Half Time Report: Houston Quilt Festival

We're at the half-way point of the mighty Houston International Quilt Festival, and we're hanging in there...it's been a show of challenges, for sure. Starting off on Wednesday when I dragged myself to the car with only a few hours of sleep on board, to load up all the paraphernalia necessary for the booth. Problem is, I haven't done a show with a full booth set up since June, and the various pieces and parts had scattered to the wind. What normally takes 20 min. to pack, took over an hour and a half. Leaving me late, late, late for the road trip....

I normally have Mom with me at this show to help with set up, but this year we'd decided to save one of her vacation days at work, and have her fly in on Thursday instead. Mistake!! Because by the time I drove to Houston, got stuck in rush hour traffic, unloaded the car from the farthest available parking spot to the booth, and got set up, the show's preview had been open for 20 min. already. I was mortified! And not only that, all the exertion combined with being ill made me shake in exhaustion the rest of the night.

So then I get to the hotel after the preview closed at 10pm, and I'm shocked to find myself in SkankyTown. Seriously. Within a block of my hotel, there are four stripper bars. The hotel itself has left its best days behind it. Smelly hallways, stains on the wall that I do NOT want to know the origin of, and tiny, lumpy pillows. Now, folks, I don't stay at Motel 6. I usually make sure I'm in a moderately decent hotel otherwise I don't want to keep traveling. It's not worth it to me. If I hadn't been so tired I would have checked out Thursday morning, but I didn't have it in me.

Mom got in on Thursday around 11am, and by noon we decided I needed to go back to the hotel and SLEEP. I was barely functioning. I was so grateful for the three blissful hours of napping before I went back and worked the last two hours of the show and picked Mom up. After seeing our diggs last night she agreed that a change in venue was in order. So on a whim, I checked the conference hotel, the Hilton, and sure enough I was able to get us a room for our last two nights in Houston for just $20 more a night than we were paying at SkankyTown.

I hereby vow that I have learned my lesson and will make my reservation early at the convention hotel from here on out. The five minute walk to the expo hall vs. the 30 min. drive is sweet too.

The show itself is always overwhelming. Being exposed to all the quilts and fabrics is inspiration at every turn. I've managed to walk about 2/3s of the show so far. I have to hold myself back from buying stuff - like I have time to take up another hobby! But it's hard every year until I shake myself and yell, "Get real!" Then reality returns and reason wins out.

Attendance seems to be slightly off, and spending is certainly down across the showroom floor. I'm not too surprised given the events of the last few months, but it's still not fun to see.

Houston is still showing quite a bit of hurricane damage too. Mom remarked about the sea of blue tarps covering roofs across Houston as she flew in, and in downtown there are still many buildings with windows covered by plywood. One building in particular has lost probably 4-5 contiguous floors worth of windows. Very striking to see.

Mom's snoring away as I write this, and I'm green with envy. But I couldn't wait another moment to update the blog! I know you guys are out there, wondering what's up! More later...

Better than I thought

Do you know how happy I was tonight to open up my Curly-Q kit supplies drawer, and discover 10 kits, already made up - simply missing the Fireline that goes in them? Which I'd already spooled off the other night? It was like finding a $20 bill in your coat pocket that you'd forgotten was there! It saved me a couple of hours of work, and has fast-forwarded my Houston Quilt Show preparations.

Mom helped a ton tonight too - I'm so lucky to have her! So overall, I find I'm in much better shape with the kits than I'd worried the other night. Even in my slow-motion, cold-hampered way, I'm going to get it all together after all. And what I don't have, I don't have. Can't worry too much about it. There's always next time!

It's 5am, and yes, I should be sleeping. But my stuffy nose kept me from getting comfy in bed, so I decided to get up and take some meds and then surf the net while I wait for them to take effect. I'll be going to dreamland about the time the sun comes up. Vampira lives.

I'm researching restaurants near our Houston hotel for later this week. The show goes until 7pm each night, so by the time we get out of there we want idiot proof decisions to make. In the past we've been at a hotel where there were zero food options on our way from the convention center there, and as a result we often simply skipped dinner. But I smartened up this year. THIS year we're staying in the Galleria area. Talk about dining establishments everywhere! One night will be Mexican, one night Chinese....maybe two nights Chinese....

Do you know where your vote is?

