Lots of catching up to do.

Some of the loot I got from Bead Fest to go with my new Koi bead.

So much to say, so little time. I know I have been neglecting my blog, my etsy and everything else you can think of, but know that I have not been sitting around eating bonbons.

I went from the Philly Bead Fest to the Bucktown Art Fest and back home to a pile of orders.

I am still playing catch up.

The Bead Fest was great fun. I got to hang out with some super cool & talented ladies, including the fabulous Lorelei Eurto, Kerry Bogert, Nancy Schindler, Kelly Wentzel, and Cassandra Procopio, along with my booth-mate Melanie Brooks. We had the greatest time together and I cannot wait to go back next year to do it again and hang out with my new friends. (Did I mention how awesome these women were?)

As soon as I came home from Philly I had to put on my magic artist pants turn this pile in my studio into art.

Chicago was fun but the Bucktown show was a disappointment sales-wise. Not sure if I'll do it again next year. (But my magic artist pants did their job and I did make some great pieces)

Now I am back home trying to catch up on orders, get my life together, get my daughter off to the 4th grade, apply to foster a doggie through Midwest Boston Terrier Rescue , (cause I need another Boston Terrier like a hole in the head, but I just can't help myself), get projects ready for publication, teach 2 classes this month & oh yeah, the Holidays are right around the corner.

Holy crap! I must be out of my mind.

Sunday Muddy Sunday

The truth is the garden is a mess. it has been HOT for too long here and things are either overgrown or thin and crispy. There is no in between. To make matters worse, I have not had more then a few moments to even survey the damage. I am working to get ready for two shows in the next 2 weeks. Bead fest in Philly and Bucktown in Chicago. To complicate matters even further, the Bucktown is going to be showing my sculptural work, not beads and jewelry. I have to completely switch gears in the middle of this mess.

I have not had the time to stop and and appreciate the beauty of summer. It feels like it might be over with before I get to slow down. I wish I could find the same beauty in the endless grey days of winter when it seems I have all the time in the world.

For now, its back to work for me. Time to figure out what I am sending ahead by mail and what I am taking on the plane to Philly.

Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair

My Art Fair Booth

I survived the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair and lived to tell.

It was hot and humid and at times the rain sent so much water running through my booth it was like Venice, but without a cute Italian boy in a boat floating by.

I laughed, I cried, I made new friends, saw some old ones, felt really stabby by 4pm everyday, but all in all it was a good show.

Now I am getting ready for the Philly Bead Fest later this month. Switching gears again & then switching them back for the Bucktown Arts Fest after that.

In the meanwhile its good to be back home off the street, out of the rain and sun and back in bed with my old stinky dogs. Who knew dog farts could be such a comfort?

Monday sunny Monday

I did not write my Sunday post because, quite simply with all this heat, everything is thin and crispy (including my brain cells).

We did however get a glorious thunderstorm overnight which seemed to revive things.

Next week I will be setting up for the Ann Arbor Summer fair. So if you happen to be in town:

I will be in Booth 194 on Main St. in front of Palios Italian Restaurant.

I will trade beads for iced coffee drinks!

So between now and then I will be working at a manic pace and won't have much time for the interwebs.

But I will leave you with a link to Beads of Clay where I am the featured artist for the month of July. And I am adding two items to their ETSY store.

No bees, no honey; no work, no money

I wonder if the bees ever get weary of their vocation? Do they fly into my garden and say to themselves"Oh Crap! look at all the damn flowers! I will be pollinating all freakin day!"?

Or do they just take it one flower at a time, never worrying about what the day will bring?

This morning I looked at my pile of beads to glaze and said to myself "Oh Crap! I will be glazing all day!" I did glaze all day, 6 hours straight, and only conquered maybe half of the pile.

This means tomorrow will bring the same thing.

No bees, no honey; no work, no money.

I should not complain though. I had the benefit of air conditioning all day. The bees are not so lucky.

Sunday Muddy Sunday

A quiet place

I need a quiet place I have one in my garden. I go there to be alone with my thoughts.

In my garden there is a small plot that is our pet cemetary. Two kitties, 3 fish and countless sea monkeies are buried there. I have a swinging seat and a beautiful veiw of the garden, I sit there and to stop thinking, or sometimes to focus my thoughts.

This week has been especially stressful. I am getting ready for the Ann Arbor Summer Fair, finishing up orders and just trying in general to get a grip on my life.

The quiet time has been important to help me keep a balance.

