Holiday Boutique in Oceanside, CA

Holiday Boutique
Featuring:
Silpada Designs
Sterling Silver Jewelry & Accessories
Élan Studios
Unique Hand-Beaded Jewelry
Taglieri
Original Oils & Limited Editions
The Olde Bag Lady
Designer Handbags
Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009
11:00 am to 4:00 pm
4723 Rim Rock Road * Oceanside, CA 92056
78 to College Exit, North on College to Oceanside Blvd.
Left on Peacock Hills, Right on Rim Rock.
For further information: Elan_Studios@sbcglobal.net

Carlsbad Inn Trunk Show - week 2

We had a very successful second weekend at the Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort and both Bonnie and I are very grateful for the opportunity to show there. We were inside the resort's library this time, and out of the cold and rain. We had lots of resort traffic, and some visitors from the flyers we had distributed.

The things I learned from this past weekend include:
1) Don't plan a show on a Chargers Game day if you plan to set up in the only area with a big screen tv.
2) It was a very, very, very good idea to accept credit cards and go through all I had to do to get set up to take them. Two-thirds of my sales were paid for with plastic.

Things I learned from the first weekend include:
3) Balloons are helpful if you have an outdoor booth located on the other side of a parking lot. It lets people know that there is SOMETHING going on over there, and most are curious enough to come over and look.
4) Bring lunch. Bonnie went to get us food, and while she was gone I had a sale. The problem was, the lady hurried me (my mistake to let her get me flustered), and I did not check the expiration date on the credit card. Lesson learned--I had to eat the sale because I couldn't process the charge without the expiration date of the card.
5) Dress in layers. I got this one right.

I had a lot of fun and it felt great to hear the compliments on my work. I moved a fair amount of stock and met some really nice people, including the resort staff.

Holiday Trunk Show in Carlsbad - 1st weekend

Well, the first two days of this Holiday Trunk Show were COLD! Our spot was outside between the resort and the restaurant, and there was a cold breeze from the ocean whipping right through us. I had to get creative with some of my displays as gusts would topple them over from time to time, but figured it out in the end to put the plexiglass necklace stands sideways so the wind went past them.

Bonnie got a tank of helium and we added balloons to the posters I made. This was good because it indicated to folks on the other side of the parking lot that there was something going on over here. We had lots of foot traffic, thanks to the influx of resort guests and restaurant traffic, plus stragglers from the weekly art show that is held on the front lawn of the hotel. Also, being jewelry, 99.99% of the women who saw our tables stopped by to look. A woman can never have too many shoes or too much jewelry!

And because of the art show, one of the oil painters we met is going to join us at the home show on December 20th, too. Bonnie is probably going to move it from her house to her mom's house because there will be more room. It's now up to 4 of us: Bonnie (Silpada Designs), me (Elan Studios hand beaded jewelry), The Olde Bag Lady (knockoff designer bags), and Mary, the painter.

So ultimately Bonnie and I had a good time doing this and are looking forward to being here again next weekend. Let's hope the rain stays away (on the weekend) and that it is a little warmer too.

Update on Holiday Boutique

There has been a change to the dates for the Holiday Boutique that I will be participating in with my friend, Bonnie. We are reducing the dates from the first three Sundays in December to only December 20th. But for good reason!

The first two weekends in December, I will be displaying and selling my jewelry at the Carlsbad Inn, outside between the hotel and Fidel's Restaurant. I'll be there Saturdays and Sundays (hours to be determined). I am waiting for confirmation that Bonnie will be able to sell her Silpada jewelry as well, and will update this blog when I find out.

I am pretty excited about this opportunity. There is a long-standing art show that takes place on the hotel's front lawn every weekend, so there should be established traffic from that in addition to normal weekend foot traffic in the area.

Wish me well!

DC Bead Store

I was in Washington DC last week for business, and while there I visited a bead store I had been to a few times before. Bedazzled is located in Dupont Circle, very near the Metro. While it is convenient, it is not the best bead store in the world (sorry, Bedazzled), but it IS a bead store and I support any and all of them. (LOL)

I found some gold french boullion I had been looking for (I use it to protect the threads while attaching clasps) and some different toggle clasps in gold and silver, and even two $1 grab bags of assorted beads. I got those as a challenge to myself to make something from a hodge podge assortment.

