On Being A Bore

I feel like a total bore at the moment. By no means am *I* bored. No ma'am. I have a million and one things to do at the moment. But, when it comes to being witty, having things to say, sharing my life... I think I'm a bore right now. I'm lacking ideas... just like one of my kids. I can't think of a thing to do, here, in this space. So, I thought I would make soup. This soup, Soule Mama's Carrot Tomato Soup. And I thought I would tell you about the time I tried to make it last year. Silly me, I accidently poured curdled cream into it and oddly enough, no one in the house would try it knowing that. And it went to waste. This year, the cream and basil and tomatoes are fresh. I'll warm this at the studio today while I spend another day tooling away on things I can't show you, and I might even have a grilled cheese sandwich along with it. Oh yes, a grilled cheese made with pepper jack cheese.

Every day this week I have tooled the day away in my studio. As a result, my studio table is covered with the 25 progects that will appear in my new book, Rustic Wrappings. I have been stepping out each project for all the process photos we will be taking when I'm in NYC next week. Have I mentioned I'm going to NYC instead of Loveland CO for this book? Do you remember when I went for the Totally Twisted Shoot? In my 33 years of living in New York State (with some years spent living in Flordia and Texas), I have never once visited the big apple. I am a nervous wreck about it. I have no idea how I am getting from JFK airport to my hotel in SOHO, with my baggage, by myself. Everyone I have talked to has said to just get a limo, HA!, wouldn't that be fun! Yet, so not going to happen. I am putting off figuring out those details until Monday. Then I'll fly down to NYC on Tuesday and shoot on Weds/Thurs/Fri.

Gosh that all sounds so mundane in my head... if I were reading this on someone else's blog, I would be excited for them! But as the writer, I am thinking... who the heck cares if you are nervous about getting from the airport to the hotel. Alas... such is life.

To continue with what feels like a bit of monotony to me, I'll tell you about knitting. While my vegetables simmered on the stove yesterday, and I waited for the kids to get home, I stitched a few rows on a pair of arm warmers I'm making. My sister requested these, but apparently, she doesn't approve of the pattern. She wants something she can lace with a ribbon. I guess I'll just have to keep them for myself. I could really use them. My studio was so cold yesterday that I needed two cups of almond tea to keep warm. These arm warmers round my wrists would have helped... and left my hands and fingers free to do their tooling. About 40 more rows and the first one will be finished. Let's all hope I don't suffer from Single Arm Warm Syndrome (an illness that would lead to me only knitting one and not the other).

Isn't it interesting how warm the photos in my kitchen are and how cool the light in the living room is.

I think I hear the bus coming. Time to shoe Lauren out the door, pack up my soup, and get into the studio. I wonder if I'll see something in today to share tomorrow...

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Remember, registration for SNAPTASTIC The eCOURSE is open!! I would love to have you join me and the other awesome SNAPTASTIC students in class!! You don't want to miss this...

Balancing Out The Bright

One of the things I love about having a Flickr Photostream is seeing, so plainly, color patterns in the images. Yesterday, everything had hints of yellow. Today, as I loaded photos, I noticed everything took a turn to the rustic and earthy. Sometimes the transition in the stream in the palettes is subtle and other times, like today, it is more obvious.








(as a side note: My hubby and I have recently become addicted to American Pickers on Netflix. He called me yesterday and said "I went pickin' on lunch". It is something we both have always done with my estate sale adventures and his garage sale ones. It is fun now to have a little lingo to go with the junk rummaging. Check out the cool antique oak apothecary cabinet he found for my studio!)

Seeing these photos today compared to yesterday is interesting to me. It really punctuates what is going on creatively for me right now. The book I am working on writing at the moment couldn't be more different visually than my first. Color wise, it will be like seeing yesterday's photos (aka Totally Twisted) side by side with today's (aka Rustic Wrappings), when you hold both books in your hands. What is wonderful is that both are still so completely me. I love old rustic rusty objects and the sentimental thought/feelings to hold. And, I am loving the process of going back to my roots, so to speak (do you remember the days when I oxidized everything I made?), and exploring the wonderful possibilities in this design style. It is making for some really magical studio time, lemme tell ya.

I can't wait to get to that studio now and finish up the project using those little resin-ed papers. You know, pages from a love story, written and printed, more than 100 years ago makes for the best little details in a design.