I voted today. Even though I have a terrible cold and only want to huddle miserably in bed until it goes away. Even though I live in a state that I know will make my vote useless in our current Electoral College system. I voted because I know how lucky we are to live in a country where we CAN vote. People still die for this privilege in our world. And all I had to do was drive up, twist and turn a wheel a few times, click a button, and drive away. It was busy at my polling location, but no wait.

So have YOU voted yet? What's your excuse? Get on with it!!

When Munchkins Attack

Wow. I managed to dodge Mom's flu bugs a few weeks ago. I was strong and fought off Mick & Laura's germy bugs that stole their voices. But Little Miss Alexis? That adorable niece of mine? She's the culprit! I babysat for her just two hours on Friday while she had a cold, and now I woke up in full-blown cold mode this morning. Noooo!!!

Despite my poor health, Mom and I made a day trip to the Houston International Gem & Jewelry show today. We haven't done that in a loooong time, and it was quite fun. I managed to snap up all the kit-critical components I was looking for, and I splurged on a long length of too expensive chain that was so cool Mom and I couldn't resist. Two years ago, you would have had a hard time finding a chain vendor at this particular show. Now there were at least 8 or so, some of them having truly amazing stocks.

When we got home around 6pm, I crashed in bed for a quick nap. I just woke up (11pm) and Mom's sound asleep in bed and I missed the whole evening. Bummer. There's some leftover Chinese in the fridge that's calling my name, though, and then I'll probably work for an hour or so before I crash for more sleep.

Oh! Mom and I stopped in Brenham for gas on the way home, which for those of you who don't know, is the home of the most excellent Blue Bell ice cream. Of course the gas station also had an ice cream parlor and we both induldged. I had their Pistachio Almond, and it's WONDERFUL. I wish I had a gallon right now. I've been loyal to my Ben & Jerry's Pistachio Pistachio, but the boys may have met their match with a herd of cows from Brenham, Texas.

I'm having a show in HOW many days?

Oh, my goodness. Panic has set in. This may actually be the most heinous act of Jillcrastination of all time. Why did it take until today for me to wake up to the fact that one of my biggest shows of the year starts in 6 days?? The amount of work I need to accomplish in the 5 days remaining until I leave for Houston is a shy bit short of building the Parthenon. With a spoon.

Which means I did NOT get the crystals photographed and listed today, as I'd expected. I'll still try to get it done in the next day or two, but I'm not promising this time. If necessary, we can all wait until after I get back from my two Houston shows over back-to-back weekends. On Nov. 10, I am officially free of all shows until January 16th.

I'm going to blame this state of affairs on the computer meltdown. Yeah...that's what happened. And the economy. And global warming. Anything but ennui...

Sparkle * Flash * Wink

Oh, the Swarovskis are here! They are so gorgeous and tiny and fabulous and I want to keep them all for myself! Thousands of little crystal goodness! Alas, that's not the plan. I will share. I'm nice that way.

Entertainment should abound later this morning when I try to capture their brilliant sparkle in photos to post them on Etsy. Trying to photograph Swarovski crystals is always an exercise in frustration - they look so much better in person! But I'll try to do right by them. We'll see. I haven't grabbed my brother's light tent yet, but since I'm babysitting Alexis for a few hours Friday morning, I'll have the chance to get it then.

I also ordered more custom colors yesterday. It takes 2-4 weeks for production of them, so I'm trying to sneak the new ones in before I have to reorder from this first batch. Since it's a new thing for me, figuring out the ordering/reordering process and taking into account the production lag is going to be a learning process.

Mom and I are slowly but surely chasing the neighbors away. Last week the house next door to us went up for sale, and then last night we took the dogs for a walk and discovered the house in back of us is for sale too. That one even has the identical floor plan to our house, which we love so much. I teased Mom that I should buy it and we'll rip down the back fence so the dogs and cats can have full access. Identical houses, back-to-back. Now that would be weird! But convenient...

Photos later today as I have them. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Drum roll please....

We're having a boy! Okay, not ME. And not Mom. But Becky is! A nephew to torment my niece, just the way my little brother tormented me. But that's okay - I can give Alexis tips on how to deal with this intruder into her perfect world. Been there, done that! Seriously, though, I couldn't be more pleased for our family and can't wait to meet the little guy in April.

Until then, the main man in my life is obviously Winston. I created a monster one day not so long ago. He loves to take one of his favorite stuffed animals (which we cleverly call "bear") for walks around the house each night. He doesn't want you to play tug with it, nor fetch. Nope, it's just him and Bear, enjoying a little quality time. Enter Jill. She decides to mess with him one night, and proceeds to slow-chase him around the house. Up the hall, around the dining room table, back down the hall, and around the living room furniture. Up and down we go, rarely at more than a trot for him and a lope for me.

