BOOK GIVE AWAY

Hello all! Today I'm posting a book give away, (THE BLUE BEAD). I'll leave it up until Sunday and then I will mail the book out first thing Monday morning. All you have to do is let me know that you would like to have it and write your name and address so I can find you. I'll do a random drawing, names in the hat type of thing. Also, I wanted to mention this new blog about writing and reading children's books in the north. Where ravens roam and writers dream.  http://kidlitnorth.blogspot.com/  Ann Dixon, author and librarian, has taken on the task of informing us about whats hot and happening out there for readers who enjoy stories from the north. Check it out!

ELATION

I'm back from Santa Fe, exhausted but happy. When ever I do a show, I always joke ( not really) that there will be either elation or depression, well, ELATION is the winner. After all the months and months of preparation there was a big payoff at the end. The gallery opening was pack with patrons who loved the work and were willing to pay for it! Fantastic feeling and I got to share it with my sister Maggie and my niece Annie, who took these wonderful pictures. It was the girls on the loose amongst the teeming hoards of art buyer who came to town for Indian market. Santa Fe is crazzzzzy! Came home with orders, so in a couple of days I will be back to the bead table, but for now I'm taking a break and playing in the sun. Yes it finally came out. How lucky are we!!

GOING TO THE SOUTHWEST

I love the southwest. If I wasn't a die- hard Alaskan I would live in the desert with the lizards and the cactus.  There is something about the  brilliant sunsets and the evening skies that  feel magical to me.  This piece with the dactura flowers and dragonflies is meant to convey the feeling of a warm mysterious night.

POPULAR POPPIES

I've always loved poppies. The gorgeous  summer fields of the common orange poppy and the huge and spectacular Arctic blue poppy that everyone grows around in the summer. But this year I tried the red oriental poppies. Started the seeds early in the green house, babied them along until the weather was warm enough to plant them in the ground. Then it just rained and rained on them, so I thought that no way was I going to get blooms. But low and behold, first the intriguing buds, then walla, beautiful red delights. I love using red and black in my  beadwork as a color scheme so these beauties  were definitely an inspiration. Yea, Happy gardening and happy beading...

STILL LIFE

Well, I really never wanted to talk about the weather in this blog, but the frustrating summer we are having is working my last nerve! It's raining right now, and has been raining all month. We set a record for rainfall. When you live in Alaska you find that  during the long winter months you dream about the sunny summer to come, it's a really a downer when the sun doesn't show up... So, I put up my still life jacket, it kind of fits my mood. Floating sunglasses that don't need use, the butterfly that is hiding inside, and in general an abstract feeling. Through the looking glass and hopefully out the other side to a sunny day...

FINISHED WOLF

Yea, the finished wolf piece! Long hours, very tired eyes and sore wrist. I think it's my favorite bag for the Santa Fe show. Seems like something that will be well received down there, as a artist who makes a living selling beadwork you always have to balance what you think will sell and beading your hearts desire. It's always so wonderful when the two can meet. Sometimes what you want to bead is something that you can make money with, at least I hope so. Starting to get that nervous feeling that I always get before hand. I'm not really good at the openings, I really dislike having to promote myself and chat up the customers who may or may not be interested. Ahhh, Wish me luck....

EARLY WORK

Getting very close to finishing the wolf piece I've been working on  and pulling my hair out over. A couple more days and I'll post the done deal. Thank goodness, I'm really happy with it.  This got me to thinking about all the wolves and coyotes I've done in the past. In the beginning of my bead career I didn't struggle with how to make the fur look right, it was more about just learning the technique. Many long hours of trying to get the beads to lay flat. (The best tip on that is don't crowd the beads. So tempting to try and fill in every space, don't try.) 37 years later and things have changed... Here are some pictures of my early work, I like this coyote vest and my young hands but I'm glad I've moved past the basics.