Blurples

Mom & I moved into this house a little over two years ago. The bedroom I have was the former owner’s nursery, and it was painted that way with a cute garden trellis kind of theme. But certainly too cutesy for me…and so I planned on painting.… Read More

Home again…for a few days…

The Quilt Show is done again for another year, and I have to say I’m quite glad to be home. It was a long five days away with hard labor, long hours, and in the end, only a little bit to show for it.… Read More

Quick update from Houston

Hello world out there!

I always feel I’m in some sort of strange time capsule when I’m at a show, and the longer the show lasts, the more disconnected from the world at large I feel. I don’t see news. I don’t interact with folks outside of this insular crafting society.… Read More

Anything else?

If there IS anything else, it’s too late now! I fell short on my to-do list by just a few items – specifically those not dealing directly with the Fusion order or the Quilt Show. I always wish I had one more day, but I don’t, so that’s that!… Read More

List update

How is Jill doing on that list? Let’s check in, shall we?

My List:

  • Find all the samples to take to Houston Quilt Show (HQS) – They are all in a big pile on the studio table. I haven’t checked them off the list to make sure I have them all, though.
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Adult Onset ADD?

I’m pretty sure I’ve developed Attention Deficit Disorder in the last few years. Or maybe in my case it should be called “Brain Spinning Disease.”

There are so many balls in the air to be juggled that I often have trouble focusing on one at a time long enough to accomplish the task.… Read More

Step by Step Beads – folding into Beadwork Magazine

I was sad to find out Thursday that Step by Step Beads magazine will be folding into Beadwork magazine after the January/February 2010 issue. I hate to see our magazine options dwindle…don’t we all love the rush of seeing the new issue of “XYZ…” in the mailbox or news stand?… Read More

Boring Jill

Every day this week I’ve thought, jeez, I should update the blog. But the truth of the matter is I haven’t been doing much to blog about the last few days. Merely slogging away at the piles and piles of work that have precious little to do with actual beading.… Read More

Playing with colors

I’m teaching a Crystal Bangle class this weekend, and I’ve been having the most fun playing with colors to put kits together. So much fun that I ended up with 5 different colorways, when normally I stick with 3 or 4.… Read More

Portland is one bead town

Bead Fest Portland was just a great time from start to finish. What a wonderful group of happy and sparkly beaders live in the Northwest! My two classes were absolute delights to teach, and I know they had a great time, because they all kept coming to my booth to tell me so afterwards!… Read More

I can adapt

So my hotel in Portland is located in the middle of IH-5. I can adapt. I can pretend the incessant highway noise is the ocean, right?

So I got all ready for set up at the convention center today and made the drive downtown only to discover that set up didn’t start until 5pm.… Read More

Nirvana has been located.

I am on the plane to Los Angeles right now, and I’m ON THE INTERNET! On my new Barbie Computer, which, have I mentioned lately that I love and adore? Anyway, I’m on the Internet, Ladies! This is true Nirvana for a three hour plane ride and an Internet addict like me.… Read More

Portland-bound

In a few hours I’ll be headed toward the airport again, this time for Portland and Bead Fest. I’m teaching two classes there, and I’ll have a booth in the expo hall too, so as usual it will be a jam-packed week.… Read More

These instructions aren’t gonna write themselves!

I actually got to bead last night and today. Joy! It’s actually been weeks since I’ve had the opportunity to sit down with my needle and thread – too much of the other pieces and parts of this job were more critical and time sensitive, so the beading had to wait.… Read More

Who, me? Mr. Cutie?

Just when we think Winston has grown up, he proves he’s got plenty of sass left. He’s 2 years old now…we’ve become a bit complacent. We have even been leaving our shoes out in the living room for the last six months because he’s learned to leave them alone.… Read More

Ready, set, ship out!

Making slow but steady progress in the mission to get the boxes shipped out on Wednesday for Bead Fest Portland. I’ve made eleventy billion kits and organized them all in their little bubble zip lock baggies. Another billion or so patterns are boxed up as well, and I’m both packing and creating a packing check-list for shows that I fly to.… Read More

Unintentional day off

When you’re facing down a pile of work and list of deadlines as far as you can see, you’re not thinking “day off” usually. And I wasn’t thinking that today…honest. It just kinda happened. First I slept late because I went to bed early (stick with me here…it will make sense in a second) which make me get up in the middle of the night and mess around on the computer for several hours before finally returning to bed at 5am.… Read More

It’s Amazing What You Can Find in the Bead Room

From June:
A while ago I was in our bead room and stumbled upon a freeform bracelet that I’d started a long time ago. I just love freeform because there are no mistakes! It’s all a part of the design.

Anyway, I worked on the bracelet in between tending customers at the Austin Bead Society Show last weekend.

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Nothing

Nothing – that’s exactly what I did on Labor Day, and it was blissful! I slept 18 out of 24 hours and feel mostly rested again. I caught up on reading the newspapers from the last week. I read magazines. Two!!… Read More