But what I'd envisioned as a one-time game has morphed into nightly ritual! Winston grabs Bear, comes up to me, and stares. Long and soulfully. Should I resist him, he comes closer. Still immune to his adorable charm? No problem - he gently places Bear on my feet to explain to the clearly dense human what he wants. I haven't been able to resist yet. We'll wear a path in the carpet, one slow cantor at a time, but he's got me well trained, so anything less is unthinkable.

I'm off to do some Christmas gift shopping via Internet tonight. If I don't get started soon, I'll get trapped into having to actually visit a mall. Or worse, do it after Thanksgiving. Shudder.

Lovely weekend

What a sweet, low-key-but-fun kind of weekend this turned out to be here at Casa Wiseman. The cooling of the weather makes the dogs extra frisky and mornings find Winston and Maggie racing breakneck through the house, chasing each other. We call it "Thunder Paws" time, named for the distinctive thudding noise as they hit the carpet. Noooo...I wasn't trying to sleep. But who could wake up cranky when you've got these two to make you giggle?

Saturday's lunch with Alexis was perfect. I'll share a few photos as soon as I can figure out how to capture them off Shutterfly. She's such a doll. Totally irresistible!

Sunday was spent working on reclaiming computer files and backing them up in the morning (okay, I slept - Mom backed them up - I confess!) and this afternoon and evening I plugged away at loading needles (tucking two needles in a small piece of blanket that's been cut out, putting them in plastic baggies, and labeling the baggies,) and counting pearls for the new pink version of our Taupe Pearl Treasure bracelet. I'm heading off to bed before I get to the glamourous job of spooling off Fireline onto small cards for the kits. I'm going to be SO glad when I finish up all the Fireline I've got stocked up and switch over to WildFire. You should see my hands after I've finished a session of repackaging the Fireline - I look like I've rubbed charcol all over my skin. Ick!!

I got to spend a good hour or more on the phone with Anne, catching up. We often talk via instant messenger daily, but with my crazy work schedule combined with all the computer problems, it's been very hit or miss. Mostly miss. I'm going to go visit her in Tucson over New Year's and I'm really looking forward to it. I can't remember the last time I traveled for me, not for a show. Seriously. I can't remember.

And I also got to play some more with Kumihimo. I'm hoping to finish one of my projects Monday so I can wear it to assist Laura's class at the store Monday night. And then, of course, I'll share a photo here as well!

My car makes this noise...

You know how you take your car to the mechanic because it's been making this crazy noise for weeks now, and the moment you turn the car on to let the mechanic listen to it, the noise is gone? Turns out that computer fall into the same category of instant fool makers.

I finally get the computer taken to a local repair place so they can recover our data before we send it off to HP to get fixed under warranty, and daggumit if it doesn't boot up like a charm when he tried it. The "gotcha" part, though, is that after dutifully dragging it back home, it certainly boots up, but the keyboard connection doesn't work. So we can accomplish any function with the mouse, but none that require a keyboard. Mom has figured out that we can use our USB data drives (we have several) to copy and move our files from the desktop to the new laptop sans keystrokes, and once the transfer is over, the computer gets shipped off to HP anyway. But it did save us $90.

The WildFire in large spools in black is back in stock - Mr. UPS delivered it late today. I was hoping the crystals would arrive today too, but not yet. Please, Mr. Postman!

Susan K. is my mortal enemy as of today. Sorry, Susan, but what you did is evil, evil, evil. Susan was the one who suggested the Kumihimo class that's scheduled for January 10 (4 spots still available) and now I'm totally obsessed with this braiding! It's so addictive and meditatative in that same kind of seed bead weaving way. While running errands today I stopped to buy some more fibers to play with, and I have around eleventy million designs floating about in my head to work on.

After doing quite a bit of internet searching on what kind of Kumihimo folks are working on out there, there seems to be a huge amount of furry, fluffy, wacky necklace making going on, but less of the more restrained and detailed ropes that are what my aesthetic is drawn to. I like furry too, but how many furry necklaces does one need? And my practicality immediately thinks - I live in Texas - I don't need to wear the equivilent of a scarf around my neck in summer. So you'll see me working on more streamlined pieces that incorporate big beads as well as some seed bead weaving components. I can't wait until I have some photos of pieces to share.

