Galveston, TX

It's not often that I have recently been to a news-worthy place. Last January, I was in Galveston a couple of days prior to leaving on a bead cruise. My hubby and I walked around the beach and took some pictures. Char, who lives in Texas just emailed me a slideshow of the devastation in Galveston - oh my goodness.

One picture really caught my eye because I was there - I know that I was there. We bought bottles of water because it was warm, January and we were on a beach!

Neuschwanstein Castle - seite seiben

It's been a while since I worked on this piece as much as I have. Here's the current view of the castle. It's moving right along. Tonight, my friend is coming over and we are going to bead boxes, if we can figure out the instructions......

2009 Bead A Day Calendar

The Bead A Day 2009 at Shop.com or 2009 Bead a Calendar at Amazon.comis now available to the public! What a great source of inspiration this has been for me in the last year. I keep one on my desk and when I don't have a good day - I look at projects. Kudos to the editor and publisher!

Here is the link on the publishers web site: http://www.andrewsmcmeel.com/products/?isbn=0740771639

p.s. Yes, I do have a couple of items in it - thanks for asking!

Sunday morning.....

....just a nice Sunday in Detroit......

Labour Day Weekend 2008

I had a really nice, quiet weekend camping with my husband and dogs in Monroe, MI. This wasn't the skunky campground - this is the one that is just 28 miles from our home, but feels like we are very far away. What a great feeling. Alan and I took Friday off work to make it a nice long weekend. I spent a good amount of time this weekend with needle, thread and beads in my hand working on month one of the Bead Journal Project.

I originally was going to have a hawk as my first month, but I really love this owl. For some reason, when my mother visited me in Germany (while I lived there), she learned the German word for owl: Eule.

From Wikipedia: Owls are an order of birds of prey. Most are solitary, and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e.g. the Burrowing Owl). They are classified in the order Strigiformes, in which there are over 200 extant species. Owls mostly hunt small mammals, insects, and other birds, though a few species specialize in hunting fish. They are found in all regions of the Earth except Antarctica, most of Greenland, and some remote islands. Though owls are typically solitary, the literary collective noun for a group of owls is a parliament.

I also worked quite a bit on Neuschwanstein Castle. I finished work on the castle towers and started some of the trees in the front. I hadn't really worked on this since April but I do like how it's coming along.

Couple more camping photos

Check out these woodcarvings that were near the campground entrance. Aren't they awesome? The turtle is actually carved into the stump from the old tree that fell over. It was massive! Here is the picture of my husband and dogs showing how large the tree was.

Bead Journal Project - September 2008

I have my idea for the first month. It hit me when I was driving home today for certain. I work in a very urban area - downtown Detroit. But as I was entering the expressway to come home, I saw a hawk/falcon sitting on the lightpost over the road. OMG! It was such a clear sign - and ties in perfectly with the square that I started on Monday and should have done for October.

Here's my September square and yes, I am going to sign this year's pieces as I complete them. As artists, we don't give ourselves enough credit and my co-worker Kathy actually fussed at me and told me that I need to start "autographing" or signing my embroidery. The first piece that I did was the Korean Dragon.

August Beadwork

While I was camping, I did find time to work on a couple of projects.

The first is an ID badge holder for my bead society. Maybe I'll actually remember to wear my tag so that the guild members know who I am. That is, assuming that they want to know who I am. Funny, some people may not want to know. But that could just be the voices in my head.

Then I worked on a heart for Jeanette Shanigan's bead quilts for breast cancer that are auctioned off every year at the Bead and Button show. I'm happy with the way that this worked this year. Jeanette wouldn't know what to expect if I didn't put a moose in the square - so it's in there, with the required heart. Imagine Jeanette's surprise when she sees that I actually followed the instructions this year - without veering too far outside the box!

August Camping and another dog story

Yes, another Chloe story - my dogs.....endless amusement....

Alan and I spent the last week about 48 miles from home at the Brighton State Recreation Area in Brighton/Hamburg, Michigan. It was a great week with good weather, not too hot nor cold and we had a really nice campsite.

Well, see the grass behind the camper? That backs onto a forest. I was woke at 4am one night to watch the racoons trying to eat the scraps in Alan's potato chip bag. That was cute to watch the two of them.

