Where, oh, where did September go?

Oh, I know, my day job ate it all up. Don't get me wrong. I love my day job. It's never the same day twice, and I like that very much, but it does take time away from beading. And this month I had to rest my hand. I have a trigger finger (ring finger, right hand) and carpal tunnel stuff going on. So I had a shot of cortisone (ouch!) at the base of my ring finger and wore a brace thingy for a while. Not fun. But, as I always say, it could be worse.

Now we are off to the Tyrone, PA, farm/city day. Gotta buy those raffle tickets to support the Tyrone-Snyder Twp. Public Library. Best little library in the state. Un, make that best little library in the world. I love the library director, my daughter. :)

Phun in Philly

Back from the BeadFest. Again, it was a great time. Again, we stayed with my cousin (Hi, John), who is a wonderful host. He always makes us feel so pampered. For dinner, his cook made the most fabulous eggplant parmesan. (Maybe I should explain that John is a priest, and that's why there's a cook.) I know that it isn't always easy to entertain vegetarians, so I really appreciate the effort. Besides, it really was delicious.

As always, my favorite booth at the BeadFest was Dikra Gem (http://www.dikragem.net/index.php). I love working with cabochons and seed beads, and I love shopping at the Dikra Gem display. It's not the fanciest display in town, but the staff are the best. As I posted last year, David Kramer makes us feel like his best customers, and he does it without seeming like a phony. I told him on Saturday that when I grow up, I want to be David Kramer. Then today I got home from my day job to find a very lovely message on the phone from David thanking me for my comments on this blog last year and for shopping with him on Saturday. Even my hubby said, "Isn't that nice?" If only we all treated each other so well....

Also this weekend, we visited with my college roomie and her hubby. What fun! Carolyn had dug out a bunch of photos from our dear old Penn State days. We had wonderful times then and thinking about them now.

I have put photos from the weekend on my Facebook page for friends to see. Here is a photo of my new haul of cabs.

I'd rather be beading!

I don't keep up with this blog very well because I would rather be beading. And in the summer, I don't have Internet access when I'm at the cabin. But I thought I'd share this latest with my blog fans. :) WHO are you???

I bought the vintage-style button at Stitch Your Art Out, a great quilting/knitting shop in Pine Grove Mills, PA. Check out Cynthia's blog (see list at right). She is a much better blogger than I. She probably doesn't sleep. :) The seed beads are Toho glass triangles in a double peyote stitch. I love the way they work up, so I recently bought some in various colors. If anybody wants a custom bracelet, let me know. That's what I do. :) If you want this particular bracelet, it's for sale at my Etsy shop.

I hope everyone is having a great summer.

Latest project

Here's my entry in the Etsy Beadweavers' June challenge. The theme is "humor." http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25957437.
It's the cork cap from a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne for which I made a beaded bezel. I made a similar one a while back for myself, and when I wore it to work, my friend Maggie asked, "Is that your mother?" That really tickled my funny bone, mostly because of the hairdo. :)

Allie's brother!

This photo is of Allie's brother (litter mate), Milo. Amazing, isn't it?

They don't call them Springers for nothing!

Where does the time go?

I just heard from an old college pal (Hi, Gary!) and gave him the link to my blog. And then I thought, "I haven't updated it since January!" I guess by now everyone knows that the Steelers won the Super Bowl, but dear old State lost the Rose Bowl. Talk about heartbreak. Of course, if a loss in a football game is my worst heartbreak, I am one lucky person.

Dragonflies! I never did show the world what I did with that special bead I wrote about way back in August. So here it is. NOT for sale. Unless, of course, someone makes me an offer I can't refuse. :)

I promised my hubby I would work on taxes today.... Bye!

Happy New Year!

I beaded up a storm over our semester break, so I will be refreshing my display at the Polished Edge. I'll have some special STEELERS items and some jewelry appropriate for Valentine's Day wearing or giving.

If you live in the Altoona/Hollidaysburg area, stop by. You don't have to schedule an appointment to shop the jewelry display, but if you do, you won't regret it. Treat yourself to jewelry and a relaxing massage, facial, or manicure.

Here are some samples of my recent beading. The two beaded pendants are available at my Etsy shop right now, but I may be moving them to the Polished Edge this week. Let me know if you have a preference.

Are you sick of talking (complaining) about the weather? So am I. January is half over. That's the good news. This was the view from my office window on January 15. Enough said.