Anticipation

We're expecting a massive blizzard tonight, such that we've not had in years.  Right now it is the quiet before
the storm.  The sky is heavy with gray.  There is already several inches of snow on the ground.  Just now a few flakes of snow are starting to whirl in the air.  But tonight is when the real action is supposed to start.

In anticipation, I have a pot of vegetable soup simmering on the stove.  Let's hope we don't lose power.  Yesterday I did some food shopping and made sure we had a lot of candles, fresh  batteries for flashlights, and blankets piled up in the living room. 

The University of Michigan has a policy of never closing.  I seriously doubt my husband will be able to make his 10 am class tomorrow if we really have up to 12" of snow.  Our neighborhood doesn't get plowed until about 2 days after a storm, and we live at the top of a hill, so getting in and out of our street can be tricky. There's a stop sign at the end of the street that when it's snowy and icy you can't stop at and just go right through and hit the sidewalk on the street perpendicular to the stop sign.  It's happened to me and it's kind of scary to know you have no control.

And yet, in this calm before the storm, everything truly is calm.  The soup smells delicious, I've just had a cup of tea, the house is quiet.  The anticipation, the waiting, the knowing, is all there, ready to be realized.

Unclasped Bracelets

I love making bracelets, but I hate making clasps, as you can see.  When my son was home he did something to my photoshop, so now everything gets painted a brown background.  I need to figure out how to get rid of it, if you know how please tell me!

Happy Birthday Dennis!

Dennis is 56 y.o. today, Happy Birthday! This pose is one I see every day, working at the end of the kitchen table, going over lecture notes or copy editing a paper, with a cup of tea to sustain him. No snow today, but the sun is out in celebration!

Thanksgiving Family Photo

My family, Thanksgiving, 2010. Sam, Susan, Dennis, and Jason. As much as I love beading, my family is my main vocation, avocation, and first love.

Anne Hesse Doll collaboration

I took a wonderful class with Anne Hesse on doll making. During the class, I discovered that I wasn't a dollmaker, so I created the doll as a collaboration with my dear friend, Kathie, and gifted the doll to her. I made the face, put the bunches of ribbon together, and she did everything else, including securing the face to a weighted backing, attaching the face to the doll, putting the ribbon on the doll, the hair, and attaching the arms.





A close up of the doll.




Isn't she gorgeous!!!

Turquoise and Lime Green

One day when I was reading Marcia DeCoster's blog she just happened to mention turquoise and lime green. A little lightbulb went off in my head. Those are my two favorite colors. I often combine them with fuchsia, sometimes bronze, or navy, but usually I just like the colors together.

2010 Bead Journal Project

I had high expectations for the third year of my Bead Journal Project. Rather than beading a mandala shape, I decided to bead on felt in a rectangular shape. I started with some needle felting of bright colors, representing the happiness of starting a new project, then surrounded them with black and white, representing the low contrast of color in winter in Michigan.





Well, winter in Michigan can be pretty bleak, as is my piece above.




I always dream of sun in March. In the past I've often gone away for a week in March to someplace that is supposed to be sunny. This past March my husband and I went to Miami and then took a 4 day cruise. It was freezing, overcast, very little sun. The waves were so high we couldn't even go to one of our destinations, which was (supposed) to be a gorgeous beach with turquoise water. Didn't do much for my mental health.





I tried to think of soft colors in anticipation of spring. But I was still feeling the depression of the lack of sun in March, so the sequins and black beads represent feeling down. Notice, though, that I was still trying to be optimistic, as the sequins are very shiny.

And that's as far as I got for 2010. I was not inspired to continue. I wanted to keep the depression at bay, and I didn't want to bead it or explore it further.

More Retreat Photos

Every year we make our hostess, Donna, a group present. This year we made triangle beads using delicas. We chose a palette that we thought she would like and each of us made about 7 beads of various sizes. Donna likes big, and this bracelet fits the bill.


