I learned a new word this week..............

I was invited to join and take part in the formation of a beadworker's group this week - the Bead Mavens. Now, Maven may be a fairly well known word in the USA, but in this green and backward land we call England - Hebrew is Hebrew and English is English and almost ne'er the twain shall meet. All us plebians know about the Jewish culture is that they go to church a day before everyone else, and have something called 'kosher'. I'm serious - last year's 'Apprentice' series with Alan Sugar had one of the contestants asking for 'kosher' meat in a halal butcher's shop!!
So, I found out what 'Maven' meant - thanks google! I then had a problem wondering why I had been asked, then I realised that in the interests of sexual discrimination they needed a token man to play with. A gazillion facebook messages and e mails later we have a formed group of 'Bead Mavens'
The possibilities of this group are mind boggling, the ideas tank is at boiling point, and it is where I want to be! I have always had a problem with elitism, and, I'm sorry, but a lot of 'crafts' suffer from such elitism at the upper end. This prevents anyone with an iota of interest getting on the bottom rung of learning that craft - we are about teaching, we are about evangelising Beadworking, we are about loving what we do and passing this onto others. Have a look at the blog - you might find something you like! Bead Mavens