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They steal my sleep. They fill my brain. They make me happy. Teaching Experience, Publications & Exhibits » |
Click here to read the magazine article about Lisa, courtesy of Bead and Button Magazine |
It all started in the summer of 1989, when my friends and I went to the local
hardware store and bought some seedbeads and fishing line. We made matching
anklets (ya know, like the ones where you tie it on and burn the knot so it
won’t come untied), and while my friends said "well that was fun" and moved
on, I was hooked and knew my life would not and could not continue with out
MORE BEADS in it. I took off from there. I collected, I experimented, I
obsessed.
Then 2 years later I found myself working at the ever-famous Shepherdess in San Diego. I was there for college and worked part time at the Shepherdess. Soon, I was cutting my college classes to take beadwork classes. Turned out that was the right decision. I still graduated (with a degree in Child Development) but my most useful education was at the Shepherdess. It is there that I was fortunate enough to learn the basics of design and technique from the best. Click here to see a picture of pieces I made from classes with Cynthia Rutledge, Jeannette Cook, Cheri Lynn Waltz, Lynne Merchant and Pam Rodriguez. I never took a class from Marci Stone (owner of the Shepherdess) but she was absolutely instrumental and inspirational to my future with beads.
In 1996 I moved back up to the San Francisco Bay Area, where I am from, and managed The Place To Bead in San Ramon. With the help and encouragement of Julie Froines (owner of The Place To Bead) I was accepted to teach at the Embellishments Show in 1998. I have been traveling and teaching Nationally ever since.
I've chosen to not travel much anymore because I have embarked on another career, which is really consuming most of my time. One that is just as fulfilling as beads, pays much better but in a whole different type of currency...that is Motherhood. I have 2 young girlies at home, Izzy and Lucy. I traveled and taught while pregnant with Izzy almost every month from Alaska to Florida. Those lovely folks up in Alaska (in January!) were especially patient with me while I had morning sickness and literally laid on the floor for most of the class and gave directions from my “bed”. And the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild got the chance to see me one year all pregnant with Izzy and then the next year I came out again and brought 2-month-old Izzy with me. The kids are GREAT and exhausting but keep me constantly smiling and teary eyed (tears of joy and pure amazement).
Anyhow, many of you have followed my mommy career and are always asking for pix and updates on the girls. I will periodically post updated pictures and stories on the what's new page.
These days I am a regular contributor to many magazines, I am co-writing a book with Barb Switzer, still traveling and teaching a bit and managing my business Beaducation. I have had on online tools, wire and kit business for 5 years (Leela Beads) but now we have added ONLINE CLASSES and have renamed it Beaducation. It was a year in the making and we launched the classes in May 2007. The response has been overwhelming; folks are loving this new way to learn beadwork and wirework where they want, when they want. Check it out for high quality wirework tools, project kits and now online jewelry making classes...
Things That Make Me Happy:
BEADS SUSHI TOOLS NEWBORNS GLASS PURPLE
SPIRALS DANCING WIRE TREES SMILES BEADS