Technology hates me

So my quest to actually post two days n a row has been thwarted by technology. My laptop did an automatic update last night, and now it won't let me in. I can't load pics from my iPad. Talk about First World Problems.  I think I'm just going to go to bed and be grateful for what I have and the people who love me.

Memories and Thanks Blog Hop

This installment of Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Hop is a little different. We didn't partner up and test the boundaries of our design skills.  Instead, we are honoring the people in our lives that mean so much to us.

Click here for Lori's full story as to why she made this hop a little different, but this quote beast sums it up: "I created this blog hop as a way of remembering no just Mari, but other people who have deep meaning in our lives."

First up, a confession.  I didn't create a new piece for this hop.  I tried.  I have a couple of different half-created necklaces on my work bench, but none of them clicked for me with the meaning.  I kept comparing them to this simple pendant I created years ago.

A few years ago, two of my oldest friends each received some difficult news a couple of months apart.        I made this goddess to represent the strength and freedom of my friends. No matter how much you want to, you can't take away someone's pain, and you can't fight their battles for them.  The best you can do is give them support and love, a shoulder to cry upon, a place to come to when they need to get away.  My friends have always done this for me, and I try to do this as much as I can for them.

Please take some time and go blog hopping.  These are some wonderful artists, and I cannot wait to read their stories.

 Adlinah Kamsir                   Dream Struck Designs

 Aimee Biondolillo               Aimee's Jewelry Treasures

 Alicia Marinache                 All the Pretty Things 
 Andra Marasteanu               Handmade by Indra Marasteanu 
 Andrea Trank                      Heaven Lane Creations
 April Grinaway                   Brooklyn Bead Goddess

Barb Solem                         Vivi Magoo Presents

Becky Pancake                    Becky Pancake Bead Designs

Beth Emery                         Stories by Indigo Heart

Bonnie Coursolle                Jasper's Gems

Cassi Paslick                       Beads: Rolling Downhill

Catherine King                    Catherine's Musings

Cece Cormier                      The Beading Yogini

Chandra Leitz                     Juniper Goods

Charissa Nesler                   FireStorm Designs
Charlie Jacka                       Clay Space

Christina Hickman              Vintage Treasures Jewelry

Christine Murrow               Charis Designs Jewelry
Christine Stonefield            Sweet Girl Design

Chrizette Bayman               Bead Soup Mix

Cindy Wilson                      It's My Sea of Dreams

CJ Bauschka                       4 His Glory Creations by CJ

Crystal Thain                      Here Bead Dragons

Cyndi Lavin                        Beading Arts

Debbie Rasmussen             A little of this, a little of that

Denielle Hagerman             Some Beads... and other things I like
Diana Gonzalez                  Arte y Poemas

Diane Hawkey                    diane hawkey

Dita Basu                            ankarshilpa

Donetta Farrington             Simply Gorgeous

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell     Deeliteful Jewelry Creations

Emma Todd                        A Polymer Penchant

Erin Kenny                         beadiful therapy

Erin Prais-Hintz                  Treasures Found

Gina Hockett                      Freestyle Elements

Gloria Allen                        Innovative Dreams Jewelry

Heather Marston                 CSW Designs

Inge von Roos                    Inge's Blog

Iveth Caruso                       Creative Atelier

Jacqueline Marchant          Fiddledeedee Jewelry

Jami Shipp                         Celebrating Life!

Jean Yates                          Snap Out of it Jean, There's Beading to Do!

Jennifer Reno                     Musings of a Crafty Jenny
Jenny Robledo                   Peppa's Dream

Jennifer VanBenschoten    Jewelry, Art and Life
Jessica Klaaren                  Cellar Door Jewelry

Jessica Murray                   Whimsical Monkey

Joan Williams                     lilruby jewelry

Jo-Ann Woolverton            It's a Beadiful Creation

Joanne Browne                   josjewels1

Jodie Marshall                    Jodie Marshall Lampwork Beads Wearable Art

Johanna Rhodes                 Fire Phoenix Creations
John Rasmussen                 Rasumussen Gems and Jewelry LLC

JuLee Wolfe                       The Polymer Penguin

Julie Bean                           Blue Pig Blog

Karen Mitchell                   Over the Moon Designs

Karin King                         The Sparklie Things Blog
Karin Slaton                       Backstory Beads

Kat Douglas                       Washoe Kat's
Kay Bolton                        Toodles and Binks

Kelly Hosford Patterson     The Traveling SideShow

Kim Ballor                          Vitamin C ... A Daily Does of Creativity

Kim Dworak                       CianciBlue

Kim Houston                       The Pink Martini
Kym Hunter                         Kym Hunter Designs

Laren Dee Barton                Laren Dee Designs

Lea Avroch                          LA Jewelry Designs

Leanne Loftus                      First Impression Design

Liddy McLaughlin               Liddy McLaughlin Art

Linda Florian                       Lily's of the Valley Jewelry & Creative Creations

Linda Inhelder                     Must-Haves Jewelry

Lisa Hamilton                      Simply Irresistable Jewelry
Lisa Suver                            Fancee That

Lori Bowring Michaud        Artfully Ornamental

Lori Poppe                           Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

LouAnn Elwell                    Southpass Beads

Mandi Effron                       Craft-o-licious

Marcia DeCoster                 MadDesigns

Marcia Dunne                     The Alternative Foundry

Marie Covert                      Creating Interest

Marjorie Savill Linthwaite     bennubirdrising

Marlene Cupo                        Amazing Designs by Marlene

Martha Aleo                           Ornamento

Marti Conrad                          Marti's Buttons -n- Beads

Mary Ellen Parker                  BeeTree by m.e.