The dog story. On Wednesday, Alan opens the camper door to let out the dogs before I go to bed and Chloe bolts out. Bolts. Like the greased lightening she can be. And bolts back to the camper just as quick. Alan yells "oh no!!" as he sees the black and white "kitty" that Chloe saw. I came out of the camper and grabbed the dog - my first mistake: the kitty was a skunk and now it's on my hands.......

....Alan makes the 10pm run to find an open store in the wilderness - tomato juice isn't the answer any more. It's woman's douche - vinegar and water variety.....Man, does she stink. Man, do my hands stink. My eyes are watering and I am thankful for once for my allergies - if she stinks that much for me, she must really stink.

Alan returns with his feminine hygiene products and Chloe gets an 11pm bath with douche and cold water. She still stinks. It's close to midnight and it's going to take us at least an hour to pack up and go home (which neither of us wanted to do). We couldn't leave her chained outside to find another kitty and we didn't want her in our bed. Gods, no!

The travel kennel that Patty (from work) bought me! It's under the bed in the camper. We pop that open and lay a dog bed in it and hope for the best. She still stinks, but she's now 5 feet from the bed and can't jump on us.

I crawl in bed, nauseated from the skunk smell, and curl up in the bed. Gods, my hands stink. No curling them up under my chin......nasty. The next morning Chloe gets two more baths.....she still stinks....but it's better. We stayed at the campground until Sunday morning - just a wonderful week.

Except for the stinky dog.....the picture is pre-stinky.

p.s. My hands don't smell like skunk anymore. Either that, or I have gotten used to it.....

New stuff - it's been a while....

Dogs in the Tub

In an email to my buzzard friends, I mentioned a story about my dog Molly in the bathtub. Bead artist Bev Herman directed me to her blog at No Easy Beads where there is a story about her dog and the bathtub.

My dog story (yes, another one): Al's working midnights this week. He got home from work on Tuesday and only two dogs met him barking and happy at the door. His first impression was that "Liz locked her in the bedroom" - nope no dog in the bedroom.

He hears a small bark - and finds Molly in the...............bathtub. Where she obviously was in there for hours - sometime between 6:30 when I left for work and 12:30 when he got home, Molly jumped in the tub - she loves to lick the water off the surface. And then she couldn't get out.

Alan said she looked so pitiful.

That was on Tuesday. Tonight Alan and I went out to dinner tonight. We came home to: At least Chloe was keeping her company. Thanks for the chuckle Bev! Dogs will be dogs.

Loomatics Sighting in Mid-Michigan

There was a group of Loomatics that descended on East Tawas, Michigan over last weekend. No bead was safe for miles and miles. It's easy to spend time with friends when you have a sunset like this to inspire you.

Thank you Sue for opening up your cottage to us. And thank you to my friends who made for a great weekend: Jeanette, Joan, Diane, Madeline, Sharon, Sue and Linda! And thank you for putting up with my crazy dogs.

You know me.....

....and you know how much I love my dogs, nicht wahr? Even the one that ate my Bead Journal project back in September. But how can I love a dog that destroyed three pairs of earrings? Swarovski briolette sterling silver earrings?

I know that I should forgive her, and she knows that she did bad. But damn, I was taking these to a neighbor who ordered them.

I wonder where the other two earwires are. Hold it. No, I don't.

ID Badge holder

I've been making some of these for the girls that I work with. Here is my newest - and most colourful!! I love the crayon colours that are in it. These are some beads that I purchased at the Bead and Button Show in 2007 from Queen Beads. She has some of the most delicious bead mixes that I have seen.

It's July 4th weekend and we will be leaving for the campground in about an hour. I have my beads packed - my round robin project (this month I am working on Kate's Egyptian inspired necklace) and a couple of lariats for Jenny and Zeina, two of my Chief Residents this year).

Also, the August Bead & Button magazine came out this week and has one of my pieces in it - on page 26. I'm thrilled to see it in print and need to work on how to frame it as it's a little larger than the others that I have done.

Well, what do you know.....

...You know when you go to a trade show of any kind and there are all sorts of people demonstrating different items, and you fill in the card to get information (or what ever they might be giving away free)? Well, I can't believe that I have actually won something.

I just received my pair of Swanstrom Wire-Looping Pliers and accessory kit from Rio Grande. I was so stunned to when they called me - and today the box was in the mail. I'm anxious to try them and see if I can actually improve on some of my techniques.

