Bad News, Good News

Okay, I'm going to start out with the bad news right up front and in one sentence. My two dolls DID not get into Bead Dreams. There. I said it. I have no idea why. I have had really a hard time getting the beading community to accept bead dolls as Art. I think I either have to give up trying to stop entering them into competitions or take a step back and instead of doing whimsical pieces try to concentrate on pretty figures with pretty faces.

Now to the good news. My piece Mother's Love came in 5th in the Beading for a Cure competition AND don't forget that she's up for auction starting next Monday. I was told I was to receive a winning prize & it came yesterday. Wow is about all I can say. I was shaking with excitement as I opened the box and treasure after treasure kept pouring out. I'm going to try to tell you everything that was in the box & if I've forgotten to thank anyone then my apologizes to all. First off was books and folder with all kinds of posters off Crystallized Swarovski Elements. Some of the posters are going to be put in in the studio as the colors are just amazing and will give me color suggestion idea. There were two boards with crystals colors with real crystals embedded in the board. Now I won't have to guess what color crystals I want to order as there they are for me to actually match up. I also got Crystal Chic which is by Debbi Simon. Lots of great ideas in there to push me to start using metal and crystals together.


Next was a great brown and blue craft bag from BeadinPath with a package of lucite beads inside. AND a $50 gift certificate inside an envelope. I am going to go crazy trying to decide what kind of lovely lucite beads to order from them. Then a kit from Jeannette Cook called "the tiles of Antoni Guadi Cuff". Jeannette is coming to Columbus this Summer to teach at 1 Stop Bead Shop so I'll have to get the story of what that name means then. I got another kit called " Silver Lining" but there was no name of who the designer or the contributor of this is. Thank you to whomever this mystery person is.

Then in a box was a beautiful necklace and earring set from Beads: All about it from Gainesville Florida. Lovely colors with a sweet Czech button as the focal piece. Then a book from Rita Sova of Butterfly and Fairy Designs all in brick stitch. Wow! I'm going to have to back track and rediscover brick stitch to make some of these beauties. Then a bag of Vintage Cabs from Marilee Layman. WoW! These are amazing. I can see some lovely cuff coming from these. In another plastic bag was a lovely glass focal bead from Ann Sherm Baldwin. It is BEAUTIFUL. I sat and starred at it looking at the design and colors and dreamed of the ocean off Kauai.

Then opening another envelope there were two gift certificates for $25 each. One was from Betcey at Beyond Beadery and the other was from Beki from Whimbeads. These are two of my favorite online bead stores and boy am I going to have fun trying to figure out what I need.

The very last thing was a mind blower as this is what Beading for a Cure is all about. IN a bag donated by Jeannette was one of Layne's beads she owned & left to Jeannette after she passed away. I was in tears & I still am. It is a beautiful focal bead made by Nancy Tobey. Layne bought it & treasured it so therefore, I'm going to treasure this piece of Art that Layne loved enough to take home. I never really knew Layne as she passed away before I joined the online group, but I would love to think that she held this bead in her hand and loved it. I'm going to do that too & send my prayers to her and every other person on this planet who has had to receive the news that they have colon cancer. I also will send prayers to those family members and friends who have had a loved one pass away or who is still fighting the fight.

Thank you the board of Beading for a Cure. Thank you the judges. And thank you to everyone who takes time to go to our auction site and purchase a piece of our Art so that we can help make sure no one else has to go through what Layne has