Messy Desk - before and after

I have a problem.

I am not a neat person when it comes to my workbench or desk or counter. I am pack rat. I don't put things away and ultimately - madness prevails.

It's awful. You can click on the pictures to see how awful it really is.

Last last Friday night (it was a dark and snowy night), my beading angel - Sandy - came over to help me with my madness. She pointed me in the right direction with what to do, where I should start, and how I should progress. We made a lot of progress in one night. I still have a long way to go, but there is a huge dent in the mess.

My homework from this event was to look at all my beading magazines from 1998 to current (both Bead & Button and Beadwork) and decide what I wanted to keep, what projects I wanted to copy and what I wanted to get rid of. I decided on about 10 articles - and I am selling all my magazines, especially the ones that I haven't looked at in over 5 years. I think the auction starts tomorrow.

Now, I am afraid to bead because I might mess it up!!!

Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild - Quilt to honour Barb Davis

It's been a year in the making! The Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild bead quilt to honour Barb Davis - long time guild member who lost her battle with breast cancer.

Isn't this wonderful!!

Ohm - Second piece completed

I seriously need to get a life. Finished. The second piece of my religious icons.

Why did I choose to do icons that aren't main stream in American life? I work with many physicians around the world - Hindu, Sikh, Muslims, Christians, Jews - and I have learned that the world isn't just black and white. It's shades of everyone colour of every person who has touched my life over the years. Old boyfriends, lovers, friends, people I have met in my travels, pen pals from former years.

Perhaps it's my current belief that if one is truely not a hurtful person, if there is a reward - it will be bestowed on death. I believe that their is a God. But is it the only one? I don't know - and would never try and convince someone that there only one God. That's not my place on this planet.

I have at least 2 more icons planned in my series - a Star of David and a cross. Should I incorporate more icons into my series? If something was suggested, I might contemplate it.

I'm enjoying bead embroidery. I find it relaxing, almost meditative.

Friday Night Beaders (or the Loomatics)

Sparkling Cherry Wine from Traverse City, Michigan will overflow a glass if the pourer doesn't know how to pour it correctly.






Molly has a birds eye view with Diane while everyone laughs.





Very little beading was completed on Friday night. Deb, Linda and Madeline share in some stories. Although, Jeanette brought a lamp over from the Verilux company and we compared the light from it, versus the light from an Ott Light. We did finde the Verilux light to be a much cleaner - a brighter, whiter light. Now, if this company would make a light bulb that would fit in my Ott Light, I would do it. But both lamps are expensive, and I can't justify a new light when my Ott light is just two years old......



Jeanette, the president of the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild holds Casie and Molly. I think that Jeanette is telling Molly all the good things that the guild has planned for the new year. Casie just doesn't look too excited.....