People that are just learning about beading and are as excited about it as I am.

People who use other's designs, and claim them for themselves. There is nothing wrong with making something and giving the originator of the design the credit - they deserve it. Designing and making patterns is very time-consuming as well as very creative, and the person who created the design/pattern should get recognition; it's only fair.

Creating something new.

My beading desk.

"God has a habit of using the insignificant to accomplish the impossible". Unknown

This is the quote on my calendar on my birthday; and it is so true for me. It gives me hope and encouragement to go on.

Chinese!

Georgia O'Keefe

Sherry Serafini. I love her work and her style, but I have many other favorites - too many to name.

The jewelry I make, and that others make and gift me with.

The fifth book that I have authored, as I am working on the last half of the book to get it finished, so right now it is more prevalent on my mind. I have two floor-to-ceiling bookcases of just beading books. I love beading books!

My favorite author, non-bead-related, is Max Lucado.

Christian Praise and Worship Music.

I don't do many movies, so don't have a favorite.

No time for hobbies - too busy beading! I don't know what I would pick for a hobby, as beading is my passion and my breath.
I guess my hobby is hanging out with my great circle of friends and chatting and doing coffee.
People are very important to me. Everyone is special and has a special purpose on this earth.

Beading is my passion. I have been beading for 40 years and don't plan on quitting any time soon. I have been a bead shop owner, and I am a bead teacher and an author of beading books and a beading video. Beading to me is an expression of my personality, by personal style, and my creative talent.

My choice of my favorite beading project changes, but it is usually the piece I am working on currently or have just completed. I do many custom pieces, and sometimes have a difficult time parting with them, once they are complete. I think my all-time-favorite piece that I have beaded is a wall hanging that I titled "Jungle Woman". The backdrop is seed beads in brick stitch using green as the background, with patterns of tiger print and leopard prints incorporated in the pattern. There is a porcelain face, by Diane Briegleb, that has bead embroidery surrounding it. The face is painted in a camoflage "jungle" pattern. It was the inspiration for the entire piece.

I love all the styles that I bead, but my all time favorite bead stitch is Brick Stitch. Probably because that's the first stitch I learned, and that's the stitch that got me hooked on beading!

Inspiration comes to me without any effort. I don't have to look at fabric, pictures, etc. to get my ideas. This seems to be a natural talent that God has given me, to develop patterns and ideas of my own without any outside help. The only problem this can cause is having too many ideas at a time and only being able to work on one at a time. I don't sketch anything before I start beading, I just jump right in and let it develop as I bead. This, to me, is very refreshing and keeps me from ever getting bored. I make mostly one-of-a-kind pieces, as I don't like to duplicate. If I make more than one of a piece, it's a design that I like, but I always change something about it or add/substract something to make it different.

Don't ever give up trying. If you don't "get it" the first time, or if you are not satisfied with the result, keep on beading. If you are meant to bead, it will happen!

Any flat surface with good lighting. Mostly at my roll-top desk, where I have plenty of supplies close by.

I like to visit bead stores, rather than order online or from a catalog, however, I have bought beads that way too. I like to see what I'm getting, and check the quality of the beads, as well as feel the textures, etc. Beads are very tactile, and I love to just "play" with them in my hands, touching, feeling, rolling them around, etc. I just love beads!

The night I learned to make my first Brick Stitch earring. I had never done a craft in my life, at 31 years old, and had bought $87 worth of vintage beads (not knowing how much they were until I was at the check out stand). I had never threaded a needle, etc. and had no clue that beads, thread, needles, etc. had different sizes. The beads I purchased were sizes 20-24 and I haven't used them to this day, because of their extremely small size (sugar grain size). But I love them, and it got me started in beading - as I wanted to learn what I could do with $87 worth of beads. Now I need to find what I can do with $$$$$$$$ worth of beads!

I am about loving people and being loved. I have three grown kids that are great people and they adore me. We are friends as well as parent/child. Life is good!