I have made beads.  I have started my equipment without blowing the house up and made beads.  The front two are the best.  After I made this many I decided to stop and go read some more because things weren't working quite as planned.  Nevertheless, I have made beads on my own in my own studio with my own equipment.  Very.  Big.  Grin.

I have signed up for a bead class February 14 and 15 (February 14 is my anniversary so I had to clear it with Husband who had no problems with it – he'll just go on to work instead of taking off) with Vitrum studios.  It will not be with the same equipment but I want the process more than the equipment.  They are offering a class on my kind of equipment in May.  I will save my pennies.  It's for larger beads.  I can make large beads with me equipment.  Focal beads.  As my friend Jana would say:  happy dance!

This is short, so go visit Ancient Artist and read her business plan listed in her right hand column.  It is most excellent…very right brained.  There's also an interesting previous post on "style" – I won't take off on that now as I must be out of the house (which is part of this year's business plan:  get out and mingle with new folks.  Today is a book club meeting and then lunch with one of my not so new folks whom I love dearly from my organizing days).

thought for the day:  And let's face it – the world isn't going to be dramatically changed by art – not by your art, my art, or anyone else's art.  It shouldn't be the world we're concerned about changing – it should be our own idea of how the creative spirit moves through us, and how we might be able to use that energy for the greater good.  Ancient Artist, Ancient Wisdom:  Emerging Artist:  A Business Plan for the Mature Artist Part 1  (see the link in the body of this post as her links are very long and I'm out of time).