Stony Creek Beads Trunk Show

If you are within driving distance of Ypsilanti, MI stop over and visit me at one of my favorite bead stores this weekend!

Stony Creek Beads is hosting a trunk show on Saturday from 10am - 4pm on February 9th.

2060 Whittaker Rd ~ Ypsilanti, MI 48197

I will have my latest spring beads and limited edition pieces that you won't want to miss!

Hope to see you there!

Trunk Shows

Last month, Rosanne and I headed east to visit Stony Creek Beads for a trunk show and book signing. This gem of a bead store is located in Ypsilanti, just south of Ann Arbor.  Rosanne and I knew were where in trouble the moment we walked in the door.  The owner, Jennifer Schwartzenberger, has amassed a treasure trove of Czech glass, seed beads, stones, crystals and oh so much more!  Stony Creek Beads is also one of the most 'art beady' stores I've ever visited.  She had lampwork, polymer clay, pewter and ceramics on display from various local and national artists. 

If you are on the east side of Michigan or anywhere within driving distance, Stony Creek is worth a visit!

Jennifer and her mom, Susan Schwartzenberger. 

And yes, I have a feeling they have enabled many a bead addict!  The best thing about Stony Creek Beads is that you immediately feel welcomed when you walk in the door.  There wasn't a customer who came in that day who wasn't asked, "What can I help you find?" I loved that!  And their regular customers who came to visit that day were treated like family. 

It was a fun to meet some online friends in person, like Marla James of Marla's Mud - who brought me the cutest ceramic owl pendant and Lisa Lodge from Pine Ridge Treasures.

Another fun thing was to see was Stony Creek customers arrive wearing jewelry they had made using my beads.  The bead store purchased beads before the trunk show to introduce me to their customers.  They arrived wearing the sweetest creations.   I'm so sorry, I don't remember names.  I'm terrible at that - so if you know who is in the photos please let me know! 

This lovely lady created the Birch Forest Bracelet from my book!

My Van Gogh goes were very popular and had made their way into several bracelets!

My friend Susan Kolovson stopped in sporting her Humblebeads! Susan has joined me for several Bead Cruises and my Inspired by Nature Retreat.  I'm always so happy to see her!  Another Bead Cruise buddy, Liz Thompson, spent the day with us too visiting with us during lunch.

Rosanne and I had a great time. At the end of the day all of my books were sold, the bead trays were much lighter and we had bags of new beads after shopping too! Pure joy!

Trunk shows and book signings are by far my favorite kind of events.  I love meeting new people, the bead stores are always fun to visit and I'm appreciative of the owners efforts to promote my work.  I always make new things just for trunk shows, so customers get to see exclusives before I offer them online.  I love meeting people and talking about jewelry design, beads and inspiration!

I hope to get a few more trunk shows scheduled soon - my traveling shoes are itching to go!

Rings & Things Trunk Show

The Rings & Things Trunk Show came to Grand Rapids yesterday and I had been eagerly awaiting for them to roll into town!  I had my little list of must-haves: spacers, tiny faceted beads, wood and chain.  Mission accomplished!  Of course, I found a few surprises: resin strands in pretty muted shades, some lovely kynanite and bronzite faceted beads - yumm!  I had hoped to pick up tiny gemstones, but they were not in my price range at the moment.  My hunt was mostly for things for summer jewelry - more bangles, necklaces with wood and urchins and other beachy inspired things. 

I need a clone, because I would love to have a line of jewelry to sell to some of these beachy tourist towns dotting the Lake Michigan coast.  I had hoped to do the Artist Market here in town, but found out I missed the deadline.  Yep, definitely need the clone!

I didn't have to shop alone this weekend.  My sweet auntie Rosanne and my friend Heather (you may know her as the Peacock Fairy) drove to GR to spend the day with me.  They have no idea how much I needed some time to play and create! 

I showed them how I make my seed bead bangles and we enjoyed playing with beads and visiting all afternoon.

Rosanne was so productive - until Words with Friends called her name!

Here are the three bangles Rosanne made.

And the ones I whipped up yesterday.  This set features one of my Dandelion beads, a nice chunky raku bead from MAKU and an owl from PatinaWorx.

Here are a few bangles I made last weekend while hanging out with my sister.  We took a long drive to Muskegon and I made some of them in the car.  Then we watched Grimm all night while I worked on a few more piles. 

She kept slipping them on, I wasn't sure they were going to come off - but eventually she gave them back.  With the promise that I would make her set.  Nothing like having a jewelry-maker for a sister!

Grand Rapids Trunk Show

Hello everyone.  I've missed the ol' blog and I'm happy to be a in place where I can be creative again and we are getting back to normal around here.  There is a lot that has been happening and tons of fun things on the horizon, so I'll just jump in with what's going on next weekend. 

I will be returning to Bead Quest in Grand Rapids for a Spring Trunk Show.  I've created some fun new beads in the last few weeks.  Above you can see some new hearts and variations on older designs.  I've also been making tiny houses that I'm pretty excited about.

The trunk show is February 11th from 10 am - 5 pm.  If you are in the West Michigan area please stop out and say hello. 

I will have a little gift for blog readers at the show if you tell me you read about it on my blog!

This was my display at last weekend's trunk show at La Bead, Oh! in Springfield, IL.

I'm also teaching my Sundry Bracelet class from 1-4pm. 

There are still spaces in the class and you can register here.

What is a sundry? A sundry is a small, miscellaneous collection of items and that is what I've collected for the luscious fringe on each of these bracelets.  I've used Czech glass, crystals, stones and pearls to create playful beaded clusters that compliment my handcrafted disk beads, also in a sundry of patterns.

The bracelets look complex, but they are actually quite easy to make.  If you can sew a button, you could make one too!  I promise.  In the class we will also make a fun and versatile wire clasp and I throw in a little color theory for beaders too.

Bead Quest has been doing a smashing job of promoting the trunk show.  I'm looking forward to meeting more Michigan beaders next weekend.  (Above, my display in the store!)

What does Bead Quest have in their shop?  They do these great monochromatic displays along the wall with Czech glass and seed beads.  They have chain and cording in all sorts of yummy colors and patterns. 

Pearls and gemstones along with wire and metal working supplies and tools.

And all sorts of fun finds around the counter, like art beads, filigree, crystals and these lucite flowers caught my eye yesterday.

So that is where we will start back with blogging for today - always love a fun trunk show and the chance to partner with a local bead store!