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.