Makin' Beads

Come make beads with me!

I am so excited to teach a class locally. Bead Inspirations, in Alameda CA is hosting a 1-day workshop with me on November 19.  Enrollment is on now and there are a few spaces left.

We are going to have a great time! I am bringing a few extra things to play with in class including some pretty beads to cap.

I just taught this class last weekend at Wiremasters and the students made such LOVELY things. Here are a few samples...

To register contact Bead Inspirations in Alameda. Here is the full class description. Hope to see you there.

October's Reader Challenge REVEAL!

I like to say yes to people. I like to keep busy. I like to participate in group activities and be social. I also like to nap. Which is a good thing, since saying yes, keeping busy and having a really active social life can be really tiring. Hence my love of naps.

Unfortunately all this whooping it up and napping can lead to overcommitment with my free time slipping by too fast.

Right about now I'll bet you are wondering what ANY of this has to do with Andrew Thornton's October Reader's Challenge and can I just post the picture already? 'Cause you have, like, 17 more blogs to visit and only so many hours in a day.

Right. So let me get to it.

I bit off more than I could chew with this project. These busy few weeks have not allowed much extra time. Not only that, the time crunch made me awash in indecision about my design. Those two factors combined to thwart the timeliness of my finished piece.

This is what I have so far.

The beads are all stitched to the piece of metallic leather (because I have had leather on my mind lately). That is a river pebble underneath the stitching and a key pendant because I like keys. It's about 2"x 2" or so.

This is where you all come in. I need a push in the right direction. My goal is to finish this piece by next Thursday, November 10. Your job (should you accept it) is to leave a comment and tell me if you think this piece should evolve into a pendant/necklace, bracelet or a brooch.

I will tally up this Sunday night, November 6 and complete the piece in the style that gets the most votes.

I'll reveal the results on Friday November 11.

Thanks for your help! Don't forget to visit the other fine folks participating in this challenge.  Check out the list:

Shay Williams http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/

Michelle Hardy http://fireflyvisions.blogspot.com/

Rosemarie Cowit http://www.gemrosedesigns.blogspot.com/

Cilla Watkins  http://www.tellyourgirlfriends.com/

Christina Porter http://www.QueenBeeDesignsNY.com/

Collette Collins http://fireflymyst.blogspot.com/ 

Mary Govaars http://www.mlhjewelrydesigns.com/

Cindy Cima Edwards http://www.cindycima.com/

Jessica Nelson  http://stilettospirituality.blogspot.com/

Tara Linda http://taralinda.wordpress.com/

Alice Peterson http://alice-dreaming.blogspot.com/

Lisa Lodge http://pineridgetreasures.blogspot.com/

Cece Cormier http://www.thebeadingyogini.com/

Karin Slaton http://backstorybeads.blogspot.com/

Sandi Volpe http://www.sandivolpe.com/

Kate Richbourg http://katerichbourg.blogspot.com/ (that's me!)

Sue Kennedy http://suebeads.blogspot.com/

Michelle Mach http://www.michellemach.com/blog/

Andrew Thornton http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/

Driving Ambition.

I love a road trip: the gas station coffee, reading unfamiliar road signs, the fruitless search for NPR in the vast air wave wasteland that is California's Interstate 5.

No, seriously. When I was little, I remember being snuggled up in the back seat of my grandparents Dodge Monaco with my stuffed animal friends watching the world go by.

Now I am in the driver's seat, but viewing the world through a windshield is still one of my favorite experiences.

So what does this rambling post have to do with Wednesday, November 2, you ask? Well, it's Weekend with the Wiremasters travel day and that means ROADTRIP!

My classes start tomorrow, so I am up bright and early to pack the car, gas her up, pick up my dear traveling companion, and set out for parts unknown. (Actually the parts are pretty known to you NorCal peeps. US 101 to 152 and then on to the interminable I5. YEEK!)

Tomorrow I start a 4-day class extravaganza. If you haven't read about the event, check it out here. I am teaching 4 fabulous metalworking classes including my über-creative, throw-caution-to-the-wind Rolled and Wrapped beads. I rarely teach this class and it is one of my favorites.

Okay gang. Enough for this morning. I'll let you know how it's going. But I suspect it will go pretty well. After all, it's gonna be rough hanging out here for the next few days...

...but I will do my best.