Because of YOU!! (Give Away)

There was some major tutu twirling happening at the studio today! Why? Because of each and everyone of YOU. Yesterday, I got a twitter text from @InterweaveNews that my book, Totally Twisted: Innovative Wire Work + Art Glass Jewelry, was voted The BEST Beading Book by readers in 2011 About.com Reader's Choice Awards.  I can hardly believe it. I don't know what business my book had doing in the company of such awesome beading books (it isn't a traditional beading book by any means), but you all spoke up and made that happen. YOU made that happen!! I am seriously honored and just so in awe of the response you all have graced me with. I can't say THANK YOU enough for your support.

THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!

Know what else? My book is now a YEAR old! One whole year!! (actually, its 1 yr and 1 month old!) I really should have thrown a party to celebrate. I saw a sales report last week that made my mouth hang open in shock. You all have bought up nearly 10,000 copies of my book in this first year. Nine thousand nine hundred forty one, if you are curious about the exact figure. I kinda convinced myself it would take years to sell all the copies in the first printing but if things keep going at the rate they are, it'll sell out by this summer! (fingers crossed that I didn't just jinx it) When I stopped to think about just how blessed I am, to twirl a bit, to crank up the music, and to blow some kisses, it is absolutely impossible for a bad mood to survive. So, I owe you thanks for lifting my spirit too.

And really, what thank you wouldn't be complete without a special give away? When the vertigo of twirling wore off, I made this bangle. It is a new one I am calling Buttoned Up. The lampwork glass headpins I created dipped in raku frit are sweet button shapes. Flat backs and very bumped out tops made for a delightful cluster of beads on a two tone wrapped band. I wish you could see just how beautiful the rainbow raku effect is on the surface. Well, one of you will see it... because this is for YOU! YEAH!! One of you!!

Just leave a comment telling something you are feeling HOPEFUL about and I will draw a winner on Monday morning.

GOOD LUCK!

Twisted Tuesday - Holiday Special!

Forgive me this shameless self promotion, I just gotta say, I think Totally Twisted: Innovative Wire Work + Art Glass Jewelry (by Yours Truly) should be on every beader's wish list this Christmas!! With the holidays officially upon us, and as an author experiencing my first Christmas with my first book, I can't help it, I am biased, I know. To celebrate the season and to help stuff lots of stockings with copies of Totally Twisted, I have marked signed copies down 20% on my website.

So whether you have been holding off getting a copy for yourself, or you want to gift a copy to your best beady girlfriend, now is the time to order!! Shipping rates are the same: US Residents $3.50, Canadian Residents $8, and Everywhere Else $12 ( sorry I can't make it cheaper, books are heavy!) And I am happy to sign the copy to whom ever, just note it in the comments when checking out.

Now, for those of you that already have a copy of the book, and have been eagerly waiting that new kit that I hinted at a few weeks ago, it is here!! You can now order kits for UNHINGED! (photo of kit beads below) This is truly one of my favorites. I love making these beads and I love making this bangle. You can read all about the origins of this design in this 2008 blog post. This would be a great starter project for a newbie wireworker too. If you are gifting a copy of the book, this would make a great companion gift (hint hint)!!

While you are checking out all the Kits & Supplies, Oh My! on my website, you'll see that the 4 kits I launched earlier this yeas have been marked down too!! I have taken 10% off of Bang Gals!, Delightful, Framed, and Timeless. All because I love you guys and I am so thankful for your support and for making 2010 such an exciting year for me. Thanks so much to each and every one of you. This sale will be going on until December 31, 2010. That way, if Santa doesn't get everything on your list, you can come back and treat yourself to something special :) But, I hate shameless self promotion, so I won't be mentioning this again until it is about to expire!!

Happy Shopping and Merry Christmas!!

Twisted Tuesdays - New Kit Release!!

Confession 1: The last time I spent more than 30 secs in my studio, more than a run down and grab a pair of scissors or tube of glue amount of time, was nearly sixs weeks ago.

Confession 2: I have had about 8 big boxes of new studio goodies delivered to my house this week but I have barely had the heart to open them. They are filled with a plethora of new glass colors, a complete "The Smith" torch set up, and foot upon foot of wire.

