I love books.  I love to read.  When I hunker down with a book I want to read for hours…but there is work to be done, beads to be made.  And so I say ‘thank goodness for Audible.com!’

I have heard the arguments that audible books are listening, not reading.  Well, for me, it is reading and then some.  I get lost in the melting of glass and layering of color, and just as quickly, I get lost in the well-done telling of a story – a mystery, historical fiction, or a bit of ‘chick lit’. Sometimes I rush into the studio – as much to crank up the torch and make beads as to turn on the ipod and ‘read’ the next chapter .  When it comes to audible books – the longer the better.  At the moment, I am listening to more than 50 hours of “The Autobiography of Henry VIII” by Margaret George.  It’s a book I have read more than once over the past 20 years and yet, to have someone read it to me gives me a whole different insight and a lot of pleasure. Let’s face it – who doesn’t love having someone read them a story?

My audible books will never replace my love for the actual paper version…..nothing beats spending a whole day - turning page after page – being  a part of what the author has written,  seeing the characters, imagining their surroundings in my head…..and getting lost in the words.  But thanks to the technology – I can read almost anytime!

So, what are you reading this week?

And of course, kicking a little sand on Coronado!

It's true - I have caught Facebook Fever! It started out with one simple friend request.  I created a facebook account and then suddenly I was beseiged with new friends.  I felt like Sally Field ("they like me, they really like me!").  At first I thought 'what am i doing' ?  This is just going to take up a lot of time and really, what's the point?  In truth, I know only a handful of the people who are my FaceBook friends (FBF) - but I have found it to be a valuable tool to help me get to know some of those people that you only see once in a great while.  Okay, the voyeur in me likes seeing holiday and vacation pictures of people I will never meet.  And reading one sided conversations, while frustrating at times, is really a bit like trying to piece a puzzle together.  So, I continue to say yes to new friends.....feeling a bit like Typhoid Mary continuing to spread the fever all over the world!  In the picture.....why it is me of course! (if we were FaceBook Friends you would know that!)

I woke up this morning and realized how lazy I have been this year.....while I should have been blogging, I have spent my time making beads, doing shows, teaching beadmaking, traveling to Europe, visiting family, getting my house painted, rebuilding the front porch, getting dental work done, rennovating the fireplace to install a pellet stove, cooking Thanksgiving dinner, making more beads.....see where I am going here? Next thing you know, the year is coming to a close, and you start saying things like, 'next year I will ........?

 I started this year off thinking that I would be a much better communicator....would do monthly updates of the website, start posting new things like earrings and bracelets.....come to think of it, I started 2007 off with the same good intentions - oh well!  Maybe in 2009???

Oh hey, there is something I nearly forgot....this year I was lucky enough to spend some time in Joy Raskins studio - she is a great metalsmith - and always so enthusiastic!  We collaborated on a few ideas of incorporating my beads into her silver work - simple and fun designs.  Right now Joy has some of the earrings on her website (http://store.metalornaments.com) and if all goes as planned, I will have some coming to my site soon (like you haven't heard that before). 

Happy Season Everyone!

Remember when you were a kid and the summers just dragged on and on - what happened to those days? Time has been flying - i am back from my European Adventure just two months and already the garden is overgrown and my bead inventory is dwindling! Most of my work is currently in the Sandwich Glass Museum, on exhibit until the end of September. Here is a link to the website - and a couple of pictures I took of the exhibit (remember, I am a better beadmaker than a photographer!

http://www.sandwichglassmuseum.org/exhibits/possibilities

So... how has your summer been going?

Here it is - the first time my poppies have bloomed and I love them! I snapped this shot the day I left for the Bead & Button show. Of course by the time I came home there was nothing left but yellow stems and seed pods (sigh!) Oh well, there is always next year!

and me, riding the carousel at the bottom of that hill!