Last week I was looking at my new Beadwork magazine and a face jumped out at me. It was Marylou Holvenstot who has a beautiful bracelet in the magazine and the instructions on how to make it. I was stunned. Marylou and I bowled together a few years back in Illinois and we both worked for and retired from the same company. I haven't talked to her in at least 10 years. I contacted her through Etsy and found out she does incredible beading and also does drawings and sells her paper art on etsy. We have been emailing back and forth for a couple days now and I'm hoping to see her when I get back that way in July. She's given me some great tips to help me with my Etsy shop.

Marylou doesn't do polymer clay but she has lots of friends that give her beads to use for some of her items that she makes and sells on etsy. I decided she needed some of my things also. I was just finishing up with some clay that I had been working with. I tend to make Natasha beads from the ends of everything and try to get a few spirals out of it too. I sent her the set of beads in the lower left corner picture above. She hasn't seen them yet. The colors are pretty wild, most of her jewelry is low keyed and classy. I guess she could always string them with bells and hang them on the back porch. I wanted her to see some of the other things I had been doing lately so I spread my stuff out on the nearest thing I had which was a Shamwow (I Love Those Things). They are great for holding beads when you are sanding them. Anyway, here's my Shamwow with the latest things I've done. If you see a little "Julie Picarello" in there it's because I took a class from her in February. I love that girl. She's a great teacher. Thank you Julie.

If you get a chance, please visit time2cr8.etsy.com and see all the beautiful things Marylou has done and while you are there, check out bleekreations.etsy.com. I'm working at getting more into my shop but it's a slow process for me.