By the way, there are 3 spots left in my Nov. 15th Celebration Collar class here at my home studio. Class is from 1pm-4pm, and runs just $30. Email me to reserve your spot.

Meanwhile, if you have any asperations of making it into my new Nomadic Notions class, Parisian Lights, the first session in Nov. is full but there's a waiting list if you'd like to be put on it in case there are cancellations, and as of this afternoon, there were 2 spots left in the January session, so work quickly. You can call Nomadic Notions at 512-454-0001 to sign up.

Bead Retreat Registrations

Two of the excellent bead retreats I attend and teach at each year are both open for new registrants right now. They sell out every year, and those folks who attended the previous year get dibs on signing up for the following year, so having some openings for new folks is big news.

The first one is the Texas Beader's Retreat in Temple, Texas, from January 16-18. You can find the details at: http://www.texasbeaders.com . They just sent out an email saying there are 15 slots left, so you'll have to act fast to get in. There are around 100 attendees each year, and Jane and Robin from Jane's Fiber and Beads come with all their luscious wares to tempt you too.

The second one is a new offering from Ida Williams of the Shreveport Bead Retreat which I go to every August. There's been so much demand for more retreat time, that Ida's adding a new Mid-Year Shreveport, Louisiana (just across the Texas border) Retreat. Again, I'll be teaching, attending, and dragging my kits there for the general mayhem and beady madness. You can find info at: http://iwilli71129.tripod.com/2ndshreveportbeadretreat/

Sweet rain

Oh, how lucky we are in Central Texas today. Rain. Actual rain is falling from the sky, and it's a good, soaking rain. Not too hard so it all runs off and causes flooding. Not so sparse that the ground never gets penetrated. Nope - it's a good soaker. Now if we can just get several more days of it!!

I have the day off today. No teaching. Yippee! I'm working on getting caught up on emails and shipping out orders. Figuring out what supplies I need to order for kits for the last two shows of the year later this month. I just sent out an email listing the two latest home classes - let me know if you'd like to be on that email list. We're doing Celebration Collar on Nov. 15, and Kumihimo on Jan. 10.

I'm still coming to terms with the new haircut. It's a dramatic change and I'm still deciding if I like it or if I'm already "growing it out." So far everyone says they like it - but it's very different. And it's going to look different yet again when I style it instead of the professional blow out. So the jury's still out.

One of the local news stations did a segment at Nomadic Notions (the Austin bead store I teach at) and they have it posted on the website. That's Mick, the store manager, you see helping her make a necklace. http://www.kvue.com/video/index.html?nvid=283619

Hot diggety, the computer works

Oh, how sweet the promise of a new computer is. No weird slow downs or pop ups. No "I don't know why I'm getting this error message" moments. A fresh slate. A blank palette. At this moment in time, it's a relief beyond words.

On the other hand, I also spent a significant part of the day just installing all the various software programs necessary for a day in the life of Tapestry Beads. I just located the last CD to install and took the initiative to throw out the old version's CD. I just knew we couldn't actually be using a 10 year old program, and indeed, the version we're using is only 7 years old! I know, a lifetime in software development - but we're only using it for some bare bones type of work. I just looked over the latest and greatest version's marketing materials and decided we didn't need to upgrade. It would be kind of like using a forklift to lift a feather.

Tomorrow's tasks include trying to get all the necessary files on the new laptop from a variety of sources, and updating the website with the new class dates at Nomadic Notions as well as the home classes.

This weekend was full of a fun group of students, including a micro-class Monday night that actually allowed me to sit down and goof off with them and simply talk with them as my friends. I love it when that happens. I love teaching too - but sometimes it's nice to be regular old Jill, sitting around the table and beading like the rest of the gang. One more class Tuesday night, and then I get a break from my five nights in a row teaching run. I usually don't schedule myself more than two nights in a row - I'm not sure how I managed to get five in a row on the calendar. A goof up for sure! My first one ever.

Kathryn emailed me tonight to tell me, "I am using WildFire for the first time tonight and have gone one inch and will sell my old Fireline to the highest bidder!!!!" I think she likes WildFire. Just a hunch on my part.

The new batch of 125 yard spools in black are due to arrive here on Friday and I'll post them on Etsy then, in case you got shut out of the first round of orders. I do have plenty of the 50 yard spools in black, though.

Big Day for me on Tuesday. After 4 years or more of wearing my hair long, it's getting chopped shortish. I've been going back and forth on whether to do it - you know how it is. You love it. You hate it. You have to get it off your face, your neck, out of the sink. But your friends love it and say don't cut it. But you need a change. After going round and round in my mind (it's a big sinkbowl in there) I finally decided to go for it. My hair grows alarmingly fast, so if I hate the result, it will only take 6 months or so to undo.

