Designer Jewelry - About Me

Thanks for stopping by. I visit many websites for beading topics, and always wonder about the beaders whose work I see. Every now and then, I come across sites that have autobiographies of designers, and I really enjoy learning more about them. I want to tell you a little bit about myself.

I learned crafts at an early age, as my mother taught me how to knit, crochet, sew, and embroider. At the age of eleven, I learned how to loom with beads. I loved knitting while growing up, and beading took a backseat to that for quite some time.

The beading part of my life started in earnest with a gift from my husband of a pin that was a reproduction in glass of the Hope diamond. Wanting to wear this as a necklace, I searched the Internet for a brooch converter. Accompanying that online order was a small bag of beads, and a silver finding, one suitable for a cabochon stone. Being happy with the new way to wear the faux Hope Diamond pin, I wondered what I could do with this free finding from B'Sue Boutiques.

At work, a woman in sales had a hobby of making jewelry, and I turned to her for advice. She helped me with this first jewelry-making project and mentioned she was selling her seed beads, findings, books, cording, and thread and getting out of the hobby. Before she broke up the collection of beading supplies at a yard sale, I asked to see everything. We struck a deal and I bought everything. What would the people at B'Sue Boutiques think if they knew what they started with a few free beads and one finding?

At the first BSNH meeting, I saw exquisite seed bead jewelry done by several members, polymer clay beads done by artist Ann Dillon, lampworking beads by several NH artists, and a bead crochet project in progress with a woman learning the technique. I was enthralled. Discussion of an upcoming bead retreat convinced me to join the society. A bead crochet class at the retreat taught me the basics.

Once I learned more about beading, I started sharing what I knew through the Yahoo Groups and the bead society. I have taught throughout New Hampshire, and I teach techniques through programs at the Bead Society of New Hampshire, and have taught classes at Michaels in Concord, NH. I also teach private classes at my bead store in Boscawen. Nothing compares to the happy look on a new beader's face when she or he learns a new technique and walks away with a beautiful piece of beadwork, so I thoroughly enjoy these classes. I also publish free tutorials here on my website and through YouTube.

My first magazine article appeared in Issue 4 of Bead-patterns.com The Magazine. One of my tutorials was published as part of a beading calendar for 2007, and another for a 2008 calendar. The 2009 Bead A Day calendar has two patterns published in it, and the 2010 calendar has several. One of the watches I designed appeared in a C&GG catalog, and a bead crochet necklace was featured in Bead Babe's May 2006 Brag Page. Several other pieces have been on Bead Babe's brag pages, and in November 2008, Bead Babe spotlighted my work. Bead-patterns.com recognized my work as a designer in May 2006, naming me Designer of the Month.

Becoming a better writer, bead designer, and business researcher continue to offer me my biggest personal challenges, and beading continues to offer an avenue to increased accomplishments. I am currently learning all I can about chain maille, soutache and embroidery jewelry, metal clay, and metal work.

I co-hosted a live, free, Internet radio show at www.ustream.tv called The Jewelry Connection. You will find the show at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-jewelry-connection. Mona Hair began this show early in 2008, and although the show has been discontinued, if you register at ustream.tv, you can enjoy the archives of shows there.

I have served as Corresponding Secretary (2005-2006) and as the President of the Bead Society of New Hampshire (2006-2008, 2010-2011, 2015-2016 and 2016-2017) and I am currently its Recording Sedcretary (2017-2018). On August 6, 2012, I became one of five inaugural Cousin Corporation of America Creative Circle Ambassadors. In May 2014, I became a Bead Buzz Blogger for Bead & Button Magazine.

I live in Boscawen, NH with my husband, Ricky, one Rottweiler, one that is a Bichon Frise/poodle mix, fourchickens, one guinea hen, one duck and a tank full of fish (ciclids).