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October Bead Shows - Wholesale and Retail

JustA Tish Designs has posted the October bead shows, so where ever you are there just may be a bead show near you.

via JustATish Designs by JustATish on 10/7/09

October kicks off the holiday shopping season. Trying to think of that perfect gift to make or give to someone? Have a beader on your list who would love a new strand? Have you been a good boy or girl and just need to buy a little something for yourself!! Here it is, here is that chance to shop till you drop, knee deep in beads, findings, sterling, gold, and everything else you can imagine for your beading needs. Trust me, there is nothing better than running your hands thru piles and piles of beads to get motivate, inspired and rejuvenated! Hopefully one is in your area!

Happy Shopping!!

Oct 9-11: CA: International Gem & Jewelry Show: Santa Monica, CA: Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1855 Main St.

October 9-10: MA: G&LW Shows: West Springfield, MA: Eastern States Exposition

Oct 9-10: OH: World Gem & Jewelry Show: Columbus, OH: Greater Columbus Convention Center

Oct 10: WA: Rings & Things BeadTour - Spokane bead show: Spokane WA: Mirabeau Hotel Spokane Valley (Ballroom), 1100 N. Sullivan Rd.

Oct 10-11: FL: Jewelry, Gift, Fasihon Accessories & Bead Show: Ft. Lauderdale, FL: The Sheraton Hotel, 555 West Cypress Creek Road

Oct 10-11: FL: Down the Street Bead Shows: Deland, FL: Deland

Oct 10-11: SC: Intergalactic Bead & Jewelry Show: Mt. Pleasant, SC: Omar Shrine, 176 Patriots Point Drive

Oct 16-18: CA: Gem Faire: Del Mar, CA: Del Mar Fairgrounds, Exhibit Hall, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd.

Oct 16-18: CA: International Gem & Jewelry Show: San Mateo, CA: San Mateo County Expo Center, 2495 South Delaware Street

Oct 16-18: FL: Down the Street Bead Shows: Pompano Beach, FL: Elks Lodge, Pompamo Beach

Oct 16-18: IL: World Gem & Jewelry Show: Schaumburg (Chicago), IL: Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center, 1551 N Thoreau Drive

Oct 16-18: NY: The Whole Bead Show: New York, NY: Metropolitan Pavilion, South & North Pavilions, 1st Floor, 125 West 18th Street between 6th & 7th Ave

Oct 16-18: MS: Natchez Gem, Jewelry and Bead Show: Natchez, Ms: Natchez Convention Center 211 Main Street

Oct 16-18: PA: The Philadelphia Gem and Jewelry Show: Philadelphia Pa: University of Pennsylvania,3417 Spruce Street

Oct 17-18: FL: Intergalactic Bead & Jewelry Show: Pompano Beach, FL: Emma Lou Olson Civic Center, 1800 N.E. 6th St.

Oct 17: WA: Rings & Things BeadTour - Seattle bead show: Seattle WA: Seattle Center (San Juan Rooms), 305 Harrison St

Oct 18: WA: Rings & Things BeadTour - Mt Vernon bead show: Mt Vernon WA: Best Western Cotton Tree Inn (Cascade Ballroom), 2300 Market Street

Oct 23-25: CA: Gem Faire: Pleasanton, CA: Alameda County Fairgrounds

Oct 23-25: TX: World Gem & Jewelry Show: Austin, TX: Austin Convention Center

Oct 24: WA: Rings & Things Bead Tour - Bellevue bead show: Bellevue WA: Bellevue Community College, Cafeteria, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE

Oct 24-25: FL: Down the Street Bead Shows: Ft Myers, FL: Clarion Hotel - OLD Radisson Inn

Oct 24-25: TN: Intergalactic Bead & Jewelry Show: Memphis, TN: Agricenter International - (D-wing), 7777 Walnut Grove Rd.

Oct 27-28: NC: G&LW show:Asheville, NC: Asheville Civic Center

Oct 30-31 Nov 1:G&LW show: Orlando, FL: Osceola Heritage Park

Oct 30-Nov 1: CT: World Gem & Jewelry Show: Hartford, CT: XL Center, One Civic Center Plaza

Oct 30-Nov 1: TX: Bead Renaissance: Live Oak, TX: Live Oak Civic Center, 8101 Pat Booker Road

Oct 31-Nov 1: NC: Intergalactic Bead & Jewelry Show: Durham, NC: Durham Marriott Convention Center - (B & C Halls), 201 Foster Street

Holiday Shows - Inventory

Some good tips for your holiday craft shows.

via Art Bead Scene Blog by Heather Powers on 9/25/09

It's that time of year again, arts & crafts shows pop up all over world as shoppers seek out unique holiday gifts directly from artists and craftspeople. So let's talk inventory today.

1. Your jewelry will fit in three categories:
*Show-stoppers - those amazing, over-the-top pieces that are higher priced. These bring shoppers into your booth. Display them prominently.
*Necklace and bracelets that are mid-priced, for me those items are in the $45-$75 range.
*Impulse buys - items are usually $25 and under. Here you'll find your earrings and very simple pendants. This is always the bulk of my inventory.

2. The more impulse items you have, the better. While people may stop to see the amazing $300 necklace, they are more likely to pick up something from the other two categories. I make lots matching earrings for my necklaces and bracelets. When someone buys an item, I always point out the matching earrings.

3. Make twice as much as you'd like to sell. So if you want to make a $1000 for a day, you have to have to least $2000 in inventory.

