There have been numerous books, movies, and TV shows that have deeply influenced my life. And yet, I have not met (and probably never will meet) the people behind those productions to tell them how much I appreciate their work.

It was so refreshing, then, to attend the Bead&Button Show and shake the hands of the beading celebrities that inspire me. I met Diane Fitzgerald, whose passion for teaching has earned her a following so large I could hardly get through to say hello to her. I also met Pamela Wolfersberger, whose inspiring profile will appear in our upcoming August issue. Also in August will be an expert advice column by Jackie Truty, whose table I helped watch while she took a breather from the Meet the Teachers Reception. Linda Lehman, Larry Scott, Christi Friesen, Sonoko Nozue, Hatsumi Oshitani, Kim Fields, Dustin Tabor, Stephanie Sersich — the list of beading celebrities goes on and on!

In what other environment are you able to work with, learn from, and laugh with the biggest names in your field? At what other place can you tell world-renown role models just how much they mean to you? That, to me, is a big part of the magic of the Bead&Button Show.