Pictures of the 11 projects I'm teaching at Bead and Button Show 2013

I want to get these right up and include a link to the catalog. Mark your calendar for January 8, when registrations begin.

Today you can begin to browse Bead & Button Show classes

Oh boy, the Bead & Button Show website now offers class information for the upcoming show in June 2013... Only 168 days away :)

I'm offering 11 classes this year...9 are all new, Kalahari Mirage Necklace and Felt Bangle with Beaded Bead are the only repeats from previous years. Been beading my heart out and am so excited to have so many new and exciting projects (and techniques!) to share.

Click on the link above and check out what's offered this year. Last week i received my copy of the catalog. This year it is sooooo thick with soooo many offerings, that a mere staple would not suffice. This class catalog is bound! Even if you have a catalog, checking out the photos on line is superior. Have fun looking and strategizing.
Mark your calendar for January 8... This is the day registrations begin. It is a thrilling day for teachers to track their numbers. By day's end, there is a good notion of how full the classes will be. I'm not sure what the statistics are but, I'd venture a guess that 75% of the seats are sold on that first day. For popular classes that hold only 16 or 20 seats, Beaders want to be sure to "get in" and they sit poised at their keyboards on January 8. But, don't despair if your chosen class has filled before you registered. In the days following January 8, the Bead & Button Show team juggle things and strive to offer repeat offerings of the most popular choices. Sometimes they ask a teacher to accommodate more students. In some instances they remove a class that received few or no first day registrations and replace it with a repeat of a highly requested class.

I'll try to post some pics and descriptions of my new classes later today or tomorrow.

Hyomin Kang and Daisuke Itoh from Tulip Co. shared a quick visit in NYC before they returned to Hiroshima

Saturday was a gray and hazy day. MetroNorth's Hudson line train to Grand Central passes by Bannerman's Island and I snapped this with my iPad as we sped by. The day's weather made for a cool looking shot.
On Hyomin's previous stays stateside on Tulip needle business, we have enjoyed meeting at Lily O'Briens coffee and chocolate shop as I've shared with you in previous posts. This time we find they have gone out of business. So, we met at Kinokuniya Bookstore around the corner...and also across the street from Bryant Park.
Bryant park was bustling with shoppers enjoying the holiday markets and skaters waiting to enjoy the rink that temporarily occupy the park this time of year. Add to these the Christmas trees and holiday lights and I'll tell you, it was quite romantic.
We had a lovely visit catching up on the last 6 months. I asked if it would be okay to share on TulipBeadingNeedles.com I'd asked if it would be okay to share some of my tour of Tulip this year. For example, pictures of Mr. Manube, the man who helped create the machine that ultimately makes the size 12 needles possible; and Masami Oda, one of the three Tulip staff responsible for handwork involved in setting the eye, polishing and inspecting the size 13 needles; and Takasaki Shinichi who gold-plates the eyes of the needles... Now that they've given the green light, I will have to get to work on this. We shopped a little in the park, enjoyed dinner together before Hyomin and Daisuke had to head back to their hotel, in preparation for an early flight in the morning.

5th Annual Holiday Gala at Town of Esopus Library

This is the third time my schedule has permitted me to participate in my local library's holiday arts and crafts show and sale. It opened December 1st with an evening reception. The works will be on display for sale until December 29th.
The needle arts group that meets at the library every Monday offered several hand knit items for sale. Once again, I was able to collect wooly wonderfulness to get me through the winter, including wraps and fingerless gloves by knitter Michele DelPriore. This year she was showing her beaded knitted jewelry. Very cool. Here she is next to a few of her jewelry pieces.
Michele's husband Michael made an appearances and then helped install the last few displays that will linger throughout the season. What a delightful man he is. He admired the intricacy of my beadwork and then said he is an architectural model maker. Yes, here is a man who appreciates detail and intricacies. Check out these two pictures of his models. Yup, i said models. These are not the actual real estate. These are his exquisite models. To the extent that real estate development has declined, so has his business. And, Michael said, the trend is to outsource model making to Asia. So, he has stumbled upon a new market for his craft, when sought out by a customer who requested a model of his beloved's favorite property. He is rendering models of cherished real or imagined properties for folks who want to retain the property forever. One sentimental customer even requested a model of the TajMahal. This is right up Michael's alley. Ad he is as charming and personable as he is talented.
Michael, Michele and I enjoyed the opportunity to visit throughout the evening. When I spoke of how much I adore Japan and have had the bliss of traveling there 4 times, they divulged that their son, a language major at Vassar College, has accepted a position with government in Tokyo for 1-5 years. Not only is he fluent in Japanese, but, Chinese also. Wow.
It was a great opportunity to buy warm hand-knit woollies, sell some holiday beadwork and visit with "neighbors".

