Bead Soup Party, Days 1 & 2!

Sorry I missed the announcement yesterday; between storms, a dryer that only heats for 7 minutes, and an afternoon at the laundromat, the party completely slipped my mind. But, here we are! This Bead Soup Party lasts all week. I get to post my creation next Saturday, June 26th. So in the meanwhile, please check out the partiers from yesterday and today. Please feel free to leave some comments and some love for them on their blogs. Computer screen licking is optional.


1. Lori, Pretty Things
2. Lorelei, Lorelei1141
3. Norma, Moonlit Fantaseas
4. Beth, EB Bead and Metalworks
5. Katie, KatieBead
6. Kimberly, Bahama Dawn
7. Debbie, Prairie Emporium
8. Lisa, Joolz by Lisa
9. Kate, Tropical Blonde
10. Janet, Singing Woods
11. Julianna, Juls Beads
12. Erin, Treasures Found
14. Jen, Jen Judd Rocks
15. Kella, Me But a Little More In Depth
16. Emanda, Artemisia Studio
17. Marie, Skye Jewels
18. Loretta, Designs By Loretta
19. Stacy, Sissy and Jack's
20. Joanna, Filcowe
21. Diane, Diane Hawkey
22. Marianna, Pretty Shiny Things
23. Anna, The Laughing Raven
24. Marcie, La Bella Joya
25. Lois, Que Onda Q'town?
26. Jayne, Mama's Got To Doodle

Bead Soup Teaser

A joyful spirit is evidence of a grateful heart.
-- Maya Angelou

My Bead Soup Goodies!

Check out my Bead Soup goodies from my partner, Nan Emmet! (well, minus the clasp and silver rings. I accidentally left those out.) My brain is full of ideas of what to do with them.

Thank you again, Lori, for coordinating alll of this!

Today's Quote

Any idiot can face a crisis. It is this day to day living that wears you out.
-- Anton Chekov

Sunshine for Sale

Just listed in my Etsy shop! A fun and bright pendant and earrings to usher in Summer!

My Bead Soup Partner

My Bead Soup Partner is Nan Emmett. Holy cow, her cermaic artistry is amazing! I can't wait to get going!

Bead Soup Party!

I just signed up to do a Bead Soup Party over at Lori's blog. I can't wait to stretch my jewelry-making skills!

Not Around Much

I haven't been around much, so here are some gratuitous doggie pictures. :)

JOY

My friend Tracy fixed Pig for me. She sewed his holes up and put his ear back on. It was a rough 2 weeks without him. I cannot thank her enough!

Northern Michigan Bead & Jewelry Show

I had a wonderful time yesterday at the Northern Michigan Bead & Jewelry Show in Cadillac. I met some wonderful people. Thannk you to all of the lovely people that stopped by!

I will be posting pictures soon.

Pig Beads

Aside from a tragic first attempt shortly after I took my first lampworking class, these are the first one-eared pig beads I have tried. I made them for a special order for Beads of Courage.

What I'm Reading

Well, more like, "What I Just Read."

I finished A Local Habitation, by Seanan McGuire last night. It is the second in her October Daye series. I love these books. The main characters are intriguing and the stories are well-written.

From her website:

October Daye knows all-too-well how cruel Faerie can be to its changeling children. Born in San Francisco and carried to the Summerlands by her pureblood mother when she was just a child, she was raised in a world that never seemed capable of understanding her. She ran away the moment the opportunity presented itself, only to find that the human world wasn't any better.

Things have been going downhill from there.

The October Daye books are modern urban fantasy set in the San Francisco Bay Area, and heavily influenced by classical folklore. They follow the adventures of October "Toby" Daye as she tries to find her footing in a world that seems a little more interested in killing her than she'd like. The first book in the series is Rosemary and Rue, released by DAW Books in September 2009. Book two, A Local Habitation, was released in March 2010. An Artificial Night will be released in September 2010. Two more have been confirmed as following—Late Eclipses and The Brightest Fell, with release dates to be announced.

