcmoUecNTbOj42WqdoWkwNQr1I/s1600/BE+Pendant+progress+4.jpg" height="200" width="152" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrn7AgeuaoWOWQZ2DOKArI6Ndffa5tA64mCh27F6TKDOPZb-x1IosbQzJTqUyNJUOZojOR3B1nXkiQwR_7ARZPp9uuMM9JPquunNM0AzA5D7PQXhWc8lpRxEEa6KJDA7_cXCgd/s1600/pearl+crystal+necklace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrn7AgeuaoWOWQZ2DOKArI6Ndffa5tA64mCh27F6TKDOPZb-x1IosbQzJTqUyNJUOZojOR3B1nXkiQwR_7ARZPp9uuMM9JPquunNM0AzA5D7PQXhWc8lpRxEEa6KJDA7_cXCgd/s1600/pearl+crystal+necklace.jpg" height="200" width="178" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"> My Tzarina pendant was inspired by the center medallion in the piece on the right, which is part of the British royal jewels.</span></div>
</div>
The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30333273.post-39938580016246769012014-07-03T07:35:00.001-07:002014-07-03T07:35:40.459-07:00Bead & Button 2014 - Part 2<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in;">
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I won’t
be hushed, I won’t be shushed.</div>
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But
what I say I saw I saw.</div>
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I know
my rights, I know the law!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVB2epJ7F-qXYuf3-EtZGOsDjcSmfa3WH3lURz1LC90NuBkMei23rT2Jm4nPgmmQjawKBIi0H1pZws4ZKYW4nn6ioU7S-8GS-oNMnA_qMnNCz1TsVF0_lvXv2cmbLo0vkBFlzF/s1600/henna2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVB2epJ7F-qXYuf3-EtZGOsDjcSmfa3WH3lURz1LC90NuBkMei23rT2Jm4nPgmmQjawKBIi0H1pZws4ZKYW4nn6ioU7S-8GS-oNMnA_qMnNCz1TsVF0_lvXv2cmbLo0vkBFlzF/s1600/henna2.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a>I love it when I walk through the
hotel corridors and see people that I have met through the years due to
assisting Marcia – and they seem happy to see me. I invaded breakfast one morning with Nancy
and Mary – both from Chicago. Mary even
signed up for one of my classes – Princess Maya.</div>
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Later that evening there was a small
gathering of mostly seed bead instructors, which was a huge blast. We laughed and cried, shared secrets and
lies; and told stories. For me it was
one of the highlights of the week. Shout
out to Jayshree Paramesh who brought henna “paint” for us! So cool!</div>
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Saturday evening was the coveted TOHO
party where I was Marcia’s guest. It’s
held at the Intercontinental Hotel, just a short walk away. It’s a very nice event, with nice goodie bags. What a nice group of people are at this
event.</div>
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And Julie (you know who you are)
wants the down and dirty gossip from Bead and Button – let’s see: </div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->I was called into the principal’s office</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->I called someone a bad name</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->I called someone else a bad name</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->I ate roasted garlic the night before a
class. No one complained (they could be
all dead, though)</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->I swore in Arabic and Ming (from California)
tried to teach me bad words in Chinese</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--> I
introduced myself to someone who I am FB friends with and he looked at me like
I was from another planet and had no clue who I was (okay, lets me know that he
doesn’t read my FB posts cause I do look like my pictures)</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->I was introduced to the same woman for about the
6<sup>th</sup> time and I still don’t think she knows who I am (I have given up
saying that we have met before)</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->I (along with two other beaders who I was
chatting with) witnessed a woman tripping over the power cord taped to the
floor of the second floor convention center to turn on one light bulb in a
display (she went down hard). Fortunately one of the women I was with is a
nurse and took control until security showed up. </div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Even better?
Security tripped over the same cord!!
We made certain she was okay, filled out my witness report (including
the fact that the guard tripped on the same cord). The next day, the cord was GONE.</div>
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All of my classes went extremely well, my students were great, took my sense of humor with a grain of salt. Projects went well with only a few little hiccups in the instructions.And then it was over. I can’t wait for next year!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QgSKSFP8VYV8sAdjYKoVf7YTGiV8ahkgBX9Q_NzxRc3wWBrWTZdAkRMwvvmAicfcSK3Or99Ubae74dIC6f6nEw1ryk7tbJES37EYGMutJUU1GqLz04ohJgwSxY2YQSvMWoAi/s1600/collage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QgSKSFP8VYV8sAdjYKoVf7YTGiV8ahkgBX9Q_NzxRc3wWBrWTZdAkRMwvvmAicfcSK3Or99Ubae74dIC6f6nEw1ryk7tbJES37EYGMutJUU1GqLz04ohJgwSxY2YQSvMWoAi/s1600/collage.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS31gSxCA4R6ldP_NH3hiH2RQLrnRrNZJJj9QwxRHapzXv8ERmmfGaKSa_kHSwCMSSn1pwiHrS8RRQvavvOygJYvO81M7BxWFYUcNU-V1iscP9Hm_9__amfHC9Qd_ErZkgbPFB/s1600/sherry+and+marcia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS31gSxCA4R6ldP_NH3hiH2RQLrnRrNZJJj9QwxRHapzXv8ERmmfGaKSa_kHSwCMSSn1pwiHrS8RRQvavvOygJYvO81M7BxWFYUcNU-V1iscP9Hm_9__amfHC9Qd_ErZkgbPFB/s1600/sherry+and+marcia.jpg" height="320" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This might be the best picture from the show!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The bad Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13872470421712970604noreply@blogger.com5