Saturday, May 29, 2010

Home for a Bit and then.....BEAD & BUTTON


Well Blue Moon rocked it. What a great studio and such great hosts. I stayed at Jim and Rose's house so I got to meet the dogs and had a wonderful time.
The class was great with incredible students. I love it when I am teaching a new technique and it pushes everyones abilities. Then when it turns out, they beam with pride and excitement. It really rocks my world when they "get it".

Ohhh girlfriend, do I have cool stuff for Bead and Button. Sets they are colorful crazy good, pairs for killer earrings or accent beads, really rockin PMC pendants with a totally bit@#en technique that I am keeping under wraps cause it is wicked smart, and KITS. Yep I have earring kits. I never make kits but everyone tells me that is what the people want.

Oh and guess what...I am a great aunt. My lovely niece Sarah had a boy! Some of you know my older sister died of Ovarian Cancer almost 2 years ago. We lost her too soon at age 55. Sarah is her oldest daughter so it is bitter sweet, but I am sure she is looking down and smiling. Hopefully pictures soon. She lives in Chicago soI am going to go and see her after Bead and Button and will get pictures of the new addition. Plus I am so the Baby Whisperer. That kid needs his Aunt Libby.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Off to Austin!






I am off to teach at Blue Moon
If you are in the Austin area I will be doing a demo on Sat. night at the studio so stop by and say HI.
When I get back it is balls to the wall making and finishing stuff for Bead and Button. I will post some pictures so if you are coming to Bead and Button you can see all the goodies I will have. I have some pretty cool new stuff that you are going love.
Off I go!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

To post or not to post....


















That is the question.
We in the jewelry/glass beadmaking/metal/ fine arts are a small bunch. We all know people who know people. There are plenty of "famous" blogger artists, forum artist, Etsy artists , Ebay artist, those who make a small to medium living from making beautiful things.

We all know each other in some small way, and we all form opinions and cliques that may or may not be beneficial or true. I will be the first one to say I have fallen into the gossip and sometimes not so nice behavior pointed at certain people, and for that my apologies, truly.

But you know what I have found out as I have grown older and pulled away from it all...no one is perfect, absolutely not one person. We have all been mean, been forgiven and forgiven others. We at times are caring, have been taken advantage of, not been given credit, and not given credit. Been the focus of invalid criticism, and maybe valid criticism.

But we all need to take a closer look at how we interact with others, how we handle ourselves as adults. I am not perfect and I cannot hold others to a standard that I am not willing to hold myself to.

At one point I joined in the mocking of an artist. He/She was the snicker we had in the corner of the room. We reveled in our "coolness", thought we were all that. I slowly began to notice that the "cool kids" were not so supportive of me in ways I had been supportive of them. The give and take was very one sided. It began to hurt and I pulled away.

A couple of years later I taught with the artist we had made the butt of our jokes. He/She was a delight. Kind, thoughtful, funny and very talented. Then in a moment He/She supported me in a way that the "cool kids" never did..ever. Imagine my horror as I realized my arrogance. One of my big "ah ha " moments. Shame on me.

I will still be kind to the "cool kids". They have their paths to go down, and I have mine. I by no means am any better or worse. I am just trying to not get caught up in useless thoughts.

You know what is important, to look inward, decide what feels right, and what feels wrong. Graciousness, what a wonderful word. Let us all be gracious, strong, caring and thoughtful before we decide if being one of the "cool kids" is really worth it.

And before you decide to take someone on, look inward, be an adult, stand strong, but for goodness sakes, stand with graciousness.


Thursday, May 13, 2010

Graduation!














Yep my little boy is Graduating from Mizzou (University of Missouri -Columbia)this Saturday. I am so proud of him. He has decided to go for an advanced degree and was accepted into the Doctoral program starting in Sept. Here he is giving me the stink eye..

Feeling the pressure to get things done for Bead and Button, preparing for teaching next week and then re-stocking the studio at work AND then start making stuff for the Gathering (glass bead making convention). Yipees.


Sunday, May 9, 2010

Happy Mothers Day Mom.

I lost my Mom eight years ago and miss her so much. It's so strange to be a child without a Mom. I see women my age with their older Moms out to lunch, shopping, and having special outing with them. Some arm in arm and others simply strolling along in quite conversations.
I miss my Mom. She instilled my love of art. She could decorate a house beautifully, and her gardens were on several garden tours. She loved herbs and taught me to cook. Boy could she cook. She was a great grandmother and my best friend.
Happy Mothers Day Mom.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Yee Haw!!!


Yeah baby classes are over for the semester! Ahhh so nice to have studio time all to myself. A lot of you know that I teach college students during the school year. We have a great elective classes (hot shop, flameworking and kiln) for Washington University.
My college students are really great, I love teaching them, but I am so ready for the semester to be over with and for summer to begin.
Now I get to work uninterrupted on my stuff and boy I have lots.

Hey do you want to take a class with me? There might be some openings for my class at Blue Moon. I promise you will learn tons and have a blast.


Monday, May 3, 2010

Veggies Baby!













I am so proud of my hubby and me. We enlarged our vegetable garden by 3x. We had to tear the old rotten wood one and then dig up a larger space. We then got landscape timbers and leveled, squared, and pounded. We had a blast. It felt so good to work and get it done. We giggled, laughed, and generally had a good time. I am so lucky to have a wonderful husband who I love more and more each day.
We have three tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, peppers, and about 6 different herbs. I love having a garden. It is so satisfying and rewarding. I love to go out and gather up things to eat. We have been doing it for 20 years now so it's nice to have it larger so we can plant more stuff.
Still making beads like a mad women. Bead and Button count down continues....