Naturally, a photo will follow. In the meantime, I found this photo of Mom & me at 2007's Bead & Button show. At first I was thinking it was taken at this year's show, but then I realized from the kits on display, it had to be the prior year! Plus we have higher profile lights now that aren't in the way so much.

Weekends are for work

One class down (Friday night's sweet Foxy Mama group did me proud!) and four more to go. At least this weekend, they're all in Austin, and only one a day! Tonight we get to play with Piazza Perline. How I love that bracelet.

I posted on the Texas Beader's Yahoo group yesterday to let them know about WildFire and that I was selling it on Etsy, and I've been putting together packages to mail out today ever since! I'm almost out of the black in 125 yard spools, but I reordered yesterday so I should have more by the end of next week.

I also offered to them, and now I'm offering to you also, a free 3 yard sample of WildFire if you'd like to try it before you commit to buying. Just email me at jill@tapestrybeads.com, and send me your address.

I've got a BUNCH of those to mail out too - all the envelopes are addressed already - now I just need to go sit with Sickie in the living room and make the samples.

Yes, Mom's still dragging, but I'm seeing a bit of progress. She's got a little more pep in her step today as long as that step doesn't last longer than 10 minutes. We've been laughing at Winston this morning since he found a new "toy." He got his paws on a an empty 3 liter bottle of my Diet Coke, and is chasing it around the house frantically. He can't get his jaws around it, so it's the ultimate game of chase - he'll never catch it! I need a video camera to document the antics.

Come on now

People - PEOPLE! The Dow dropped another 600 points today? What in the world is going on?

Know what I'm going to do? I'm not pulling my money out of my bank (Washington Mutual/Chase) and I'm not selling stocks. I'm going to BUY stocks. Yup. I'm choosing this time to invest money in the stock market, because when are we going to see these kind of low prices again?

The sky is not falling, Chicken Little. It's simply sagging a bit. But if cooler heads prevail, and we all stop the panic, things will turn around. Seriously.

Mom's attempt to go back to work today lasted a whopping 90 minutes. Her workmates voted her off the island and made her go home. I'm hoping to make her take another nap this afternoon.

Meanwhile, I've started sneezing today. Please....nooo.....

All shipped out

A rather large pile of packages got mailed out for all corners of the US today. I love the Automated Postal Kiosk at the Post Office...no longer do I have to wait in lines to work with a clerk. And honestly, I can wiz through those screens faster than they do.

I do miss the days when I was able to print my postage out on my computer via Stamps.com, and then simply leave the packages for my wonderful postal carrier to pick up. Now that we're in suburbia, we have a community mail box across the street from us. There's a slot to drop of envelopes to mail out, but you can't leave packages. Bummer. Ah, well. It gets me in clothed and out of the house on a regular basis - Mom keeps working on me to get my time in the sun to absorb Vitamin D. I dunno. Do Vampiras need Vitamin D? I'm pretty sure that's a benefit of being the undead.

I had a miserable night last night, trying to design something that looks awesome in my head, but horrible in practice. I finally realized that trying to force yourself to design when the mojo isn't happening is not very smrt. It wastes time and causes frustration. It's not like I don't have a gazillion other things to do, so I just need to concentrate on getting those items accomplished until the mojo comes back from vacation.

Mom is going back to work tomorrow, but it's sure going to be a rough day for her - she's got very little energy back. Her coughing is not as bad, though, and her head isn't pounding quite as much. A bunch of folks have mentioned knowing people who have the flu already. Evidentally, flu season is starting early this year, so don't delay in getting your flu shot. So far, so good with me avoiding her germs. I do have a weird, gravely voice the last few days, but it's just from allergies.

Etsy store

The WildFire is here! Yippee! I have listed it in my new Etsy store, and have set up the 2mm Swarovski crystals in Crystal AB there too.

One of the nice things about the 125 yard spools of WildFire that I hadn't anticipated is that they come on the same size spools as the 50 yard - there's simply more wound on the spool. Easier for storage and transporting.

I'm running a system restore on my old laptop right now that I think will fix the problems I was having with it. Keep your fingers and toes and everything else crossed for me!!

Catching Up

Talk about your eventful weekend! I don't even know where to start...

