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  • Learn African Helix Stitch in 4 Steps!

    It’s a cliché and dorky tradition, but my husband and I light a candle and make resolutions on New Year’s Eve. We’re each allowed only one. And those amorphous “I’m going to eat healthier” or “I will strive to be a better person” type of resolutions won’t fly. What we come up with are more like personal action items. They have to be utterly simple: things we know we can and will do without being overwhelmed. For instance, one year mine was “make one new friend in the neighborhood”. That was pretty easy to accomplish. Joe’s was “run an Ironman race.” That one seemed ridiculously overwhelming to me, but my dear obsessive mate crossed it off his list, no problem. ...

  • 4 Fringe Techniques Inspired by Zulu Beadwork

    I was at Diane Fitzgerald’s studio recently. I’ve been there before—she’s a home girl (lives in Minneapolis, too), and we get together for lunch now and then. But this time my visit was a little different. This time I was bowled over by the sheer amount of Diane’s beadwork. I swear there was double the stuff than was there before. On stands…on the walls…in progress. And all of it beautiful, finely made, and intriguing in its design. Where in the heck does she find the time? Does she employ elves? The visit gave me the distinct sense that I should go home and either a) put my beading rear into high gear; or b) tidy up my studio and hold tightly onto my day job. Luckily, Diane is so enthusiastic about beading that she’d never want anyone to give up, so I’ve been doing my best to follow Route A. ...

  • Kazuri Beads and Other Good Causes

    Kazuri Beads and Other Good Causes I fell in love with Kazuri beads at a local bead show. ("Kazuri" is the Swahili word for "small and beautiful.") I loved the bright colors of the ceramic beads and once I learned the story behind them--these beads are...

  • Zulu Beadwork

    Copper, silver, brass, or ? I'm going through a copper phase. The last few necklaces I've made (including "September" pictured at left) have all used copper. I'd blame it on fall--this time of year always makes me want to wear brown or golden colors-...