Boo Boo Present

Lou and I have this tradition of boo boo presents.  Whenever one of us is sick or has some procedure done...which is getting more frequent these days...we get a boo boo present.  This is mine.....

Cataract Surgery

Yesterday, I had cataract surgery.  It's been coming on for about 2 years now.  I first noticed a small blurry spot in the middle of my vision and my readers were no longer working for the one eye....in fact that eye was getting stronger for reading.  Although my distance vision was vanishing.  I couldn't see large letters across the room but I could read the tiniest print.  That might not be so bad but that eye seemed to have a huge cloud in it. 

So I decided it was time to do something.  Yesterday I had surgery.  The actual procedure took about 15 minutes...not that I was really awake during it.  Everyone was wonderful...from the lady at registration, my pre-op nurse, the operating nurses, the post-op nurses....and of course my doctor.  They gave me just enough sedative that I don't really remember what happened after they wheeled my into surgery.  I talked to the nurses briefly, I remember them drapping my face and thinking I should open my eyes....although I couldn't.  I remember some light and then I remember the post-op nurse helping me off the bed into a chair.  The gave me juice and a danish and sent me home. 

Today I went back to get the bandages taken off.  Everything looks good so far.  There is some shimmering in my peripheral vision but that is normal and will go away.  Before surgery I couldn't see 5" high letters across the room.  Now I can see them with only a little blurring.  The healing process will take about 2-4 weeks but I'll be back to work on Tuesday. 

Quite an experience.  I'm getting lots of cuddle time with the cats and Lou is taking care of me....although he hasn't given me that foot rub I asked for.  Here is a pic of my new bionic eye....

I knew I was getting a lens implant but nobody told me that I was going to get a cat implanted in my eye too....how cool is that.  Everybody's going to want one!!! 

Actually it's just the reflection of the iPhone...but it looks like a white cat....LOL.

More Stash....

I admit it...I'm a stash whore.  Stash includes books, tools, beads, and artifacts.  I guess that's one of the reasons why I work full time....so I can afford this obsession.

So here is Bead and Button Stash 2013...Part Deux.



Beads from JoAnne Zekowski
 

Heliodor from Kia.. These are really large.  I'm channeling Wilma Flintstone. 

Rough aquamarine from Kia

More Heliodor from Kia.

Disc beads by Angie Graham

Slag from Gary Wilson

I can't remember what these are but I loved the craters in them.

 

Cris brought me stash from Tuscon.  Ammonites...

...and fossilized shells

and she gave me a really cool coin from India.  I've since found two squares ones.  They come from the Mulwa Sultanate in medieval India

 


 

Bead Stash!!!!

Bead and Button provides the greatest opportunity to buy....STASH!!!  As if I need anymore...but it's hard to resist all the beautiful things you can find at the show.


Wooden Buddha beads. I've seen these all over the place and finally broke down and bought some.

Buddha close-up....I'm ready for my close-up Mr. DeMille.

The treasures below are from Bead Paradise....the best bead store on the planet!! They have a great website.  If you can make it to their store you can buy some fantastic baubles on-line.



Tuareg beads.  Lou saw these and instantly asked me to make him a bracelet.



Gorgeous old glass

Some big metal bead :))  But very cool!!



Rubies!!!

Old stone stamp

Silver medallions...two elephants, two horses, and a lion...oh my!!
 

Baule brass medallions 

 One of the coolest things at the show were these drusy shells.  I didn't know things like this even existed.  It made me think how amazing this planet is...that it can make these gorgeous shells.  Found these at Horizon Mineral owned by Joe Jelks...such a nice man!!

Turquoise from the Kingman mine in Arizona.  Summer just cries out for a turquoise bracelet...or two.

 

Sonoran dendritic rhyolite....maybe one day I'll perfect my skills at setting stones.  I certainly have a huge stash of cabs.

More stash later.....Au revoir, bye-bye.

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Class Pictures

I didn't take near enough pictures of the classes that we taught.  The time just flew.  All of our classes involved metal etching.  The 6 hour classes used etching as a basis to make a piece of jewelry.  One class was earrings and the other two were bracelets.

Our classroom was in the convention hall floor.  We made use of every inch of that room and even pushed out the backside.

Cris on the move to her next demo.

Yiyi working on a bracelet.

Cory working on her bracelets.

 



Kath Steinbring's Zentangle design.  This is based on Betweed (see below)

 

After a long day of teaching.....we hide behind the curtains of Karen's booth.

It's been ages

Seems like it's been ages since I last blogged....and in fact it has.  In early May I squirreled myself away to work up samples for the Bead and Button classes that Cris and I taught.  The show has come and gone so quickly.  And now my schedule is filled with a couple dozen other projects that need to be completed. 

But first...the show...  During the first 4 days Cris, Yiyi and I took a Master's class with the incomparable Celie Fago. 

We worked with sterling metal clay making rings. Great class and lovely clay.  It may actually draw me back into silver.  I love rings and have always wanted to make them to round out my repertoire of jewelry...necklaces, earrings, bracelets and now rings.  Below is a sampling of the rings we made in class.

Below are the 5 rings that I made in class.

 

 

And with every Master's Class comes the graduation dinner.

Me with Erin and Celie



Annie and Katie

Yiyi and Cris

Yiyi, Jean, and Cris

Hazel and Yiyi

Marlene and Hazel
 

There were beads and buttons on the table so of course...we all made jewelry.

Hazel made a stunning bracelet

Annie's beautiful ring

We had a great time!!  These girls are all so wonderful!!