a busy summer!

Have you ever gotten to a point where you are just toooooo busy? I've been feeling like that all spring and summer! I'm not complaining, mind you. This has been a fabulous year and the wonderful opportunities coming my way have all been too good to pass up! The Bead and Button Show was amazing, and I'm so glad I went. Shortly thereafter I took a 3 day class with Andrea Guarino (which I highly, highly recommend!) then it was off to the Puget Sound Bead Festival in Tacoma last weekend. Whew! That's a lot of travel for lil' 'ol me! I'm now trying to stay put for a bit and focus on getting some beads made and just enjoy being at home for a while. That said, there is one more trip just around the corner..........this August I am going to the Gathering in Oakland, California! "What is the Gathering", you ask? Well, it's the annual educational conference for ISGB (International Society for Glass Beadmakers) members and is held in a different location each year. I have wanted to go for ages but they are generally in far off places beyond the scope of my little travel comfort zone. This year however, it's just a hop, skip and a jump away in northern California. The main reason I am attending though, is because I have been asked to teach a demo on one of my dragonfly beads! Such an honor to be asked and too good of an opportunity to miss! Not just an opportunity to "get my name out there" a bit, but more of an opportunity to meet some of the most amazing bead makers from around the world that I have admired for sooooo long!
So here is a photo of my humble little bead that I will demo to these illustrious beadmakers.....I hope they get a little something useful out of my presentation and that I'm able to make them smile!:)

Hope to see you there!
~Kerri