I cannot wait until the rest are released!

Northern Michigan Bead & Jewelry Show

April 17th is the Northern Michigan Bead & Jewelry Show In Cadillac, Michigan. I think I have enough stock, but does one ever have enough stock? I always, ALWAYS, have this horrible panic 1 - 2 weeks before a show that I do not have enough. And really, I don't. I just don't. But I'm ok with that. :)

Superior Scribbler Award

Hannah Rosner of Good River Gallery (check out her beadwork - it is simply amazing) has nominated me for a Superior Scribbler Award.

I've been wanting to post more blog entries, well, since I started oh-so-long-ago. Here is a wonderful opportuniy for me to try harder. :) Plus, when you sign Mr. Linky (it is the comments section on the Superior Scribbler Blog), you then have access to SO many more blogs about anything & everything!

Here is my list of nominees (5 of the long list of beady blogs I read every day. Check out all the links on the right side of my page.):

Lucinda of Belvedere Beads

Lori of An Artist's Year Off

Karolen of Bead Abundant

Profusion Art Glass

Bella Lilli Jewelry (ok, no lampwork, but She. Has. Skulls.)

The nitty gritty:

If you want to play along, the rules are as follows;

* Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 bloggy friends.

* Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & name of the blog from whom he/she has received the award.

* Each Superior Scribbler must display the award on his/her blog and link to this post which explains the award.

*Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List (comments on the SSA blog) - that way, we'll be able to keep up to date on everyone who receives the award.

* Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

OK. I have done my part. Now if you want to play along, it's your turn!

The Muppets & YouTube

I have spent the most wonderful 20 minutes cruising YouTube watching clips from the Muppet Show and Sesame Street. One of my earliest memories is playing 'Near & Far' with my dad while watching 'Near & Far' with Grover on Sesame Street. It was the very early 70s so my dad had a big fuzzy mustache, and he would tickle me with it when he was 'Near'. Later, The Muppet Show was on the air, and we would watch it every week. I just love the Muppets and Jim Henson for creating them.

It's a good day.

Desert Heart

I've overcome the lastest computer problems (ggrr, Vista) and was able to post another bead on Etsy. It is more CIM Tamarind, Ivory, Raku, and silver foil; the kiln faeries left a heart on it. :)

Two Etsy Listings

I've actually torched a lot in the past two weeks. I am just very lacksadaisical about taking pictures and (ugh) editing said pictures. I buckled down tonight, and took a lot of pictures and listed two in my Etsy store.

This bead features my new favorite glass, CIM Tamarind. It is a cross between a moss green and brown. YUMMY.

This bead features my all-time favorite glass, Psyche. I love the deep blues of it, and when Psyche is used with ivory, the curdled ivory is awesome.

My Day Ends Well

While my day began with freaky zombie dreams, it is ending a very nice note. I came home from work to 3 packages for me. The first was an order of watch parts from Karen Hardy. I'm not sure how to use them, but I'm looking forward to figuring it out! The second package was copper mesh and glass from Howaco. YUM! The last package was from Amazon; Designing Jewelry with Glass Beads by Stephanie Sersich and Kitty's House of Horrors by Carrie Vaughn.

It going to be great weekend!

Dreams

I often have highly detailed dreams. Last night I had a very vivid dream involving the walking dead (zombies, really, but they weren't the decaying, drooling, eat-your-brains sort of zombies) and dogs. The dogs weren't zombies, and at the end of the dream they were well on a course of leading me to my demise. As we were fleeing the building, the dogs (a weiner dog named Jessie and a Jack Russell terrier) discovered an open drain in the lobby that they had to investigate. I couldn't leave my dogs behind and I ran back into the building to get them. I was surrounded by zombies. And that's when I woke up all in a terror.

Going to be a long day.

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!