BSBP Partner Introduction and Sneak Peek!

For the fourth time, I'm participating in the epic, worldwide phenomenon that is the Bead Soup blog hop.  I have been so incredibly fortunate to have awesome partners each time, and this time is no different.

Folks, allow me to introduce you to Rita of Toltec Jewels!  A real Renaissance woman, Rita is an author, jewelry maker, creator of tutorials, and organizer of swaps that allow bead aficionados to discover and share handmade artisan beads.  She works in multiple techniques, with everything from chain maille to beadweaving to patina work in her repertoire.  We've had fun getting to know each other better, and I know we'd have a blast if we ever found ourselves in the same city!

Look at a few examples of her work:

Look how she integrates beads into the chain maille!

I love how Rita has used chain maille as a bezel for the focal gemstone

So what does one send to a woman who can work wonders in a multitude of media? If you know me at all, you know that some times I have a hard time choosing among options (pecan or apple pie? Snickers or Mounds? High heel pump or cute little flats? Obviously, the answers to all three are "both, please!") So after putting together five different soups, I found that I could not choose just one, so two batches are winging their way to Florida for Rita's magic touch:

Mwahahaha!!!!!!!! I told Rita I felt a bit like a mad scientist, concocting lots of different potions to come up with the combinations.  These were such fun to put together -- I can't wait to see what Rita cooks up with her soup!

Under the Alabama Pines - Old Friends and New

Y'all, I've been terribly remiss in posting about one of the best weekends I've had in a long, long time. 

A couple of weekends ago, I was part of the Kentuck Festival, a fabulous art show outside Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where my family and I lived for nearly 15 years.  Pat and I went down a day early so we'd have time to visit old friends and co-workers, eat in some of our favorite restaurants, drive by our old house (several times), wander around the University of Alabama campus, and generally soak up the atmosphere of the town we raised our kids in.

Here's Pat, getting ready to satisfy a culinary craving.
Seriously, I have dreams about this restaurant's sausage and roasted peppers.

Here's a glimpse of the view from my booth shortly before we opened on Saturday -- there were about 280 artists in all.  See the beautiful tall pine trees?  I had nearly forgotten the aroma of a pine forest in the autumn.  Fantastic.

The visit back "home" was great.  The show was great.  I saw people I hadn't seen in seven years.  I hugged more people and caught up on more news than I could have imagined.  And one of the highlights was getting to meet Therese of Therese's Treasures!

Funny coincidence -- I knew Therese's brother when I lived in Alabama.  Realized the connection by accident in an online conversation with Therese here on the beading blogs.  Wild, huh?

Anyway, not only did Therese gift me with a lovely visit, she slipped me a sweet little gift...

yes, the beautiful ribbon wrapped around the box
will find its way into a piece of jewelry

A beautiful Therese-woven pendant, earrings with beads by (I'm guessing)
JulsBeads, and a couple of lovely cabochons.  She spoiled me!!

And I'm here to tell you that not only is Therese a wonderful and generous lady who always has a kind comment here on the blogs, but she's magic -- as soon as she came to my booth, customers started crowding in, trying things on and making purchases.  She was my good luck charm that day.  Thanks for everything, Therese!

An Art Fair, A New Old Friend, and A Camera Failure

If you're looking for the Bead Soup Blog Hop reveal, go here!

Sometimes the Universe lines up just right and brings you something serendipitous and terrific.

Sometime in the middle of Sunday afternoon at the art fair I was in this past weekend, three lovely women come into the booth.  And of course, I do what any beader does -- I glance at their chests to scope out any jewelry they might be wearing.

(Random side thought -- thank goodness other beaders understand this tendency, and 

non-beaders probably don't notice, or else we'd all be in trouble...)

Anyhow, my first thought was, "they're wearing some beautiful necklaces!"  Then to my delight, one of these beautifully-bedecked ladies introduced herself as Karin Slaton of Backstory Beads.

What a treat!  Karin was (is) in town helping out with her grandsons in the week between her daughter going back to work and the boys going back to school.  I first encountered her beautiful work during the One Crayon Challenge, and have been following her blog, enjoying her creations and her writing, ever since.

It is a rare and special treat to meet in person someone you feel you've "known" for a while in cyberspace.  Karin was every bit as fun and friendly in person as she is online.  The down side was that I couldn't spend as much time just hanging out and chatting as I really would have liked.

And the camera failure mentioned in this post's title?  Karin's sister was sweet enough to take a picture of us, but something heinous happened with my phone, and the picture didn't get saved.  I'm hoping that it's user error and the photo is living somewhere unexpected on my phone, but I fear it's an "oh *#&$%" moment.

But I have a picture in my mind of this lovely new friend, her daughter, and her sister.  And that is the best thing that could have happened to me this weekend!

If you don't know Backstory Beads, go check it out.  Seriously, go now!  You'll thank me later...(although I will warn you that she has a picture from this same meeting that looks a bit like I'm mildly addled from the heat -- as accurate as it is, it could be alarming to the unprepared.  And the fully prepared.)