Lincoln Indian Club's 32 Annual Pow Wow 2008

Tom Frenchman II: Dancer and Artist

New Lime Green Jingle Dress

On August 1, 2, 3, 4, 2008, Patrick (son) and I vended at the 32nd Annual Lincoln Indian Club's Pow Wow in Lincoln, NE. Despite the 100 degree weather, we had a marvelous time! Our "Pow Wow Trail" is always exciting as we not only get to share, and hopefully sell, our wares, we get to see old friends and make new ones! This year was no exception.

FEATHER CEREMONY

The little girl in these pictures is wearing her brand new lime green regalia. She worked hard all year to earn a feather and be honored in this year's Feather Ceremony. Members of the family sew new regalia. In this case, they made an appliqued "jingle" dress. She still needed an additional piece and what an honor it was for me, that she and her mother selected one of my barrettes to hold her feather once awarded. Her Uncle John came to the booth after the selection was made to purchase the barrette as his gift to honor her achievement.

My Barrette Selected For Her Regalia

She is one of several young girls that purchased my beaded items to wear during their Feather Ceremonies. The Feather Ceremony is held for young girls and following their ceremony they have earned the right to enter the "circle" for the rest of their lives.

As a beadweaver, this is such a priviledge.

As a daydreamer, who knows, maybe my work will be worn by their children and/or grandchildren long after I have departed this plane. There is no reward greater than for a fellow Native to feel that I have woven just the right piece to add to their regalia!

That Fringe Will Swish and Sway When I Jingle Dance

After today, I will always be welcomed into the "circle"


OLD FRIENDS

This is Mike Scheiblhofer. We have watched him dance at Pow Wows for many years. His wonderful regalia always catches your eye. All of that excellent bead embroidery in his regalia was designed and beaded by him! You may say, "he doesn't look Indian and his name sure doesn't sound Indian", and you would be partially correct.

Mike was adopted by the Omaha Tribe when he was 12 years old. His love for the Omaha culture and tribe is probably greater than many of those with true blood lines. Mike is an excellent dancer and a fine young man.

Howard Miscee, Omaha Tribe Dancer

NEW FRIENDS

Our new friend, Howard Miscee, is a frequent dancer on the Pow Wow circuit but prior to this Pow Wow we had not had the pleasure of spending time with him. Since Howard lives in Omaha, there is no reason that we shouldn't be seeing more of one another as we certainly enjoyed our time together at this event.

Another new friend is pictured at the top of this blog. He is Tom E. Frenchman II. He travels the country, dancing at Pow Wows and resides in Lincoln, NE when he is not on the Pow Wow trail. He is an artist and an expert in clover. Yes, that is what I said, clover. You can see Tom's work at http://www.cloverexpressions.com/.

Next Pow Wow: Macy, Nebraska August 14,15,16,17, 2008

A Perfect Week-End!

Pow Wow Grand Entry: Head Woman Dancer and Head Man Dancer

This perfect week-end started off last Saturday when my son, Patrick, and I drove to Winnebago, Nebraska to attend the 142nd Annual Winnebago Pow Wow. Usually when we attend a Pow Wow, it is after hours of work loading our wares to vend at the event. It was so nice to grab my purse and hop in the car with Patrick to drive.

Winnebago is about 1 1/2 hours from Omaha. Upon arrival, I spotted a vendor named Beading Deals from Minnesota. They sell seed beads and are usually at the Creighton Pow Wow in Omaha each April. They were not here this past April. So, of course, I had to load up on several hanks of their wonderful beads without a clue as to what I will make from them. But I know that some day they will speak to me and it is a long time until next April when I hope to see this trader again.

Three Examples of Regalia

We continued our tour all of the booths then took at rest in the bleachers to watch the dancers in their colorful regalia. The beat of drums, the perfect weather, the wonderful American flags surrounding the dance arena made one proud to be alive and able to participate in this wonderful event.

