Tootie and I were very excited to spend a recent afternoon in the studio of local artist Cathi Milligan. I first heard about Cathi’s work through CRAFT magazine– she did a great macrame curtain project for their fourth issue. I loved the beads she used in her project, and couldn’t wait to learn how to make a few of my own!

Pictured above are the beads Tootie and I made after just an hour or so of practice. We went in as scared newbies and left as full-fledged beadmakers. Cathi has a way of making even klutzy folks like me feel like we’re in safe hands. I can’t wait to get my hands on a torch again soon!

Naturally, just as Tootie and I were starting to feel cocky, Cathi knocked out this amazing cupcake bead in about 2 minutes flat, sprinkles and all. Holy moly! Clearly we have a lot to learn. If you’re interested in trying glass beadmaking too, we’ve added a two-night class to our July schedule. As an added bonus, Cathi will be giving an informal beadmaking demo at our monthly Open House night happening next Friday, June 26 so you can see firsthand what it’s all about. Hope to see you there!