Many of the bead magazines that I read often have Bead Challenges, where the same assortment of beads is given to three or four people, and they are to create something with them. Then the magazine publishes photos of the finished pieces to show everyone that there are many ways to use the same materials, just depending upon your taste, skill level, and preference of materials. (The designers are encouraged to use the beads from the initial assortment, but it is okay to fill out the design with materials from their own stash, too.)

Anyway, if I ever get around to making something with those grab bag beads, I'll post a picture of it.

Better Late Than Never

It's been way too long since I updated this blog. Life gets in the way sometimes.

Anyway, my friend Bonnie and I are going to hostess a Holiday Boutique at her home in Oceanside this season. She wants to hold it over three Sundays in December, from 11 to 4. My initial thoughts were that two would be enough, and another vendor that is participating thought the same thing. But I don't have anything to loose by doing it three weekends, so heck, I'm in.

Bonnie is a rep for Silpada Designs, which is a line of very nice sterling silver jewelry and accessories. She used to sell Cookie Lee Jewelry, but moved up a few notches with the new silver line. Bonnie also makes jewelry herself, so I hope she has some of her own work for sale too.

I have been on sort of a bracelet binge the past couple months. I like making them and they take less time than a full beaded necklace. (I am talking about beadweaving moreso than stringing.) I am addicted to tiny seed beads, in all shapes, colors and finishes, so I love to work with those more than any other type of bead. Which isn't to say that I don't adore semi precious beads, freshwater pearls or glass beads of any kind -- I Do!

Anyway, I will attempt to post the flyer that I am working on for the show. Tell me what you think, and by all means, come and visit!

They're Everywhere, They're Everywhere!

Bead Stores, that is...


I spent this past weekend in Morro Bay with my husband, celebrating his 55th birthday. We drove up early Friday morning (and I do mean early) and arrived around 9:30 am. While waiting for our hotel room to become available, we wandered around the town, looking at neighborhoods and tourist attractions. After poking around the shops by the waterfront, we checked out other downtown streets. And wouldn't you know, in this sleepy little town we found not one, but TWO bead stores!


Harvey noticed the first one, and immediately swerved into a parking spot a couple doors down. He said to take as long as I wanted, so I did. What fun.

This one was Beads By the Bay. It was a small, jam-packed little store, with two rooms up front, and a garden where they sold plants, and a little shed-like building with a table and clearance items. I imagine they held classes back in the little shed, and it looked cozy and inviting.


And they also had a sweet neighborhood yellow kitty with no tail who came up to me and nuzzled and talked to me. She let me pet her tummy and followed me back past the koi pond into the main rooms of the store. They had dishes with food and water for her, and said all the neighboring businesses got visits from her.

I found some fun seed beads, bugle beads, pearls and findings, and tore myself away before I dented my checking account much worse.

The lady who worked at that first store also told me about another one around the corner. Paula Radke, the dichroic glass beadmaker, had her store a mere block away.

So I checked her store out too, and had a pretty tough time choosing a strand of dichroic glass beads. She had a bunch of pre-strung beads with Swarovsky crystals and spacers, just itching to be finished into bracelets or taken apart to make earrings or necklaces.

I struggled and finally decided to go with a strand of black/orange/pink/fuscia round beads that came with light pink Swaro 6mm crystals and gold star-shaped spacers. I don't know what I will use them for, but I was pretty pleased with my purchase.


I behaved in that store (mostly because her beads were pretty expensive), and happily left with my one strand.

My husband earned LOTS of brownie points that day. He even stopped at a couple more stores just for me, but these two were the cream of the crop. I was in bead heaven for the rest of the weekend.

There really ARE more people out there like me...

Man, where did the time go? I have attended several bead-related functions since I last wrote in May, and started many new projects too, so I guess rather that try to play catch-up on everything, I'll just write about the biggest highlight of recent events.


Harvey and I went to a birthday party for a friend one Saturday evening in July (the best man at our wedding) and when we got there, we walked around the side of the house to their back yard. We made our way into their kitchen, as we had brought a bottle of Falkner wine and a card, and wished to give our gift to him in person.

There were just a handful of folks in the house at the time, as the crowd was mostly outside around the pool. We said hi to Dennis, and then his wife, Jamie introduced us to people there. As she got to one woman, I noticed this exquisite beaded necklace she was wearing, and almost sank to my knees. I asked her to open the collar of her shirt so I could see the necklace better, and mentioned that I was a beaded jewelry designer and had a deep appreciation of things like this!

