Bead Fest Dreams

I have officially begun dreaming about beads, and Bead Fest.  I have had the dreams that I showed up and forgot my beads, or that no one bought them.  Then I awake to the panic of unfinished beads everywhere!  LOL.  This is my life right now.

 

Eat, take care of kids, make beads, sleep (a little), repeat.

 

But I can't wait.  And I am quite happy with what I am making. 

 

Finally done painting and sealing all the polymer beads.

 

 

So that feels like progress!  I also started putting these loose beads

 

 

Into sets

 

 

I stayed up late polishing all my bronze, so that I could seal it this morning.  Before polishing......

 

 

After polishing

 

 

First hiccup this morning- the bronze oxidized more over night, and I need to re-buff them again before sealing.  *sigh*

 

Second hiccup was when I opened the kiln- which should have been my last kiln load- and found all my copper poppies broken.  I guess I will try to squeeze in one more load, because I really wanted to have these for Bead Fest.

 

 

I am not the only one who has suffered the loss of broken beads in this madness that is Bead Fest prep.  It's part of the game.  So I will drink my coffee, and enjoy this fall like weather we are having here in Pa.  I will string my sets, and make more copper poppies, and finish the metal work that is needed for my crazy urchin beads. (below)

 

Then I will make a sample for the kits Genea and I have been working on and write the instructions.

 

 

 





 

 



 

After those things are done, its just little stuff like pricing each bead, and packing stuff for the show.

 

Two full studio days would be good, but with summer coming to a close for the kids, there is much to get done around here. 

 

School starting is always bittersweet for me.  I love the quiet time when they go back, but I do miss them.  I worry for them.  We have some big changes this year, Aiden goes to the middle school and Collin starts full day- first grade.  Julia goes into third, which is a pretty challenging year from what I remember with Aiden.  I hope they adjust quickly and make friends and love their teachers.  That's all I want for them.  To enjoy school, so learning comes easily.

 

So that is my ramble- it's what's going on around here.  Can't wait to see my friends, and sell my wares, and see all my friends art in person in one week. 

 

If you are coming to Bead Fest- make sure to ask about the gathering Saturday night, with food, wine and giveways- hosted by Melinda Orr of Artisan Whimsy and Creative Bead Chat.  It's a great time!

New Ancient Things

Just a quick post about a couple of new necklaces I made.  I need to make some samples of jewlery with my new beads so I can wear and display them at the Berks Bead Bazaar.

 

So I couldn't wait another minute to make some jewelry with these trilobite pendants.  I will only have a few at the show, and each one is totally unique. 

 

First I made this one for a display piece.....it will be for sale.  I LOVED how deep and orange the bronze piece got!!!

 

It features a trilobite, a spiral connector and a rolled bronze center drilled stick bead- all will be for sale at Berks.  It also has stick pearls, an antique brass bell, a genuine ammonite fossil, a connector by Starry Road Studio in a great rusty colo, amber and turquoise.

 

 

So, I usually make myself something to wear at the show, and I loved how this first piece turned out so.  So I made one for myself- but a bit chunkier, since that is how I roll.

 

I will probably never take it off.  It has a large trilobite, rolled beads, turquoise donuts, labradorite chunk, ammonite fossil, brass bell, more tuquoise, rutilated quartz, a raku bead, agate, and recycled sari silk mixed with a great strand from Marsha Neal Studio.

 

 

See, it's totally my style!  I love how ancient everything is on them, even though they are new, they feel like they have thousands of years built into them.

 

Now I am off to finish an article and sand and seal some more beads.

 

Happy Friday Everyone!!!