Thursday, July 01, 2010
Packing Light
Tonight we are packing up the house to take it to the cabin. We leave for Pittsburg, New Hampshire on Saturday morning. We want to leave in time to miss any 4th of July traffic. By the time the hoards get going, we will be way up past the White Mountains. I think that packing light is highly over-rated. When I go on vacation, I want to make sure I have most of the comforts of home. I take pillows and towels and nice sheets. I take table cloths for picnics and one for the kitchen table. We take our books and binoculars and my beading lamp and supplies. I have an afghan kit to take that should be easy to knit outside by the lake with my feet dangling in the water. I take a china tea pot and two nice mugs, so that I have tea in a china cup. My mother always said that tea and coffee tastes much better in china, and I believe her. We take clothes, but not too many. I probably take one pair of shoes too many, but, hey, it's my vacation and why should I leave my new flip flops at home? We take steaks and hamburger from a good butcher, and cold cuts and sausage from our favorite German sausage store. We buy fresh vegetables and fruits on the way, and I packed a pie plate and small rolling pin so I can make a fresh strawberry pie.
If all this sounds a little crazy, just think of all the things I'm leaving behind: TV, cell phones and computers! See you on the flip side!
Have a great day!
If all this sounds a little crazy, just think of all the things I'm leaving behind: TV, cell phones and computers! See you on the flip side!
Have a great day!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Milwaukee Bead and Button Show
My friend Connie and I went to Milwaukee for the Bead and Button Show. We were there for four days and had a great time. This year, we concentrated on taking classes. She loves silversmithing, and took 3 classes. I am working on learning new skills in seed beading, and I took four classes. Every morning, one or the other of us was up with the birdies, packing our rolling bags and heading out into the Milwaukee sunshine to find our class room. We really had to concentrate in order to have all the materials that we would need for each separate class. Connie had to bring a bench block and hammers. Traveling with a 50 pound limit while carrying heavy tools is a real challenge. I had a Marudai, which is a Japanese braiding stand made of wood. Between the two of us, we worried a lot over our 50 pounds.
We had challenges, and we met them head on and prevailed!
Our first class was on Wednesday night, the same day we arrived. I took a class with Irina Miech in wire wrapping cabochons. I have done this technique before, but she uses half round wire, which makes a softer look, and she is always a great teacher.
The next morning was my class with Sheila Cleary called Seafoam Necklace. This class is Kumihimo with beads and called for a wooden Madurai stand and 12 bobbins of strung size 11 (small) beads. It was a challenge to do the prep work at home, and mine was not without fault, so I got off to a slower start than I wanted, but my skills in braiding were good, so I caught up fast. One whole day of class and I finished half my necklace. I wasn't interested in racing to the finish, I'm more interested in getting the technique perfect, and it was a super class. I have enough work to do in this technique to last me for years!
The next class was the following day - making a beautiful heavy chain maille bracelet called GSG "Great Southern Gathering". I love the name of this weave. The class was taught by Diane Miller, who sells on Etsy, and who supplies me with all my Argentium silver rings for chain maille. This was a fun and relaxing class and the bracelet I made is beautiful. I will list it for sale soon!
Saturday I took an inspirational day long class with Diane Fitzgerald. We worked on making ginkgo leaves out of tiny delica beads and she taught us how to choose bead colors and patterns to make them shimmer in the color change. Color technique in beading is an art and something I could never have figured out by myself. She has many books on beading and color, and is a very thorough teacher. I loved this class, as I knew I would.
Classes at Bead and Button are serious business. They are expensive, and the teachers are very good. Teachers are evaluated and carefully considered each year. Getting to class on time and well prepared is a prerequisite. This is beading at its best!!!
Between all these classes we shopped at the marketplace in the huge carpeted and well lit Frontier Airlines convention center. 370 vendors mean that you can't even visit all the booths in a week, and everything you need to supply your beading needs is there! Expertise abounds and it is really great to walk around and see demonstrations. I walked into one booth and they said, "You're Yvonne Shea? I read your Bead_Tips Twitter every day!" That made me very happy! (I'm famous!)
