Friday afternoon Amy and I headed for
Beadfest "Philadelphia". This is the 10th year for this show which has been held in various venues in the Philadelphia surrounds. A couple months ago Beadfest announced it would not be held at the Valley Forge Conference Center. It was relocated to The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks PA. Curiously, the gps address necessary to get you there is 1601 Egypt Rd, Phoenixville...which gets you to a deli and then you"re to follow signage to the destination. Interesting.
Friday evening I taught a class from 5-8 and then dashed over to the area of the hall that was set up for Meet the Teachers. Amy had set up the display beautifully, so we were ready at 830, when the doors opened. It was great to schmooze with the beaders that came but, this formerly bustling event was sparcely attended. The vendors and exhibit hall had closed at 6 pm. Unfortunately, this site is not connected to restaurants and hotels so beaders couldn't conveniently have dinner or a rest in their rooms from 6-830. There just wasn't anything to do for those 2 1/2 hours until Meet the Teachers, so they left. Rain made it even less appealing to drive back out to this remote location.
Saturday after a morning "hand felted bangles demonstration", I hit the show floor. On my way to
Beyond Beadery, I ran into Adele Rogers Recklies. Yes, you recall reading the post about her that I wrote after the
Bead & Button Show in June. She had taken my Complex Cane Hand Felted Beads Necklace workshop. (Adele has written about and makes Turkish bead crochet and in particular, beaded snakes. She and Keiko Seki shared the by-line on an article in Bead and Button Magazine about Turkish bead crochet.) Here she is, showing me the necklace from the workshop, that she'd continued to work on.
At Beyond Beadery, owner Betcey said how she missed Rachel and I commiserated. We miss you Rach. She was wearing a stunning multistrand bracelet that Ms Rachel made for her.
These druzy beads spoke to me from across the room. They were in
Star's Clasps booth. I shot a pic of owner Kay, who was kind to let me share her picture here. I know her and John from years of Bead & Buttton and Beadfest shows when I've admired their beautiful clasps. I hadn't known that they also have a store in Vienna Va. [Before sliding out of Dodge, I made one last stop here for a couple of these amazing clasps. Who could resist?]
Sara of
C-Koop Beads makes lovely enamed copper findings, elements and beads. I have collected a few, intending to design something yummy with them.
There were many vendors and tons of beads. Somehow I never got to see everything during my time between teaching. I only this evening realized I missed Dana and Bert of
Well Done Experience. Bummer. I had so looked forward to seeing them. They are sweet and lovely, heavily into bead crochet, designers of a great portable beading system and design and offer wonderful kits.
Saturday evening I taught Felted Beaded Bangles to Bead. Look how happy Lauren looks. No whiners in this workshop. They were a bunch of creative, sweet-spirited beaders eager for the felting adventure, even at day's end. Plus, the Turbo Felting Boards really does move the process along.
Michelle had been a Facebook friend and is now a felting and beading buddy. She and her friend Liz arrived to class with their undulating beaded beads finished and ready to mount on the fresh felt bangle.
This is Liz's. I was pleased to share with everyone the faster new method I have for making the undulating peyote. Plus we covered how to bead the double-needle odd-count peyote beaded bead. Everyone really appreciates that method once they see it.
Yipes, I cannot remember the name of the gemstone that is pinky peachy green. But, Margaret brought her collection of them and created a bangle that almost looks like that stone.
Jan, a seasoned felter I think, encrusted her bangle with beads.
Wendy's had "bullseye" surface design and was embellished with a Swarovski button, pearls and firepolish. Lovely.
Shown out of order but, here is Margaret in her finished bangle.
Sunday, yesterday, I forgot to shoot even one picture during my beadwork bracelets workshops, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I had a few beaders in class that have beaded with me before, which is always such an honor.
Amy drove us home after that last class, while I so joyfully wrote my blog post about our adventure from the passenger seat. I was thrilled to have it done and just needed to check links before posting. Today when I went to do just that...where did it go? Drats. So this is second time around, and it DOES get old.
On the way home we sought out a place for dinner when we drove through Doylestown. Boy, did we luck out when we found
Bobby Simone's, right there on East State St. I had Summer Inspired Seafood Stew that had a lobster tail, shrimp, mussels and a scallop in a coconut broth. Amy had salmon on risotto studded with peas, atop carrot emulsion, garnished with pea tendrils. I've never had pea tendrils! The bread was worth eating (by that I mean, ya know, carby, no-redeeming-value nutritionally speaking, but delicious white bread) especially drizzled with the tomato oil they served us. We agreed to save this in my gps and iPod to make certain that next year, upon returning from wherever Beadfest "Philadelphia" will be, we'll stop at Bobby Simone's for a delicious dinner.