Give-away Honoring Veterans

In mid-afternoon a give-away was held. This was a gifting of Native American Blankets for the Veterans of Viet Nam followed by all other Veterans and Active Duty Personnel. It was truly moving. In the Indian tradition, each of these men and woman were gifted by the tribe as a way of thanking them for their past and/or present service. After the blankets were distributed one by one, the people attending the Pow Wow, passed through the receiving line to shake hands as a way of honoring and thanking each one for their service and sacrifice.

Patrick Starting To Eat His Indian Taco

After the give-away, Patrick and I indulged ourselves with a traditional Indian Taco and fresh squeezed lemonade. They were yummy! In fact, the lemonade was so refreshing that I had to have a second one to enjoy on the road back home.

Indian Taco: Fry Bread, Seasoned Ground Beef, Condiments

But wait, I must confess to a bit of personal indulgence....I purchased a sterling silver concho and black leather bracelet for myself. The day was so perfect that I justified the purchase as a tangible memoir of the day's events. It will remind me that for one afternoon in a troubled world, we enjoyed peace and celebration.

My Little Indulgence

Now if you haven't had enough about this Pow Wow, you can see additional photos on my Flickr, pages 1 and 2 at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jstinson/

Digital NDN

When I returned home, I discovered that my day of native celebration was not over. Adina Cain, one of my Native friends from Etsy had done a treasury and included one of my beaded barrettes. You can see it in the top left corner. I was honored! What a way to top of a perfect day!

Digital NDN was the name of her treasury. NDN...get it? (Indian). Adina's Etsy store is named Leelinau. She is an enrolled tribal member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Her reservation is located 6 hours north of Milwaukee on the densely wooded shores of Lake Superior.

Adina makes wonderful medicine bags, beaded jewelry, feather pieces and dream catchers. You can see her work at: http://www.leelinau.etsy.com/ You will be glad you visited.

My 50th Etsy Sale

This is the piece that made my 50th Etsy sale. I joined Etsy as a buyer in January of 2007 but did not begin listing items for sale until late January, 2008. While 50 sales in this time frame of six months may not seem like many to some, there is so much jewelry for sale on Etsy that it is a miracle to me!

This piece is on its way to "dumauvobleu" in France. Catherine is the owner of an Etsy store named dumauvobleu or La Boutique de Cathy. She is an outstanding clay artist. I recently purchased two of her wonderful pendants. We are presently in communication for her to make two cabachons for me in designs similar to the pendants I purchased. I plan to do a series called "Viva La Native" melding her work with mine.

If you would like to see wonderful cane/clay work, please visit her store at: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5518984

Merci, Cathy for my 50th sale!

So a Perfect Week-end comes to an end and if only all were at Peace with the world!

I Treasure Turtles

Turtles are totem animals in Native American culture. They are said to be the oldest symbol for planet Earth and represent the North American Continent which the ancients called "Turtle Island .

As totems, turtles teach the art of grounding, they shield one from hurt and envy and suggest we go inward as they do for contemplation. They have the power of earth and water.

I can say with some degree of of assurance, that I am probably one of the few people on earth with a bouquet of turtles in my living room! I purchased the majority of the turtles seen in the photo in the fall of 2006 with plans to put them in my garden. Since it was late in the season, I decided not to put them out until the following spring.

Instead, I stuck them in an umbrella stand, meaning to move them later.

After awhile, I had grown to like them there and simply left them so that they could "ground" me on a daily basis. They generated much conversation during the following months. Then a strange thing began to happen. Gold spiral twigs were added. Then came some greenery. And soon, I was gifted with a turtle walking stick. And most recently, my friend, Veronica Wetzel, purchased a turtle metal sculpure for me at Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha. She was on a tour of these beautiful gardens and thought of me when she saw this wonderful piece in their gift shop. It is the latest addition to my bale of turtles. Yes, a group of turtles is called a bale, not a herd!

In addition to the bouquet of turtles in the living room, I have numerous turtles made in a variety of materials tucked here and there throughout the house and in my jewelry box. I gave my granddaughter, Sydney, a sterling silver turtle ring for her birthday this year.

My most recent "turtle treasure acquisition" is a pair of earrings. I purchased these earrings from an Etsy store named The Filigree Gardens. It is owned by a fellow member of the Boomer Street Team on Etsy. Her name is Olivia and she lives in Menden, MA. Liv, as we call her in our team chats, is a talented artist.

