Back from Bead Fest

by Staci L. Smith

Since I did post after post about Genea and I doing Bead Fest, I thought I owed you a follow up.

 

There was so much work involved in making it happen.........but it all came together, and it was amazing.  We are now thoroughly exhausted.

 

Meeting and spending the weekend with Genea was awesome.  It got a blog all its own.  You can read about that here.

 It took us about 3 hours to go from empty spot to final set up.

 

 

We were still in awe of the fact that we were here, doing Bead Fest together when we took this pic.

 

 

 

 Here is Genea and Ricky at her booth

 

 

Here I am at mine

 

 

I am truly a people person, and so, being able to meet friends in person, customers, blog readers, and complete strangers, and talk beads and jewelry making, it was amazing. 

 

picture from the bead swap Diana P. does every August

 

 

It also got my juices flowing about teaching again.  I pulled out wire more then once to show people how to do things, I just love it.  Thinking of submitting to teach next year.

 

And I sold beads.  It felt so good, to sell my art, to be able to do what I love. 

picture by Diana P of Suburban Girl Studio

 

Speaking of beads, there was lots of trading that went on.  You can read about the stash I came home with here.

 

If you want the whole summary of the journey- beginning to end, with lots of pictures, click here.

 

Yes, there was so much to process, it took me three posts, and 4 days to get through it all.  I am still processing.

 

Thanks to everyone who has encouraged us through this process.  It was wonderful and Genea and I plan to do this again next year for sure!

 

 

 



Against the Odds

by Genea C-K

Wow, isn't that quote so true?! It's been a crazy last couple of weeks still prepping for Bead Fest Philly. Do you ever have those times where it seems like the world is against you? No matter how hard you try there is a some bump in the road that you manage to trip over despite your best efforts. I have been having a string of those days. Here I am prepping for this milestone mark in my glass career. The one thing I have been dreaming about since I started making beads. "Making it". Getting into that HUGE bead show and making a mark for myself in the bead world.

I would say attending this big show is just as much as a triumph as our move to Portland, OR. Against the odds we did it. It was my biggest success story until now...BUT not without many troubles along the way.

 

 

 

Those that lampwork saw this photo and immediately knew what happened. I broke the bead release. If you look on the left and right side of the bead you will notice that that whitish/gray is missing and that I have 2 big blobs of clear acting as "bumpers" to keep my bead from sliding right off either end of the mandrel ! I managed to save this bead from disaster, but I wasn't so lucky for the beads that followed...

OH NO!
This gorgeous bead that ended up taking me way longer than normal has a split in the top layer of glass! I saw the split start while I was working the bead and tried to "heal" the glass by re-melting it. I thought I had fixed it, but as you can see I was unsuccessful.

While creating this bead I literally "BROKE THE MOLD"! OMG you have got to be KIDDING ME?! Oh did I mention that this bead also managed not to make it?! *sigh*

When I inspected my beads from the last days work I found another crack only in the top layer of glass! You have GOT to be KIDDING ME! Not only did this bead split, but the other 4 out of 5 focals I was desperately trying to create cracked. So what the heck happened?!
Since the bead didn't split all the way through the layers this leads me to believe it's an "incompatibility crack". This means that 2 of my rods "didn't get along". So either my coe(coefficient of expansion) was different. How do we remedy that problem? SCRAP ALL OF THE GLASS I USED. UGH! I hate to waste all of those rods especially when this is just about how much I have left...

I was in town treasure hunting at "The Bins"(Goodwill outlet) with my mom and sister hoping to find some awesome new clothes for my Bead Fest outfits. The weather was absolutely GORGEOUS with cool temps and a nice breeze. I decided to stay in town and do my studio day on Saturday instead of Monday. Sweet a few days ahead of schedule! Then no more waiting a few more days stressing til I can get into the studio!
I sit down to work, and begin cleaning my glass. My mandrels are all dipped and my headpin wires are all wired up. I go to pull out my tools and realize my tool for my urchin beads is AT THE APARTMENT. UGH!

My last studio day's plan was to re-make the XL "Ocean Urchin Focals" I lost the other day! Now what? This was a bulk of what "had" to get made today? Well luckily for me I had more than one urchin tool so I had to use the other tool instead the urchin impression raised instead of indented like my other focals.

