Tambour Beading Workshop with Karen Torrisi

Another amazing weekend - done! This time it was Tambour Beading with the long-admired-from-afar Karen Torrisi - Sydney grown, now London based. For as long as  I can remember, hers is the name associated with Tambour Beading, and thanks to Koala Conventions, I can now call myself a student of hers. Apart from the fact that she is stunningly gorgeous, and a heap of fun, she is a kind and generous teacher full of encouragement. It is not the easiest craft in the world to learn, and requires patience and dedication, as well as kind words from your  teacher in order to endure! I myself was very much challenged by it; by the end of the first day, I think I worked myself into a knot for not being able to master it, by the second day, I understood that the more relaxed I was, the better it worked - to the extent that if I couldn't get the correct motion, I would simply look away, take a breath, and it would all come to pass! It is by no means a product oriented workshop, in fact, the first days work was pulled apart by the end of the day, and not much survived the second, whether by intention or not! There was nothing impressive to show off to Matt from my weekend of work! These few lines were the sum total, (some actually have beads on the other side!) but you have no idea what they mean to me! I have found a fabulous new challenge, and am very much looking forward to practicing  - guess what I'll be doing at the Craft & Quilt Fair in Launceston this week?! I also enjoyed a bit of bling shopping at the trades hall, stocking up on some seriously gawdjuss beads from Colour Streams, as well as from Karen