Christmas Exchange

Vicki & I get together for lunch and to exchange Christmas gifts each year (and then we usually spend the rest of the day shopping). This year I made her two necklaces and came up with some creative packaging. I found the triangle box (triangle is her favorite shape), the letter V and the scrapbook photo case at Michaels. Using them made them gifts as well. I bought the cabs for the necklaces when we were at the Bead & Button show in June.

 Painted the box with a wash of metallic paint and used glitter paint for the letter.

 Wrap the present in coordinating tissue paper and put it inside the photo storage case. Add a ribbon and gift tag & the package becomes part of the gift!

 Bead embroidery necklace with semi-precious and seed beads.

Semi-precious pendant with seed bead embroidery and pearls.

Bead Embroidery Necklace with Sea Urchin Fringe
     I started this necklace on my trip to the Bead & Button Show in June. I wound up buying additional semi-precious cabs at the show that worked better with the design. I already had the sea urchin beads from a local show several years ago. It took forever to finish the fringe.

Bead & Button Show
For two such avid beaders as Vicki & I, the Bead & Button Show was the perfect trip! We shopped and shopped, found great beads, I got to meet my idol, Sherry Serafini (and she is so very, very nice!) and had an overall great time.

Opening night, first aisle

Sherry Serafini & I at Meet the Teacher Night

With my friend, Susan Lenart Kazmer

Love Susan's fabulous dress!

Tiliapia skins - most unusual find

My stash from the show

Milwaukee
Vicki & I got to go to the Bead & Button show in June this year. Since we didn't take any classes, we had time to enjoy the city a little bit and also see my good friend, Patti, who lives there. Patti is such a doll, she went to the grocery store, bought us a ton of goodies and delivered them to our room to make our stay more enjoyable. She also came on Friday and took us to a pub for drinks & dinner and to Comedy Sportz, an improv comedy club. We had a blast. Vicki & I went to The Domes, a Milwaukee landmark, three horticultural domes, one desert, one tropical and a show dome one morning. We walked along the riverwalk and had lunch over looking the river at a nice restaurant. We caught the trolley and explored the Third Ward, too.

Milwaukee River Walk

Fabulous lunch at Cool Molly's Restaurant

The Domes, Milwaukee

Desert Dome

Just love the design on this plant

Me in the desert dome

Vicki in the tropical dome

Fiddleleaf Fig in tropical dome - this was
my favorite dome

Patti at Mo's Irish Pub with necklace I made for
her as a token of our thanks

Having a great time at Comedy Sportz

Latest Jewelry Pieces

Seems like if I'm not remodeling the studio or working on stuff for ADAA (or working), then I'm creating beading and making jewelry.  I've been concentrating on bead embroidery (thanks to inspiration from Sherry Serafini's books). Vicki & I are going to Bead & Button this year and maybe I can get to meet her!  Here is the turquoise one in progress and finished. I had beads left over from the white one, so I made a pendant necklace as well.