TGIF. . .

I'll be working on a custom order tomorrow, but I do hope to have some spare time to put together a new set of beads for eBay, so stay tuned.

Last week's getaway made me realise I'm desperately in need of a long vacation. DH Russ & I have been talking about that the last week (well.. that, and purchasing a spa) and we're really hoping to head over to North America within the next 12 - 18 months. The plan, at this very early stage, is that since I have a cousin in Portland OR, we might visit again with her, her husband and their three children for a few days, maybe pay a side visit to the Bullseye glass factory in Portland, then leisurely take our time driving up through WA and up to Canada. (Oh, and speaking of my cousin, who is Australian but has been living in the US for about 16 years .. her husband, Mike Kane, is a doctor, an anaestheologist, to be exact. Although that's now his speciality, he studied to be an orthopaedic surgeon, so I'm hoping to get a little bit of free medical advice about the arthritis in my neck - LOL.. It's always good to have a doctor in the family!).

Although I've been to the USA at least half a dozen times, I've never been to Canada, and it's one of those places that's always been on my "must visit before I die" list.

Luckily, I have a few beadmaking buddies around WA and Canada.. Lynn of Silver Moon Lampwork and Tonia of Whistler Lampwork. Although I haven't had the pleasure of meeting either of these ladies in "real life" as yet, I consider them both wonderful friends, and I'm very excited at the prospect of the three of us hooking up for some seriously fun times. I may even spend a few days staying with Tonia in Vancouver.. I'm sure the two of us will get into some serious trouble! And on a side note, if you buy lampwork, you really must check their beads out (if you haven't already) .. they are both brilliant lampwork artists who deserve far more recognition than they currently receive. Original, artistic, well made lampwork beads are something that seem far and few between these days.

And on that note, I'm off to grab some dinner before DH Russ & I head over to our friends' house for a few glasses of bubbly later this evening. Have a great weekend, and thanks for checking in.