The holidays are already bending my routines. Time normally gladly given to beading have been preempted by past lives' activities. On Tuesday I finished rubber carving and stamping the over 100 New Years Day cards. On Sunday I found out that my carving days are definately over as the ox I tried to carve turned out to look like a bloated cow just ready to die. I gave up and used a scan of another ox. I belong to a group that exchanges New Years greetings and haiku. Mine was:

an ox brings

blossoms from the sun

a new year

Late in the evening I picked up my beads again, marvelling how clean they were, how easy to place properly, and how satisfying to be pulling a thread instead of banging on the desk. Now I know why I gave up stamping, too.

Then yesterday I was looking forward to getting back to the brooch backs and beginning that new project when I noticed all my trays were filled with unfinished projects. But before I could begin on one of them I talked to my daughter on her 51st birthday. Without meaning to, I asked her what she wanted for Christmas. Her answer was she was out of the potholders I crochet. BB (before beading) when I was nervous the only thing that would quiet me was crocheting potholders. Every one who knew me nearly swam in potholders. However, all that energy now goes into beads. But for my kid I put away the beads and made potholders.

Again, before going to bed I did have a lovely hour mindlessly beading on the Christmas trees. Again how good to touch the glass of beads and what a joy the sparkly colors are. The thinner thread is so much easier to handle than crochet cotton. These two days have showed me again why I enjoy beading so much.