I could go on to confess other things right now, like how I am still in my pjs at 10am and haven't had a shower even though I have been up since 6am, or the main reason for confession 1 is that I am avoiding a hip high pile of laundry, but HEY, it is Twisted Tuesday!! and we need to celebrate all things TOTALLY TWISTED. Forget the pjs and laundry... forget the messy studio and unpacked boxes... forget that life gets away from us sometimes. Agreed? Agreed. I am ready to dive back into the studio for some quality cleaning time and to get back to creating some beautiful beads. (Although I may not be able to take part in that art show I mentioned the other day, I can still squeak out beads here and there while Andrew is at tutoring!!)

I have a surprise for you!!

I am ready to roll out a new kit from Totally Twisted!!

I thought a lot about which project would make the best new kit. And, I have two for you. One will be released today and the other next week. I wanted a kit that would have great bang for its buck and one that is easy to tackle for newbies or pros alike (and for me in the studio too). SO, the first kit will be for The Eyes Have It, found on page 129 in my book. A few of you that have seen me in person recently (like at ArtBliss!) got to see the beads for these kits in person, and I was thrilled with the reactions. Oh what fun it is to hear oohhhs and aaahhhs when dumping out a pile of beads on a desk.

Here is how the new kit works. They will be made to order (unlike kits of the past which are usually ready to ship), they will be available in three color combos to start, and I am limiting the quantity I will make to 5 in each color. Also, the price of sterling silver is sky high at the moment, so I am also giving you the option to order just the beads (minus the sterling) if you like. Being that this kit uses 8ft of 16g wire, at today's price, it will save you $35 (kits are priced at $120, just the beads at $85)! I will need about 10 days to make the beads, clean them, kit them, package and ship them. Meaning, orders placed today will be shipping on or before Friday Oct 29th. And they should be in your beady hands by Nov 1st!!




The three color combos I am offering are 1)The Original - black, pink, and rose, 2) Ivoried - ivory, dark red/brown, and silvered ivory, and 3) Tealy - transparent teal, turquoise, periwinkle, and coral. I love each of the combos so much. The Original is rather fun and sassy, I think it is a great anytime color combo, but will be especially nice come Valentine's with that lovely pink. Ivoried let's out a bit of your wild animal side with the way the edges of the dark red/brown feather into the ivory. This combo would be great with oxidized copper or brass too!! Tealy is just plain fun, and possibly my favorite. I can't get enough of these colors!!

An important note: these kits are intended for personal use only, NOT FOR RESALE. You are more than welcome to purchase just the beads and use them how ever you like in other projects of your choosing to resell. however, I am asking that you not purchase the kits, make The Eyes Have It, and then offer it for sale. Thanks for your understanding on this!! These make GREAT GREAT gifts though!! Christmas is around the corner, hint hint. ALSO, please remember, INSTRUCTIONS ARE NOT INCLUDED! A detailed, step-by-step, tutorial is available in my book, Totally Twisted.

HAPPY KIT SHOPPING!!

Twisted Tuesdays - Artisan - Lemington Spa, England

I can't tell you how happy my ODC alter ego, Carrie, is about how this week of blogging is going to go. HA! You know how she loves organization. She is down right gitty at the timing of things and couldn't have planned it better herself. You see, my first full day in England envolved a bead show and book signing. And today is Twisted Tuesday! So, we get to remember my trip in chronological order!! YOO HOO... oh the silly things that make smile.



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 :)

Twisted Tuesdays - Spotlight Cassie Donlen

One of the things I love about being an author is getting to shout from the roof tops about artists that I think are incredibly talented and all around awesome people. In my Spotlight Series, I am thrilled to be telling you more about the artists that have beads featured in Totally Twisted!! I am especially excited today because not only is the artist in spotlight talented and awesome, I consider her a true beady friend and I am a better beader for knowing her. I am sure you have heard me gush about the lovely Cassie Donlen of The Glass Beadle before, but when in a spotlight interview, you get to see for yourself, through her own words, what she is really like. I don't know how you could disagree with me on this, she just ROCKS!!

Stay tuned all the way to the end of this interview because there is a pretty freakin' sweet give away and discount code for you all!!

And now, I bring you a recent chat between Cassie and me...


All the images in the post have been provded by Cassie! THANKS Cassie!!




