Katrina

Katrina has left so many unsure whether they have a home to come home to. Art and I made it safely to Michigan with Cricket before the hurricane made landfall on August 29th. We have been glued to the TV watching the devasation and destruction left from this powerful storm. I know my friends, Tanmye, Chuck are safe with their two cats in a hotel in Northern Lousiania. Brenda, Jerry, John and Karen are safe also, along with their pets. My other friends Steve and Debb, Chris and Andrew are in a hotel four miles down the road from Tammye and Brenda. I haven't been able to get hold of my friend Sally. She is a nurse at Ochsner Hospital. I know she was on hurrican duty. This afternoon I heard that Kenner, LA was under water. I hope her husband Bruce is with her. I am 1,009 miles from reality. I am Wondering what we will come home too when they give the ok God Bless New Orleans. The Crescent City needs so much help right now. I will write more in the days to come. Bev

The Big 50

Every Friday night we meet at Planc's Coffee & Tea to visit. Steve and Debb make a mean cup of cafe mocha, 2% milk with a little whip cream please. I love their kids Chris and Andrew. Tonight we had dinner together. (Tammye, Chuck and I) Something we do just about every Friday. I never thought they would surprise me with a birthday party tonight. Monday I am the big 50 or as my daughter tells the new 30. I should have suspected some thing was up when Tammye told me our friend Carolyn was joining us also. We grilled steak and tuna and had green bean casserole with artichoke hearts topped with bread crumbs. Tammye made a super salad with red, yellow peppers, avocados, grapes, almond slices and lettuce. After dinner they sang happy birthday and we had a wonderful carrot cake from Maurice's Bakery with 3 candles to make a wish. One for past, present and future. I blew them out and made a wish. I can't tell you how much it means to have such wonderful friends in New Orleans. I will be in Michigan with my family the day of my birthday. We are leaving with the threat of Hurricane Katrina possibly making landfall close to New Orleans. Tonight I went back through my beads and packed some of my favorite one. Who knows what we will come home to after the storm hits. Bead Happy and be well...I am on the road again.

The Dragonfly

I have a fascination with Dragonflys. They are also known as "Horse Stingers" and "Devils Darning Needle". I found the folklore and information on this creature very interesting. My recent obsession is beading business card cases. The focal piece is a glass Czech Dragonfly button. I see dragonfly everyday living next to the Mississippi river. I have been carrying a beaded case for over a year. When someone asks what do you do? I say "I bead". They look surprised and say you do what? I pull out my business card case and have an example of my work to show and a card to hand out. I have spent hours searching the internet for Beaded Card Case and haven't found any like I am doing. I taught this last year at the Arkansas Beadcave and again this year Shreveport Bead Retreat. It was big success. This last one was completed on August 23rd. I used vintage nailhead beads as accents around the focal button. If you would like to have me teach this class in your area please contact me

"Pearls by the Sea"

This is the bracelet I will be teaching on Bead Cruise 2006. My daughter and I have had so much fun planning for the Cruise. Dona Anderson and Judith Giffin will b teaching, along with me and my daughter. There is less than a month to sign up. Take your Beads to the High and join us on Bead Cruise 2006.

"Take me to the Sea"

Next weekend is Ida William's 4th bead retreat in Shreveport, LA. My friend Marcie is teaching a class on how to make these wonderful little treasure filled with images on bottlecaps. I called mine "Take me to the Sea". Albalone chips between the bottlecaps create a clink that makes this bracelet fun to wear. Stay tuned for more projects from the retreat in the next coming weeks.