Master Class in Milwaukee

Myself and Carol

Two weeks ago today, I started out on my first day of the bead weaving Master Class at Bead and Button with Carol Wilcox Wells. Can I say it was an amazing three days with a true bead Master? Well, indeed, I can. Carol's class was about "Creating a Common Thread". Each day we all sat in a circle and shared what we wished to accomplish and how, or what we discovered about our selves being there in class with so many other talented beaders. Carol would then show her journey through slides on how she developed her true voice by experimenting and establishing a style totally her own. She encouraged all of us to do that too, but the key to finding your own style or voice is to first master the venue you are wanting to excel in. So by taking us each day through the different steps in Mastering Right Angle Weave, we slowly grew and learned to take the different projects and make them our own. Carol was a fantastic teacher. Her approach was open and gentle. She taught the way I like to teach, taking time with each student and patiently listening and watching to make them not only comfortable but achieve the lesson without being overwhelmed. Carol's laugh is something I'll always keep with me. It was so true and so filled with joy. Carol's assistant was her daughter-in-law Annette who was just as open, just as charming, and just as joyful as Carol. Annette would patiently sit next to anyone helping them to understand the thread patterns while Carol was on the other side of the room helping another student. Annette & I talked about dogs (she'd just lost her dog to cancer), her children, her adopted children and everything else in between. She was such a welcome addition to this class & I think she herself is a great teacher.
Third Day project

Carol shared with us stories of how she progressed from making amulet bags to baskets to sculptural jewelry pieces. She showed us slides of her studio in the Appalachian Mountains, her garden, and her family. I felt like I was taking back a piece of Carol with me along with the skills to Master RAW. When I got back home, I was so immersed in this bead weaving technique that I even found myself dreaming of the twist and turns of the needle and thread. I dreamed of taking what Carol had taught me & reworking all the old necklaces I'd made using the foundational skills I have learned. Oh, it was such true journey for me those three days to "see" how I can take this one bead weaving stitch and use it on my own style. Thank you Carol. Thank you Annette. Thank you Bead & Button.

My entourage was with me during the second day class:
yes, I take my beaded beanies with me wherever I go.

Class photo

As for the Master Class location itself, we were shuttled to the Milwaukee Area Technical College each day. For me, it was just as fast for me to walk from the Double tree hotel each morning and afternoon. Every morning waiting for us was a luscious breakfast hand made. No microwave or thawed out donuts for us. A group that I forgot to get their names made us breakfast and a delicious lunch each of those three days. I would be so full that I could barely keep my eyes open but there was my favorite beverage all the time. I asked one of the guys if I could take a picture of him making my omelet for me. He was thrilled & did a little throw in the air to make us all laugh. I have to share with you this little thing about the MATC...the bathrooms on the 6th floor had the best view of downtown Milwaukee! I told my class mates this & we all rushed to the ladies' room to check it out.


For my classmates, we had people from all over the US there. We laughed, we shared stories, and we sat quietly beading away. One of our classmates was from Japan, and we all loved looking at all the beading treasures she was using in class. I got to share three wonderful days with women around my own age which for me was the best part of the Master Class.

Rainy Day Scotties

I woke up this afternoon with rain showers plowing through the area. Though we had a record amount of rain in May, we really do need this rain. Our tomato plants are thirsty & we certainly do love our tomatoes around here. I was sitting on the couch with my first cup on coffee trying to wake up when another round of storms came crashing through. Something must have triggered in the brains of Arwen and Frodo, as both jumped up from napping and ran to the back door to watch the rain crash down on the patio. I was chuckling as they looked like a canine Laurel and Hardy. Frodo is just barely within his weight range and Arwen is way above her's. There they sat watching the rain and I think at one point there must have been a squirrel (LOOK!) running along the fence tops. Then Arwen comes over to Chris & isn't this the most adorable face you've seen. She sometimes looks so submissive, but in actuality she wants to be alpha dog around here. Trouble is that Fiona is the oldest but doesn't care. Frodo is Fiona's son & doesn't care either. But when Arwen tries to be dominate both jump on her...so I guess she does look sad because she just can't be the boss...but she is!

More pictures from Milwaukee

On Thursday night as I was waiting to get into the big Market place, I walked along the Frontier Airline Building looking at all the displays. The piece from Bead Dreams were out along with a display of Japanese artist. There was one display that just took my breath away. It was Ukrainian bead artist. All these pieces were in glass cases so unfortunately there is some glare. Please enjoy these as much as I did.

I still haven't finished unpacking from Bead and Button. All the beads and kits I purchases are still stowed away in my bag. I'm waiting until later this week when I get the "I had to go back to work blues" and opening these bags of treasure will make me happy.

Speaking of Happy, yesterday was my last day of vacation. I've only been off 10 days, but it seems so much longer. Last night, Chris & I went to see Robert Plant and The Band of Joy. It was here in Columbus at the Palace Theater. It wasn't as nice a venue as two years ago when we saw Robert with Allison Krause, but it was a big plus at not having to drive up to Detroit and stay over night. I enjoyed the new band he was playing with & they played many of the new songs from the album "Band of Joy". But what was amazing was the new renditions of old Led Zepplin songs. They crowd was on their feet during most of the show, but luckily I was sitting in a spot where everyone was sitting through 75% of the show so I had a wonder view. Also being only 28 rows back and in the middle helped. Only bad this was that the feed back was pretty bad with some of the songs and my ears were ringing and the sound was very distorted. But all in all, it was a great show.