I had a brilliant and wonderful time with the ladies of the Wild West Bead Society in Fort Worth on Saturday and Sunday. Not only are they good beaders, but they're good company too! Many thanks to Carol especially, who hosted the classes, took me to dinner, and put a roof over my head Saturday night.

Driving home on Sunday, things started getting hinky, though. First, a phone call to Mom delivered the news that she had been dreadfully sick all weekend (I think she has the flu) and that our computer croaked. AGH!!!! I accidentally messed up my laptop a few weeks ago (shouldn't have moved that one file. Ahem.) so it's not working. And now the desktop with ALL our files is in limbo. I'm going to take them both to get some professional help tomorrow, as well as look into purchasing another laptop. I managed to get our OLD desktop up and running in order to connect to the internet which is a temporary solution. I swear - I just need to hire a full time IT person. I can't believe the amount of time I've spent on computer and printer related meltdowns this year.

Mom came home from work early today, and I'm not going to let her go in again tomorrow. She sounds like death warmed over in the other room as I type this. She's also suffering from really severe lightheadedness - so I'm trying to keep her from moving around too much. In the meantime, I'm going to be washing my hands about every three minutes in an effort to stay well. You guys stay well out there too!

I did have a pleasant surprise tonight - the Bead & Button newsletter had a section promoting the availability of videos from Beads, Baubles, and Jewels, the PBS beading show, on their website. Specifically, they pointed people to the video showing a demo of my project, Pillars of Strength. Go check it out! This was the first time I'd been able to see it too, since my PBS station doesn't carry the show.

Missing the fall

Sigh. It's this time of year that I most miss living in Wisconsin. I was born there, and lived mostly in La Crosse until I was 14 and the family moved to Texas. Fall leaves turning colors in the most radiant and spectacular display. On the down side? Raking the falling leaves. On the up side? Jumping into the big leaf piles over and over again!

It's sweater weather already in that part of the country - highs of 60 degrees and lows down to 40. I'll be lucky to wear a sweater before Thanksgiving in Austin! Needless to say, I don't have the lovely collection of comfy, cozy, sink deep into them, sweaters I used to have. I usually try to keep one on hand to wear during our usual ONE true cold spell a winter down here.

I purchased some amazing beads at Nomadic Notions the other day that I simply had to have - they remind me so much of the fall tree colors that I long for. My sister-in-law saw them and adored them too and I briefly thought about making a necklace for her birthday with them. But maybe I'll use something else. I think these beads NEED to be mine.

Wheee!

This weekend will prove to be a challenge - teaching four classes in three days in two cities that are 170 miles apart! Tonight is Austin, Sat and Sun morning is Ft. Worth, and Sun. night is Austin again.

Gail L. emailed me to tell me she loves reading my blog because it makes her feel good to know that someone else's life is crazier than hers. I dunno - I know how crazy people with kids can get. Mine is certainly a different kind of crazy. I did offer to throw in a free Winston with her WildFire purchase, but she only wanted the cats. Lightweight! The cats are EASY. Winston is HARD. But so adorable and sweet and funny that you can't kill him. Survival of the fittest works again.

Speaking of WildFire, it's due to arrive on Tuesday. I've got half the first order of 125 yard spools reserved for those who emailed me, and I plan on letting the Ft. Worth ladies into the pre-order frenzy too. So if you know you want any 125 yard spools, be sure and email me soon. (jill@tapestrybeads.com) I still have plenty of the 50 yard spools.

Mom will work this weekend on getting a webpage up for the WildFire. Um, Mom - did I tell you that? :-)

2mm Swarovski Crystals ordered

Oh, wiggle! I got 5 new colors of the exquisite 2mm Swarovski crystals ordered today. It will take 2-3 weeks for production, and then they'll be on the way to me - and then to you! Here's what I picked for the first round. It was so hard to make choices!

From top to bottom, Chili pepper, Sahara/Sapphire, Rosaline/Light Rose, Champagne/Aqua, and Sphinx/Peridot. YUMMY (you can click the photo at the right to get a much larger image)

As soon as I have them ready for shipping, I'll post a link to the website where you can order them. I plan on having them both on Tapestry Beads, as well as my new Etsy shop. I already have the Crystal AB 2mm Swarovski's listed on the Etsy shop.

I also got the tracking info for the WildFire, and it's scheduled to arrive on Tuesday next week.

Teaching at Sun City yesterday was a true pleasure. The ladies soaked it up and asked for more and I really adored their high spirits and lovely projects for show and tell. I can't wait to go back!