We took a tiny holiday today in celebration of the first day of summer and Father's Day. That however did not mean that I did not bead! Between opening gifts at the breakfast table, making calls with kids, going out to visit a sick friend with no children and watching the last rosy glow in the sky at 10 o'clock, I did get some simple stringing done.

I did not mean to start stringing but was searching through the bags for the big carnelian beads from Africa to add to one of the lariats done in the peyote spiral stitch and found so many beads that just seemed to want to be together. Having the new order from Fire Mountain and all those new beads surely helped unleash this stringing bout. I have several more combinations laid out in the tray to try today.

Just found out that the announcements of finalists for the Fire Mountain Bead Contest went out long ago and I never got mine. Last year there was the same problem because we don't get our mail here at home. Somehow their computer will not allow letters to go to the post office. So at least, now, there is still some hope that my tree piece will be picked for a finalist. I only have a week to get it to Oregon if that miracle happens.