So after that dilemma I created 4 XL focals with new rods instead of my problematic bunch from the last session. The beads seemed to be working out great! *HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF*

Now onto the last task, making the "Bright Earth" Pod headpin sets. Almost done and smooth sailing now, right?! WRONG....
 

The glass I use for these sets is really soft. If the glass is too hot when I make the pods it pulls all of it instead of just the tip of glass making that wonderful pod point. So as you can see I was having an awful time finishing up the headpins. Oh and not to mention that my glass was running out at an alarming speed.

So you get desperate. As you can see I stuck many little "shorts" together to milk every last bit of glass out of my remaining rods.
I had wrapped my headpins wires too long too so to get more stability winding glass on my headpins I had wrap an extra wrap of wire at the top to stabilize them .

I FINALLY finished only a "short" (ha ha) 5 hours later.

 

The last kiln load program was set and I was finally DONE. Making beads! *Whew*

Check out this baby! I had some more bead release break on me that last session too, but against the odds I did it!

The "Bright Earth" pods turned out awesome! Thank God! Success!
I spent yesterday packing up and inventorying my beads.




Bags of beads getting inventoried on the computer.

Totes to load up with show stuff.

My empty display.

Jewelry to price and inventory.

 One full drawer of inventoried beads.

 Side view of the drawer full of beads to show scale.

So that brings us to today. I was so tired from inventorying beads that I decided to do my blog post this morning, BUT the internet is DOWN! #$%^&^%! So here I am posting from my phone and computer and transferring thing s through drop box to my cell phone where Staci is kind enough to post this blog for you all to read. (so if its wonky, that is why)

It's rough, but you know what? I am DOING THIS! I was MEANT TO DO THIS! THINGS WILL WORK OUT! This will only make my huge show success that much better of a story!

So if you are going to the show come see Staci and me at booth 371. Come give us hugs, and celebrate our big show with us. For those of you that don't get to attend, write us a post on Facebook.
We LOVE YOU ALL and it is because of YOU that we get to do THIS!
"I never said it would be easy. I just said it would be WORTH IT!"
xo Genea

Beads and Bead Show Stuff and Beads and ....um....beads

by Staci Louise Smith

Summer life is crazy.  The days are longer, but seem to fly by all too quickly.  With three kids at home and Bead Fest Philly to get ready for, mine are zooming by.

 

I am still making the beads for the show, and I haven't even begun to work out all the little details- like cards and bags and all the little stuff I should have with me. 

 

However, Genea and I will have necklace kits for sale that we are pretty excited about.  I just have to paint the stars for them.

 

Here is what she sent me

 

 

I will be adding stars similar to this

 

 

Each set is totally different, and will have instructions for a finished piece and all the materials required to make it.  I can't wait until they are all done!

 

 

I am wishing we had done more kits in another style too, but time didn't allow this year. 

 

This is the first time Genea and I will be selling at Bead Fest, so if our posts are all bead show focused, I apologize, but its all we are doing right now!  Our minds are in production mode! 

(shameless plug) We are booth #371 and you can find a coupon on my blog that you can print and get in for only $5 at the door, instead of the full $15 price. (back to the beads)
 

So, this is the progress I have made......................

 

 

painting the polymer- this is all merely first layer of paint, no antiquing or crackle yet.  They are much brighter then they will end up.

 

 

 

These still need to be painted. 

 

 

 

Metal clay is coming along, but I have a lot of metal work to do yet before the show.  If I get a lot done in the next few days, I will feel much better about where I am at. 

 

I made some new- HUGE bronze pieces. 

 

I even came up with some new designs in bronze along the way. 

 

I know it will come together, but right now it is bead chaos.  I have a million beads around me and none are quite finished!

 

I have taken over the family room too, so I can see how my display will work out. 

 

 

 

 I am taking lots of jewelry as examples of ways to use my beads, though I hope they invoke inspiration in each and every person who buys them!

 

 For those of you who can't make it to Bead Fest, or if you just can't wait to get started, I have 20% off both my etsy shops until next Wednesday, the 14th.  Use code NOBEADFEST to save at checkout.

jewelry:  www.stacilouise.etsy.com

beads:  www.slartisanaccents.etsy.com

Is there anyone who has never been to a big bead show before?  If so, do you think you will take the plunge and try one out?

I am kinda sad I won't be shopping and hanging out this time around and have to work!  Once I finally went to a big bead show, I was hooked.  I won't miss one now!

