Joan Courtney is more than a friend, she and her husband are closer to Charlene and I than many people, and the word "friend" just seems to be such a small term to describe these two (ok, well, three, McDuff, their pup is a frequent guest for play dates with our three fluppy dogs!).

Joan's work is mostly in knitting and crocheting with beads.  She likes my idea of tatting with beads, but she's so busy, that she rarely gets more than a few minutes to dropp McDuff by and scoot off to her next assignment.  She is also quite talented, though she didn't realize it at the time, in embroidered bead work, which I am blessed to have a piece.  (Pictures to come)

Now this is a tricky situation; Jayne Wilkins doesn't do a thing with beads, but she knows what she likes, and she knows what is good!  Presently, she lives in a small Kingdom called Lesotho (pronounced leeSUtu).  I believe it's the only landlocked country in Africa.  Break out your atlases, turn to South Africa, and head East and North.  It's a Kingdom completely surrounded by South Africa!  Now ... it should be understood that little beadwork comes out of Lesotho, but Jayne has to go to South Africa for supplies often.  So each time she goes, we try to send along some "spending money" and she loves shopping!  At this point, her collection is well developed, and well represented in our own collection.  Jayne is on a Mission and isn't there for beads, but to help those with HIV/AIDS or who have lost family to this terrible disease.  Many of the Sesotho have already been evangelized by Western organizations, but she's in there too often cleaning up after the those they have left behind.  I generally don't sanction missionary work, but her work is so much more than simple evangelical work that I am always moved to tears because of her and the work she accomplishes!  Pray for her chickens and cow!  (Pictures to come) 

Theresa Geary is the one person, next to Charlene, who probably believes in me the most.  I am always humbled by her work, her writings and the books she produces that simply and clearly walk a student through the process of beads and bead work.  She includes me in her conferences and drags me out of my home kicking and screaming to give presentations to small, medium and large groups.  And she's comfortable enough with me and my skills to leave me alone to teach two techniques at once!  She is a great inspiration, and I hope that when you get to the Collection and Library portion, you'll make an effort to find her work, and get copies for yourself.  The Illustrated Bead Bible is completely her work, though I had a hand in helping get that tome together!  (Pictures and Bibliography to come)