When I first began beading I never imagined that it would not only take me all around the World, but that I would get a constant education from everyone I met through it.

It has brought me to places I would never have travelled to other wise and introduced me to people I just would never have got to meet. It is such a continual pleasure to get to meet everyone and share in their diverse life, converse with them and have them make an impact on me and my life.

The impact can be through something as simple as a joke someone tells or a colour scheme they use which inspires me.

It can be something they create from one of my projects, or a problem they have with a project which teaches me how to better explain, or bead, it and gives me something I can take forward in my work.

Sometimes it can be bad experiences which teach me to learn to not ignore red flags when working with people, and though these can be tough lessons I hope they educate me and make me stronger.

It can be that personal conversations are had, such as the ones I was a part of here at BeadFX just over 3 years ago, which educate me and hopefully help me to empathise with everyone I meet as often we are all going through things behind the scenes that affect how we interact with each other and means we sometimes turn up to classes, as students and teachers, with more than beading fun on our minds.

All these things, and more, are running through my head on this trip as I've been working so hard recently, and have months more of a lot of work coming up. I also had to have 2 small medical procedures last weekend which shook me, physically and mentally, much more than I expected. So I'm very tired but loving being here. BeadFX is truly one of my favourite places to teach!

When anyone tells me I should travel less, or I think about travelling less, it's trips and days like these I remember. Days when I get to spend time with inspiring people and fill my world with colour, fun, inspiration and knowledge.

I could stay at home and sleep but where would be the fun in that?

Instead I'm here learning and relishing all the inspiration and support around me.

Some of that inspiration comes in the form of Katie Longboat and her beautiful work. Katie is gorgeous, funny, talented and clever. I always love her colour schemes & take on my projects and today I got to see some of her own work. I got to hold it and be awed by her design, bead and colour choices. It's things like that, and the friendships I make and fun I have, that make every second of travelling worthwhile.

Who knew beads would take me so far and show me so many different things?