Most of you know that my mom, Anna Hass, is the 'original' rockhound in our family ~ well after retiring she decided to try her hand at beading. Using those teeny, tiny seed beads and by looking at pictures in magazines, she began creating some pretty neat open stitch peyote rope necklaces. She then began embellishing them by making a variety of flowers, leaves and little creatures. My friends and I have been amazed with her creations as her fingers have been damaged with arthritis. (Mom says that working with those tiny beads keeps her fingers nimble.) In 2008, she entered one of her necklaces in the Tennessee state competition for her FCE club, (sponsored by UT), and won first place in the jewelry event locally and second place in the state. Mom then became more confident and entered a contest with 'Wild Dasies', (inspired by the wild flowers that grow in her backyard), and won Second Place National!!! (Watch for her design to appear in a future Fire Mtn Gems advertisement as part of her award). Yeah Mom!!! (and no, I still do not bead)

(So I'm not staying as current as I would like to be with blogging.)As I mentioned in December, Sonja Kiser came for her 4th private session just after Christmas.
Her husband, Larry, got a mini-introduction to the cabbing class that my husband will be teaching 'in-studio' this year too. Larry really enjoyed it and is now very interested in learning the art of cabbing. With all of the designs running around in her head, Sonja and Larry will make a great team!
(Watch for Sonja's first published project, in a future issue of Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry magazine!)

I mentioned that Diana Hoffman had made a LOT of pieces during her 2 day, 'in-studio' class. Here is a better picture of the eight projects she completed ~ combined with her past classes, she earned two certificates too! (Can you tell her favorite color is the same as mine? Beautiful forest greens.)

Diana has taken several, individual project classes with me in the past, (at Bella Beads in Huntsville, Al and at Stardust Designs in Nashville, TN). She then decided to get more detailed instruction by coming to my studio for a 2 day session in early December 2008. We had a lot of fun working on a LOT of things! Diana has some great new design ideas ~ I can hardly wait to see what she comes up with before our next session.