All I can say is, I'm so delighted to be back.

For over a year I've carried around in my purse, a full-page for a design school which I tore from a magazine. The text is written over a photograph of a most fascinating gray-green beady looking surface. For months I ruminated about what this could be. Is it a sea creature? Well...Recently I discovered a most wonderful vegetable called, by my green grocer, a Romanesca cauliflower. It is the most thrilling and gorgeous thing I have ever seen. It looks beaded, sporting little round bumps that are at once graduated and swirling. Positively incredible. When finally provoked into cooking the first one that I carted around to show everyone who'd listen, I'd say it tastes both nutty and cruciferous...reminiscent of an artichoke.
Would that I could bead anything this lovely.
In the 4 or so months since we last shared this space, I've also been pretty much absent from Facebook too but, this darned inspiring veggie actually provided the impetus to get me to pin something on Pinterest, another social media I was encouraged into.

Last month's day in NYC

I'm once again on the train into Manhattan and attempting to catch up with you about the last visit to NYC.
My friend HyoMin Kang from Tulip Co flew in from Hiroshima for business stateside and we were able to squeeze in some time together. We dropped in at York Beads to deliver Tulip beading needles to Betcey (of Beyond Beadery fame). She and Nikia Angel were offering workshops at York Beads over the weekend. Betcey introduced me to Jennifer Vanbenschoten, editor of the on-line newsletter BeadingDaily. My initial thought was, I already know Jennifer. Then it occurred to me...we actually never have met before. We are familiar because we are Facebook friends and I read Beading Daily. She is lovely.
In the pics: HyoMin. Perry, York Beads owner and lord of the stripey and spike -bead kingdom is shown with Nikia. Betcey (left) and Jennifer (right) with me.

Felt a Fascinator in my Workshop this Saturday

Fabulous Felt Fascinator led by Carol Cypher
When
Sat, June 23, 3pm – 6pm
Where
97 Broadway, Kingston (map)
Description
Allow your most fascinating self to run free in this exploration of felt making, beaded edgings and embellish with feathers, sequins, tulle and ribbon. These bigger-than-a-barrette, smaller-than-a-hat adornments range from sweet and demure to edgy and outrageous! (Remember the Royal wedding?) For this photograph, one of several were chosen but, no two are alike.

You and the wool will co-conspire to make yours unique and gorgeous. Begin with making a flat or sculptural piece of felt from a palette of fine merino wool fiber. We'll accelerate this process by using a Turbo Felting Board (available for optional purchase), allowing more time to fabricate and embellish to your heart's desire using tulle, feathers, beads, sequins creating this work of art-to-wear. Don yours with the dignity of the Royals or the panache of Lady Gaga!

No experience necessary. All levels. Please bring a towel. If you have a feather, beads and tulle you wish to use, bring it along. These items, and more, are available for purchase in class.

