Basketry in Beads Beach House Retreat

Hacienda San Diego Beach Retreat!

Basketry in Beads

A Master Class

in Self-Supporting

Freeform Basket Shapes

This retreat will now be held at a Beach House in San Diego!

Please join us for this wonderful opportunity to stay for a week right on the beach.

January 16 - 22, 2010

Read More About It!

Dolphins at Dog Beach

Jasmine and I set out for the Coronado bridge and traveled through the City of Coronado this morning to run on Dog Beach. We got off to a bit of a late start. I like to be there by 7:30 am. It is nice and cool and there aren't so many people there yet. It turns out that our timing was perfect! As I was throwing Jasmine's fetch toy into the water for her, I saw two dolphins arching up on the surface of the water then diving down again. Woooo Hoooo! I love to see dolphins. There must have been some good fishing right where they were swimming. The sea birds were diving into the ocean very near the dolphins. I tried to get a picture, but they kept going under water just as I would shoot. They swam south soon after and I only have the memory to share with you. If there are more dolphins swimming near the shore as the summer goes on, I will be sure to try for a good picture to share with you. The photos above are of Jasmine at Dog Beach another day.

The Puget Sound Bead Festival

Thursday July, 9 – Sunday July, 12

I am looking forward to another great experience at the Puget Sound Bead Festival in Tacoma, WA. I will be teaching 4 workshops this year. Classes Begin on Thursday, July 9 with a Reception for Teachers that same evening.

This is a very special show. Small and intimate, the show is held in a wonderful setting, the Hotel Murano l in Tacoma. Owned and operated by Vicki Lareau, her husband Mark and their amazing staff of talented people. Teachers and vendors are treated so well! I feel respected and cherished when working at the Puget sound Bead Festival.

The Hotel Murano  has a glass arts oriented décor. It is a beautiful place to stay or visit! A wonderful area to take walks, this area of Tacoma is very easy to navigate. Walk around and you will find sculptures throughout the neighborhood. Historic buildings, lots of flowers, the arts and great café’s are everywhere!

Close to the  Hotel Murano, the host hotel to the PSBF, there is a free light rail line. You can hop on and hop off all along the rail line and easily get to know the neighborhood. Tacoma is home to the famous Glass Museum. Just taking the walk across the bridge to the museum grounds is an amazing experience. A display of Dale Chihuly’s work is above and on either side of you are many fabulous pieces of blown glass work. So cool!! Don’t miss it.

 

I hope to see you in class, at the Teacher’s Showcase or while shopping for beads!

Friendship

Friends are so very important to me. I try to be the kind of friend I want to have in my life. My friends are a very important part of my family and I value them so much. I am so fortunate to live near Marcia and Mark DeCoster. And I am honored to call them my friends. This blog is possible because Marcia was willing to take time out of her busy schedule to help me get started. Thank you so much, Marcia. You are a good friend! 

Be sure to check out Marcia's wonderful and inspiring blog!                www.maddesignsbeads.blogspot.com

A Very Cool New Ring!

Nearly every day for the last 12 years, I have walked three miles with my lifelong friend, Shirley. Just this past year, I began picking up rusted pieces of, well whatever looks interesting. Mostly nuts, bolts and other interesting looking objects.  I have quite a nice selection now. Inspired by the work of Susan Lenart Kazmer and Kate McKinnon, I made my first piece of jewelry. A very cool ring came of my latest find. A small anodized aluminum straining spoon. It is a little satellite disk shape with holes. You can see where the handle was attached. It is aqua on the scoop side and raw aluminum silver on the back. Using a beaded ring I made a few months ago, one of Heather Trimlett’s beads and some drops, I stitched this ring together using Fireline®. Then I added an anodized aluminum ring to the back, stitched on, and voila!!! A Very Cool New Ring! I wore it to dinner last night. Bright, Happy, Silly. Way too much fun.