Greetings from Sunny Miami

Happy first birthday my sweet niece, Alexis!! Aunt Jilly loves you!

Finally - a moment to catch up! This weekend in Miami has been a whirlwind, as shows usually are. The trip to Miami was uneventful despite American Airlines best efforts. I did learn, however, that traveling with an expired driver's license sucks because they make you go through the extra security check stuff when you do. Oopsie. Although I often have to go through the extra check anyway because of all the crazy stuff I'm carrying in my bag, so I just assume and build it into my airport time anyway.

The show was on the smaller side for me, but fun in ways I hadn't anticipated. I was lucky enough to have my booth next to Anne Mitchell, a fabulous chain maille artist and metalsmith. I've known who she was for years but had never had the opportunity to get to know her. After this weekend we're fast friends and I know we will stay that way. She's wicked funny and amazing at what she does and a generous soul to boot.

Sharon Hessoun was my roommate for the weekend. She and I met in Philadelphia at Bead Fest last August when we both were teaching there. She does this really cool wire knitting stuff and I even bought one of her kits to play with. In my spare time - you know. Ahem. She's a hoot and a half too!

We also hung out with the Jane's Fiber and Beads gals several nights - hilarity ensued, shoes were lost, the waitress was a saint. Good times with good people. I can't wait for the next show.

Usually I'm such a hermit at the shows, but this weekend has taught me what I'm missing out on by doing so. The beading community is awesome - welcoming, exciting, interactive, and slightly wacky. Just the way I like it. So I think I'm "doomed" to socialize with all my new friends at shows in the future. What a terrible thing! (I can't wait for Bead & Button!)

So later today I brave the trek back home. I have a huge seed bead order that will probably be there by the time I get back, so the rest of the week is focused on getting kits prepared for the back-to-back Stafford/Houston and Bead & Button shows that are closer than I can believe, making samples for 2009 class submissions, sending in a few submissions to magazines, and, if I'm lucky and the gods are good, a massage.