Portland...Bullseye...my studio

My class ended last Saturday. It was at Bullseye Glass in Portland, OR. If you're a glass person you know all about Bullseye. They make most of the art glass we use for kiln forming, also known as fusing. So I went up to Oregon to take a dealers forum with them. It's conducted for individuals that are planning to deal their glass, become a Bullseye Resource Center and teach kiln forming. I am doing all of those things...and am very excited about it. The class was fantastic! The people at Bullseye are amazing! And I truly look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with the Bullseye Glass company.

So here's a little update on my studio plans...I'm looking for a location. I'm hopeful about one in particular. I'm planning on opening in Highland Park. I've got plans and goals and aspirations for my new adventure and as things progress I'll note them here. It's very exciting.

I do have a few little shows and classes coming up. Tomorrow I'll be at Seed in Costa Mesa for their monthly last Saturday trunk show. If you're in the area stop by and pick up a trinket or two. I've got some classes coming up too. There's one at The Beadiak, June 5-6, but that one is full. We'll be scheduling another one so keep your eyes open. Those are always a good time since they're a two day class and two days is so much better. The following Saturday, June 12, I'll be at Hands on Third for a one day bead making class. And the following Saturday, June 19, I'll be at Lighthouse Stained Glass in Hollywood. I think there's still room in those classes but you'll have to check with them.

At the end of July I'll be at the Pasadena Bead and Design Show at the Pasadena Hilton Hotel. Lots of beads and lots of good times. It's a 4 day show and the admission fee is good for all 4 days. I'll be talking that show up for the next 2 months. If you need anything right away go on over to my etsy store and see what I've got...or email me. See you all soon!!

The Glass Studio

I'm looking at a couple of spaces...we'll see. I'm making it official. I'm opening my glass studio and it will be called, The Glass Studio. I'm excited. I have plans and hopes and aspirations and I'm working to make them a reality. So here is where I will give the updates on my progress and let all who read this what my plans are. Glass and good times ahead.

Meanwhile...I"ve got an opening this Saturday, May 1st, over at Freehand in

the mid-city area of Los Angeles. It's a fabulous store on 3rd near Orlando, 8413 West 3rd. St to be exact. It's from 5-8pm and I'm so thrilled to be a part of this show. It's their annual jewelry show so this is a big deal for me. Hope to see you there.

The following weekend, May 8-9, is a trunk show over at the San Gabriel Bead Company. Both Saturday and Sunday. So if you couldn't get to the bead show in Culver City this weekend please stop by and pick up some beads. I'll be doing some macramé too.

I'll be at the Red Rabbit Craft

Show

on May 15th also doing a bit of macramé and selling beads. That's being held in Glendale. Check out the postcard I've got here in the blog. That should be some fun.

In keeping with the macramé theme, I'll be doing a book signing of my book, Mod Knots down at Seed People's Market in Costa Mesa for their last Saturday event and of course I'll have beads and jewelry on hand. seed is a great store over at The Camp on Bristol. You should definitely check it out.

In between those two events I'm actually running off to take a class. I'll be up in Portland at Bullseye Glass. I'm really looking forward to this. And I'll blog all about it when I get back.

Bead making classes start up again in the month of June. First weekend, June 5-6 I'll be out in Agoura at the Beadiak doing the 2-day class. Always a good time. The following Saturday, June 13, I'll be at Hands on Third. And the Saturday after that I"ll be at Lighthouse Stained Glass. Things book up quick.

As always if you need some beads you can check my etsy store and shop away. Thanks for reading this and I'll keep more regular updates about the studio and other inportant information!!

Las Vegas

I'm getting ready for Las Vegas. We've got the Glass Craft and Bead Expo coming up April 9-11 at the South Point Hotel and Casino. I'm very excited. I've got a table in the bead area and excuses for running around to the other vendors to look around at all the glass goodies they have to offer. Are you going to Glass Craft? If you are please stop by and visit my table. Chit chat...maybe buy some beads...show me what you bought.

I had a couple of great classes I taught recently. There was a weekend bead making class at The Beadiak in Agoura and a macramé bracelet class and Beadniks in Santa Monica. