September 27, 2007

the Cats came to Visit


Harley has been visiting me for 5 years. He thinks my apartment is his personal escape-from-the-kids Summer place. Yesterday morning he was waiting at the door when I got up, having been out tomcatting all night. He ambled in, turned around, hissed and growled at George as if to say, "stay out!" then got a snack and took over the couch.
George is the new cat at the big house and is very leery about coming in my door as his housemate Harley, doesn't think he should share. I had put a cat donut out on the porch to give away and George thought it was the perfect place to nap after a hard night of hunting and he can keep an eye on me through the screen door where I sit at the computer. I guess the donut will have to stay on the porch as George was curled up there again this morning waiting for a few scratches and some petting.

My son says that Harley starts going to my apartment door and meowing when the snow is gone and it turns warm in the spring ... as if to say, "it's time, where are you?" I'm blessed when the cats come to visit and curl up on my lap purring.

September 17, 2007

Bead Journal - August Progress

OK, it's past the middle of September and I'm just now getting the background onto my August page. It took a lot of looking in my stash of beads to come up with a background that satisfied me and didn't detract from the flames. "Should be a night sky", said I to self..... Then waffled and tried neutral grays, creams, bright blues and even stark white. I'm happy with the variegated, muted color I did settle on. I may still use a lighter color from the top down to give it some added dimension. All, in all, I'm quite pleased with the new things I tried in this piece and how they are working out.

NHBS Fall Retreat

These beautiful beads obviously had my name on them. I picked them up and put them back three times ..... the fourth time I gave in and bought them. Ellen is one of my favorite glass bead artists and every fall at the NHBS Retreat, I have the opportunity to add something to my collection.

In September the NH Bead Society has a Retreat at Geneva Point on the lake and it's a chance to bead, visit, bead, giggle and bead with some of the members for two to three days. This year, I managed to arrive just in time for dinner on Friday night. It's a beautiful setting with a large comfortable room to set up your beading projects and supplies. The nice thing is that nobody has to cook as we can just walk up the hill to the main lodge for cafeteria-style meals.

We don't plan any workshops or classes, but just work on our own projects. Anyone who wants help with something asks and more than one member will chime in with hints, helpful suggestions or even supplies. This year Jo Tong did an impromptu demo and instructions on getting your needle and mind around RAW (Right Angle Weave). The drawings on the easel looked like some nightmare football diagram!


One of the nicest things about a bead retreat like this is the sharing that goes on. See Pam's chicken necklace.... Well she said, "it needs something." Something it got as one member added some larger black beads, another said, "try these larger yellow beads", someone else said, "graph an egg to put on the bottom" - creative collaboration is ever so much fun!




What is a bead retreat without beads? We are lucky to have two great bead stores that help feed our need for beads.




Donna from Bead It! in Concord had part of her store there.









Jo brought many of her Earth Treasures with her.

September 4, 2007

Bead Journal - July

July's Bead Journal Page is Done!

Celebrate Summer" is finally done, except for the backing. I'm still trying to figure out how I want to mount all 12 pieces. Until I figure that out I can't add the printed "ATC" cards to the back and edge the pieces.


July's significance is twofold... One being the bugs (pretty & annoying) that Summer brings to the North East. The second was a case of hives that started out with me thinking "bugs" - bedbugs, fleas or some other small biting insects having breakfast on my body.

I'm very pleased with the way it turned out and like the simplicity of the piece compared to the abundance of beads in June's page. It was hard to leave the metallic background showing and not bead very inch of it. The dangle on this one is a chain with flower beads. I did wire wrapped bead charms with a mix of glass flowers and leaves.

To follow the course of just my Bead Journal Pages use the label "bead journal".