Bead people are SO MUCH FUN! I’ve discovered it over and over again as I travel to new places from coast to coast and it makes me happy. We share passion for color and texture and beautiful things. We have a joie de vivre that shows in our faces and interactions. We have a common language. A special “handshake” (consisting of going straight to the jewelry one is wearing and exclaiming upon it.) It’s no wonder I adore bead shows so much!
And the BABE show in Oakland, California was no exception. I was able to hang out with some of my most favorite people on Earth – fellow bead teachers that live all across the country. I made new friends as well. And who knew how awesome the food was in Oakland??!! I had some of the most tasty meals I’ve ever encountered! It’s hard for this Texas girl to admit the best Mexican food I have ever eaten was at Tamarindo in Oakland!
But let me tell you – this show was also not my finest organizational moment! I forgot: the tablecloth, the boxes that I use to make my riser, the credit card machine, my hair dryer with the diffuser (essential for a curly haired girl), and the display for my 2mm Swarovski crystals. AGH!!!! So I borrowed a tablecloth, used some aluminum pans from a store across the street to make a faux riser, hand wrote all the credit card transactions, and air dried my hair. The 2mm crystals stayed in my bag instead of being sold. I know…you are all thinking “Packing list!” Yeah. I know.
Monday I spent sadly saying farewell to my hotel roomie, Barb Switzer, who was the best roomie ever, and then driving across the bay to Redwood City where I will be hanging out another week. Tuesday brings my first filming day for my online video classes with Beaducation. Eeek! I’d better go get some beauty sleep!
I will leave you with a variety of photos from this weekend’s show…
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| Lavinia Touchton, Jill Wiseman, and Peggy Goldblatt. Some of my favorite students turned friends! |
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| Tracy Stanley, Jill Wiseman, and Janice Berkebile adopting “The Pose” |
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| Nikia Angel caught me working hard! |
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| Beaducators gather together! Tracy Stanley, Jill Wiseman, Kate Richbourg, Dallas Lovett, Barb Switzer, Colin Mahler, Janice Berkebile, and Lisa Claxton |