Off to California

This is the week end of Vista Point Artists quarterly meeting. I'm driving over to Los Angeles today and staying at my friend Liz's home tonight and heading to Newbury Park tomorrow. I'll try to remember to take a few photos of what other members are working on. I'm still working on my "Our Lady of Guadalupe" purse. Here are a few photos of the panels that are completed so far. I will finish the second side panel this week end and then the only part left to do is the strap.

Hiking in the Bulldog Mountains

No beading on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. A group of us went down Usery Park and the Bulldog Mountains to hike (east of Phoenix). We spent two nights at the Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch which is a collection of cabins built in 1930 to house the workers building the dam which creates Saguaro Lake. The second photo is taken at the ranch looking up at the Bulldog Mountains and the first photo shows some of us standing on top of the center mountain in the second photo. You can see the dam and Saguaro Lake in the background. The weather was nice and warm (some thought it too warm but not me!) When we returned to Prescott, spring had arrived here too and it's now beautiful. Spent much of the day planting geraniums and pansies.

I've completed one of the three projects presented at Beading by the Bay. This is the bracelet called Carousel by Marcia DeCoster and the colors I chose are Purple Lime as I have both of those colors in my wardrobe. The centerpiece on this bracelet is made up of two parts and the top piece moves - hence the name Carousel.

The Beading by the Bay retreat in San Francisco was a delight! (March 10, 11 and 12th) Three great projects by three fabulous teachers and 49 eager students from all over the country. I had not taken a class from any of the three teachers prior to this retreat and had been really looking forward to meeting them and learning from them. Marcia DeCoster's project was a bracelet named Carousel - I made pretty good progess on that one in class but have not yet finished it. Jean Campbell who is a senior editor at Beadwork magazine had also designed a bracelet called Sakura. I haven't made a lot of progress on that one so far. The third project was a choker by Maggie Meister. I love this one and so it will probably by the first one that I finish. The Beading by the Bay retreat is so well organized. It is held at the Crowne Plaza in Burlingame which is just minutes from the airport. Even though the weather was very nice for the Bay area, we hardly left the hotel as the food there was very good and the comaraderie was wonderful.

In the meantime, I've completed a few of my own designs. The first necklace above is shown with the extension attached. Without it, the necklace can be worn as a choker. It has a Swarovski crystal pendant. The second one is a Russian spiral choker with a pendant that uses Amethyst Sage Agate. I love those stones! The third necklace includes Condor Agate, Opalite and Polka Dot Agate. I'm attracted to agate as there is such a variety of color and pattern.

Well the Rock-n-Roll purse is completed!. The purse can be used as a clutch or the strap can be attached and used as a shoulder purse. The strap has the name of the soon to be owner, the name of the school from which she will graduate in May and the year 2011. The entire creative process was enjoyable but I have to say that I'm anxious to get on with some other projects. I've started a crocheted neck warmer. I have my freeform scrumbling to work on and I am looking forward to beading some jewelry projects.

Both panels are done and I'm working on the strap which will have the recepient's name, name of her college and the year 2011 on it. It will attach to the sides of the purse if she wants to use it. There is also a chain that can be used as a strap or the purse can just be a clutch.

There is weather moving in this week end so I'll have time to work on it. Also I'm a juror for the Mountain Artists show in May and this is the week end that we jury the applications for entry. I am jurying the fiber and jewelry categories. It's done on line and uses a very user friendly efficient program.

Almost finished with the second panel. After this panel is finished, I'll need to do the sides which are not large and which I think I will do entirely in sequins. Even though the purse is a clutch, it does have hooks on the side to which a chain can be attached. I think I will also do a beaded strap that can be attached to the same hooks so it can be used with either the strap or the chain.