When our re-designed January issue comes out, we'll be including more information about our designers. Salena Safranski, who used to work for the Kalmbach Books department, designed a beautiful double-drilled pearl necklace and earrings. She's a big fan of coffee and says that her inspiration for the necklace was a latte! Also, Salena mentioned something interesting about her design process: "I prefer working on projects (beading, quilting, etc.) when I'm with other people, mainly because I like instant feedback." What about you? Do you like to bead in the company of friends? We'd love to hear more about what kind of beading environment you enjoy.