Hey Girly!! EEEEkkkk, I am so excited to be talking with you for a Twisted Tuesday Spotlight!! Thank you for taking time out of your day for me, I know how busy your days can be. Hang on a sec while I stick my fancy professional interviewer hat on. There. Alright, first things first. Can you share with us a little about yourself and how you got started making beads and jewelry?
Well, lets see. I'm a busy mother of 3 boys ages 6, 10, and 12. There is never a dull moment in my house and the day that I can say that I'm bored and have nothing to do would be a moment of celebration. I always comment that my favorite part of the day is when it is finally time to go to bed. To be honest though, I love my crazy life and my family rocks. I have an incredibly supportive husband that is a dream and never complains about beads being everywhere or that once again I've neglected house work in favor of playing with beads.

My start into the jewelry making world is an amusing one. After our first child was born, I retired from being a pharmaceutical sales rep to becoming a stay at home mom. The decision was grand but it meant that we were on a very tight budget. One beautiful summer evening about 9 years ago I was having a girls night out with about 10 of us gathered around an outdoor table drinking margaritas. There was a gal in the group that I did not know. But she had on this KILLER bead ring. Oh how I was adoring that ring. I finally asked her about it and she proceeded to say that her friend makes them and that she is selling them at a local store for $75. She raved about how her friend actually makes the beads for the rings and how the beads on the ring were interchangeable. My immediate reply was that my husband would never let me spend $75 for a ring.

The following day I still had that ring embedded in my mind. Yes, I admit it. I was coveting that ring! I remember thinking that I can just make that myself. Then I wouldn't have to go spend the money on the ring. And that... was my introduction into lampwork beads. After a search in the yellow pages and a few phone calls, I found someone who was teaching lampworking classes out of her garage. She was in the middle of opening up a bead shop called The Glasshopper here in St.Louis. So after a few introductory classes I bought a hot head torch and set up shop in our garage. Once it finally started getting very cold outside, hubby took pity on me and built me a ventilated workshop. I purchased myself a minor torch that I still use to this day. I used to tease my husband saying he should have just let me buy the ring as it would have been way less expensive but look what I would have missed out on if I had.




I love that story! You and I have similar introductions to beads. Only, replace your friend's ring with YOUR beads and you have how I became addicted to wanting to learn!! For me though, jewelry came first, then learning to make beads. Which came first for you, beading or jewelry?

I guess from my introduction you can gather that the beads came first. Oh, I did get myself that bead ring within a few weeks of learning how to make beads! But making beads is my first love. At first, I viewed the jewelry as a means to the end. I loved making the beads but what good where the beads if they just sat there? I starting making lots and lots of bracelets and did my first local craft show within 4 months of learning how to make beads. It was all very exciting and without me even realizing it, the entire process became a true passion. Plus, the fact that I could earn some extra fun money on the side was a wonderful bonus. It is still so rewarding to see that after 9 years, I'm just as passionate about making beads and jewelry as I was when I first started.

Okay, so walk me through a typical beading day in your house!

My life is not very glamorous. I often joke that the highlight of my week is when I get to go shopping at Target. But I love my ordinary life and my daily routine. A normal day is spent with the daunting process of getting the kids ready for school, prodding them every step of the way to stay on schedule and getting out the door seems like a a feat in itself. With that accomplished, I sigh a big relief and then take an hour for myself doing a run or going to the local YMCA. I meet my BFF almost everyday when the weather pushes me inside and I get some great girl time in. Then by the time I get home, it is time to clean up, get organized, and start doing beady things. I swear the computer sucks me in though and by the time the school bus arrives at 4 p.m. I shake my head wondering where the day went and why did I not get Mount Everest climbed as I know there were plenty of hours in the day to do it.


Kid responsibilities and computer time sinks are another way our lives seem to run parallel! HA, maybe we should get our Parallel Crossings blog back up and running, eh? If only there were more hours in the day!! While we are talking about being a Mom though, how do you balance the titles of both artist and Mom?

