Infinity means forever. On and on. No matter what, it keeps going. Such a mysterious and elegant symbol. What a statement of love or friendship. Friend, lover, son, daughter, fiance, husband, wife, mother, father, even a mathematician or math lover. No matter who is in your life, you can tell them they made an impact, no matter what happens in the future they have influenced your life forever. Isnt that what life is about, our relationships, the love and friendships we share or have shared.

Pursuit of Beadwork-Umoja Uaso Women's Group

Wonderful article in Beads & Button magazine by Wendy Ellsworth (August 2011, Issue 104) about the Samburu women of northern Kenya. They have an all women community of around 40 to 50 women with around 80 to 100 children, no men allowed. They call it Umoja Uaso Women's Group. They are all there fleeing different atrocities that patriarchal society has thought up. They find refuge in this little village and create. They all make amazing beaded jewelry as their primary source of income that allows them to live on their terms, not the men in their lives. Empowered women!! I always will support women who are active in their own destiny and do not wait to be handed things. What an amazing way adornment can change a way of thinking.
If you would like to know more about these amazing women they have their own site at
UmojaBeadedJewelry.com

Inspiration

I just love opening up a new jewelry magazine!! There is something so exciting for me. I don’t know what new ideas will inspire or what will stir something in me. It is like treasure hunting, finding a gem in the sand. Opening your mind and seeing the immense creativity that is out there, inspires me in with my humble training and studio to stretch myself and my way of thinking about jewelry. Magazines like Ornament, Art Jewelry and Belle Armoire Jewelry are just some of my favs. So I will take some time to expand on my favorite articles, or ones I found interesting. Maybe just a sentence I read or colors an artist used to express themselves may move me to write or create! I love to know about what moves artist to create or sparks their internal flame. So look for more to come!

Can't make a class? Just ask for a new date!

Don't let the confinements of your schedule stop you from taking a class or learning a new technique you have been wanting to learn! If you find you cannot make a class
that is scheduled, just call me or email me to pick date and time that works for you. I would be more than happy to accommodate you around your busy schedule.

A Quick "How To" Open and Close a Jump Ring

Finding Our Own Way

I was reading a little post in ART Jewelry Magazine Vol. 7 Issue 4 by Jeremy Dunn. He was struggling with a project,it was just not coming out the way he wanted. He went home and went to sleep disappointed with his work that day. Dunn woke up the next day with a new perspective on the piece and was able to finish it. How many times has that happened to you? I know with myself, I have at least 3 or 4 pieces going at one time. I like to create, then sit with the piece for a few days. This is a process I go through fairly often to develop new eyes. I seem to get a clearer prospective of my work when I don't see it for a day. Some people need to finish from start to finish without breaks, to each his own. As a jewelry designer and instructor I show and teach my students a specific technique but always follow up with letting them know that is only one way, they may find over time they develop their own process to create.I love to see students and former students who find a passion along with a new or different way to make a beautiful piece. That is the beauty of life, everyone has their own way of doing things and looking at life in another fashion.

Do you do Smoothies?!?

I am on a smoothie obsession now!
I just came off the lemon juice fast and thought I would
try blending my veggies instead of juicing them. I was a avid juicer fan.
I was very put off by the idea of drinking a whole lot of veggies just blended
whole instead of juiced, but I was feeling adventurous one morning. It was also a little bit laziness too. I just cannot stand to clean the juicer! So messy. Ick!
So, I had a bag of frozen spinach, a frozen banana, frozen grapes and some ground flax seed. I put it all in my blender wondering if the motor could handle everything or would it start smoking. I added some OJ, held my breath and hit the button. It whirled and made lots of noise, but it did the job with flying colors! I was so proud of my old blender. And speaking of colors! wow, what an incredible green! I put my daughters in a dark color cup in case of complaints or "What the heck is this" comments. I guess she is used to my experiments on her(poor thing), because she drank it up without too much of peeping and finished with a loud "YUMMMM"! Husband sucked it up without a blink. It was cold, so smooth (hence the name Smoothie!) and wonderful!
I couldn't help but pat myself on the back for giving my family and myself
such a nutritious start. I seem to crave them now.
I can't wait to experiment with other fruits and veggies!
More to come....