Bead and Button

I haven't posted in so long. I think my writing Muse had taken a vacation long before I decide to. Just life getting in the way and spending too much time in the Art Cave beading away has left me limp by the time I come upstairs to sit in front of this computer and try to journal about what I've been up to. So instead I just took a sabbatical from blog land for awhile. I actually took a small sabbatical from all computer things for the past week. I went to Bead and Button show in Milwaukee last Saturday and came back last evening. I didn't think about work at all, and I didn't take my lap top even though there was free WiFi in the hotel where I stayed. It was kinda nice to just veg out with the classes and my beads. I took a great Master class with Carol Wilcox Wells and a full day with Marcia DeCoster. (More about both of those later). My goal for the week was to learn Right Angle Weave or what beaders refer to it as RAW. Did I ever learn it! I find myself dreaming in RAW! I woke up a couple times with bead weaving patterns imprinted on my eyes. I wrote them down and them smiled as they made no sense what so ever as they were mystical dream pieces. Hum...wonder if that is how Carol & Marcia come up with their wonderful designs.



Julie, Me (looking wind blown as I walked down to the Art Museum that morning with the winds blowing 30 mph), and Cynthia


As a come back from my long silence, I thought I share with you some pictures from Thursday night at the opening of the doors for the Vendor Night only for participates of the Bead and Button show. I got in line @ 3:15 & my two friend Cynthia and Julie met me there. It was chaos when we first entered but I had my plan. I wanted to go to Out on a Whim first to see Shawn & Beki and pick up some new seed bead colors. WOW is all I can say about their displays. I actually was first person at their booth! Woohooo! Then with map in my hand I wandered throughout the showroom looking at this purchasing that, enjoying a quick conversation with old friends and meeting new people who all love beads.




I got to show Betcy at Beyond Beadery the piece I finished with our BFAC kit and add a few more seed bead treasures to my stash. I found out that I don't have to whine about not having Silamide anymore as I found BeadCats has it in all the luscious colors I have loved and used all up. They told me they could order me more. Double Woohooo as I adore Silamide. Then I found a booth with metered/measured stones. I feel in love. I spent so much time there that I wondered if the skies outside had darken. Nope, still more time. I have to photograph all the wonderful treasure both bead, crystal and Fiber (yes, I bought fiber there that is to die for). So here are a few pictures I took Thursday night at the big Market in Milwaukee. I think I MIGHT have enough beads just from this show to keep me going another couple of years.

blue

I have been just a little bit blue lately & have neglected this blog for so long. It must be the gray rainy skies that have overwhelmed me with self doubt. Or it could be the hours of work being constantly on my feet which are now whining for me to take them to the Podiatrist. Or it could be this big project that is consuming my brain. Or it could be that I'm just burnt out after AFIC. Or it could just be I haven't the energy to put myself out there.

But this afternoon when I woke up, there was Sun shining. The grass is almost over the dogs' heads because we've had about 10 days of non stop awful weather. I'm going to grab onto those warm cheery rays & pull them inside me to warm up my Soul and hopefully wake up my Muse.

Doll Street Dreamers Steampunk Challenge

Here are more pictures from AFIC's exhibit. Cyndy always has doll clubs from around the globe send in pieces for display at AFIC. These are from an online doll makers group called Doll Street Dreamers. I've been a member for about three years now and enjoy the sense of community there. This year, Judy Skeel announced the challenge would be steampunk inspired dolls. As you can see, there were all kinds of different ideas popping out of people's head. Please excuse some of the pictures as the lightening where our display sat was limited. So sit back and enjoy a few photos from Steampunk Challenge.







If you'd like to see more pictures from the AFIC conference of the first night called "Hats and Heels Banquet" then please check out Leslie Molen's wonderful blog. I got to sit at Leslie's table where she was our "CEO". We had a challenge to make a doll out of a Bendi that would eventually be given to Children's Services here in Columbus. We had a Buyer (Pam), a Runner (Linda), Seamstresses , and I was the Speaker (but I sure did do a whole lot of hand sewing on that doll). We made a bear named Bernard who originally was a Steiff bear purchased at FAO Schwartz in NYC....he had seen better days & met two friends at a thrift store...okay enough with the story. We had a blast & see more about it on Leslie's blog which I warn you is charming and full of so much talent.

AFIC Challenge-Look Ma, No Stands

Whew...what a blur the last two weeks have been. I spent so much time down in the studio trying to play catch up with all the things I needed to get done for AFIC. I can't believe that last week at this time, I was at the hotel helping out getting things ready for the opening. I did a little of this and that, but the main thing I got to do that was wonderful was help check in the dolls for the exhibit hall. I can't believe all the wonderful pieces coming in. When I got to personally handle so many of the challenge dolls, I was just blown away by all the talent coming in.

Cyndy let Chris & I take some pictures in the exhibit hall Sunday morning when it was very quiet. I'm going to be showcasing some of those dolls in the next few weeks. There were so many lovely pieces that it is difficult to just pick a few. I'm starting out today with nice pieces from the challenge "Look Ma, No Stand". So please sit back & enjoy pictures of some truly remarkable Art.