Our friend Pat couldn't be with us this year since she has been in the hospital since August 2nd. While we were on the retreat we made her this prayer doll. Each of us wrote a message to Pat on ribbon and used them to stuff the doll.
This is the back of the doll. We just learned a few days ago that Pat is coming home today, what a blessing. Pat is one of those people that makes your life better just by knowing her. She is kind, talented, friendly to everyone. She takes time to talk with you. She listens. Her art work is beautiful, whether it's beading or basketry. She is an amazing woman who has had the bad luck to have gotten cancer, but is fighting it with commitment and grace. I hope our little doll puts a smile on her face and lets her know how much we care for her.

Fall is Gorgeous this year

We are having a gorgeous fall this year. The colors are spectacular. The weather has been very warm, although I suspect the temps will start to fall soon enough. As I was working yesterday, I was distracted by this view out my window. I don't really see as much of the houses as this picture shows, but otherwise all you would see is my computer, and believe me, the work I do is so boring it would put you to sleep - I often have to take a nap because it puts me to sleep! Hey, it pays the bills, and there are days like yesterday when I can enjoy this magical view.

Bead Retreat 2010

For the last 7 years my bead group has gone on a retreat to one of our member's homes in Petoskey, Michigan. We bead, laugh, eat a lot of good food, stay up late, bead some more, sometimes knit. We always have a great time and this year was no exception. The weather was cool and sunny, just perfect. Why no people in my pictures? Seems like every time I went to photograph someone they were in their jammies!

Re-organizing

I store all my beads in plastic bins - all different sizes, shapes,and designs. Every now and then I go through my "project" bins, where I have put together combinations of beads for a particular project, or colors I like, or beads in anticipation of a pattern in a magazine. And then I look through them and change my mind, or can't remember what the project was I had in mind, or realize I'm never going to finish what I started. So I empty the bins and (eventually) put all the beads away so they'll be in my general stash. Projects that are started go into my unfinished projects bins, where perhaps they'll enjoy a second life down the road, or provide color or design inspiration, or just sit and bead happy.

Have a super day!

More Gallery Pieces Sold

I originally sent 9 pieces of jewelry to the gallery, then sent 3 more, now the owner has asked for more because there are only 3 pieces left! There's only a month left to her season, so I'm going to get some more out on Monday.

I was doing this as a one time thing. I was curious if I could rise to the occasion, meet the goal of making many pieces. I am pleasantly surprised that they have sold, amazed actually. Now I feel motivated to work during the winter on new pieces, and I think I can stop questioning whether I am a bead artist or not. Always that little censor sitting on my shoulder saying my work isn't good enough, it's not as creative, or intricate, or original as other beaders work. I think I can quell that voice now.

vacation

Sam and Jason hiking at Glacier National Park. They had a great vacation, look at that beautiful land.

It's been busy

Sam, above, in his big U-Haul, going to college 1 hour away.


Jason, ready for his long drive to Penn State in his small car.


What a busy week we've had here. Last week Dennis and the boys were on their annual father/son vacation and during that time Jason found out that the apt. he leased last May had bed bugs, very persistent ones, because they were still there after 3 exterminations. So with Jason in Montana, and his new roommate from Massachusetts, we worked to find a new apt. His roommate and parents drove to State College and I provided telephone support. Not much to choose from at this time of summer, but we managed to find a place. The only problem, it wasn't going to be ready until today, and Jason started orientation this past Monday. He still went, slept on a friends couch, and hopefully has moved in today.

Sam packed up a U-Haul yesterday and we moved him into an apt. at Michigan State. When we arrived we found out that the apt. wasn't ready. So we bought his books (don't even ask how much law textbooks cost), we went to Comcast so he could have internet connection, and the apt. still wasn't ready. The landlord let him move his stuff into a different apt. temporarily and he slept on a couch at a friend's.

Two boys gone off to college in one week, the house is quiet, feels empty, a little lonely. But there is so much more space, too!

Nothing like a good book

My husband is gone for the week at a conference in Toronto. Then the next week he and the boys are going to Glacier National Park. I am used to being alone, but not without a good book! I've been to the library, the bookstores, and everything I pick up I put back down. So this morning I was heartened to see that the new Tana French book is in transit to my local library branch. I will not be so alone after all. And if you haven't read Tana French, she has 2 previous novels out, they are fantastic, and you will be happy to be curled up with a good companion.