Well, the suitcase is almost packed, and I'll be heading out to the Bead & Button show in Milwaukee for my very first time in just a few hours.  I've been remembering my first major bead show....about 6 years ago now, when I went to Tucson for the first time and I took my first 2 classes. 

It was February 2006 -- and among my goals for attending the show I wanted to meet Linda Hartung.  Many of you know Linda and her fabulous WireLace and AlaCarte Clasps.  I had read about her company, and I just had to see the products and her in real life!  Well, I took her class and I just loved every minute of it -- I was completely hooked on WireLace, and of course, I loved Linda from the first minute I met her.  BTW, I met Val Hirata in that class, Mimi from Mimi's Gems, and another good friend, Sara from JewelrySupply.com. 

I was so impressed with Linda's booth...it was one of the most professional set-ups I've ever seen.  And on one end of the booth were all these fabulous pieces of jewelry using WireLace and AlaCarte Clasps.  Linda was there, and told me she didn't design them all, some of the pieces were other designers work.  Well, at that moment I said to myself: "Someday...some day, my work will be on display in Linda's booth also". 

Folks, someday is HERE!

Linda has some of my work displayed in her booth now (the Chocolate River Lariat) AND I'm doing demo's at the Bead & Button show for her!  Somebody pinch me and reassure me that I'm awake, please!  This is truly a dream come true for me....and something else, something I think about every day.  Dreams DO come true, and we can make them happen!  We just don't ever know when, or how, or where.  We just need to dream the dreams, believe they will come true, and do everything we can to make them come true, and then......then....well....somehow, someday, they will.

I'll be living one of my dreams this Friday and Saturday!

Sparkles and smiles,  Diane