I get asked this question often. Balancing both hats is quite a challenge. (As I'm sitting here, my 6 year old keeps complaining to me that he is bored and expects me to get off the computer and put the patches on his new Cub Scout shirt and is getting very upset that I keep saying soon.) Now that the kids are older and in school, it is much easier to be an "artist" during the day. Even with my school days free though, there is never enough time. My youngest complains that school is sooooo long and I always think that school goes by way too fast. Funny how we have different perspectives. I keep reminding myself that I get distracted by laundry, toys on the ground, clothes that the boys feel compelled to drop on the floor in random locations, and lets not forget taking care of all the crazy pets the kids convinced us they needed. Somehow in the end, it all gets done but when push comes to shove, my housework is the one that loses out every time. I used to pride myself on having a spic and span house. That just doesn't seem to be the case anymore and when I do 3 loads of laundry in one morning, I always act shocked when I realize that I don't get a week off from doing it again even though I just did 3 loads! As the saying goes "time flies when you are having fun" and that is so true. Playing with beads is still my passion and anytime I'm in the beading world, I feel like I blink my eyes and my free time has flown by. To make myself feel like I've accomplished something for the day, I do try to make a list of 2-3 things that I for sure want to get done. Anything else is just icing on the cake. It gives me something to focus on so that I don't get distracted with working on 20 different things that never seem to get completed.


What a great attitude to have about things! Have any funny kid stories from this summer you would like to share?

I always seem to be writing about my kids and family on my news page (which is really my blog) but I must admit that I feel like I've entered into a whole new world with having my first child reach middle school. Holy cow, it seems like from the moment my oldest turned 12, he turned into a tween. I'm sure you can relate Kerry with also having a 12 year old. But all of a sudden it is all about fashion, and being social, and text messaging, and having to use "Axe" brand deodorant. I remember how excited Keegan was when I bought him Axe shampoo a few months ago and he wanted to wash his hair right away. I wonder how disappointed the Axe manufacturers would be if they realized that their target audience has turned into a bunch of 12 year olds! Yes, and now the boys like girls and all of us mom's just sit back and shake our heads. It's really quite entertaining and fun to soak it all in. Keegan has a great group of core friends and we know most of the parents pretty well so it is easy to keep track of what is really going on with all the boys. I love being a mother and am so blessed with 4 special boys if you can't my darling hubby too.

I am just loving the photos you have been sharing on your news page!! And the new jewelry, just gorgeous!! Any future plans you have coming up that you would like to share?

I just started the big endeavor of updating my poorly neglected website. I'm updating the photos in the jewelry galleries that are used for custom orders, will be adding a new section in the bead gallery for custom orders of short strands of beads that only have 5-8 beads, and even going in and reducing prices of my jewelry and bead sets to help make it slightly more affordable in this crummy economy. It is a slow process though and will take me a few months to do it all. I keep saying that I'm going to make more lampworking how to videos and I really need to move that to the top of my priority list. Last week on impulse I made 2 simple videos on how I photograph my beads and jewelry. The video is extremely basic but photography can be a challenge and I thought it would be fun to share how I take my photos. You can watch it on my Facebook Page under "glassbeadle".

Cassie, you ROCK! I just love ya, girl!! I hold close those late night chats at Bead Fest Wire and seriously, anytime anyone asks me why I started making beads your name is the first thing out of my mouth. Thank you so so much for being a part my book and such a great friend!

NOW, as promised, for making it all the way to the end of this interview, Cassie has TWO awesome goodies for you!! Drumroll please.....
First, THE GIVE AWAY!!

Leave a comment here of my blog for your chance to win this necklace! How beautiful is that?!? It is one of Cassie's favorite designs and she wears one all the time. It always garners loads of attention. You know you want it, so leave a comment by Midnight on Sunday Sept 26! I will draw a name at random next Monday!! And YES, internationally comments are welcome!!

Second, Cassie is also offering a 10% discount on new orders placed on her website too! Just mention this interview in the comments section when checking out and you will be sent a 10% refund on the order! Hope over to Cassie's Jewelry Boutique or Bead Galleries to start browse all the beady beauties and start loading up your cart. Let's keep her busy straight through til Christmas with all our orders! YOO HOOO!

Thanks again Cassie. And stay tuned to Twisted Tuesdays everyone for more artist interviews coming soon!!

A Bouquet Of Beads For You

Since The Inaugural Event for ArtBliss is set to be such a special creative weekend, I decided I wanted to make the kits for my class just as special. Rather than make another 25 sets of my usual BRIGHT color combo for my Bang Gals kits, I wanted to work in a different color combination. My favorite combination in fact. Purple, Periwinkle, Turquoise, and Lime!! I imaging this blend of colors is probably the most classic KABs combination. I could work in it for hours, nah, days and never get bored. These 18 limited edition sets took me three days to create with sitting at more torch for more than 5 hours at a stretch. For those that haven't ever torch worked, that is a lot of beading! My cheeks burned pink for hours afterward each day.

