I dream in beads. Quite literally: oftentimes they keep me awake at night and then when I do fall asleep, I dream about things I am going to make.
Or I get stuck in the place that's just in between being awake and being asleep.

I like to think that the things I make always existed in some other place, and they just find me in their idea form because I have an antenna that listens to them, and then I just backwards engineer them.

My muse and model and sidekick is a boxer princess called Samantha Regina. Her fondness for fishing- and mostly just swimming around with fish- started my obsession with fish themed jewelry. Her underbite left a mark on my heart, and consequently on my art.

Before the jewelry I was painting murals. I like jewelry more. I don't necessarily always like to wear what I make,because I am a very plain and practical person, but as I am getting older my own jewelry is wearing on me. I now at least put a bracelet on once in a while.
I like bracelets most because they become the bridge between me and the world, as my arm reaches and touches the world, yet remains in my sight at my viewing pleasure.

Life has been good to me in the last couple of years beady-wise. I have had some recognition and did really well in major international competitions, such as the Battle of the Beadsmith and Bead Dreams. I also quit my day job to pursue my bead artist/teacher career full time, and it's been going great.
If you are interested in the classes I am offering and where I am teaching them, please visit my blog:
http://crimsonfrogdesigns.blogspot.com/

Hey, thank you for reading through this.