Week Eight: Shirley Cook

The Best (so totally NOT) Little Bead Box(ES!!!) is back on its way to California, to the home and studio of Shirley Cook, the eighth of our twelve beaders. You can keep up with this bead and fiber artist and her creations through her Jumping Jack Glass website and her blog.

Here's a little bit about her and her involvement in our project, in her own words:

I'm Shirley Cook, owner of Jumping Jack Glass - named after my jumping Jack Russell terrier Peanut. I got hooked on beads in 1996 when I learned how to make earrings by putting beads on this thing called a head pin and then making a loop at the top. Little did I know then where that lunch-hour class at the office would lead. After spending about 4 years haunting beads stores and shows, I took my first lampworking class and decided to trade in my fantasy of becoming a skydiving videographer for the torch. My husband is grateful to this day - maybe that's why he wanted to buy me a torch before I even thought about learning to melt glass. Over the years I've tried various beading techniques, learned a bit of wire and metal work, become hopelessly addicted to seed beads, and ventured into fiber art, but I am still enthralled with melting glass. When I was presented with the opportunity to participate in the "Bead Box" project, there was no way I could turn it down. I've been involved with the Beads of Courage program for several years and have even attended a "roll out" of the program in one of our local children's hospitals. I teach glass bead making classes on a regular basis, and donate all of my demo beads to Beads of Courage. It's a wonderful program that is near and dear to my heart. And then there's the opportunity to raid the bead box... how could anyone resist THAT?!

It will be fun to see exactly what Shirley decides to keep from the box and - more importantly, of course! - what she decides to add. We have it on good authority that she will be creating some beads for the occasion. Stay tuned!