Cross border beading

"And what is the purpose of your visit to the U.S.?"
"I'm taking a beading course."
"A what?"
"I'm taking a beading course — jewellery making course."
"Oh, go on through."

And with those few words, armed with my google map instructions, I was driving on the 190 towards Tonowanda New York, to Toronto Bead Society member Sue Wise's Bead Gallery, to take a class taught by fellow bead society member Cindy Goldrick.

The day started with great deliberation, as snow was predicted, our first real snow for the winter — finally. Knowing how Buffalo gets walloped by snow, I was checking all the weather reports from Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara Falls and in to Buffalo, looking to see when the snow was to hit. Well, as good as they could predict it would hit. I gave Sue a call to get her take on the weather there, and she said if worse came to worse, she had an extra room in her house I could use. Armed with that information, I thought I could squeak through the imminent storm,  and decided to go.

I left work and drove straight down, as the traffic was light, I think due to the snow predictions, and made good time to the border and on through. I even had enough time to hit a Targé before the class. Bonus.

The class was filled with locals, mostly rookies, but all very keen and enthusiastic about their new found addiction. Though I had not taken a  course with Cindy before, I had an inkling she would be a good instructor, and I was not let down. It was a simple project — a beaded bangle. Something that could look very delicate and perfect for those type A's, or something more organic and lush, for my type — I could see the future possibilities.

Sue was just back from the Tucson gem show and I was chomping to see what she had brought back with her. While she was still processing most of it, I did manage to snag some lovely sterling cones that she brought out, after I made an inquiry.

"You want all of them?," asked the sales girl.
"Yes, why, is that unusual?"
"Yeah, nobody buys bags of them."

Looking outside and seeing a dusting of snow on my car, I knew I had to make a dash, to beat the storm. It was snowing as I left, dry on Grand Island, and snowing as I approached the Queenston-Lewiston border.

Again, the traffic was very light on the QEW. I made it home, before the big snow, to admire my new bangle and start to make more.

Thank you Cindy and Sue for a fun afternoon.

The first of many bangles, I'm sure.