The Bead and Button Show just added another session of the Felted Bangle with Beaded Bead for Sunday June 6, 7-10pm. This class was popular last year and sold out again this year. Providing the Turbo Felting Board for use in class, really accelerates the felting portion of our 3 hours, leaving ample time to create the undulating beaded bead. Most students complete the project in class. As B&B classes go, it is a bargain at $95.

Once they've tasted the sweetness of hand felting a bracelet, I'll show examples of additional styles they could make using what they have just learned and embellishing them in a myriad of ways, depending on their beading skills and tastes. Sparkling beads and matte felt are perfect foils, underscoring and enhancing each other.

Sure would love to turn more beaders onto felting. The process is so satisfying. It has the same color seduction that beadwork offers with the sensuousness of fine fiber. Each year I submit several proposals hoping that they'll select a few.

Perhaps 2011 will be the year that I teach 4 felt and 4 bead classes. It will be fun placing my energy to that end.

Tuesday I fly to Ludlow UK to teach a 4 day intensive in hand felted jewelry and beads at Moral Fibre Felting Studio. Not only does an extended workshop provide the luxury of time to teach/learn and develop new skills or techniques but, it attracts only the most devoted and passionate. When in Australia last year, I taught felt jewelry intensives at 2 separate week-long fiber forums. It was bliss. The first day is thrilling as the entire week lays ahead and everyone is full of anticipation. The next couple days are full of adventure as new approaches and methods are tried. Then the panic sets in, that oh my goodness, tomorrow is our LAST day. And, the day after everyone's gone home, I find that I miss, truly miss, some of the people I've had the priviledge to work with.

Hey, a head's up if you have travel plans. When I checked the airline regs for carry-on luggage I found that the two pieces I'd previously always traveled with (one to check and one to carry) are now considered over-sized. Yikes. If you've a flight in your future, take nothing for granted. The rules change all the time. Fortunately my little purple one qualifies if I don't stuff it. That and a tote containing my handbag, cosmetics, Kindle and toys, and I'm all set.

Caroline at Moral Fibre Felting Studio in UK reports that there are vacancies in the 2-day workshop March 2 & 3. So I am trying to spread the word to beaders across the pond, in hopes that they will join us in a day of felted beadiness. Those beaders who mention the blog, Jean Powers or Spangles will receive a free kit for Fireflies at Sunset (My popular Bead and Button Show 3 hour class, offered twice this year. One class is sold out and there are a few seats left on Sunday just before we all go home.
Although my weekend workshop in Hand Felted Jewelry and Beads in Gallipolis OH sold out in two days, one person had a calendar conflict, making a seat available for you. Contact Marlene at FeltingMadness@wildblue.net.
Next weekend I will be at Beads By Blanche in Bergenfield NJ, teaching Felted Component Jewelry. We'll create felt components all morning and in the afternoon, fabricate finished jewelry using our fresh felt and glass, wire, chain, bead components on hand in this abundant store.
This week's new experience was to tape myself using a flip video. It is a short piece about cubic right angle weave with demonstration and tips. It will be linked to the Master Class I have written for June/July Beadwork Magazine. It breaks my heart that so many beaders are intimidated by r.a.w., let alone, cubic r.a.w. So, I'm offering up a cheerful and meditative approach. Just the way we love peyote for its short and sweet repetitions of the same step, we can love r.a.w., hence, c.r.a.w. Don't let those pesky changes in direction cross you up and put you off. Just repeat the little mantra to yourself and ...voila...you're a right angle beader!
The Glass Bead Inspired Lariat Workshop at The Bead & Button Show filled up the second day of registration. But, if you are in the New York area, you may like to know that the Bead Society of Greater New York has asked me to teach it on March 13th. Nancy Tobey, whose beautiful glass bead inspired this piece, is sending me beads in a few color choices.
Hope I get to bead or felt with you soon. Even if we cannot be in person, perhaps I'll be turning out videos, after this week's flip adventure. Ya never know.