Tales of The Taping

(aka... what happened on Thursday?)

After a rather restless nervous night of sleep, I was up bright and early on Thursday. My make up was due to be done at 8am and I needed to get in early to set up (or so I thought). Running on the adrenaline of excitement along, no coffee, I was up at 6am... showered, dressed, and checked out of the hotel by 7:15am. Did you notice what I was wearing in the photo with Jean yesterday? Yep... SueBeads, come collect your give-away prize! I did end up wearing the same top that I wore in the head shots I had done a few months back. Sue, just send me an email with your address, I will get a goodie in the mail to you.

Now back to the tale.

The Beechwood Studios are just around the corner from the hotel we were all staying at. I was there bright and early, ready to get my stuff set and make up on. But, um, yeah, I was a little over eager I think, lol. No one else was there yet but a fella named Billy that was setting up the set.





Slowly but surely everyone else started to trickle in. I set my things up on a huge shiny silver tray in the green room (makes for easy switching of 'stuff' after each segment is finished) and then, I waited... and waited... and waited. The order got mixed around and instead of being first on the make up list, I was third. I didn't mind. I got to hang out in the green room and chat more with the other artists and see the goodies they would be showing.



Melanie was there to talk about Steampunk. I am sure you have heard of it. If not... just ask her, she is an expert! In fact, she wrote an article for Beadwork magazine all about it (though, I can't seem to find a link, sorry). And Jean has a new book coming out about Steampunk style jewelry. Cool huh?



Jean was the first to film. She has been on the show a few times and the producer thought it was a good idea to have her go first so us newbies could have a good example. GREAT IDEA!! Jean, though she said she gets nervous, was wonderful. She is so knowledgeable about the things she talks about. You can tell she is the kind of person that likes knowing about what she talks about, she reads about... finds out more... finds out all she can. You know what I mean? And if she isn't that way... she sure has me fooled! I think she is awesome, can you tell?



Soon it was my turn! A big thanks to Diane Hawkey for running around the set while I was setting up and snapping pictures for me. You know, I didn't really know what my make up looked like until I got home and downloaded all the photos. HA! I don't wear make up. If I do, it isn't more then a line of eye shadow and some mascara. This is for two reasons, I am allergic to everything and I can't wear a ton of make up and two... I am lazy about it. I think I have fairly nice skin, I don't want to cake on a lot of product. I am pony tail and jeans kinda girl. I told that to the make up artist, who has been in the biz for more the 30 years!, and she said she would keep it light and clean. Her work on everyone was wonderful. Just a shock to my system, though. And looking at the photos, I feel like I look like Weeble, with a spare tire of a belly, that got made up like a China doll. Oh well. I am who I am, right?



This is me, with the show's host, Katina. Just so you know, I hate this picture... so moving on.



Set up took about 5 mins. Then, the producer sat on a stool in front of Katina and me and said "so talk me through what we are doing". We basically made up the script right there on the spot. It is funny... they tell you not to look at the camera and just pretend like you were having a conversation right before Katina turns and says "I am here today with...". So we are looking at each other and nodding, but we weren't saying anything, lol. Would you believe we shot my segment in one take? YEAH! JUST ONE!! But oh how I wanted another one!! Things went fine, everyone said I was a natural (though I think they were just saying that), I sat and talked to Katina and showed her how I make a fun pendant from my book. We did it all with about 10seconds to spare. Which is good, because they are going to need to edit in a cover shot of my book. I was supposed to have the book there on the table to show as reference, but the cover isn't ready yet.

The entire thing was 15 mins. I drove four hours, went to dinner, stayed in a hotel, got up at 6am, had make up done and stressed about what to wear... all for 15min. But it is MY 15mins and I so loved it.

Now, I could have left at 11am and drove back home to NY. Could have had my tile floor grouted by dinner and been lounging in the back yard with a glass of wine, BUT NO WAY!! Nothing was gonna make me miss seeing the other gals do their bits. (I did have to wash the make up off, lol... my eyes started to burn and water... told ya I was allergic to everything.)

Melanie was up next. I think she was the most nervous of us all. But I could be wrong. She was so quiet in the green room. She did really great though. She showed this really cool trick to taking a bead made of natural brass and popping it open and using it to set a cabochon. Which has me thinking.... hmmmm? What is there was a Steampunk carnival and I was the ring master? What kind of wild and crazy colorful, yet dingy and tooled kinda jewelry would I wear? There would definitely be stripes involved... and spray paint...





Diane was up after Melanie and I LOVE this picture!! Diane was doing a clay segment about how to make one of her signature heart beads with a special word on it. She kept having to wash the clay off her hands.

Once the tapings wrapped up, we were treated to lunch at the studio. The four of us, Jean, Melanie, Diane and I sat up in the atrium for a while after everyone left and talked. Diane has the very best estate sale story ever. Jean told us about how hard it is to get books published these days. It was such good conversation. I love those ladies. :)



And here is where my tale winds down. After lunch it was time to hit the road and head back home. There is a rest stop on I90 between Erie PA and Buffalo NY. I stopped there on my way down to Cleveland and then again on the way back. On the way down, I had a plain ol' bathroom stall with no graffiti, but on the way home... when I was feeling yucky about the outfit I chose, and my chubby cheeks... my bathroom stall said this...



Funny how the universe throws things at you.