Every Friday I join a knitting group in my favorite local coffee shop Oribs Caffe.  It began when I went to finish a project that I had started. I stayed because besides being a lovely group of ladies, they don't mind that I bead while they knit.  I love to see the new projects they are working on and sharing what I am doing.  Yesterday, after meeting them, I popped on the light rail and headed downtown to the convention center for the Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival - Knit, Crochet, Quilt, Create.  I was hoping to meet Jenny Tabrum of KnittenJen's Beads who I met and knew only through social media. 

Before I found her, I had a blast looking for her in the exhibit hall.  One of the vendors was selling vintage Singer sewing machines.  I saw one that was looked remarkably like the one I learned to sew on.  It was the youngest machine of the bunch, all of which are still fully operational.  Besides the vendors, the show offered and array of textile exhibits, including some fabulous quilting and interesting felting.  

After wandering around for a bit, I found Jenny and her knitted beads.  They were even more impressive in person than on line.  Somethings have to be experienced to be truly appreciated.  She introduced me to her neighbor Kitty, also from Pittsburgh and also a bead maker.  Kitty uses hand-printed paper and showed me how to make a rolled paper bead there on the floor of the convention center.  Both women are passionate and enthusiastic about what they do.  It was a joy meeting and talking with them.

Finally, and much to my surprise, I discovered that a local bead shops was set up as an vendor.
The Queen's Beads had a wide range of beads and findings.  I can't pass Czech beads with out buying, so I came home the knit, crochet and quilt show with beads.

The Festival runs through Sunday, April 8.

I don’t really do holiday themed jewelry, but recently I have found myself making things in green. So I thought that I’d share several pairs of green earrings for St. Patrick’s Day. What pair would you wear? Please let me know via email, Instagram or Facebook.

Our daughter is a college freshman at The Ohio State. Those of you with children who are of this age know how nerve racking the application and acceptance process is. Applying for art shows is a similar process that we artists go through every year. Like prospective students, we read up on shows that we are interested in with rating publications such as Sunshine Artist. We are in online artist groups that share information about shows and of course, we try to attend prospective shows before we apply. Like college applicants who use the Common App, artists have an online portal that allows us to upload jury images and biographical information and to manage our show information. The largest and most widely used portal is Zapplication. Not all shows use Zapp and have their own forms, again just like colleges. Some shows are run by for profit individuals to curate the application and other use a blind jury. Both review processes look at 2-5 images of an artist's work and usually a "booth shot." This fall I went back to a local professional photographer Larry Berman who produced these new images that I used for all my 2018 applications.

Also, like applying to college, the show application process is time consuming and expensive with out guaranteed success. Application fees are $25-$50 per show.   I have had four acceptances and three rejections already this year.  The rejections were hard, and a bit surprising, as they came from shows that I had done for a couple of years.  I am waiting for 7 more notifications which can be accepted, rejected or wait listed.    Just like college.    

Its easy to stay current with my ever changing show schedule just follow designs2c on Facebook, sign up for my email below or visit "Find Me" on my website.

This week a regular customer wanted a pair of superduo earrings for her sister's birthday.  I didn't have a lot of color choices in the style she wanted. Time to make some new earrings. I am always happy to take custom orders but I am also VERY easily distracted especially when I get all the necessary beads out.  So, that single pair of earrings became 12!   The first several pair were the basic wreath style that she ordered and that I have been making for a while.  Like these.

​I popped the ordered pair, in blue, into the mail for Michigan on Thursday.  But then, because I am easily distracted, especially when I have new Czech drops on my work space, I made a few adjustments and created a more statement wreath design.  Like these.  

I really do love my work.