Lisabeth Tafoya
by Sigrid Wynne-Evans
Lisabeth Tafoya grew up in New Hampshire and Colorado. Presently, she lives in New Mexico with her husband and four children.
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Lisabeth works as a Crossing Guard at a nearby elementary school. Lisabeth proves that if you want something bad enough, you can find a way to get it. She really wanted this job. To get it, Lisabeth says, "I stalked the Human Resources people when I knew a new school was being built so that my application would be first in line. Oh, and I told my interviewer that the job was 'supposed to be mine' LOL".
Sampling of Lisabeth's Designs:
Click on an image to view the pattern.
 
 
Lisabeth began beading 6 years ago and she blames her Mom for getting her hooked. Together, they went to Thunderbird Bead Supply in Albuquerque so her Mom could get more silver components. Lisabeth saw the sparkly beads hanging on the walls and was immediately drawn to them. This prompted Lisabeth to buy supplies for her first project, a loomed hat band. She enjoyed the project so much that once it was done, she invested in a couple of books and began teaching herself more beadwork techniques. The only classes Lisabeth has ever taken were ones offered at the NM Bead Society summer picnic, where later she also taught a few classes.
Sampling of Lisabeth's Designs:
Click on an image to view the pattern.
 
 
After learning from books, and the few classes Lisabeth took, designing was a natural "next step". She wanted to begin putting all of the experimental ideas she had into tangible form. Lisabeth says "I love every aspect of the designing process except writing instructions. I tend to write in a format that *I* will understand, and not address all of the ways that people learn. Peyote and bead embroidery get equal attention from me, but I also like to delve into other stitch types. Ideas can be inspired by what's around me, people I know and sometimes I just wake up at night with a picture in my head to jot down and try to express in beads." Wow, now doesn't that sound like someone truly bitten by the designing bug!
Lisabeth says that her masterpiece to date is an Angel Tapestry, with 22,000 beads. Three months were spent creating the pattern and another 7 months stitching it.
Sampling of Lisabeth's Designs:
Click on an image to view the pattern.
Lisabeth's work area is modest. It consists of a large 4' x 4' table and her computer desk, located in the office that she shares with her husband. He is always complaining that she has taken 3/4 of the space for her beads, while he gets a tiny corner!
Lisabeth recently switched everything over to a laptop so that she can do all of her designing in Bead Cellar from anywhere in the house.
Lisabeth says her biggest challenge seems to be working with a larger color palette, both in beadwork and in her house and clothing. Judging from the Angel Tapestry she did, I think she is doing wonderfully well!
Lisabeth Tafoya
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