 

 

 



Dreaming of Fall

Blog by Genea C-K

Hello friends!

I don't know about you, but I am dreaming of fall! I am not really into this hot weather crap. I love the crisp cool days, the changing leaves, wearing hoodies and jeans. I also love the earthy fall color palette. 

Color Palettes by Design Seeds.

"City Color"

"Color Yarn"

"Nature Tones"

It's no wonder I fell in love with my birthday gift from Karen and Nellie!  I just love the dreamy pastels and earth tones together. It's like a blend of spring and fall.

Here are a few of my favorite picks: Coffee Light and Sweet Sari Silk , Ceramic Discs, Large Hollow Pie Bead,  Interlocking Hammered Copper Chain.

For a little inspiration here are some GORGEOUS earrings on of my customers, Lisa Cone created. I just love everything about them! They remind me of finding treasures in the forest.

Are you dreaming of fall? What are you favorite fall beads?

xo Genea

Bead Fest Philly Show Prep- Putting Together A Table Display

Blog by Genea C-K

Hello friends!

It's crunch time now! Bead Fest Philly is fast approaching! I can't believe the show is less than 6 weeks away! It's my first time doing such a HUGE bead show so I needed to stock up on some display things for my booth. 

I thought you might like to see some "behind the scenes" stuff about getting display things for your booth and setting up.

Here is a funky fixture I picked up at Jo-Ann Etc. Awhile back. I thought it would be pretty cool with it's little compartments. They are pretty deep thought and it's amazing how many beads it takes to fill up that space!

Here's the turn table bottom. I decided to pass on this fixture due to it's stark whiteness and trying to fill up each space with beads.

Ahhh batik fabric! One of my very favorite things! I went on the hunt to find a pretty batik that was colorful, yet subtle to layer on the top of my table covering. I was lucky enough to also find this at Jo-Ann's and decided this was the one.

Then it was time to try it out on the table to see how it looked. I also pulled out a few other display things to see how they looked on the table. I set up a bowl of: recycled sari silk, hung my finished sari silk necklaces on a hanger to see how they would hang on a display, put glass headpins in some bud vases, put beads on rice, and layed down a bamboo placemat as another layer. The bead box is where raised boxes will be on the table.

To take inventory of what I had already made for the show and to figure out what I needed to make next, I laid all of my beads in the shop and stashed away on the table to see just what I had. It doesn't look like much, but then again it looks like a lot! Lol.

I went to Bed, Bath & Beyond and picked up this pretty nature printed bamboo table runner for $5 on sale! I loved the nature theme without it being too fussy.

Next I picked up a few of their pretty white bowls to see how they would look in my display. Again, I had to go on the hunt for tiny bowls so that they look full of beads. Here is a flower shaped bowl.

I also picked up this teeny sweet little white ramekin. I just love tiny things :D

Mom had these awesome clear bowls from Crate & Barrel so I tried them out here. The bowl looks pretty empty, but you can see the colors on all sides which is nice. 

Here is the same amount of beads in the tiny ramekin. Look how full it looks! 

Here are a few beads bowls on the bamboo runner to see how they look. Looks like the white bowls show up better.

Here is how the booth table display will look. I really love it so far! 

Next I had to figure out what I would use to cushion beads in my other display plates and bowls. Before I had used rice, but the rice wasn't really making the beads pop.

Here are some of my bright and ivory beads on the black beans. 

Here are some beads on some light brown colored lentils. 

Next I went on the hunt for some cute way to make price signs to sit on the table. I looked up tons of things on Pinterest looking for the perfect name place setting display. Then I looked at what I had, and I had remembered I had a slew of wine corks I rescued from Olive Garden. I pulled out my dremel, a sharp knife, and ring mandrel, and 19ga dark annealed steel wire and whipped up this little card holder. Kinda cute huh? :)

Here is what it looks like behind a plate of beads. Seems like the height should work.

I tried out a taller style one for my bowl of sari silk.

Look how cool that looks! Now I just need to make a zillion more and then design some price cards!

The last thing I have worked on was my table banner.

Ok so here is the banner. It won't be this neon looking, but it was converted to a special printing file. I just save it is a jpg image so that I could post it here. Pretty awesome huh? I was lucky enough to get some help from my dear friend, Karen Totten. She was kind enough to walk me through setting things up and converting my file :)

What shows are you doing this summer? Are you getting ready for Bead Fest too? 

xo Genea