Starlia is HERE!

Yay!!! Diana

You'd better take pictures!!!

Tell her hi from me.

OMG we forgot to take pictures! NOOOOOOO She just left, so she wouldn't hold up what sounds like a fantastic dinner made by her MIL. Let me get over my reeling from her visit (it was SO nice!) and I'll post about it:)

It was a wonderful visit and Candace is a doll. Her sons are cuties as well. I just wished I had met Adam.

Well, Starlia arrived when the kids were in Quiet Time, so we had a few minutes of peace to ourselves, lol. Once Dare woke up it was "Miss Starlia" this and "Miss Starlia" that :) I'd been holding a 2 liter of Dr. Pepper ransom in my fridge (Adam loves it, I can't stand it) and I finally got to pop it open for the intended. Starlia is such a generous lady. As she walked in, she handed me two books, Wicked and Lost, and said there were two more in the gift bag she was holding. So after I cleared away some of my current beady project from the table, I sat down with her and jumped into the goodies:) The other two books are complimentary autobiographies by a husband and wife, and their struggles with life after he was horribly injured in Vietnam. They talk about the struggles and hardships, and how they went on to become serisously dedicated missionaries of God. Starlia had those books signed by the authors, and dedicated to me. One of them says "Candace, you're so blessed to be a blessing" and after Starlia left, I was thinking much the same about her.

The gift bag (which btw, is stunningly beautiful--it's covered in gorgeous pinkish roses with gold accents) was also a beady delight. Among a whole bunch of other things, there were some lampworf florals she had made just for me:) I had to purposely set one of them out of sight because it was so mesmerising--there are so many things going on that bead! lol After she left, I went through the bag aqgain, and found the cutest little spacer bead that literally has cherries on top--made me laugh when I thought of the thread here concerning Becki and cherries. I'll leave it to Starlia to say what else was in the bag:)

I showed her some of my jewelry, and some pieces I had made with her beads, and a bunch of others. She really liked a bracelet I'd made with a green freeform diochric focal (Thank you, Sooz:) and so it became hers. I also found my smallest bracelet, one with a dolphin charm, and sent it on it's way with Starlia. She didn't know her wrist size, so I measured her and we found that my guess was dead on--her wrist is exactly 6 1/2 inches around. Since I didn't know that ahead of time, I wasn't able to make her a bracelet like I wanted, but now that I know, I'm sure one will be winging it's way to Texas in no time:)

Just before she left, she watched me play a video game with Dare for a minute, then she gave it a try herself. LOL! She's a natural--she whooped him. I didn't even come close. He was in heaven. In fact, he just right now asked me when "Miss Starlia" is coming back.

She asked to see my new babies--the washer and dryer, lol. I showed her, and felt like a proud new parent hahahaha. My Crack Kitty, Spazz, also took a liking to her, and kept sticking her nose in Starlia's drink, trying to share.

Having Starlia visit was like a breath of fresh air, and I'm just sorry it had to be a short visit. I hope the dinner she was driving back to was every bit as good as it sounded:)

I can't wait to see her again.

I am so envious! I wanna go play with Candace and Starlia too!

-Kalera

And I want you to come play too!

That sounds like fun. I would love to have you both in Texas or meet you in Missouri!

I loved my visit with Candace. She is so warm and friendly, just like I knew she would be. Her boys are cute as can be with bright eyes and the most beautiful curly hair. You guys would love Candace's hair. It's so long and curly---naturally.

I was so tickled to have DP waiting on me. I was so thirsty and that just hit the spot. I can't believe she made Adam wait to open it---kinda like she knew I would be coming after all. I'm so happy things worked out the way they did because I was so hoping to meet her in person.

Candace's beading wonders are a site to behold. The beaded amulet bag she made for her grandmother's funeral is a site to behold. I wished I had remembered to bring in the cameras to take photos. She showed me some other projects she is working on and they are gorgeous! The necklace that Dare designed for Rebekah is a true masterpiece. I just can't get over the design out of a five year old.

I wanted to take some beads to Candace and I had a bunch sitting at home not being made into anything. A couple of days before we left I went through all my beading supplies and found some items I haven't ever used and thought she might get some use out of them. I found out that one of my favorite beads are vintage fire polished Czech. Candace told me that they had more facets than the newer beads. (She knows a lot about different kinds of beads.) There were several baggies of goodies for her to go through.

I did get her a set of pearls and a set of garnets at the bead show. She showed me a woven project that she was working on and said she had wanted to weave pearls onto the top of the bracelet. Those steel gray pearls matched that bracelet perfectly. I know when she gets done it will be gorgeous since it's gorgeous now!

I wished I had the opportunity to stay longer. Dare told me that everyone who comes to visit stays a week. That was so funny. I hope to go see Candace again the next time we come up for a visit.

Me too....but would you settle for visiting me?? LOL.

Settle? whats with that nonsense? methinks you need a western USA RCB meet up. Can you imagine??? The sparks would fly. Creative juices with overfloweth... it could be cosmic. Diana

The French Hotel....a tiny place with a coffeehouse on the 1st floor...is 2 blocks from my house. Some could stay at my place.

Between the French Hotel and my house.....the BEAD STORE!!!

~~ Sooz

THAT would be fun too! And you're not so far away...

-Kalera

That almost sounds like a beader's heaven.

I haven't even gone into the many, many food options in the 3-block area -- bakeries, pasta shops, cheese stores, world-famous restaurants and delicious tiny hole-in-the-wall joints, tapas, Brazilian/Indian/Thai/Italian/Chinese/French/you-name-it.........(You will gain at least 50 pounds.) And how nice it is here. Like a little village. An antique shop (not fussy), even a hat store! I mean, it's just lovely.

Plus there's this grey and white husky who's been seen walking here and there......he really likes to sniff girls' legs..... ~~ Sooz

I'll come, gladly, but you'll have to remind me to take an antihistamine before stepping foot into your house. I'm unfortunately allergic to dogs...their saliva can make me swell and itch within minutes. We might make it down that way next summer.....we'll do a whirlwind tour of West Coast RCB'ers

Merc's the type of dog who doesn't lick people, or fawn all over them, so that should help. And I always have antihistamines available for bee stings, so you're in good hands.

And Merc isn't here half the time, so it could be a moot point anyway! ~~ Sooz

Sounds like y'all had a lovely time!!

I can vouch for the bead store and Sooz's place!

I haven't stayed at the French Hotel - but I did see it - cute!

Kathy (always ready to roadtrip for beadiness) K