Connie and I managed to pack our bags for the home trip without exceeding our 50 pound limit, but my rolling backpack was filled with a couple thousand dollars worth of purchases that I couldn't trust to a checked bag. (The lady who pulled our bags aside at airport security said that she wanted to "shop right out of the bag!") Even with all those classes, we found the time to talk to old friends and to buy beautiful artist-made beads and purchase the elements we need at wholesale prices that can't be beat anywhere! This was my fifth year going to Bead and Button. It is a once in a lifetime experience, that you get to go to every year!
Have a great day!
We had challenges, and we met them head on and prevailed!
Our first class was on Wednesday night, the same day we arrived. I took a class with Irina Miech in wire wrapping cabochons. I have done this technique before, but she uses half round wire, which makes a softer look, and she is always a great teacher.
The next morning was my class with Sheila Cleary called Seafoam Necklace. This class is Kumihimo with beads and called for a wooden Madurai stand and 12 bobbins of strung size 11 (small) beads. It was a challenge to do the prep work at home, and mine was not without fault, so I got off to a slower start than I wanted, but my skills in braiding were good, so I caught up fast. One whole day of class and I finished half my necklace. I wasn't interested in racing to the finish, I'm more interested in getting the technique perfect, and it was a super class. I have enough work to do in this technique to last me for years!
The next class was the following day - making a beautiful heavy chain maille bracelet called GSG "Great Southern Gathering". I love the name of this weave. The class was taught by Diane Miller, who sells on Etsy, and who supplies me with all my Argentium silver rings for chain maille. This was a fun and relaxing class and the bracelet I made is beautiful. I will list it for sale soon!
Saturday I took an inspirational day long class with Diane Fitzgerald. We worked on making ginkgo leaves out of tiny delica beads and she taught us how to choose bead colors and patterns to make them shimmer in the color change. Color technique in beading is an art and something I could never have figured out by myself. She has many books on beading and color, and is a very thorough teacher. I loved this class, as I knew I would.
Classes at Bead and Button are serious business. They are expensive, and the teachers are very good. Teachers are evaluated and carefully considered each year. Getting to class on time and well prepared is a prerequisite. This is beading at its best!!!
Between all these classes we shopped at the marketplace in the huge carpeted and well lit Frontier Airlines convention center. 370 vendors mean that you can't even visit all the booths in a week, and everything you need to supply your beading needs is there! Expertise abounds and it is really great to walk around and see demonstrations. I walked into one booth and they said, "You're Yvonne Shea? I read your Bead_Tips Twitter every day!" That made me very happy! (I'm famous!)
Connie and I managed to pack our bags for the home trip without exceeding our 50 pound limit, but my rolling backpack was filled with a couple thousand dollars worth of purchases that I couldn't trust to a checked bag. (The lady who pulled our bags aside at airport security said that she wanted to "shop right out of the bag!") Even with all those classes, we found the time to talk to old friends and to buy beautiful artist-made beads and purchase the elements we need at wholesale prices that can't be beat anywhere! This was my fifth year going to Bead and Button. It is a once in a lifetime experience, that you get to go to every year!
Have a great day!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Picture from the local paper
I am completely charmed by this picture of the baby Swans at Ells Pond near our house.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Off to Washington DC tomorrow
George and I are flying to Washington DC tomorrow to visit Michael and Michelle. We will be on a 7:30 plane, and will meet Mike at 9:11 and spend the day talking, laughing, eating, and having a world of fun. This trip is short, so I don't expect to do much touring around. They always take us to great restaruants and I'm looking forward to Korean food and maybe some Thai food too. I also look forward to one of Mike's grilled sausage dinners. Maybe we can find a birthday cake somewhere. Maybe mommo will bake one. I'm not bringing any crafts, or jewelry tools, or knitting (well...hum...)and I'm packing light. I have a book. We fly back on Monday morning (Happy Birthday, Michael!), and I go to work in the afternoon. Short and very very sweet.