Workshop fee $75: includes wool, use of felting equipment, beadwork recipe and some embellishment supplies

Register at A.S.K. at 845-338-0331 97 Broadway, Kingston NY 12401
Carol Cypher phone 845-484-6417 E mail carolcypher@gmail.com.




more details» copy to my calendar»

Thursday at Bead & Button Show

Opening day of the marketplace is always exciting. After delivering the first and very few size 12 Tulip beading needles I made my way right over to the Craft Optics booth. I got to see this special eyewear in action during the 3 classes that Marg, owner of beadfx Beadstore in Toronto, had taken with me. She likes her pair very much. I'll post about my first hand experience of them when mine arrive, possibly next week. Can't wait. Owner Jeff Caplan was charming and attentive to each and every beader, and there were considerable, who sat down to try this eyewear.
Sara from C-Koop Beads showed me the new findings she thought might be a fit for my felt jewelry. I'll keep you posted, after I put them into service. I adore her colorful enameled beads and findings.
Toho president Iwao Yamanaka presented teachers with a sample of their newest beads, slated for 2013: seed beads with larger holes! These are kinder on the eyes, permit more thread passes and will provide more beads per kilo. In this entire display of Toho seed beads, don't you just know that my eyes went right to Y310. Gorgeous. There they are in sizes 11 & 6 but, where are the 8s? Hmm.
AN ASIDE RE Size 12 Tulip beading needles: When I returned home from BB, my inventory arrived from Japan and I am now supplying your local bead stores with these lovelies. They are priced between the $4.95 sizes 10 and 11 and the $14.00 size 13 at $9.80. Just yesterday I put my first pair into service in my own beadwork.
First time in years I didn't buy a ring from Gary Wilson. Just never got over there:(
More BB Show to share in next posts...

Beyond Beadery Woodstock Revival Roadshow at York Beads

For this entire weekend, Betcey (of Beyond Beadery fame) is presenting her stockpile of Swarovski bling and her treasure trove of Japanese seed beads at York Beads in New York City. Nikia Angel is joining her and offering classes too.
I'll be in Manhattan for the day so I am delivering more Tulip Beading Needles to her there tomorrow! Including the new size 12!

"Meet the Teachers" event at the B&B Show

Amy, my librarian super-hero, arrived in Milwaukee and the Frontier Airlines Center in time to set up my table for this evening devoted to socializing and exhibiting kits and class samples. The Beaders are always happy to see her and have missed her the years that she cannot come.
Kathleen came by to say she will be in the CRAW class and to share a great story: She was wearing the Twilight in Savannah bracelet she made in my workshop a couple years ago to find Diane Fitzgerald admiring it. Eventually, Diane suggested they exchange bracelets and so, she took her up on this. Kathleen was happy to have her work admired and desired. According to her fellow Bead Society members, Diane spoke about her joy at acquiring this bracelet. Kathleen made herself another version of this feminine and fluttering bracelet.
Joyce and Joanne stopped by to say they had enjoyed our class together soooo much that they signed up for 2 more. Wow. This is music to my ears.
It was a gorgeous evening of affection commerce and visiting.

Bead & Button Show adventures

Before class I sit in the lobby at Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, using the free wifi to blog and catch whatever visiting I can. Anna Draeger sat for a moment to catch up. We had taught at the same event in Dortmund, Germany at the Creativa Expo a couple years ago and it was nice to catch up a little. She has just given notice at Kalmbach Publishing, publisher of Bead & Button magazine, to pursue teaching her gorgeous, crystal endowed beadwork professionally.
Stephanie Dixon, aka the Dixon chick sat for a moment. She is a bubbling jewelry designer and is here to once again demonstrate crystal clay<\a> plus, this year is her debut teaching at the Bead & Button Show <\a>. On Facebook her little companion shows up in place of her photo. I love this cranky looking little Poopsie Mc AngryPants.

A year later and still using the same pair of Tulip beading needles.