Sunday Muddy Sunday

At the risk of riling my dead ancestors, I'd like to talk about the humblest of flowers, the orange daylily. (Hemerocallis for you latin lovers).

My Nana did not like them because she thought they were common flowers that grew in ditches and on my father's side my Grandma did not like them because she was a hot tempered Irish Catholic who despised all things orange and would go so far as to knock their heads off when she passed them because she assumed they were all protestant "PUPS".

I confess during my first years of gardening I didn't hold the daylily in high esteem. It was the flower of last resort when nothing else would grow in a particular spot. The humble daylily never let me down.

I have come to admire and resect them for their beauty and reliability and for their optimism. They open at sunrise and wither at sunset, and the very next morning a replacement flower steps in and does it all over again without complaint.

Simple and humble and strong, the common daylily has earned my respect.

Here are more humble flowers, these ones are my high fired stoneware buttons. I have listed some on Etsy, but will special orders too.

Bead Soup Party!!

The Bead Soup Blog party is on. So grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, depending on the time of day and your mood, and enjoy all the lovelies.

These beads are from my soup partner Barbara Bechtel of Second Surf.

When I first saw them I was enchanted by the colors. I have a thing for coral, and these just made my heart go pitter patter. The unexpected thing is, how good they felt in my hand, Some beads were just made to be fondled. I knew I had to design something that could be touched while being worn, almost like a talisman.

So I decide to do a very long wire wrapped piece that would hand down and allow the beads to be held when worn.

Todays party features these beaders:

14. Jen, Jen Judd Rocks

15. Kella, Me But a Little More In Depth

16. Emanda, Artemisia Studio

17. Marie, Skye Jewels

18. Loretta, Designs By Loretta

19. Stacy, Sissy and Jack's

20. Joanna, Filcowe

21. Diane, Diane Hawkey

22. Marianna, Pretty Shiny Things

23. Anna, The Laughing Raven

24. Marcie, La Bella Joya

25. Lois, Que Onda Q'town?

26. Jayne, Mama's Got To Doodle

Check out yesterdays posts too!:

1. Lori, Pretty Things

2. Lorelei, Lorelei1141

3. Norma, Moonlit Fantaseas

4. Beth, EB Bead and Metalworks

5. Katie, KatieBead

6. Kimberly, Bahama Dawn

7. Debbie, Prairie Emporium

8. Lisa, Joolz by Lisa

9. Kate, Tropical Blonde

10. Janet, Singing Woods

11. Julianna, Juls Beads

12. Erin, Treasures Found

Back from Bead and Button

It's good to be home.

We (Melanie Brooks & I) had a little trouble on the way back with a deer on I-94. We were OK the deer & the van both were totaled.

I've taken a few days to chill and now I am back to business.

So first things first,

The show: I had an excellent time. Sales were good. A lot of new stores are carrying my beads. that makes me very happy. It's exciting to think of my little beads in hands all over the country.

My new work went over well. I got to reconnect with some old friends and customers. The only regret I have is not getting to see more of the show myself.

I did get to go the the swinging Tierra Cast party at the Hilton after the show closed. It was awesome & we got to see some of their new line. I am excited to use some of the new components in my work.

I did manage to get out of my booth long enough to pick up some wonderful goodies though.

This lovely silk ribbon from "Silk painting is fun" I wanted to roll around in all the pretty colors. I did restrain myself.

And I made some cool trades with Andrew Thorton of Green Girl Studios (Hey Andrew I still owe you some more beads~)

And then there were these lovelies from Heather Powers of Humble Beads:

I fell hard for these colors. I don't know what I am going to do with them yet, but I promise it will be awesome.

And like always, I had to get something for my daughter:

These are by Clay River Designs.

Actually the betta fish is for my daughter & the orca is for me. (We have 4 bettas and there is always a drama with them. I just nursed Matisse back from the brink of velvet death days before I left for the show- (Betta drama will be for another post some other day. Actually I think they could have their own blog since they seem to have very eventful lives for fish. Too bad they can't type with their little fins. I ain't got the time.)

Sunday Muddy Sunday

I am home sick. i have been squirreled away at the convention center in Milwaukee for the Bead and Button Show. I have meet so many great people here and reconnected with so many friends that I should feel surrounded by good vibes and happiness, but the truth is no matter how wonderful the experience has been, I miss my home, I miss my dirt.

When I get home late tonight I will go to sleep in my own bed and in the morning I will walk through my garden and assess the changes that have occurred worry about the plants that look neglected and moan over the work that needs to be done.

I could never be a gypsy. I need my roots and they need to touching my small piece of earth.