Have a great day.
Have a great day.
Monday, May 03, 2010
Duck water
On Saturday the word went out that there was an emergency water main break west of Boston and 700,000 households in communities near Boston would have to boil their water. We didn't react very fast. Then I started to think that I didn't want to drink pond water, where ducks have pooped. We began to think about our options.
People who live near Boston always have big lobster pots, so we just boiled some water. But boiled water in a pot doesn't look as appetising as a nice cold bottle of Spring water from the fridge. Then we started getting thirsty. We made a very quick decision and ran out the door. We hopped in our car about 8 p.m. that evening and headed north. No stores near us has any water left, we knew that. People had done what they often do, and rushed to the store as soon as they heard. As we sat around and watched the Kentucky Derby, it didn't take long for the grocery and drug store shelves to empty.
George and I headed north toward Maine and turned off toward Newburyport, which is a touristy and beautiful oceanside area. We figured that people wouldn't bother to take that long slow road to the ocean. Trouble is, there are no grocerie stores. It got dark. We drove further. It got darker. At one point, it was pitch dark and we were out on a peninsula jutting out into the ocean. Water, water everywhere, but....
So, we meandered more and looked for some bright lights. We stopped at a lobster roll/hamburger shack. They had stopped serving dinner, so we had an ice cream cone and kept driving. Into the dark. Thirsty.
FINALLY we come upon a large town - Haverill - and a BIG well-lit Market Basket supermarket. They had no idea of the water ban. They had water stacked to the skies. We bought several gallons and two cases and gloated and stopped at Wendys for a celebratory burger and fries.
Our little late night venture to the oceanside in search of water will be a good memory long after the water ban is over.
People who live near Boston always have big lobster pots, so we just boiled some water. But boiled water in a pot doesn't look as appetising as a nice cold bottle of Spring water from the fridge. Then we started getting thirsty. We made a very quick decision and ran out the door. We hopped in our car about 8 p.m. that evening and headed north. No stores near us has any water left, we knew that. People had done what they often do, and rushed to the store as soon as they heard. As we sat around and watched the Kentucky Derby, it didn't take long for the grocery and drug store shelves to empty.
George and I headed north toward Maine and turned off toward Newburyport, which is a touristy and beautiful oceanside area. We figured that people wouldn't bother to take that long slow road to the ocean. Trouble is, there are no grocerie stores. It got dark. We drove further. It got darker. At one point, it was pitch dark and we were out on a peninsula jutting out into the ocean. Water, water everywhere, but....
So, we meandered more and looked for some bright lights. We stopped at a lobster roll/hamburger shack. They had stopped serving dinner, so we had an ice cream cone and kept driving. Into the dark. Thirsty.
FINALLY we come upon a large town - Haverill - and a BIG well-lit Market Basket supermarket. They had no idea of the water ban. They had water stacked to the skies. We bought several gallons and two cases and gloated and stopped at Wendys for a celebratory burger and fries.
Our little late night venture to the oceanside in search of water will be a good memory long after the water ban is over.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Marudai in the mail
I am taking at class in Kumihimo braiding at the Bead and Button Show on June 5 in Milwaukee. As part of this class, I needed to purchase a Marudai, which is a frame for making this Japanese braid. We will be using strands of beads to make the braid, and the foam Kumihimo form that I already own would not do. They are made out of wood, and have bobbins which hold the fiber and you move the bobbins around. There are an infinite number of braining patterns that can be used. All very Japaenese. I will try to learn one of two and make necklaces. This is a picture of a Marudai similar to the one that my teacher is sending to me and which is in the mail. I'm almost as excited about this ancient form of braiding on a wooden stand as Michael Shea was about his new Ipad: technology a thousand years or so apart.
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