Hip to be Square!

Kate's just put up a screenshot of one of our Squares pages - take a look!

Isn't it exciting that so many artists are finding inspiration in the most basic of beginnings?  And then taking it 10 steps further?

The response to the Specials for Pre-orders eBook has been overwhelming and overwhelmingly positive.  It's a rare thing to receive so much community feedback and involvement and find chords being struck with other bead artists around the globe.  Beadwork is truly a global artistic language; without barriers, borders or  limitation.  Multiple artists are discovering similar or even identical techniques through their own explorations, then those explorations lead to further enhancements and embellishments... the truth is that NO ONE is born knowing how to bead.  We all have to learn.  If someone knows something you find intimidating to contemplate, but would like to be able to make, just know that they've either had more time to play with their beadwork than you have to date, or they had exposure to a teacher or class or book that you haven't encountered yet.

The community involvement with Contemporary Geometric Beadwork has helped us to ensure that the techniques we present go beyond the usual project-oriented book.  We want our readers/beaders to understand WHAT they are doing, so that they will own the idea behind the technique and be able to apply it at will, to bring forward their own, entirely new, original designs.  Those new designs will then inspire others, and so on and so on....

Happy Beadsday!

Rainy Sunday Happiness

I truly love the rain.  I like being wet.  Being cold is quite novel for me and something I enjoy.  The sound of rain makes me happy all the way through.  Yeah - I'm weird! *G*  I awoke this morning to a glorious rainstorm, tip-tapping away at the downspout outside the window, dancing with plinking steps across the puddles in the driveway and whooshing commandingly  through the gutters, to the great dismay of a number of squirrels trying to leap from house roof to garage roof and vice versa.

And then the day got even better.

I checked out the blog of Cath Thomas, a brilliant beader based in Geneva, Switzerland, and she has posted a beautiful review of Contemporary Geometric Beadwork.  She not only took the time, obviously, to go through the Pre-Release eBook but also noted all the little extras we have been spending time and energy to get just right - from the perfect quotations to illuminate an idea, to the encouragement to expand beyond a pattern into utilizing technique at will...please take the time to read this review; I think it does a great job of introducing the book to everyone.  For more thoughts, check out our FaceBook page for community comments.

Thank you, Cath, for your kindness in taking the time to do this and posting your thoughts for others.

Happy Beadsday!

It's madness out there!

I cannot believe the THOUSANDS of people accessing our pre-release eBook on the Specials for Pre-Orders page!  It is BLOWING MY MIND.  And they have such NICE things to say....*G*

To add to the happy hubbub, I spent a delightful time skyping with the fabulous beader Cath Thomas, who is featured quite nicely in Contemporary Geometric Beadwork.  We got in touch to discuss a pattern and before I knew it a full hour and a half had flown!  She's absolutely terrific and so much fun to talk to...the fact that she's a bad-ass beader is a total bonus! *G*

I can't wipe the smile from my face and return to my chores - it's just too much of a happiness day!

Happy Beadsday!

Happy Saturday!

The Pre-Order Special of the eBook has been added to the Specials for Pre-Orders page and it is OFF THE HOOK (or substitute whatever laudatory phrase you wish).  Just check out our FaceBook page for some of the earliest responses - it`s a hit!  I`m so delighted and glad that people are appreciating the mountain of work and design and generosity of spirit that are involved in creating something of this nature.  Kate has really designed a whole new way of communicating with beaders - new or advanced - in a way that clearly resonates!

I cannot put in words how humbled and grateful I feel when people whose beadwork I`ve admired for years take the time to comment on my work and share their delight in what we`re creating.  It`s truly a global phenomenon and I`m being contacted by people from around the world - what more validation could any artist desire?

So, to everyone out there - THANK YOU!

Happy Beadsday!

Attack Of The Killer Butterflies

Tomorrow morning will see the release of our Totally Awesome Preview to our pre-orders.  Our Specials for Pre-Orders page will see a whopping 180+ pages of amazement uploaded...wow.  I get dizzy and nervous and excited and thrilled and terrified all at once just thinking about it!  The actual paper book will have a further 60 pages of total bead delight, so once you've seen this preview remember - we have more coming your way! *G*

It's a wonderful thing to be part of this whole endeavour.  The community input is truly unique and the participation from beaders worldwide adds an incredible spice to the stew we are making.  Eventually there will be an interactive, ever-evolving and active eBook for subscription as well, but right now we are finalizing the print edition and it feels GOOD.

The print edition will be sent to the various distributors (Kate, me, etc.) on JANUARY 9!  From then, it's a quick wrapping, labelling and off to the Post Office!  It's only about three weeks from now - yahoo!

Remember, if you are ordering your book prior to publication as a pre-order, you will receive not only the book, but also the benefits!  You'll have immediate FREE access to our Specials for Pre-Orders page, as well as well as a FREE copy of the "Contemporary Geometric Beadwork" ebook, both PDF and interactive live form (sent as available) and a FREE Secret Swag Bag that is a little thank-you from me, to you.

Just LOOK at all the amazing things you'll enjoy exploring, right along with us!

I am so excited and I can't wait to start seeing even more photos and hearing from people about their own new ideas and creations, sparked off by the book.

Happy Beadsday!

Time is Fleeting

Every day is passing far too quickly - we're in the countdown to release of the eBook and in a mad dash toward holding our precious book in our hot little hands!  The eBook will ROCK your SOCKS so be sure you have access to an eReader or computer - you will NOT want to miss having it!  And of course you'll also want a hardcopy for your Bead Library.  This is a book unlike any you've seen before.  We have GOBS of eye candy and inspiration and endless photos of beady wonder and madness.  We have bent every effort to make sure the information is clear and presented in multiple forms so that any and every beader can master the beauty of geometric beadwork.  You'll be amazed at what you can create after mastering a very few specific techniques.  We've plumbed the beady depths of brains around the globe to distill exactly what you need to know to create magic for yourself and design pieces unlike anything you've dared imagine before...  I can't wait to share the excitement; there's nothing better than sharing a piece of your passion with someone and having it reflected back through their eyes.  I hope you'll share your photos and explorations with me so I can enjoy your journey, too.

Happy Beadsday!