A few months ago when I started planning my UK visit, I sent an email to a lovely jewelry artist that I feel like I have known forever, Jo Tinley of Daisychain Jewellery. If memory serves, I know her from the Bead & Button forum days of years ago, but I could be wrong about that! Anyway, I asked Jo if she could recommend some good bead stores in London that I could get in touch with about turning this friendly visit into a "business trip". She gave me loads of suggestions and also mentioned that the publishers of Beads & Beyond were putting on a bead/stamp show called Artisan around the time of my visit. I got in touch with the editors of the magazine, Becky and Michelle, and we scheduled a demo/book signing for Totally Twisted!! How seriously cool is that? I got to say, to anyone that asked, "yeah, I am doing a book signing in the UK on Oct 2." I am a lucky girl and I know it!
The place where the event was held was the coolest place ever. I am used to BIG HUGE US shows that are held in gigantic convention centers where it can take 20mins to walk from one class room to the next. I loved the quiantness of the venue in Lemington Spa. I didn't ask a lot about it, but my impression was that the was an old farm that remodled the barn into a fantastic building to hold gatherings like these. Quite literally, you parked in the front field, you walked through a pasture with sheep and pear trees, with a red ivy covered house to the right, and there you are.
We started the visit with a quick lunch and got to chat a bit. I loved getting to meet Jo and Michelle and Becky in person! And although we only really chatted for a half hour or so, I learned so much. I had no idea what it means to work with metal in the UK and needing to have pieces hallmarked in order to be able to sell them as sterling, or gold. Here in the US, buyers take us at face value, trust that we are selling them what we say we are, and we leave it at that. If a piece has a hallmark, it is an artist's signature not necessarily to identify the quality of the metal. I sign my beads with a titanium pen in hidden places on finished pieces of jewelry, but oh how tempted I am after our chat to have a hallmark designed to stamp my jewelry with. Especially now that I will be working with metal more (hint hint, clue clue... I have an art show in 3 weeks, eeeekkkkk!! good things coming). Can I also say, I giggled inside everytime I heard them say "Artisan"? Yeah, they pronounced it art-is-zan, and I love the accent!!
Jo was really great about snapping photos while I did the demos and signed books. THANKS JO!! I ended up signing about a dozen books, which isn't horrible, but I wish I could have done more. These are a really great bunch of people and I was so excited to get to work with them. And, I hadn't realized how many times we have "worked together" before! Jo handed me two copies of back issues of Beads & Beyond where both this blog and my book had been featured!! It was so cool to see. When I am in a publication overseas, I don't know about it and they never usually tell me. It is really hit or miss if I can get copies of the issues too. One of the people watching me demo is sure she saw an excerpt from the book in another publication as well. It is wild, seriously. I am so thankful to be so loved :)
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Now you did what I didn't think of doing - photos of the outside! It was a really cute venue, although I was surprised at the space inside - a bit like a tardis! The icecream van parked outside all day Saturday was a big temptation though...
I'm so glad you could make it over. The magazine crew sold some more of your books later in the afternoon. And go on then, how do you pronounce Artisan?! It's really like one vocab, two different languages at times!
It was really love to meet you in person Kerry, and yes, I was on the B&B forum years ago - I'd nearly forgotten about that!
LOL, I say it more like art-i-sin rather than zan.
I am so glad the magazine sold more copies! And it was so so awesome to meet you. I hope all goes well with that bump of yours! Did you ask about the heart rate yet?
It was great that you were able to combine the show with your visit, you are a lucky girl! What fun!
Dear Kerry,
It is funny that you thought that the venue was quaint.We were surprised as well to see where the exhibition centre was as we were expecting a venue near town.Rather than a barn on a farm.What a surprise!And parking the car was a doddle.Debra and I were delighted to meet you as well.We had two days at the show(which was much smaller than we expected).We were shattered by the afternoon that you arrived.We spent a small fortune and had a brill time.It was the first time Debra and I had met as well.We normally chat on Facebook and by e-mail.I work with her sister-in-law.She transports the beads to me every few days or so.
We came home with lots of new ideas and happy memories.I have a piece of jewellery in the final of Beads and Beyonds conpetition,so extra exciting.Cheers,Anne.
Oh goodness! Not ONLY a trip to England but a bead show, too? That is like, the BEST VACAY EVER! What an incredible opportunity - congrats on getting to do it!
Such an awesome trip, Kerry! So glad that Carrie is going to share more this week. Looking forward to it.
I had a custom stamp made of my exact key from my logo back in 2007. I felt it was very important to have that 'hallmark' on my work. You should definitely do it. And if you have any questions about it, let me know.
Enjoy the day!
Erin
Loved learning more about Artisan. And lucky you, meeting Jo Tinley and the ladies behind B&B - Becky and Michelle. What a dream trip you had! Enjoyed catching up with you today finally.
Kerry,
Yes, definitely hallmark your work. I recently, finally, had a stamp made of just my initials. (Logo next when finalized.) It identifies ME and my work, and makes a statement to your customer. (And, hey, if Tiffany, Monet, Miriam Haskell, etc., etc., etc. can do it, us indies should do it too.)
Microstamp was wonderful to work with, best price, exceptional quality, ultra fast service, and it's a dream to stamp - not anything like banging a design stamp. I also use the .925 or .999 stamps when working with those metals.
I assume you learned the whole hallmark process in England. Interesting, but can you imagine sending every piece off first for testing?
Enjoying your story. What a lovely break for you, too.
No, I haven't asked about the haert rate yet - next midwife appointment is next week, so we'll see then!
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