Did you hear that fancy phrase I threw out there a few moments ago? Yeah, limited edition. I won't be making more of this combination and the students and visitors to ArtBliss are the ones that will get dibs on them!! (if by some chance there are any left after the event, I will post them for y'all.) I am so excited by these. As I said several months ago when I launched my kits, I would love to make limited edition color combinations and every few months I would roll out new sets. I think it is about time for some new ones, don't you? In the coming weeks, I will be releasing a limited edition fall color combo for Bang Gals, plus new kits for Unhinged and The Eyes Have It. (check out your copy of Totally Twisted to see which projects those are!!)

Now I need to lock myself away and get back to work on the rest of the beads needed for my Bang A Rang class! Oh yes, I said we would be making 3 great bangles in class, not just one!! OH, for those of you stopping in that are ArtBliss students taking this class, you can purchase your class kits on my website. It will be waiting for you when you arrive to class!

Twisted Tuesdays - A Stop At A Local Shop

On date night the other week, Ron and I found ourselves in Canandaigua, NY not just for a delightful afternoon, but for a stop by JOOLZ as well. You all knew that already though!! You have seen the new designs building up and you knew where they were headed. I thought you might like a little tour around this lovely jewelry shop!








I absolutely love that my work is among the many talented artists at JOOLZ. Hope over to Francie's (the owner's) blog for lots of tid bits about the artists she features!! You won't be dissappointed.

Twisted Tuesdays - Demos

Kinda a late post here today. Time seems to be completely running away with me. I don't know where the day went. And every moment that slips away, Bead Fest is seems like more of a dream. I hope the memories don't fade too fast!!


For today's Twisted Tuesdays, I wanted to tell you more about demos! I remember back to the first time I was ever asked to demo, it was at JOOLZ a couple years ago during a trunk show. I remember being very nervous about it and spending some time chatting on the phone before hand with my beady friend and demo expert, Nancy Puffer Sells. With Nancy's advice ringing in my ears, I think I had a pretty successful demo and I breathed a huge sigh of relief when it was over. Since then, I have done demos at The Fine Craft Show, and Bead Fest Wire. I think it is my experience as a jewelry instructor that really helps me when I do a demo, because basically, I am teaching a mini class. Yeah, that's it... demos are mini classes!


My past two demos, the one at Bead Fest Wire and then the one I did this past Friday at Bead Fest, have really been the easiest for me. I imagine that, as it is with most things, the more you do it, the easier it gets. I basically spend 30-45mins showing a project from start to finish, give pointers as I am creating the piece (ex: quick one liners that hopefully stick with the passers by), and answer any questions that come up along the way. It was recommended by my friends at Interweave the what ever I demo relate to Totally Twisted. Makes perfect sense, doesn't it? I find the project that packs the most bang for it's buck is definitely Bang Gals! It is a project that works up quickly, is bold and colorful, plus lends itself to those quick one line pointers.


Ha, it is funny, I wasn't sure where this post would go exactly when I started it. It would seem I should re-title it "Tips For Successful Demos!" Hey, why not?

~*Tips For Successful Demos*~

1) Seek sound advice from friends that have done similar demos.
2) Pick a project that has good bang for the buck. It should work up quickly, be bold and colorful, and teach a thing or two.
3) Give your crowd quick one liners to help remember what they saw. (ex: "Always cut in the direction the wire is traveling." or "1ft of wire = 1in of coil")
4) Relax, smile, and remember you are there to have some fun!

I think that last bit is the most important part. I notice I kinda take a deep breath and sigh just a bit before diving into the start of a demo. I try to remember that people are watching because they want to. They are interested in what I have to say and what I am showing them. Thankfully, I have yet to have a person get bored and wander off. (At least, not that I have noticed.) If you haven't done a demo, you should seriously consider giving it a try at your next show. What? You think the kind of shows you do aren't like big huge Bead Fest? Don't be silly! You could demo at your booth during a craft fair. Put a sign up and say "Demo @ 1pm". I am guessing you'll draw a crowd and increase sales!! Try it, I dare you... heck, I triple dog dare you.

If you have had experiences with doing demonstrations, I would love to hear about your tips and tricks! Feel free to leave comments.

And a special THANK YOU to Elisabeth, my marketing manager, for snapping these photos for me! You ROCK, Elisabeth!