Lazy, Crazy DAZE of Summer???

I have always looked forward to Summer Vacation. The few years in my life that I've held a 9-5 job, I was shocked every summer when my boss told me that I wouldn't get a few months off. The nerve of that guy!

With my youngest daughter having just graduated from high school, I was thinking about how many years my life has centered around the September-to-June school year.

Like most of us, I started kindergarten at five-years-old; graduated at just-about-eighteen. A year later, got married to Bob, who was in school every semester, then five years later, our daughter Jennifer started kindergarten.

Those who know me, know that my kids were born with seven and twelve years separating them. I was 19 when Jennifer was born, she was seven when Katherine was born; Katherine was 12 when Stephanie was born. (So Jenn was 19.)

The point of this? I have been living around a school schedule for 51 years! I have visions of me wandering through the school supplies isle at Meijer and Staples and feeling bereft!?! I'll probably take home a new box of crayons and some filler paper... and I don't even need them!

Now, it's true that Stephanie will be headed for college, but it won't be like I'm totally responsible for that. I can now take a vacation ANY TIME OF THE YEAR that I choose. Hey! This getting older ain't so bad!

Collaboration Project

The Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild and the Southeast Michigan Glass Beadmakers Guild (aka Glass Act) have joined together for the 2009 Collaboration Project. Members from each group will be paired with the goal of making beautiful art jewelry from beautiful handmade beads.

Margaret Sutherland, beadmaker, is organizing the effort. The theme of "Water All Around Us" was chosen - perfect for the state of Michigan! The finished projects will be shown at the Lawrence Street Gallery in Ferndale during November 2009 in juried/judged exhibit.

Susan Matych-Hager (Hager Studios) and I are excited to work together. Susan grew up on Bear Lake near Lake Michigan, and my family's vacation home is in East Tawas, which is on Lake Huron. We both have wonderful memories of hours spent on and near the water.

When we started bouncing ideas around, I said I would like to see the more muted tones - sand, hazy blue sky, sea gull gray, and green reeds. I remember one small yellow flower... Susan remembers tiny iris and thistles...

What really impresses me is Susan's response to my suggestions: "I can do that!" And she does. I have the COOLEST beads to work with. Susan is a phenomenal bead artist and I can hardly wait to get started! A few days ago we had lunch together and she handed me a boxful of excellent beads and my mind has been humming.

I've been itching to get started, but the priority has been my youngest daughter, Stephanie. She graduated from Lincoln High School last night - Hoo Yah, girl!!!! Now the real fun begins!

Spring is here! Daffodils, forsythia, tulips, Korean Spice viburnum. Yellow finches, robins, and (those darn) cowbirds, too. It's pretty, and noisy, and it smells good outside! Soon it will be kayaking weather!

Winter Storm

My previous post (one month ago) told of the first "real" snow of the 2008-2009 Winter Season. That was an appetizer of what has been happening today! It's not officially Winter for two more days, but we've had about eight new inches of snow since 4:00 this morning. It's going to be a long, long Winter if it keeps up like this.

I guess that just means I'll be spending more time inside beading! Maybe I'll catch up on a few projects, or think up some new ones...

Winter has made it's first serious appearance in Michigan this past week, complete with snow showers and freezing temperatures. It's hard to believe that just a few weeks ago we were enjoying seventy degree balmy weather... Ahh... it's so Michigan!

In honor of the "frozen white stuff," I've included a picture of my Winter Garden bracelet. It's has the sparkle and shine of ice crystals, but I think it would be just perfect for a summer bride, too. And that makes me think of warmth, rather than snow.... Yep, I'll go with that thought.

This is a variation of my favorite-of-all-time bracelet - the Cha-Cha. It's layers of flower-shaped beads, daggers, and leaves, on top of a base that used square stitch and large Delica beads.

I have published a pattern for this, available at Stony Creek Bead.

Today is November 5th, but it feels like Spring! Michigan has enjoyed a couple of absolutely gorgeous days - the kind of weather that makes me really glad to live here! Ahh-h-h-h!

When I started this blog, I had great plans to post frequently... I have no good excuses, unless I make something up for the sake of creativity! I'll try to do better.

For today, I'm putting up a picture of my Four-In-One Patchwork Bracelet. While it is not one of the most beautiful projects I've made, I love to teach this class and watch students as they have the "Aha" moment with each stitch - helping them take the mystery out of Peyote, Square, Ladder, Herringbone, and Brick stitches, and watching the mental wheels turn with plans for their first "real" project(s).

Bead Journal Project 2008

I have joined the Bead Journal Project this year. If you want to see creative beading, check this out. The BJP 2007 was so inspiring... I'm speechless. Those of you who know me, know that I'm NEVER speechless. That's just how cool the BJP is. So, I had to join.

September is the month that starts a whole year of beading projects - one per month. There will be pictures on this blog, and eventually on the BJP page and links there.