Designer in the Spotlight, Bead-Patterns.com

Liz Duffey
Web Site - View Patterns - e-mail

Liz Duffey
by Sigrid Wynne-Evans

Liz Duffey

Liz Duffey has some of the cutest patterns I have seen in a long time. If you haven't noticed her darling little mouse patterns, they are not to be missed!

Click on an image to view the available pattern:

Liz now lives in Raytown, Missouri which is near Kansas City. Liz and her husband of 30 years met while she was working as receptionist. She quips "My funny story here is that I wore extremely short skirts (that was the fashion!). His drafting board was immediately in front of a doorway that was immediately behind the copy machine (thereby providing an "extended" view up my skirt). I reached for a button, which was followed almost immediately with a huge crashing sound. Apparently he leaned forward on his drafting table to get a better look and leaned too far. His entire board flipped him and he landed flat on his backside in the middle of the doorway. Needless to say, he is a 'leg man'."

Liz worked as a programmer analyst for many years. In 1999 she faced some serious health challenges. She no longer works in her chosen career, and she says she does miss it.

Liz has taken a color class from Mary Tafoya which she finds invaluable. As for bead classes, other than the instruction she received from her grandmother, and aunt, she has had none. Liz does cite some influences though. Carol Wilcox, Emily (former host of about.com), Maria Oldring, Cheryl Assemi, Deb Moffet-Hall and Sandra Halpenny are artists that influence her on many levels.

Liz came to join Bead-Patterns.com from a monetary standpoint. Her husband's company closed its doors after he worked there for over 17 years. Liz had a number of patterns that she felt she could develop to generate some income. People she trusted told her that Bead-Patterns.com would give her the most exposure and thus would likely produce higher sales volume.

Liz enjoys picture beading and also open hand weaving. Her favorite design is a peach and olive necklace that she made. Liz's best friend swiped it and never gave it back! Her friend wears the necklace everywhere. Now she has an ongoing joke about her friend: don't ever loan her friend anything, you will never get it back!

Liz has two favorite places to work. One is in the computer room. There, Liz has two cabinets and a set of shelves that all of her beading and craft supplies are in. But most of her beading seems to fall to the kitchen. Liz has a corner area next to the kitchen table where she has a laptop computer on a rolling stand and a small Ott light within reach. Liz occasionally works with Beadscape, but prefers to work in Corel.

Liz says; "One of my recent challenges is to create the images and graphics for the new Bead World Magazine to be released October 2004"

Liz is very proud of the success of a project called B.S.O.T. that she started. Liz asked for pattern donations. Liz, Deb Moffett-Hall and Sandra Halpenny created patriotic designs and ALL of the proceeds went to the U.S.O. Specifically to purchase "care packages" for the troops. Rita was a major contributor as well by the virtue of the fact that she donated the B-P commission on all sales. As such, for every five patterns sold, care packages were bought. Without the members of the bead community out there purchasing all the patterns, it would have been a flop. It was a remarkable success.

For Liz, her biggest accomplishment though is her family. She has two sons, Mike (23) and Keith (20). Mike will be graduating this summer with a Bachelor's in Chemistry and Keith is seeking a degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in forensics.

Liz gives us all some advice! She says: "Bead because you love it! Play with your beads often, get them out and look at them and put tubes side by side to see the colors and textures. If you wonder if something will work, try it. The only thing you have lost is thread and time. A pair of scissors undoes all sins and mistakes. You won't know how some things look together until you try it. Encourage others to try your passion, and if they express interest, teach them. Start simple with projects that show immediate results (netting and open weave are great for this), When others see how you love it, it will light a spark in them."

Sage Advice: Invest in an inexpensive letter size laminator! Whenever I buy a booklet or print a pattern from B-P ... I always laminate it, punch it and put it in a binder. That way you don't worry about handling or spills!

Liz Duffey
Web Site - View Patterns - e-mail


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