When I handed students in last Night's class, a pair of Tulip beading needles Cydne remarked that she was still using the same package she bought at last year's Bead&Button Show . And she does some serious beading. She is wearing a design she learned from Met Inmon and her badge shows she will be taking the Master Class with Sherry Serafini later this week. Lisa had seen the Tulip needles for sale at the kiosks in the classroom lobby and questioned the $4.95 retail price. When she heard Cydne is using the same package For a year, Lisa confessed going through several other-brand needles per project. Yes, she agreed. They are worth it.
Seated with me is Carol Perrenoud, co-owner of Beadcats. She and Virginia Blakelock have owned Beadcats for 27 years. The business is in Wilsonville Oregon and has served our beadiful community through mailorder and bead shows. Carol and Virginia are the queen mothers to many of this generation of beadworkers. Virginia's book, THISE BAD BAD BEADS was the gateway to many of us. Their catalog and magazine articles were the go to reference about threads and bead types, origins and uses. And Carol is especially dear to me and I don't think I have ever mentioned this to her... Gosh, it was probably 15 or more years ago, my drum teacher, the esteemed ethnomusicologist from Bahia Brazil, Emilia Biancardi , was wearing a gorgeous beaded rope necklace. She said it was bead crochet! Despite my search, I found only 1 person who knew the technique, Benita, a fiberartist friend and busy gynecologist in the Bronx. What to do, what to do? Then I find at the Wool Room a video lesson on bead crochet by Carol. It was the first video I ever watched that wasn't a rented movie. And I owned it! I sat there watching and re-watching, hook and beaded-thread in hand until I "got" it. Thank you Carol.

B&B Show isn't the only event in Milwaukee this week

Last Night's class was the Sparkling Felt Bangle. Students finished and wore their completed (though damp) fresh felt bangles from class. Afterwards, exhilerated by the thrill, some of us sought out a nightcap at the hotel bar. It was a bustling place when we arrived. I hadn't taken notice but, Jesse Jackson is here in Milwaukee, actually, here in this bar. Jay sent me an email that Al [Gore, I assume] is also here. They are joining the throngs of folks imported into the state capital to either support Tom Barrett (in this case) or Gov. Walker. I think I mentioned in an earlier post those republican Walker supporters I met on the shuttle. Tomorrow everyone votes. We'll see.
Plus our hotel is full of roller derby dames sporting tats, tanks, interesting hosiery and short shorts. Word is that it is their conference. The photo here is off the Internet.
Gotta run...delivering the first size 12 Tulip beading needles to vendors here.

Day 3 at Bead & Button Show

Sparkling Felt class is this evening. Most of the students will want to make one JUST like the photo, so I brought black but, I'm bringing a trunk of merino wool in many gorgeous colors, just in case. The crystals were sponsored by Swarovski, which makes the class a value. Each year that I teach felting here, I ask for a pickle pail which is actually a 5 gal bucket. I use with with my immersion heater to make hot water for the class. Works great. I hope everyone remembers to bring a towel.

The beginning of the Bead&Button Show

Friday flights to Milwaukee were smooth as glass. Of course my hair and style of clothing earned me yet another pat-down. This one was like usual but, the one last month was more like a rub-down, than a pat-down. When it was over, I thought to myself, if I were a smoker, I'd be asking for a cigarette now!)
Anyway, travel went so well that, yes, my luggage even arrived WITH me AND was the third piece on the carousel.
The Gov. Walker recall issue is a hot topic here in Milwaukee right now. There both groups in our hotel, supporters and recallers . Ads are all over the tv. On my shuttle ride from the airport were a man a young woman, both recruited from out-of-state, to support and assist the pro-walker team.
The classes I taught Friday, Saturday and Sunday were all small but sweet.
It was an honor to have Marg, owner of beadfx bead store and glass/metal studio in Toronto, in two of my classes. We had the opportunity in addition to beading together, to discuss my visiting her store. Plus, she was sporting this cool iPad case. I told her I just HAD to take a pic to share with you. I think she said it is Logitech, $70-90 bucks. I held it and it is very light. When it snaps over the screen of the iPad it adds a little thickness but, not bad. Remove it to use the gorgeous keyboard and stand the iPad up in it either in portrait or landscape.
Motoko and I are squeezing in as much visiting as we can before our schedules hit the fan. She is translating for 5 Japanese bead teachers again this year: Hiroe Tagaki, Yumiko Watanabe, Keiki Seki, Emi Yamada and another teacher I do not know. These 4 beaders are well known to me. Over the years they have been my students here at B&B Show, well as when I taught projects to the teachers in Japan. Now they are teaching at B&B themselves.
Last night Motoko and I had our annual celebratory meal (always steak for her) at Hilton.
Well... Gotta run. More later.