I copied Liv's store announcement as it describes her store better than I could. It says, "The Filigree Garden is always in bloom with unique handcrafted accessories inspired by nature. In The Garden you will find one-of-a-kind and limited edition jewelry and sewn items that blend repurposed and vintage pieces with new elements and findings. You can visit her store by clicking on this link:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5373919

You can see the earrings that I purchased by clicking this link:

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=9376551

You will be glad that you visited her shop. Her work is wonderful!

Yes, I do treasure turtles and hope this explains some of the reasons why.

Featured in 6 More Recent Etsy Treasuries

Etsy Treasuries are made by individuals who buy or sell on Etsy. To make a Treasury, one has to be lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time or tenaciously anticipate and schedule the time one will be available. There are a limited number of Treasuries. A person who gets a Treasury is called a curator. A curator must act quickly and can feature only 12 items (and 4 alternates) from the thousands available on Etsy.

It is such a thrill to find that someone likes your work enough to include it as one of their 12 items! During the past couple of weeks, I have blessed to have been chosen by five curators to be in six of their treasuries (Enchantedbeads got 2)!

The first photo is the Treasury of Scarfitup. She choose to feature my 3-D Dream Catcher. It is the first item on the first row. The owner of Scarfitup is a fiber and textile artist. Her work is sold in galleries in North Carolina and on Etsy. She does wonderful wearable art, purses, and home decor items. Her works are beautiful combinations of color, design, and texture. You must visit her shop! You can do so at this site: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=15788

The second Treasury features my brightly colored beaded amulet bag. It is in the middle position of the first row. This Treasury was curated by Talentedlady. Talentedlady is from Santa Rosa, CA. She does magnificent fused glass jewelry and painted porcelain pieces. Her work is beautiful! If you want gorgeous color, one of a kind pieces, done by a skilled glass artist, then you will want to visit her shop at this cite: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=74612

The third Treasury was done by my dear friend Kathy. Kathy and I have been Etsy friends for several months. We share a love of beadweaving and southwest design. Kathy chose one of my Ghi-Goo-ie lapel pins for her Treasury. It is the last item on the bottom row of the Treasury. Kathy bead weaves beauty! If you need a lanyard for your identification card, a one of kind bracelet, a pair of beaded earrings or a gorgeous necklace to add to your fashion wardrobe, check out Kathy's store at this location: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5328183

The fourth and fifth Treasuries were curated by Ileana of Enchantedbeads. Ileana is member of the Etsy Beadweavers and has been supportive of my work since I joined that group. Ileana featured my Owl Earrings (top row center) in the fourth treasury photo and my Turquoise on Ice bracelet (First item, first row) in the fifth Treasury photo. Ileana is from New York. She not only does wonderful beadwoven jewelry of all types but also does beaded perfume bottles and boxes. She is one of the few people who have clip on earrings available. Her work is exquisite! Please check it out at: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5065568

The last photo is the Treasury of Rachelmira. She selected my beaded barrette for her treasury (last item on third row). She is a member of CCCOE and lives in Los Angeles, CA. This is a team of California artists. Rachelmira's shop features her wonderful metal work. She creates original molds for her cast metal pieces. Her designs are sure to please those who love metal jewelry. Most of work is in sterling silver; however she does do copper and gold work as well. To see her original, fresh designs please visit her store at: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5567497

Good Things Come in Threes!

Last week I was featured in three Etsy treasuries and now I am in three more! It is always so exciting to have someone like your work enough to select it for their treasury! I am so honored!

