what a week, part two

Just a couple of days after returning home from Olympia, I was off to Tucson to enjoy a visit with Libby, my friend and fellow jewelry artist. The trip was planned to coincide with the Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show events that take place each year in Tucson. Libby guided us through 3 of her favorite bead shows during my short stay. It was a bit of a shopping frenzy, I must admit, mixed together with a load of inspiration.

One of my favorite vendors was Sandra Younger of The Knotty-Do-It-All, a design board that makes knotted cord jewelry much easier to create. Sandra made a bracelet for me using one of the charms I got from the Green Girl Studios booth, and I came home with one of her boards.
I found some nice things at Akonye Kena's booth; some hand-dyed fabric, a couple of bags, and a handmade photo album. This organization partners with young artisans in Africa to provide a venue for selling their goods, including colorful beads made of recycled paper.

A few other little treasures that found their way into my bags.

The time passed all too quickly but it was a great seeing Libby and catching up with her, eating great Mexican food (!!!), and experiencing a little bit of Tucson.

what a week, part one

Last Friday, buddies Debi and Tory piled into my vehicle and the three of us set out to Olympia, Washington for a clay play weekend at the lovely home and studio of our friend and potter extraordinaire, Maggie Roberts. Maggie and her hubs, Dave, are the owner-artists of Kennedy Creek Pottery.

In the studio teacher Maggie expertly led us through several projects; here with Debi and Tory on either side, busy with their creations.

I was so pleased with my birdhouse! Tory and I each made one of these to add to our gardens when they are fired and glazed.

We created a village of pottery houses; some are painted with colored slip (liquid clay).

And here are the tiles we made using the sgraffito technique, carving through dark slip to reveal white porcelain clay beneath. This was great fun! My tiles are at center and upper-center.

Thanks to our hosts Maggie, Dave, and Spud the wonder-Corgi, we had an amazing time.