Just back from Milwaukee. I don't teach at the Bead & Button show, I visit. Visit all those wonderful people I talk with on the phone and via email all year long, but don't get to actually see. It turns into a big whirlwind love fest that feeds my heart until we all see each other again in Tucson in February.

This year I made the car ride with my childhood buddy, Heidi. We stopped in Madison to visit another sandbox buddy, Disey. There's really nothing better than having longtime girlfriends who remember your Dorothy Hamill haircut, buck teeth, and big comb. Even though years have passed, sometimes with long stretches between where we haven't been in contact, these are the people who know me down to my core.

I have dozens of photos from the show, which I'll share in another post. For now I need to pack! I'm heading to Denver in the morning to teach lots of classes for the Rocky Mountain Bead Society.

In the meantime, check out all the wonderful happenings my beading buddies have been involved with:

Beadbloggers Sunday

A Bead A Day
Do you have crafting or beading get togethers with friends and family? Lisa shares the anticipation of "Craft Night"!

About.com Jewelry Making
Tammy is proud to announce some of her jewelry designs were recently published in BeadStyle magazine.

Art Bead Scene
Join the Art Bead Scene Carnival Bloggers as they pay tribute to Bead and Button by creating a statement necklace.

Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts
Look at all the fun I have have playing with fire.

Beading Arts
Shhh...don't tell Cyndi's Mom! Cyndi made her a necklace from some wonderful lampwork beads from Artbeads.com!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi recycles a beautiful tea box to create this necklace..

Cindy Gimbrone, the Lampwork Diva
The Empress models a statement.

Jean Campbell
Check out Black Crow's Gothic Contest winners...fantastic!

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
Lorelei started up a new website, and would love to hear your input on it!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Lydia Muell's mesmerizing art beads and her free giveaway this week!

Strands of Beads
Melissa shows off her entry that won the Grand Prize Gold Medal in the 2010 Fire Mountain Gems and Beads' Metal Clay, Metal Beads, Wirework and Chain Jewelry-Making Contest

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Andrew hosts the BIGGEST prize in Thursday Giveaway history ever! Find out how you can win a set of beautiful lampwork glass beads by Barbara "Basha"!

The highlight of my week? Hands down: I taught Emma how to solder!

She had a pair of earrings that needed their jump rings closed, and so she dove right in, fixing them up herself. Way to go, daught! Double pneumonia can't get you down, girl.

Find out the week's highlights of my beadblogging friends through these links:

A Bead A Day: Lisa's sharing some extra Swarovski sparkle! You won't want to miss the glitz!

About.com Jewelry Making: This month's feature jewelry designer is Jean Campbell; read about her beading and editing life.

Art Bead Scene: Check out all the great pieces the Art Bead Scene readers made in response to last month's challenge

 Beading Arts: Nobody ever likes to talk about that necessary evil...pricing!

 Earthenwood Studio Chronicles: Melanie reveals a new bird carving that will become a new pendant design.

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading going on!: Jean is so READY for Michelle Mach's Suddenly Spring Challenge! Check out the whole story!

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton: Andrew announces three new limited edition components available by pre-order!

 Fun fact: English sailors used to avoid getting scurvy by sucking on lemons and limes (thus the derogatory name "limey"). And I avoid winter depression by squeezing them into just about anything I eat or drink. Thought you'd like to see this week's spill of Vitamin C... aren't those colors pretty on a drab winter day?

And here's this week's fill of beadblogging happenings. Check out these wonderful links...another way to avoid those gray winter weather blues:

About.com Jewelry Making: Owls are making a comeback from the 1970s and an owl charm was the inspiration for two jewelry tutorials.

Art Bead Scene: We celebrate some of our artisan bead crafters from across the pond with this treasury of UK bead artist awesomeness

Beading Arts: Cyndi works through the first steps in turning an antique key into a lampworked pendant.

 Carmi's Art/Life World: Ruby Violet necklace kits are fun and easy to work with!

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles: Melanie shows off a new creation using the new Pantone Crystal Mixes from Fusion Beads

Resin Crafts!: A dollar store butterfly becomes a necklace center piece with resin!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! There is a remarkably beautiful new jewelry store on Etsy! Come read all about it, and learn who is behind it!

 

 

What a great week! I got to attend an opening for Joyce Melander Dayton's work at the Textile Center and rub shoulders with Governor Mark Dayton and Mr. and Mrs. Mondale (even though I was too shy to introduce myself!).

 

Joyce Melander-Dayton, Allegro Non Trappo

Also went to a nice opening of Karl Herber's work at Gallery 360.

 

Photo by Karl Herber

This week also marked my first CABi party (sorry, Heidi, that I didn't last more than 30 minutes). We also had some new friends, Matthew and Meredith, over on Friday night when we stayed up into the wee hours talking about ghosts, gulags, and grenache. No wonder I haven't been sticking to my "blog a day" resolution this year--I seem to be making more time for face-to-face pursuits.

That's not to say I'm not a surfing goon. Maybe you are, too? If you like bead bloggers like me, check out all these wonderful links, all in one place.

About.com Jewelry Making: Tammy has the perfect jewelry tutorial for you to ready yourself for an up coming St. Patrick's Day celebration.

Art Bead Scene: Check out the February blog hop to see all the beautiful pieces that were inspired by last month's artwork

Beading Arts: Antique keys and lampwork beads are a natural combination...come see how!

Carmi's Art/Life World: Carmi makes a rub-on shine on a bead with resin!

Charlene Sevier Jewelry: Charlene makes beads from simple materials - wire, embroidery floss, and muslin

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles: Melanie ends February with the last of her icy inspiration with some new crackly window pendants

Resin Crafts! Resin Crafts has a cute idea for a St. Patrick's day pendant.

Snap out of it, Jean! There's Beading to be done! Jean is going to try the Fusion Beads 30 day challenge! Read about it on her blog and see what she has already made for Day One. You might want to try it too!!!