| Jeanette Shanigan | |
Here's a lovely biography written especially for us by Jeanette Shanigan, author of one of my favorite beadwork books, Beaded Adornment. Jeanette is just charming, and if you're going to Embellishments, seek her out and say hello! Also, keep an eye out for her newest book Beaded Holiday Adornment
Jeanette writes:
I have a passion for beads and beadwork. I do beadwork; I design beadwork; I teach beadwork; I write about beadwork; I judge beadwork; I compete in beadwork; I exhibit beadwork; I sell beadwork, I rave about beadwork, I surf through beadwork sites, and I shamelessly hook people on beadwork. But it's not my whole existence. Really...!
I have a husband, two sons, two daughters-in-law, a granddaughter, a grandson, and another grandbaby on the way. My family demands and readily gets a good portion of my time. Now can I really be faulted, because one of my granddaughter's first words was "bead"? Or that my mother-in-law alter ego demanded that my daughters-in-law learn to bead?
I have a full-time job, too. I teach high school. Yep, for 27 years I've been teaching teens how to speak German. That one jewelry (ahem...beadwork) class each semester is just a convenience for everyone---a multicultural, arty elective.
I have a home in the most beautiful state, Alaska. Can I be blamed, because the long, cold winters encourage bead-snuggling? Or that the long summer days incite bead-play? Or that every aspect of the place from the landscape to the culture inspires bead creativity?
It's hopeless---best to just flow with the beads!
My latest project has been book #4. The title is Beaded Holiday Adornment. There are 25 projects (earrings, necklaces, pins) for festive occasions, such as Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Mother's Day, etc. Nine of the projects are from my out-of-print book Beaded Holiday Earrings. There has been so much demand for that book (phone orders from distributors and stores, copyright infringement on the net), that I decided to get some of it back in print. Included are my three favorite techniques: brick, netting, and peyote. There's also a chapter called "Public Acclaim." Topics include pricing, selling and copyrighting beadwork and competitive judging standards. The book should be available by mid-July 2000. Now I suppose, I should add "I self-publish beadwork books" to the above list!
As my freebie pattern, I'm pleased to present "Moose Nugget Factory." This amulet bag is pictured on the front of my third book Beaded Adornment. It's a perfect example of how Alaska inspires my bead creativity. Truly, I see this sight nearly every day all winter long. As the moose browse and eat, they leave behind piles of nuggets or droppings. There are enterprising Alaskans who collect these nuggets and make novelty, gag gifts for the tourist trade. Why, there's even a Moose Dropping Festival in Talkeetna, Alaska each year. (Any excuse will do for cabin-fever-relief!) So, if you make this bag, be sure to include oval-shaped brown beads to represent the moose nuggets.
Now that the book is done, I'm preparing for my classes at Embellishment. Stop by and chat, if you'll be there, too. Bead happy!
Jeanette Shanigan
Jeanette has provided the pattern Moose Nugget Factory for us. It is shown on the cover of the book Beaded Adornment, but the pattern has not been published. Also included are the written instructions for this very cool pattern!
Thank you Jeanette, for being with us this week and for your adorable pattern and instructions. I know I'm looking forward to your new book!!
