What's Popular? It looks like pink, orange, and purple. There's more and more interest in sugalite and amethyst. Green and blue are maintaining their place, especially turquoise. There doesn't appear to be a great deal of good jasper being used, although ocean jasper continues to show well. Perhaps it is because we have seen some quality tiger eye available in gold, red and "blue", which has been getting lots of interest. Toho beads are showing well in weaving and pieces where precision is a must. ~•~ |
Tucson Notes The square footage of display areas was rumored to have doubled this year. All I know is that every other vendor caught the "bug" and spent part of the show ill (we joined the crowd). Just random thoughts and images from the show...
Saw some great lampworking, the pieces just get better and better. The show at the Roadway is overcrowded and the promoters have NO CLUE about how to organize registration. Lines around the whole building! I wonder if anyone ever told them that preregistration CAN work? Many of the buyers actually walked out and went to other shows. Lots of comments about vendors putting up two booths because there were so many places to go that customers wouldn't find them if they weren't in two widely spaced locations.
Saw some really beautiful mother of pearl baroque shapes with mabe pearls still embedded. Also more alternate materials for chain. There were silk, ruffled strands, colored cords, silk strings, kits for combining cord, yarn, strung beads into a necklace, many kinds of neck rings (chokers) in a world of materials. Watch for really good turquoise and some really poor treated and manipulated material. Buyer beware. Chinese turquoise is showing very well, lots of yellow and green available. ~•~ |
Show Notes Do you think that every other weekend, there's a bead show to attend? We (vendors) are seeing a drop off of attendees at shows because in some areas there's at least one show per month, some areas are having a show every weekend for several weeks in a row. It doesn't take long to conclude that vendors can't afford to exhibit if there isn't enough customer base to pay for the trip/table/lodging/food etc., not to mention what affect this has on the local bead shop, which counts on return customers to stay in business. Well, enough philosophy for this letter.
You can really find every size, shape and quality of dyed coral these days. Lots of really bright red chunks. Hill tribe and bali silver is just getting better and better..the pieces are so nice for spacers and sometimes, a really great piece of silver becomes the focal point with flamework saucers as the beads in the side pieces of the necklace. ~•~ |
New Things with the Beadspinner Wow! Lisa Allen (many of you speak with her when you call for me) made a real stunner of a swimsuit with wire, beads and the beadspinner. Look for it at Bead and Button in the competition area. Also, come by the booth to see her wedding halter, also made from wire and beads, pretty spectacular.
You might check the web page for exotic wood spinners. These are completely finished, polished and made from some great new woods. These are "dress-up" spinners, show off to your beader friends with one of these!
Negotiations are under way to have more of the finer needles made, right now it is a "don't hold your breath" situation, but I'm trying! At least the supply of regular needles is no longer a problem, mostly because I am shaping them myself! Unfortunately, I can't punch the holes and make the really fine wire blanks, so we have to work with a needle company. ~•~ |
Puget Sound Bead Show For the first time, Nancy Goodenough dichroic beads and the Beadspinner Lady will be exhibiting together. We have collaborated for a few years to make dichroic collage kits and necklaces...for this show, we have joined the booths. So, come choose beads and dichroic pendants to make your own collage necklace. We will have lots of coordinated beads so that you can blend together a real masterpiece! There will be 6/0, 8/0, 10/0, miyuki squares, delicas, and niblets to mix and match. You can also email or phone for a custom blend of beads to compliment your pendant. ~•~ |
New Beads and Books - Tiger eye nuggets.....red, gold, blue/gold
- Drilled Tiger hearts..gold
- Fire Garnet strands
- Tiger eye cabs (red)....great for beading around as a centerpiece
- Small trade beads in strands...white hearts, venetian, all good for spacers if you don't keep them for yourself as historical materials.
- Gem quality, faceted citrine pendants (only 2) with gold cap and bail.
- Ocean Jasper pendants set in silver
- Old, wrapped, rose pink white hearts 1 strand only.
- Nancy Binkley beaded wire flower books, Vol 1-4, #4 is wedding flowers..fantastic!
~•~ |
Classes Classes are constantly changing. Please phone for the latest dates and topics.
What are your interests, concerns, or wish list? It always helps to know these things when packing for the shows and when purchasing new stock, so please keep in touch. ~•~ |