York Beads and the magic of how it all works out

My recent mantra, as I've shared before is: everything works out as it should. The more I learn to trust the process, the more gorgeous, life is. (Forgive me for dangling my participle.)
After finding York Beads closed I remembered to remind myself that "everything works out as it should...trust the process", and I determined to have an amazing time in NYC. York Beads owner, Perry, is a facebook friend (and a realllly fabulous man) so I sent him a message saying I'd come with malice of forethought, hoping to lay-in some beads but, finding him closed, hope he is enjoying his long weekend. In an hour or so, my brandy new iPhone rings. It is Perry, offering to open at 230 if I can make it there! You betcha! He said he was able to do the bike race thing with his son earlier and, for the moment, was able and willing to meet me at the store. First I bought beads for extra kits for Bead & Button show, then I bought some because they thrilled me, buying plenty of everything so, if they end up in something wonderful, i can kit it. Oh yes! I bought as many beads as I can carry. And actually, the further I walk, the more I am thinking I should be carrying less.
Perry was gracious, and kind. And I hope he forgives me for not checking the photos I took of him for a do-over. Sorry Perry. Look at all those yummy beads. We had a wonderful visit. More on that later...I have to share some of the goodness with you...but, I'm dashing this off over a snack and iced tea/lemonade at Le Pain Quotidien. (If you read old posts I've shared this place with you before. I would eat here when teaching at Kinokuniya near Bryant Park.)

Guess what destination in NYC decided to close for the long weekend?

Hoping Perry and his staff are enjoying their long Memorial Day weekend. Wish their website, Yorkbeads.com, reflected that, except THIS Saturday, they are now open Saturdays.
C'est la vie.
That concludes this bead mission :(

On a bead mission...

When we (Amy, my beloved neice and librarian super-hero counted and weighed beads with me) kitted Kalahari Oasis Lariat for the Bead & Button Show , we exhausted my supply of fire-polish beads. So, 10pm last night it occured to me, hey, I can jump on the train and go to York Beads in the morning. When I remembered that there is a new Apple store in Grand Central Terminal, that sealed the deal.
This view, as seen from the Metro North train along the Husdon River, is one I enjoyed everyday when we lived in Cold Spring, 30 years ago. While writing this on the train, I glance up frequently to take in the gorgeous scenery.
I emailed my friends Bert and Dana, from Well Done Experience to see if we can meet up for a minute while in their "neck of the woods". I see they are teaching bead crochet classes regularly in Manhattan.
We're almost in the terminal so I'll send this off. More on my bead mission later...

Sunday at Bella Beads NH

The way the blogger app is working on my iPad these days is unpredictable. The photos appear in no particular order, despite how I load them; and I cannot place them between paragraphs of text. Bummer. Allow me to share Sunday at Bella Beads in New Hampshire, anyway.
Just as was the case Saturday, the two newbies delighted and surprised the heck out of all of us. We convinced Kim (left) and Kathy (right) to pose with their first bezeled rivolis.
In one of the group shots, above and slightly to the left of Sue (owner at head of table) are these fabulous, beautifully constructed purse/totes, that Sue has made for the shop. All her regulars carried them. They are lovely both for bead accutrement or a handbag.
The other group shot is from the other end of the table. I got more than half of the beaders in to the shot:). Carol, Kim, Kathy, Pam, Sue G, Denise, Barbara and Anne.
The feng shui is clear and smooth since the latest renovation. The entire store seems even bigger. Finding a particular color or finish of seed beads is easier now.
I'm looking forward to our 4 short and sweet workshops I'll be teaching here in September. More on the particulars, soon.

