I'm Back

Boy, it's sure been a while.

When life gets in the way the blog seems to be the first thing to go.

Since I was last seen on my blog April 14th last year (eek!) to say a lot has happened would be a huge understatement.

SO.....update from where I left off.

Beading For a Cure.

I ended up discovering a stitch I hadn't done before, Pondo or African Circle stitch and it worked perfectly with the beads in the kit with the addition of some of the new two holed beads....Super Duos.

I sent in two bracelets for the auction.....the first being PonDuo Tapestry

The second being the top part of the lace cuff that wasn't working.

Many people requested PonDuo Tapestry be a tutorial and many asked for a kit too. I don't normally do kits but as this one had some hard to track down beads I did. There are still a few kits left and they are in my store along with the tutorial.

Battle of the Beadsmith

I know many of you followed my progress in this widely published contest and are familiar with my entry

"Armadillo Blossom Purse"

For those not familiar my muse gave me the challenge to cross an armadillo with a lotus blossom and threw in a difficulty clause that I use cube beads.

Here it is with the Armadillo Egg Vessel that came after.

And here's the 'glamour' shot of me with the purse.

And during all of this I moved Mom and I from Utah to California.

Cleared and cleaned the house for sale, packed a U-Haul truck, towed my car and got us to Fresno.....and I only broke two toes, threw my hip out and ended up on crutches otherwise it went quite smoothly...lol!

The second trip....back to Utah to list the house was a nightmare. I really wasn't well enough to go but despite my protestations we went. I was so sick with migraines the whole trip, which had to be extended because I was basically just a ball of pain.  We discovered the house had termites, luckily the good kind....well, less bad kind...had to tear down a wall and have the house treated, put in new carpet too. Fortunately I managed to have windows of wellness to organize all this and understanding realtors to help Mom

After major problems with the U-haul trailer for the journey back we made it. Home is now Fresno, California.

I did realize that maybe me moving even a couple of blocks from Mom might not be the best idea and we joked about if the apartment next door became vacant it would be perfect. I checked and was told the woman who lived there had no plans to move. A week later the property manager pulled me aside and said "You'll never guess what"

So after a few delays I moved next door in November.

Before the move happened we got a puppy...

 This is Bella after she destroyed a box of kleenex.

She's the sweetest and smartest dog I've ever had and is great pet therapy for Mom, which is the main reason I adopted her.  She has brought lots of love, joy and laughter...and mess...to our lives.

After this I got pretty sick, I think the year was so hard on me that I was drained and vulnerable.  I started eating healthier, started juicing again but it still wasn't bouncing me back. After seeing a check list on Dr Oz for gluten intolerance and checking off every single thing on the list I figured that might be my problem. So, I went gluten free.

The first week I felt better and I lost a couple of pounds, it wasn't too big a deal to cut out gluten.  Then it got serious. I became super allergic to gluten and the tiniest bit would make me horribly ill.  I seemed to become allergic to lots of things and wondered if I actually had Celiac disease.  It was pretty scary but I kept going, knowing that if I put healthy things in my body I would eventually get better.

And I have. January saw me have my first normal month in ages. I was working again, no longer a vegetable on the couch.  I wasn't quite well when I taught a little class at the bead society meeting and in truth I thought I was going to pass out and had to hightail it to the bathroom, and it did take me two days to recover but at least I managed it.

A month later and I'm feeling like my old self....well, a new, gluten free old self.  Yesterday I convinced myself that I am better because I booked my flight to the Bead & Button show in June. I did take the insurance because one never knows but I really want to go and this year is my best chance.

It also means I really am starting that new life I've been craving ever since my Dad got ill, died and I was stuck in Utah with Mom.

We're very happy here, Mom loves it as much, if not more, than I knew she would, she says she feels alive again and she doesn't miss her old home a bit!

So...I'm back, my blog is now back and I'll be sharing lots of new stuff as I get back into it.  Stay tuned...good things to come :)