Beaded Beads and Art Fairs

My latest project - cornerless cubes designed by Valerie Hector. The cornerless cubes are the red (waiting for the last beads (the hardest to do) to be added), orange and the green one in the upper left. The rest are simple right angle weave 12 beads/bead.

Went to the Madison Contemporary Museum Art Fair this past weekend... and Jo Ann Baumann of the beading world complimented my necklace (that I had made)!!!!! That made my day. Got lots of compliments on it that day.

There was a lot of interesting quality work at the fair. Don't normally go to them because often the fairs are filled with things I can make myself (but don't). But there were a couple of artists that compelled me and I bought a few pieces.

I enjoy supporting artists and come from an artistic family. I was taught by my father and mother to buy art I enjoy and that when you do that, you are supporting an artist.

One thing I never buy or even look at is photography - and with the advent of Photoshop and digital cameras everyone can be a photographer, but not everyone has the photographic eye. I like my photographs and the way I see light. The limitations of my digital camera can be frustrating, but I haven't used my 35mm in years (it's so heavy!) Digital cameras have changed the way everyday life is captured.

I do enjoy taking movie shorts with my digital camera. Now I have to learn how to put them all together to make a movie short. (I know how to do it with real film, now to learn the digital...)

Sunset as I was leaving work last week.

I enjoy watching the colors of the sky change and having the trees silhouetted in the foreground... but I do not like the absence of light in the evening. Just another cycle I have to get used to.

Have a few new projects in the works and gifts to make, so hopefully I'll have something new to post next week.

Today's quote comes from Maria Robinson: Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. (Or, today is the first day of the rest of your life.)

Pickle Day!

Have a pickle today - it's a Food Holiday according to the food service calendar I have!

Thomas Jefferson had this to say about pickles: On a hot day in Virginia, I know nothing more comforting than a fine spiced pickle, brought up trout-like from the sparkling depths of the aromatic jar below the stairs of Aunt Sally's cellar.

(Who knew there were quotes about pickles?)

Tenacity

Am trying so hard to work on a knitted scarf. Shouldn't be as hard as it has been for me - it's a simple pattern, but I keep screwing it up. I have started it over many times. Each time I make a mistake, but I start over.

Why isn't there an undo button for knitting? I've gotten so spoiled.

I won't give up, though. It's a really cool scarf. I'll try again later on tonight. I can do it, yes I can!

Today's quote comes from Amelia Earhart: The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life: and the procedure, the process is its own reward.

Karla Kam - Right Angle Weave Beads

Finally figured out that the new resource for how-to's is YouTube. No longer will I have to search my dusty bookshelves for the directions on a specific project. (btw - LBS people, this is what we'll be doing soon but with needles.)

Today's quote comes from Alan Cohen: It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and the seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.

Chicago, Chicago...

The windows above are cool - Tiffany's. I love the way the artist broke the plane with the leaves that protrude from the window. I think the windows were just as gorgeous if not more than the gems they showcased.

Went to Chicago to catch up with some old friends and to go to a concert one of them was in. Forgot how much I like to look at Chicago architecture. Saw a lot of interesting buildings that I'd like to take photos of and details that I'd like to photograph.

Hancock Tower and the Water Tower that survived the great fire on the left.

The last fall show.

Today's quote comes from Stanley Horowitz: Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.

Alien Song - I Will Survive

Love this short animation!