Saturday, May 26, 2012

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...

Monday, May 21, 2012

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.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

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.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

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!

Sunday, May 13, 2012

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.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Last weekend's Sheep & Wool Festival

I have arrived in Ohio for teaching 3 days of workshops at 1 Stop Bead Shop in Duluth. I better catch you up on last weekend's S&W Festival in Maryland before it is tooooo late. Susan, Ingrid and I went to help MaryJo run her booth... The Wool Room. Yes, the same Wool Room that Ravelry members recommend to spinning wheel shoppers. Susan (black shirt) transfered the business to MaryJo (white shirt) and the business is now in Hendersonville NC.
The couple in the blue felt just returned from a felt conference in Turkey. She, Lisa Jacenich said she'd send an email to me with the facts so I could share it here but, it never came.
I love the wide brim black straw hat on Leslye Solomon. She came by to tell us about her knitting app...Knitspeaker.
Check out the website knitspeaker.com for details. I'm not a knitter so, I admit to not caring for the details but, am fascinated that she wrote the app.
Good... Now tomorrow I can share my adventures here in Duluth Ohio.



Saturday, May 5, 2012

Bead Gallery Inc Felting workshop


Once again we enjoyed the luxury of space, having our workshop at the hall Genevieve arranges for us.
The round tables were a tad short and prompted some work to be done on the floor.
Here they are, in the mad hot creative aspects and Stacey wearing hers at days end. Did I capture most everyone in the photos? Heidi, Robin, Cathi, Cara, Stacey, Genevieve , Eva, Jamie, Claudia, Risa, Carol... I apologize if I left someone out.
Now that I've caught up on last weekend I can share this one next :)