Cleanup time

With one project finished, I thought it's a good time to do some cleanup...I love having my beads organized but sometimes I get carried away with projects so beads are flying left and right, right out of their bags!  This past weekend I decided to put the bead tubes away and re-organize them once again! 

I keep my Delica's in a rubber maid container organized in bags by color 

And my seed beads are in two of these large bead bags I purchased several years ago.  

All organized and ready for the next projects!!

I organize my embroidery/Perle cotton threads the same way...by color...in baggies.  Just makes it easier when looking for threads.  They're already organized since I finished my Dye Dog so that's all set for the next project!   Now to get back to my hex's!!!

THANKS, to another Susan!!!!

I had so much fun for a few hours this a.m.!  I got to finally meet one of my blog buddies, Susan, from Younger Every Day.  We've been reading/commenting/emailing for sometime now, so it was great to finally meet Susan!  Susan lives in the Villages, which is just south of us and besides a nice place to live, it's also a fun place for a day trip.  Sorry to say but I've not even made it to the Villages this year.  We've always taken a day in the winter to head to the Villages either with or without the hubbies.  It doesn't look like we'll make it this year! 
But I digress.... Susan and I met  for coffee and bagel at Panera's and had such a nice time chatting away!  I still have so many questions to ask Susan about her life before Florida and after, but guess I'll have to save them for next year!   I did get to learn a lot about her and her interesting life.  She and her hubby travel quite a bit, which makes for an interesting blog!  As corny as this saying is,  Susan really is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.  And also a funny lady to boot! 

We had one of the folks from Panera take our picture...which didn't turn out all that bad...but I think the young man won't focus his career on picture taking.  Like I have room to talk!! 

Anyway,  check out what she brought me!!!!  I feel like it's Christmas!!!

This is a bag full of the small circular, bead containers with lids!  Also some bead tubes, which are always good to have.

And this stash!!!  Keep in mind these are large, plastic zip lock bags loaded with beads!!!  These are beads Susan isn't using anymore!!!  OMG!!!  I am so excited to go through them all!!!  Is this wonderful or what!   There are so many different types of beads and colors!!  I'm in heaven for sure!

I won't be totally greedy with my 'gift' from Susan.   What I don't or can't use, I'll make sure go to  friends back in Michigan.  I have one friend who does crazy quilting and one who teaches school that is always looking for items to use in her classroom!  I will be sure to share my wealth!

I can't thank you enough, Susan!!  I certainly have enjoyed our email conversations in the past and our get together today.  I'm looking forward to next year but I'm going to get my calendar set up in advance!  No waiting until the month we're leaving for home!  

Book and beads

I'm so excited! I received my copy of Bojagi & Beyond today! Now to find the time to sit and read it (village council meeting tonight and I want to finish the MQAI write ups this afternoon).


At our CCC fiber group meeting in July, one of the ladies, Chris, brought in the book along with a piece of organza she was stitching following the technique in Chunghie's book. Chris' belongs to a stitching group in Lansing and they are working together on this method.





This is a picture of Chris' white organza being stitched. I laid it on top of a scrap quilt top that she is also working on just so you could see the stitching. It almost appears to be a form of french seams. Isn't it beautiful! My friend, Mary, and I are both interested in this technique so I hope we can actually pursue it! Thanks for sharing your work with us, Chris!!

On another note....I forgot to post a picture and some of the info from a gift I received from my friend, Teresa! Teresa, my daughter and I met a few weekends ago for brunch. I haven't seen Teresa since last winter, before we left for Florida, and look what she gave me! These are beads made by Ugandan women and men from recycled paper. Each one is so unique and beautiful!! Teresa actually had on a necklace made up of these beads which came from the Bead for Life web site that was very nice and of course matched her outfit perfectly! Check out some of the cool beads and jewelry they have. Very impressive. Now to see what I could make using them. You almost don't want to use them but put them in a bowl just to look at! Now there's an idea! Maybe that's what I need to do and then the inspiration will just happen! Thanks again, Teresa!!

We actually had windows opened up until a few minutes ago! The rain has set in but I can't say we really need it! Bob was finally able to mow yesterday, as the grass has grown since last Friday! But better rain then dry...although, I do want the weather to be nice on Wed. The kids and I are going on a pedal or is it paddle?? boat ride. I think it's called pedal since we are the so called power to get the boat moving! If you don't hear back from me, you'll find us at the bottom of the lake! Until then...