TREASURES 2008...

I did my first solo bead show this past weekend in Des Moines, Iowa. From what I understand, it was a slow show, but I was actually really happy w/ how things went. I sold quite a bit & the response to my booth & my beads was fantastic... really encouraging. I was told by many that I had the best booth there... I don't know about that, LOL, but it was warm (if not a little lopsided, LOL.) & I think inviting. The lady who ran the show told me afterwards that many many people commented to her about me & my beads... that was great to hear.

I can't tell you how many people were just floored by my beads. I don't quite understand it. I mean, I really like them, LOL, but reactions make it seem like mine are quite unusual, which I can't really say they are or aren't. I didn't make it around the show at all to check out the other vendors...

I'm just really happy. I feel like I'm on the right track. It feels really good.

People loved my acorns. :o) I sold most of them.

Anyway... here are some pictures of my table. Working w/ Jennifer Ionta & her wonderfully warm table dressings & displays made me realize that my beads looked REALLY GOOD w/ the nice warm coppery, cream & gold tones....

rather than the stark black & white stuff I had used before.... so she showed me how to make the cute necklace display busts & such. The top tablecloth was a bit wonky, LOL, & is waiting for some nice trim to go around the edge (in from the edge about 1")... but I was really happy w/ the whole thing.

I didn't see that the top cover wasn't laying evenly until I saw the pictures... it is also hanging down too low in the front, tassles are hanging funny, too... LOL. Oh well. Brayden (10) came w/ me (for 3 days!) & helped me set up! He was good... really enjoyed wandering around shopping...it was a gem & lapidary show, too.... so he got some cool stuff.

It's hard to tell in the picture where my stuff ends & the guys beside & behind me begin.

Notice the grid of little 2" square dishes from Pier1... I just love those... think I'm gonna get more. I made the busts..... the trays are collage frames from Kohls... just mounted some fabric over the glass!

Brad built that wood shelf for me... I had him drill holes around the top sides & back, about 3" apart so I could mount the busts & copper wire "things" (to hang chains & earrings & such from) anywhere... so it's pretty versitile...
& the back side of that shelf is open, so I was able to tuck all sorts of stuff behind it, like little zip bags, boxes, calculator, etc...

So... all in all it was a great experience. My beads will be at the Twin Cities Bead Bazaar this coming weekend while I'm @ a class w/ Michael Barley!!!

NEW WEBSITE IS UP....

The new site is up.... check it out & let me know what you think about it. I needed to simplify the whole thing a little bit so I could update it myself. It had been about 10 months since my original site had been updated because I couldn't update the Flash sections, which were mainly images, the most important to keep current... I've changed my style just a tad. ;o)

Till next time...

~ Julie

GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART...

well it's time to go...

I just finished torching, had a grand old time, too! :o) I'm building up stock for a show I'm doing next weekend in Des Moines... Treasures 2008. It'll be my first real show that I've done on my own... scary. (not really) Making lots of hearts & other focals... I just love making "loose" beads, as opposed to making utinsil handles. I love them, too, they're just more intensive since I have to get them the exact right size for a specific utinsil and if it's a set, like the salad servers, the shapes have to match eachother, too... so it just takes more out of me. I get to PLAY when I'm making individual focals, I just love that freedom.

Anyway... it's 2:51 am as I write this. I'm pooped... but thought I'd continue on & post a picture before heading off. Hmmmmmmmmm... which one?

Here you go... a heart, my specialty...
Terranova2 w/ Opal Yellow stringerwork.


Whatcha think about this one?

Don't know why the background ended up being so blue... it's supposed to be black... but I wasn't going to tweak it anymore. Bottom right is just about right-on for the colors.

Till next time...

Goodnight sweetheart, goodnight...

LOOK AT THIS FABULOUS PIECE...

I'm in love...
I can't help it...
Isn't this fabulous??
(click on the image to see an enlarged view)

Of course the base is Opal Yellow (what else is there? LOL!)... & then has my favorite triple threat of Double Helix glasses on it, as well as SIS.

I put it on a hand-forged fine silver interchangable bead holder... & of course has one of Heidi's (JamnGlass) gorgeous hand-dyed silk ribbon.

I just love it. I did 3 of them the other night... will be doing more for the bead show I'm doing next week. Makes me wish I had a lentil press. I think it would be a fabulous design on a lentil. Hmmmmmm... what presses do I have?? :o)

What do you think?

I'll show it off on LE tomorrow... thought I'd bring it to you guys first. Lucky you. ;o)

NEW WEBSITE...

Yes... this time last year I was talking about having my new website built & ready to launch in December.

Well... I had her build it in FLASH & for some reason, I can't update the images to save my life... so it's still got all of the old images from 2007 on there... UGH! I even had a friend who BUILDS websites take a look @ it & she couldn't figure it out. It has something to do w/ the templates that it was built off of. It certainly gave my original website chick a hard time as she customized it for me.

So... I found Homestead & easily built a new site myself that I'll have no problems updating. Yeah!! It's in the middle of having the domain transferred... will be another week or so.

Whew.

Sucks to have wasted so much $$$ on the first site, but it's done its job (kinda) for the past year, right?

Check out my new site soon in the coming week or two... let me know what you think.