Lots of new Buttons

Lots and lots of new buttons have been carded and are ready to head south to Atlanta.  We are leaving here just as the weather is finally beginning to warm up.  It was snowing Sunday and today it is supposed to be in the low 60's.

We will be at the Stitches South Show in a little over a week.  If you are in the Atlanta area please come out and visit us.

Revisiting Beads

 I ran out of little frog beads at the show in Minneapolis a couple of weeks ago and I had not made little fish beads in a very long while.  So...........

 ..............I thought I should make some of each.  And I have a couple of customers who have already spoken for several of these.  The little fish are so cute but their tail fins make them hard to photograph.  I need to make up some earrings out of both kinds of beads but that will have to wait until next week.

We are headed out before dawn in the morning in I guess about 2 inches of snow if the weatherman is right.  We have a show called the Art Glass and bead Show in Madison WI this weekend.  Click on the show name for a link if you are any where near for all the info.  It is a really nice show with a great variety of vendors and classes.

New Mixed Media Cords

Last week just before (I mean just, as in Thursday when we were leaving Friday)  we left to go to the Twin Cities Bead Bazaar I made these mixed media cords. I had the idea Wednesday and just had to try it out and make them up.   I am using all of my fiber stash to make them.  There are sparkly metallic fibers from my stash of serger threads and lovely shiny satin fibers.  They feel just fantastic.

 I had to figure out packaging really fast, so I don't know if this is how they will stay but it works for now.  And they hung nicely on my rack with the necklace displayed below.

I also had to have a display and while this is not as fancy as I have in my head it does show how you can use the cording.  The cords seemed to go over pretty well I had to come home and make some more to take to my next show in Madison next weekend.

Customer Request

I had a customer request puppy dogs.  Sculpture is not really my thing so it has taken me a while to work these out.  I do finally like them.  Now to find out if she likes them.  Don't forget I will be at the Twin Cities Bead Bazaar this weekend make sure to check it out.

Work Table Wednesday

 Wow and it is Wednesday.  Sorry I have been absent.  I have been working though.  I had a request from a good customer for a row counter bracelet that had the copper feel and clasp.  So many of my beads go with copper because I love it so, but for more than a week I couldn't find my copper mojo.  I reverted back to turquoise and brown always a good combo and found a few.  One of which the customer liked and ordered.  The other three are headed off to Hopkins, MN with me on Friday for the Bead Bazaar.  The show is both Saturday and Sunday and is in a great open gym at the Eisenhower Community Center.  Check the link for more info and come visit me.

I also have been giving myself a day off every weekend we are home and last weekend was playing with paint.  I did some giant sheets of paper very much like this small piece that are for another project.  This was a postcard that I have already mailed.  I really had lots of fun making layers and layers of paint. 

Some new Jewelry.........

...........that I got finished in time to take to the Bead Fair in DesMoines.  (If you want to know more about the show check out yesterdays post.)  I have wanted to make these wrap necklaces for a while.  They are long about 48" with no clasp, so you can wear them single or wrapped to make multiple strands. 

 

 They have all kinds of little treasures in the strand and I made several colors.  I honestly had trouble stopping as they were just so much fun to put together and decide which bead might be fun to add next.

 I of course had to make some earrings to go with the necklaces.  Since I wanted to tie in the seed beads from the strand I made a tiny seed bead flower which is a take off of one in the October/November 2009 issue of Beadwork Magazine.

The earrings of course had to come in all the colors too.

And off we go..............

...................to my first show of the year.  This is what my spare bedroom has looked like for the past two weeks as I was getting ready for the show.  I have been filling up trays with beads just as fast as I could and have lots and lots of new beads.  We will be in DesMoines IA at the Windsor Heights Community Center at the corner of 69th and School Street.  Saturday 10-4 and Sunday 10-3.  The Bead Fair moved last year from the Living History Farms to the Community Center and it is a wonderful building with lots of parking.  So come and visit us as the weather has promised to be nice this year and we will be having lots of fun.