I have so many unfinished projects. Some of them will remain that way, because I was mainly interested in learning a technique or taking a class with a certain teacher. But there are plenty that I want to finish. During this past year I have had spurts in which I have worked on projects and made a dent. But now I really want to finish even more.

So I've decided that I am going to do something I learned in The Artist's Way book: I am going to take a break from reading...soon. When I first did this, ten years ago, I was appalled at the idea. Stop reading! I love to read, all the time, several books a week, magazines, newspapers, even ads if I'm desperate. However, when I did stop reading, I was incredibly productive. So much so, that I actually stopped reading for almost six months. I think it's time to do that again, so when I finish the three books in my library bag, that's exactly what I'm going to do. And hopefully I'll have lots to show you then.

Bead Journal Project Website

The BJP has a beautiful website that participants are putting their year's worth of work on. The beading is fantastic, definitely check it out.

And registration is open to participate in next years project, which begins in September. You can also find that information on the website.

Enjoy! Sign up! Become part of the wonderful community of the Bead Journal Project!

Glorious May

Several weeks ago as I was browsing blogs, I read about a project of making butterflies for a Holocaust Museum in Houston. The goal was to have people make 1.5 million butterflies to represent the number of children who were killed in the holocaust. This butterfly is my contribution. I often feel very fortunate in that my family left eastern Europe and Russia in the late 1800's as a result of pogroms in the towns in which they lived.



My neighbor loves to garden, and this is the view my son enjoys from his bedroom window. How lovely to watch spring bloom.

Just another update on how my garden is doing. You can see the perennials popping up. Soon I'll get some more perennials and a few colorful annuals...and trim the grass by the rocks!