Last Saturday I did a book signing at The Bead Shop in Palo Alto. It reminded me how much I enjoy working with beginners — especially kids. They're focused on learning, and they don't have hangups (yet) about perfection or results. Emily, who's 10, got an ambitious start on her Bubbly Baubles necklace. She was fearless about choosing beads and trying wrapped loops.

If you could go back in time, what hobby would you pursue? (I would've liked to learn Spanish and Japanese. And maybe taken a few tennis lessons.) Even though I believe that it's never too late to follow your dreams, sometimes it just would've been more convenient to get started at a younger age.