Well, that was it. She said her name was Judy, and that SHE had made the necklace, and we ended up spending the rest of the party talking beads, beads, beads! I barely said hello to the other guests! Judy lives in Palm Springs, and spends a lot of time in Big Bear too, so we know that this friendship has great potential. She loves freeform peyote and bead embroidery, and loves making intricate necklaces with cabachons and freshwater pearls.

I told her I could hardly wait to see some of her work, and a few days later she oblidged with some stunning photos.


We shared all sorts of tips and information, and I turned her onto sites like Etsy.com, ShopHandmade.com, Meetup.com and some of my favorite online bead stores. I gave her the url to see some of my older photos of my work (http://www.flickr.com/photos/elan_studios/show/) and told her about this blog. (I warned her I would write about her too!)






I am thrilled to have a new bead buddy, and look forward to a long and rewarding friendship with you, Judy!

Beadwork Meetup (or what Harvey affectionately calls "Bead-a-rama")

I hostessed a Beadwork Meetup at my home a couple weeks ago, and although the turnout was rather small, we had a really good time. (It also spurred me to get my house cleaned from top to bottom.)

People brought appetizers and desserts and I pulled out my mom's antique glass dishes for coffee and tea. I set up a long table in the family room and brought a few Ott lamps for good lighting, even though it was pretty sunny outside. Two of us were working with tiny seed beads, so the extra light was useful.

Of all of the people who RSVP'd, only three (plus me) attended. That was okay, though, as we had interesting conversations and got to know each other so much better this way.

Doreen blew me away with her exquisite beaded teapots that she brought along to show. She had seen the basic instructions (by Diane Fitzgerald) in a bead magazine and then went on to create them with decorations of her own design instead of just plain. The ones on the left side of the picture have a blue and gold geometric design, and the center and right ones have florals.















Doreen's Beaded Teapots and Wedding Cake

Oh, and she made up her own patterns for the teacups, saucers, creamers and sugar bowls, too! The teapots and sugar bowls have removeable lids and are just the cutest things you have ever seen.

She also made a beaded wedding cake (center of photo with the purple edges) that is three tiers, AND opens up on top (not sure why but it is cute). I think she said she was planning to enter it in the Fair this year.

Michelle worked on, and finished, a necklace that had Swarovsky crystal beaded beads. She showed me how to make them (better practice it soon or I will forget) and they seem pretty easy.

Teresa made a necklace also, and we had fun giving each other advice on our projects. Doreen started a Russian lace (beaded) bracelet from a pattern she downloaded from Bead and Button's Beading Daily site (I think that's where she got it). Pretty, but complicated.

I started a spiral twist necklace in black seed beads and bugle beads. I finished it a few nights later and have worn it twice already.

I had such a good time with these ladies that I am definitely going to do it again. They all posted nice comments on the Meetup website after they got home, so hopefully other beaders will read what a good time it was and will want to come next time. Oh, and they loved my studio. :-)

Doreen, Teresa and Michelle

London Bead Store

So, I just got back from London (well, actually two weeks ago, but time flies fast) and I wanted to write about the bead store I visited. It is called, appropriately so, The Bead Shop.

I have been there several times before, but this time I was sorely disappointed. It seems the bad economy has even trickled down to the bead shops overseas. They have a wholesale area in their basement, and in the past I have come away with some pretty terrific finds. Well, not so this time. I did buy some beads (can't go that far and come home empty-handed!) and have started using them, but it was just not the same.

I bought two bags of metallic beads (gold and silver plated) that are round like a tube, but short, like a large seed bead. They look best strung and not in a beadweaving pattern because the beads are quite irregular. But that makes them look rather cool in multi strands.

I made a bracelet this past Sunday with four strands of the silver beads, and interspersed with small silver Indian bells. The bracelet has definitely an East Indian look to it, which I attribute to my love of Bollywood movies. When I get a chance to photograph it, I will upload it.

Meanwhile, I am continuing to play with the other stuff I got there, and will write about it when I make some more pieces.

Escondido Humane Society Bazaar

I did a craft show today (in the blazing sun and heat) and had the opportunity to be situated next to a dear friend, Dawn. The show was a benefit for the Escondido Humane Society and there was a great turnout of vendors. Unfortunately, there were fewer shoppers than vendors, so we all walked around and visted each others' booths and networked.

