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
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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
Bead & Button Show survey
Bead & Button has a survey running about your favorite classes and teachers at the Bead & Button Show – you should participate! You can fill it out here.
As for me, I’m still waiting to hear if my class proposals have been accepted.… 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.
… Read More
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.
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
No longer in Dallas!
I’m very ashamed. I just got this email from my dear friend:
I have read about your leaving for Dallas 4000 times……..yes, we need an update on Jill. Hugs, Kath
And all of a sudden I realized it’s been like a WEEK since I posted.… Read More
Dallas, here I come…
It’s sometimes hard to put the last show behind me and refocus on the next one coming…but this week I’ve got no time for dilly dallying! I leave for Dallas on Friday afternoon to teach 3 classes over the weekend for the mighty Dallas Bead Society.… Read More
Yowza!
Philadelphia folks are SERIOUS about their beads!
What a trip it’s been, and it’s not over yet. I still have Sunday at the Expo Hall, and then the madness of packing the remains up in a semi-organized manner when the party ends at 5pm.… Read More
Making a list and checking it twice
- Massage to soothe the poor body which will be subjected to three solid days standing on a concrete floor. Check.
- Pedicure to soothe the poor feetsies which will also be subject to above torment. And to look cute. Check.
- New clothing to adorn the poor body which…yada, yada.
Not what I expected
I had PLANNED on having a full and fast-paced weekend. Right up until Friday, aka, the day Jill would like to have skipped. I had a more than full plate last week, between writing instructions for Saturday’s Evening Song class, getting my kits made and shipped out to Philly on Friday, and making some new color choices for Piazza Perline among others.… Read More
Accounting 101
Basic rule of accounting for small businesses. Keep good records.
Whoops!
I’m making up for a world of hurt at the moment, however. I found two new online services that are thrilling me beyond what any accounting type program should. The first is a simplified online bookkeeping system (Outright.com… Read More