The first treasury was done by my dear Etsy friend, Kathy Plepel. Kathy is a fellow beadweaver and lives in Phoenix, Arizona. I met Kathy online when I saw a bracelet she had made that I really loved. I contacted her to compliment her on it and we have been in constant communication since. We both belong to the Etsy Beadweavers Street Team and the Etsy Boomer's Street Team. When Kathy put this treasury together, she included my Native American Stretch Charm bracelet. It is in the center of the bottom row. If you love beadwork, you will not want to miss a visit to Kathy's store! She does wonderful southwest influenced bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. Her latest creation is earrings made from guitar picks. Check out her wonderful items at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5328183

The second treasury was done by Zuda Gay. She is a fellow Etsy Boomer and we chat often on line. Zuda has been featured her before so her name may be familar to you from my blog. She included my chain mail Medicine Bundle bracelet in this recent treasury. It is the first item on the third row of the treasury photo. Zuda is a clay artist. She makes wonderful pendants, ACEO's, buttons, and necklaces. Her pendants are unique and gorgeous! To see her wonderful work, go to : http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5164311

The third treasury was done by AOS Leather. She chose my black and white Ghi-Goo-ie earrings for inclusion in her treasury. They can be seen in the middle of the second row. AOS Leather is in Rapid City, Michigan. As one would assume from the name, you will find wonderful hand made leather items in her store. Most of her work is Native American inspired. You will find medicine bags, belts, and wonderful gemstone necklaces. While we have not been at the same Pow Wows, she is a fellow Pow Wow vendor. You can see her wonderful work at:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5515734

Mvto and Wa-do to Kathy, Zuda, and AOS Leather for featuring my work in your wonderful treasuries!

Three New Treasuries

While I was out of town at the end of last week, several of my Etsy friends were kind enough to include me in their treasuries. The first treasury includes one of my beaded bracelets. It can be seen in the center of the bottom row. Following this bracelet being in the treasury, I had an e-mail from a customer who wanted this bracelet done in a shorter length and in purples. I am presently making it for her. Chris is from Michigan and is a skilled glass artist. Her work is wonderful. She works in both large and small sized pieces. She works in fused glass and does terrific dichroic pieces. You must visit her store to see her wonderful pendants and art glass objects. Go to www.chris1.etsy.com.

Pam included my "Native American Bumps in the Road" bracelet in her treasury. It is in the center of the second row. Subsequently, I received a request to trade this bracelet for an item of equal value from a fellow beadweaver Etsy friend. I will be deciding which of her works I want in exchange in the next few days. Pam operates her Etsy store under the name of Bagsandmorebypam. She is from Bloomington, Indiana. As one might assume, she does wonderful handmade bags and more! It is worth a trip to her store just to see her precious grandchild modeling one of Pam's crocheted hats. See her work at http://www.bagsandmorebypam.etsy.com/.

My "Lady of Spain Bracelet" is included in the last photo. It can be seen in the center of the third row. This treasury was done by Althea of Talkingdog. She is a multi-talented artist from Raleigh, North Carolina. With the hot dog days of summer fast approaching, you won't want to miss her wonderful handpainted sun hats. A visit to her store at http://www.talkingdog.etsy.com/ will provide you with a wonderful experience.

Mvto and Wado, Chris, Pam, and Althea for including me in your wonderful treasuries!

Three Treasuries This Week!

The first picture is from a Treasury prepared by Nonnie. She prepared this lovely floral tribute and included my Morning Glory Earrings. They are the first item in the third row. Nonnie is a fellow Bbest team member. She is a stained glass artist from Danville, PA. Her wonderful work includes both large and small pieces of stained glass art. I am sure I have mentioned her business card holders in other blogs. Her lamps are breathtakingly beautiful. You will want to check her work at: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5247001

The center picture is a Treasury of favorite things by Noah's Ark Collection. She was nice enough to include my Falling Rain Hair Barrette in her recent treasury. It is the center item in the second row. She lives in sunny California. Her store is full of all things animal...sterling silver charms, hand carved, jewelry. Her charms are very unique...not to be found in other locations. The variety is great and if you make jewelry and love animals, you will want to check out her items. You can do this at: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5321954

My Native American Picasso Necklace was featured in this Etsy Treasury. It is the center item on the bottom row. This treasury was prepared by my Bbest Boomer friend, Zuda Gay. Zuda is a wonderful polymer clay artist from Illinois. She does pendants, button, jewelry, ACEO's and many other spectacular items. I especially love her polymer floral pendants! You must visit her store at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5164311. You will be happy that you did.

Mvto and Wa-do to Noahs Ark, Nonnie, and Zuda Gay for including me in your beautiful Treasuries!