It was a lot of fun anyway, even though most of us had poor sales. But Dawn and I had a great time chatting and catching up, so the day was far from a bust.

What did I learn from today's show? First off, I need another folding table. Second, that putting up my display in my studio the day before was a great idea and made today's set-up go quickly, as I knew where I wanted everything to go. Third, that even if your sales are low, you can still get your product out there and if it is good, people will remember you.

Dawn had a great attitude about today's show, too. She has a darling line of little girls' hats that have holes in them for you to pull the kids' pigtails through. She thought of it when her daughter was frequently pulling off her sunhat to get her hair out of her face. She cut a couple holes, put the hair in pigtails and voila! A business was born. Anyway, back to Dawn's attitude -- she was happy to get the word out about her product and was able to give out quite a few business cards. She will be doing more shows in the future, and people will remember seeing her hats when they run into her again.

But what about BEADS, you say? That is, after all, the topic of this blog... Well, I have this to say: I thrive on the feedback I get from customers as they examine my jewelry. I love talking about beads especially to people who are new to beadwork. I am particularly excited when I find a fellow beader who shares my enthusiasm for this medium. Beadlovers out there, I want to meet you all. Drop me a line and share your passion (bead-lust? :-)

Beady-eyed

Well, I'll be(ad). I didn't realize I had already blogged about the Meetup. My B(e)ad.
I'll write about something else I did recently, then.

A week ago Friday, I helped my co-worker, Bonnie, with a bracelet project during our lunch hour at work. She was with me last August when we attended the Pasadena Design and Bead show, and she bought one of Donna Palmer's bracelet kits. Well, it was a little tricky to get going, and Bonnie had twisted things around a little. So I cut off the end of what she had started and made her start it again. And voila! After a little bead sex (put it in, take it out, repeat) she had it!

The kit that Bonnie got had two sizes of Swarovsky glass pearls in mocha and cream, and gold size 15 charlottes. It worked up really pretty but I was surprised to hear the following week that she had run out of beads before finishing it. Bonnie's wrist size is 7-1/2" and there were only enough beads to make maybe 6 to 6-1/2" of bracelet. We will have to be sure to advise Donna of this so that she can advise people of this fact.

Anyway, it looked like a fun pattern, so I went home and made two for myself over the weekend. (I will post photos soon.) Donna also sells the kits with Swarovsky bicone crystals, and those looked very sparkly and bright. I made mine with Czech crystals just to see how they would work up. It was a fun pattern.

San Diego Beadwork Meetup

I meant to post this right after the meeting but life got in the way. I went to the monthly Meetup meeting at South Sun a couple Sundays ago. The group organizer, Teresa, really puts a lot of time and effort into lining things up, and is a very welcoming hostess. I brought along a tube of seed beads (one of Donna Palmer's mixes that I bought from her last August in Pasadena) and the instructions on how to do a spiral herringbone stitch. After one false start, I had it. I know I need to post a photo of it (and plan to do so), especially because the colors are wild. (Orange, purple, lime... Very Donna-like.) Watch for it.
Anyway, the meeting was small this time, but I was able to meet three new friends. It is interesting to see what each person is into, and what materials they are most comfortable using. I was the only one working with seed beads that day. Teresa made two necklaces in the time she was there (prolific!). I had a good time and really enjoyed being around other jewelry-making addicts like myself.

Beadwork Meetup

I went to the San Diego BeadworkMeetup on Sunday. I hadn't been since last fall, due to a busy schedule. I knew one person (Teresa, the group leader) and met three new friends. We all brought projects to work on, and Teresa actually finished two necklaces that afternoon. I taught myself spiral herringbone stitch (with a size 11 seed bead mix I bought from Donna Palmer at the Pasadena Design and Bead Show). After backtracking only once, I got the hang of it and stitched about eight inches during the time I was at the Meetup. I enjoyed the company and the opportunity to meet other beaders, and even though the turnout wasn't as large as other meetings, we had fun. (We always do.)

Virgin Blogger

Hmmm. It's about time I tried this. Today is the first time I have attempted a blog, but after seeing my friend, Dawn's, and noticing blog urls on other designers' websites, I thought it was time to give it a go.My first entries will be short as I explore how this thing works. After time, though, you should be able to see what this shapes into, and watch my progress (blog-wise, and bead-wise).Thanks for stopping by.