WINTER SOLSTICE

Finishing up this winter solstice piece. The beadwork is done and it's time to attach it to the leather. I'm torn between brown which brings out the hawk and wolf colors or black which sticks to the dark mood of the piece. My plan is for the bag to have loads of fringe so envision that when you make your color choice. Which do you like? The darkness this time of year seems to just sap my energy so it's a miracle I'm getting anything done. Coffee works for awhile. It's cold this morning, in the single digits. The birds hit the feeder as soon as the low on the horizon sun comes up, and my old cat Crazy is nestled by the wood stove soaking up the heat. We have about 6 hours of day light this time of year. No problem though because I find time passes so quickly, the season flies by. So wishing you a magical solstice, no telling what kind of mischief happens in the dark...

HOT COLORS IN A COOL CLIMATE

I've been working on this order that I got in Santa Fe during the show. It's from a really wonderful lady from Florida named Farrah who loves PINK! She wanted a ruby throated hummingbird, dragonfly and flowers. Hope you love it Farrah and Merry Christmas everyone!!!

FEATHER EARRINGS

Grace modeling the earrings

Whew, the Blue jay feather earring kits are finally done! I only do one kit a year, and these turned out beautifully. I feel like last year the kit was a little hard, probably for more advanced beaders but these earrings are very straight forward. They have lots of straight lines which is easier than lots of curves and corners and can easily be done by beginners. Hopefully these videos are helpful. The first one is demonstrating the couching stitch and the second one is showing how to finish up with the edging stitch. You can stop by the gallery to pick one up or call me to order. The kit costs $45.00 and $3.50 shipping if you want me to send you one. My phone number is 907 567-3539

 HAPPY BEADING!

SUCCESS

 Okay, I guess I do feel a little different. The life of an artist is filled with uncertainty and always the insecure nagging that your work might not be liked/loved/bought by anyone. But that is not the case this time! After a brief moment of panic when the stock market crashed on Wednesday and I heard from another bead artist that nobody was buying, and beadwork had been dubbed passe, I was worried. But on Thursday there were some big sales and all weekend continued to be great! Now I have a extra spring in my step and I'm so grateful that I'm still making a living with my beadwork. Super fun trip with my family and as always with my time in Santa fe, Vivi and Milt made it possible. Thank you to them, the gang, my patrons, and the universe!

 

ALL THE BAGS THAT SOLD!

GOING TO SANTA FE

Headed down south on the 13th. I'm so happy to be working on the final bag for the show, it's been a long haul. Excited and nervous. You would think after all the years of doing these shows that I wouldn't get nerves but I'm just not built that way. I'm so glad that I have Vivi to take care of everything and all I have to do is show up! She is the best. If you are in the Santa Fe area come into the Eldorado on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. (15th thru 18th) Hope to see you there!!!!

HAPPINESS

There is so much I like about this bag. For one thing I love the way one bluebird is looking up and the other is looking down. So often I do my beaded birds and animals so they are looking straight ahead or I use a simple profile angle so to get this look made me happy.  Also, yellow is not usually my jam but the yellow rose turned out great using an all black line effect. And last but not least Robert did a FANTASTIC job on the leather work. You can't tell by the photo but this bag has the most thick, gorgeous, soft deerhide fringe. Yes it makes that swishy noise when you walk. Like I said, happiness!

p.s. Crazy is always happy on a big piece of cardboard.

MOTHER'S DAY

Spring is in the air. Mothers day comes at a wonderful time of year around here. All the birds have come back to have their babies, the moose are having babies, and the new plants have wonderful bright green growth all around. The gallery has started to pick up with people getting out and about. I had a very fun customer who bought lots of buttons!

I put the last of the background on the Beauty beadwork late yesterday and already have my next piece on the hoop. I enjoyed doing the lupine on this last piece so I designed another lupine bag with hummingbirds. Spring energy is light and easy, Happy Mother's Day to everyone. Things are humming...

WHAT'S ON THE TABLE

I've almost finished this piece. "Elk Magic" It's been on the table since December 12. I marked it on the calendar just to see what we are looking at time wise. Only a little bit of snow left to do and I have lots of snow outside my window to inspire me. The white satin has turned out just right to use as a snow bead...

OLD STUFF

Looking through some boxes under the floor (our storage space) and came on this photo of my Oprah bag.  At one point in my long career I thought the key to being successful was to have a famous person carry one of my bags. I want to say somewhere around 1995-2005, giving myself lots of leeway because I really can't remember. Anyway, I sent the bag to Oprah, with no luck, no fame, just a form letter. I use to wonder who really wound up with the bag and then I just forgot about it. I'm just revisiting this because I found the picture but I do think that there is a moral to the story. Nothing wrong with trying a bold move in your marketing. Nothing wrong with the long haul of endless sewing and putting in the work. And nothing wrong with nothing coming of any of it. Really, now I realize the joy of doing the art is a life well lived.