This weekend in Center Harbor NH

What a perfect greeting....Sheesh and Carol greeted me wearing the gorgeous necklaces they completed after our last weekend of workshops together. Today's workshop at Bella Beads was small. Good thing! We had two novice beaders (foreground of the beading table shot, Kathryn and Kim) in the advanced class. They were good listeners, followed the directions precisely and were devoted followers
of instruction. Kim was first, of the entire class, to complete her triangle conponent, followed closely by Kathy. They went on to tackle the complicated corkscrew tubular beadwork and even braved the bead crochet project.
Tomorrow's registration is at full capacity... Including our two newbies who now have 3 successful beadweaving stitches to add to their skill sets.
I'll return here in September and we've just about settled on the topics. More to come on that when I get the ok from Sue, owner of Bella Beads NH.

Global Express Mail, That Bead Lady & Toronto Bead Fair

When Cathy reordered Tulip beading needles and fine beading awls this week, she requested express mail to Newmarket Ontario. As 4 p.m. approached without a reply to my email reply asking whether to ship 1-3 day guaranteed Global Express or 3-5 day ordinary express, I made the "executive decision" for her and went with Global Express.
This decision had its price! It cost Cathy $67.80, it cost me 40 minutes of paperwork and cost the postal clerk a 15 minute extension after closing time.
As it turns out, That Bead Lady wants the Tulip order in time for the Toronto Bead Society Bead Fair.
Wouldn't I just love to be invited to teach workshops for the Toronto Bead Society!

Saturday At 1 Stop Bead Shop

Hmm, I've no excuse, except, perhaps, being totally caught up in the beads and beaders, for not having a photo to share of the Twilight in Savannah bracelets from this workshop. And amusingly, one beader from Friday's class lamented that she would have to miss this class because she would BE in Savannah!!!!
After a delicious supper with a dozen 1 Stop beaders, we gathered for the other session of Bevy of Bezels. The previous session held more than the 20 beader capacity of the classroom and was held in the showroom. This evening, we could work in the classroom once again.
This style of bezeling combines netting and polygon stitch, producing highly textured beadwork as gorgeous from the back as from the front, plus, the bonus is that it works up fairly quickly ;)

Friday workshops at 1 Stop Bead Shop

We enjoyed a full day of feltmaking centered around creating a set of complex cane felt beads. Generally, their tastes ran to a more conservative scale than my sometimes honking, if not flambouyantly sized beads. This, coupled with their high energy and rapt attention, had them finish in record time, so I was able to share a couple extra felting techniques. (this is one of the 13 workshops i'll be teaching at the Bead & Button Show in June.)
In the evening we offered 1 session of a 2 session Bevy of Bezels. The intent beader in the photo here is glass/jewelry artist Roxanne. The jubilant beader in the other photo is Barb, a familiar...she has beaded with me at the B&B show a couple times and even wore her Raku and Rivoli bracelet to class. The beader to her left, Gigi, played my hostess and chaffeur for the weekend, oh, save that barb delivered me to the airport this morning. Thank you ladies and fellow feline afficionados.

3 days with 1 Stop Bead Shop

When I accompanied Tulip Co to their first exhibit at TNNA a couple years ago, I fell in love with Columbus, Ohio. This morning finds me in the Columbus airport, waiting to return home from a fabulous weekend of workshops at 1 Stop Bead Shop . This store is spacious and bright; has a generously sized classroom; 3 tables inviting customers to come sit and bead in the showroom and; an energetic, knowledgeable and gracious staff.
I taught 5 workshops starting with the Felted Bangle with Beaded Bead on Thursday. BTW...if you'll be at the Bead & Button Show next month, there are a couple open seats for this workshop there! Here is a photo of some of their felted canes and beaded beads in-the-making to be finished later. Darlene did finish hers at home that evening, and wore it the next day. Hidden inside her beaded bead is a magnetic closure.