Mary Govaars                        MLH Jewelry Designs

Mary Lindell                          Mary Lindell Artisan Jewelry

Maureen Connolly                 Mrs Beadsley's Workshop

Maybeline Tay                       The Jewelry Larder

Melissa Elgin                         The Addicted Beader

Melissa Mesara                      one-eared pig beads

Menka Gupta                         Menka's Jewelry

Michaela Pabeschitz              la mar de bonita

Mischelle Fanucchi               Micheladas Musings

Mona Rae Baroody               Who Does She Bead She Is?

Nan Emmett                          Spirit Rattles -- Spirited Earth

Nancy Pedersen                    Something Heartfelt by Nancy

Natalie Davidson                  NorthShore Days
Nikki Douglas                      Bead It and Weep

Pam Farren                           re-maker

Pam, the Crazier Sister        The Crazy Creative Corner

Pam Traub                            Klassy Joolz
Priya Krish                           Hellopalz  
Rebecca Anderson               Song Beads

Rebecca Sirevaag                 Becca's Place

Robin Kae Reed                   Artistry HCBD

Rochelle Brisson                  a creative chelle

Rosa Maria Cuevas              Helena de Troya

Sabine Dittrich                     perlendschungel

Sandi Volpe                          Sandi Volpe

Sandra McGriff                    Creative Chaos

Sarah Goode                         Pookledo
Sarah Singer                         String a Song of Sixpence

Serena Trent                         All Things Made Jewelry

Shai Williams                       Shaiha's Ramblings
Sharon Palac                        Sharon's Jewelry Garden

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson    Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections

Sheila Davis                         Stone Designs

Shelley Graham Turner        Fabric of My Life

Sherri Stokey                       Knot Just Macrame

Sherry Baun                         Unicorns Jewels

Skylar Bre'z                         Brising Beads

Stephanie Haussler              Pixybug Designs

Tania Spivey                        Moobie Grace Designs

Terri G.                                Blooming Ideas

Terry Carter                         Tapping Flamingo

Terry Matuszyk                    Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Toltec Jewels                       Jewel School Friends
Tracy Kruse                         Goldkisses Art

Tracy Martin                        Nutkitten's Jewelry

Zia Parks                              Anzi~Panzi's Work Shoppe

Zoe Marcin                          Beads, Tea and Sweets

Thankful

I am thankful today, and every day, for my friends and family.  I could have survived this year; but life is to be lived, not merely survived.  I cannot thank all of you enough for all of the love and support you have given me this year.  You gave me a shoulder to cry upon, gave me big, squishy hugs, dragged my ass out of the house when I didn't want to leave, let me stay in when I really needed to, hatched the evilest of plans (and realized none of us look good in prison orange), fed me a good stiff drink (or three) when I needed it, and most of all, made me laugh my ass off.  Thank you all for the light and laughter you bring to me.

bent not broken

Weekend in the Woods

I spent last weekend up in the woods with about 20 crazy glass ladies. We had so much fun. Lots of glass, laughter, and food. I am so grateful to have so many fun people in my life; it just gets better every year!

Bead Cult

It was time for the purple Nikes and Kool-aid this weekend. We all gathered in Grand Rapids at Laura's house. We cooed over Lindsey's baby, ate birthday cake, and fondled some serious bead porn.

Sandra's garden necklace

Dawn Ceccacci of Dawn's Art Glass. I learn something from her every time we meet!

Beads, beads, beads!

Pimpin' my friends' work

Check out Melissa Selmon's art. She is a wonderful person and has simply beautiful paintings.

Pit Bull Lady Designs is a local librarian (support your local libraries!) and makes fun felted wool items, like this dragon eye.

No post would be complete without some glass goodness. This is a sample of Sandra's work. Lovely colors, and a fun person to hang around (but don't tell her I said that)

Not ready to give it (or you) up

Last weekend, I spend three wonderful days up near Big Rapids with some wonderful and crazy women. We made beads, exchanged techniques, ate, drank, and were merry. Shortly after I arrived home, I made the comment tomy husband that I need to sersiously figure out where I am going with my beads, or just quit.

Quit? What the Hell was I thinking? After a couple of days of contemplation, I realized that I can't stop making beads. Not only would I miss playing with molten glass which often saves my sanity, the loss of my friends would create a huge hole in my life.

We'll see what the rest of the year brings; hopefully I can stick to my resoultions to develop and grow my endeavors.

Friends and the WMBE

I had the West Michigan Bead Expo yesterday. My friend Elena and her daughter Emily helped out all day. We had a spectacular time! We munched on some of our favorite goodies, and Emily did an excellent job of packing my sold beads for customers. Thank you, Elena & Emily!