Thanks Rio Grande, for making me a winner - and thanks for the M&Ms too.

Dallas Lovett Earrings

I think that I did pretty good, eh???

Bead and Button Show Report

I arrived on Wednesday for the Bead and Button Show, via Northwest - decent short flight. I was able to turn in frequent flyer miles, which is really cool for me. After checking into the Hilton and letting Marcia know that I was in town and alive, I started meandering through the Midwest Center and ran into Rachel Nelson-Smith. I was heading to lunch at Subway and offered to get her lunch before I wandered to the open beading area of the Hyatt. Luckily she wanted sustenance, and I took food to her room and received a preview of a new bracelet called "H. Liliripes Cuff" - very cool looking in person and on her web page. I am in awe of her talent; loving her Bhangra Fusion bracelet and the Sea Star Bangle especially. She is a very sweet young talented woman....(did I flatter enough??). Thanks again, Rachel - and you didn't have to.

On Wednesday night it was the "Meet the Teachers" reception. When Dallas Lovett was in Detroit in February, we made arrangements that I would help him during this reception. Working with him and his assistant Glenn was alot of fun and I met many, many interesting beaders that night. The pieces that caught my eye were Phoenix Rising, and his new piece the Venetian Bracelet. Can you say awesome?? Thank you again, Dallas and Glenn, for the pleasure of working with you and for my wonderful gift - I will wear it and think of you!

Thursday, I worked through about 1pm, then met Marie - who I know from the Bead Cruises that I have been on. Marie, from the twin cites, and I relaxed with some beading, shopped a little, had Thai for dinner and shopped some more. I am so glad that I had the chance to get to know each other a little better. We were even mistaken for mother and daughter by a woman who took our picture! Thanks for a great afternoon and evening!

I love working with Marcia (I'd say that even if she didn't read my blog to see what trouble I am getting into) - I learn alot about teaching beading, working with students, I can see my strengths and my weaknesses (which I need to work on). I will say that we had an awesome group of students on both days which really helps with my responsibilities.

Enough gushing - here's what I came home with:

• Strand of coral
• 3 strands of pearls
• 4 packs of seed beads that were 1/2 off
• 35 rivolis that were scratch and dents for $1 a piece. Once they are bezeled, no one will know.
• 4 strands of a strange shaped Chinese crystal that I love
• Spool of the new Beadalon thread called "WildFire" - gee, I wonder who they are competing with?
• Lots of 5301 bicones!
• Add-a-bead wine stopper
• Sample of the Toho beads
• David Christensen glass
• Dallas Lovett earring kit (he said that I could do it)
• 12 blue and cream lampwork beads
• Soft Touch samples
• Big honking crystal for my desk
• New Miyuki sample colours
• Rachel Nelson bracelet kit
• Marcia Decoster kit
• 2 tubes of seed beads
• 2 tubes of 1.5mm cube beads
• Rivoli ring kit

For those who know me - it's not a lot!!!

Bead and Button 2008

(sold)

As I leave for Bead and Button (or Bead and Butts as Cristina calls it) in the morning, I just wanted to show a couple new things that I made.....

What am I working on?

Neuschwanstein Castle bead embroidery

Crystal Collage with pattern by Marcia Decoster (homework for Bead and Button)

Gail Crosman Moore felted bag (need to determine how it's going to hang or be carried)

Etruscan Necklace with pattern by Marcia Decoster (I'm swapping with a Loomatics friend)

Commission wire wrap piece for Heidi (she saw something that one of my coworkers wore and wants a similar piece)

Robin Atkins Bead Journal Project - working on 2008-9 ideas in my head (a most dangerous place to be)

Amerikas bead embroidery

Right Angle Weave brown starfish

Right Angle Weave wishbone

Frame options for Bead Journal Project 2007-8

Clean up and organize my bead zone. I really, really need to do this.

Need to mail tank top to Sherry (from the Beady Friends Cruise)

Published!!

Check out Nicole Campanella's new book called "Flatwork; Beading Techniques from Old to New Elegance in Tradition" - I'll brag: I have 4 pieces in the inspirational gallery #4 and I am very exited as I received a copy of this book in the mail today!! Thank you Nicole for selecting some of my work to be in your new publication.