4. Not everything has to be one-of-a-kind and you don't have to put everything on the table at once. Find a balance, too much inventory makes it harder to shop. I make 3 or 4 pairs of the same earring design and in 2-3 different colors. I replace them as they sell.

5. Gifts - think beyond jewelry. People are looking for teachers' gifts, hostess gifts, secret Santa presents, etc. and jewelry may be too personally for these occasions. Bookmarks, ornaments and ceiling-fan pulls are just a few beaded gifts you could create for your holiday shows.

Chicagoland Gardening Magazine ISO Young Gardeners

via Chicago Garden by Mr. Brown Thumb on 9/17/09

Are you interested in gardening and under 35? If you found an Ed Hardy t-shirt in your closet would you throw it in a compost bin before ever wearing it?* Do you and your friends use around buzzwords like "sustainability?"If you answered yes, then ChicagoLand Gardening magazine wants to talk to you. They're conducting a 35 and Under Garden Focus Group to help direct the magazine and garden dialogue in Chicagoland. You'll discuss edible gardening, ecology, sustainability, environmentalism.When: Saturday, October 17, 2009. A second meeting takes place in April of 2010.Time: 9:30 a.m to noon.Location: Chicagoland Magazine's Office. 915 Parkview BLVD., Lombard, IL 60148 (near I-355 and I-88)To volunteer for the Garden Focus Group send an Email with your Name,...

Dorm room gardening

via Garden Variety on 9/17/09

 

Garden Variety

 

Photo courtesy of Matt Lehman

In my garden column in The Baltimore Sun today, I talk with Matt Lehman, a 19-year-old college sophomore who carried a garden with him when he return to college in Kansas.

Matt's family owns Lehman's, an Ohio, hardware story and catalog outlet that caters to Amish and others who do not have or use electricity.

After working in the family store all summer - and contracting a bit of cabin fever - Matt said he found refuge working outdoors in his mother's garden when his shift was over.

Attracted to Mel Bartholomew's book on square-foot gardening, he decided to build his own (1 foot X 3 feet), cart it back to college, and place it under his dorm window. With the help of some extra lighting, he is growing some fine tomatoes, beans and cukes.

Matt said his little garden gave him the same kind of pleasure working in his mother's had during the summer - something constructive and contemplative to do during down time.

Matt discovered what we all know....gardening can be a refuge.

And a good source of fresh vegetables!

It was an earring kind of day

I think what caught my eye about this blog were the earwires. From the comments I'm not alone. What do you think?

via The Rabbit Muse by Round Rabbit on 9/4/09

I made approximately 5000 pairs of earwires today. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating but it sure felt like 5000. It was probably more like 50. But still, that's a lot, right?
I've been making more one-of-a-kind earrings lately and I'm having quite a bit of fun with them. Usually I work with the same designs and if they sell I make a million more just like them (yep, I'm in the exaggerating mood) but I need to mix things up a bit. Below is a little sample of what I've been up to. The little turquoise hoops are part of my regular line-up but the other three pairs are true one offs.

I'm curious to hear what you guys think of one-of-a-kinds. Are you more likely to purchase something if you know that there won't be another like it?



They will all be in the shop on Saturday. :)

Featured Designer: Adribeads of Budapest

I've been AWOL for a few days now trying to gather my thoughts and get a new pattern ready. I found this at A Bead A Day and thought I'd share. I love recycled items!

via A Bead A Day by Lisa on 8/29/09

What a happy day! It's featured designer Friday!! :)

I've been waiting all week to share these pieces with you. I thought these were clever and extra cool because they are made using a bottlecap as a base.

When I visited the Adribeads etsy site I was intrigued by the color combinations, technique and materials used to turn used bottlecaps into earrings.

The designer of these cool pieces is Adrienn of Budapest.

Adrienn also has a blog where she shares her designs and thoughts behind them.

Make sure you check out her seed bead peace sign earrings too! Another clever design!

Thanks for sharing Adrienn! Have a great weekend!!

Button Brooch

via Jean Campbell by Jean Campbell on 8/19/09


I wrote a blog on Beading Daily today entitled 5 Ways to Wear a Brooch. The exercise got me truly jazzed up about making brooches again! Since I don't wear them that often (I'm not a very good wardrobe planner), I never think to wear them. But they work up so fast that they're fun to make. I think I'll need to pull them out of the drawer more often.

Here's a brooch I made last night that I'd like to share with you. Blogger is being naughty and turning all my photos upside down, though, so click here to see the photo-only instructions. Please let me know if you can follow along okay. Enjoy!

Materials and Tools
2' of brass 28-gauge wire
1 green/gold 17mm glass vintage button with shank
1 diamond trellis filigree (Vintaj #F280)
1"x3" piece of brown scrap leather
2 brass 6mm eyelets
1 1/2" pin back
Wire cutters
Heavy-duty scissors
Chain-nose pliers
Ballpoint pen
Eyelet setter
Dremel tool and 7/64" drill bit
Beading awl

This Week's Project: Crystal & Chain Bracelet

via A Bead A Day by Lisa on 8/15/09

This week's project is a bracelet using the Jill MacKay chain with flower focal and the 6mm indicolite bicones from ConsumerCrafts.com that I mentioned earlier in the week.

After a bit of trial and error, I am quite happy with it.

I LOVE the combination of silver and blue.

I experimented with paint and glitter and got a kick out of the final result, but when all was said and done, the simple combination of blue and silver won out!

This sort of reminds me of a tiara.

I hope you are all having a great, crafty weekend!! As always, please let me know what you think!!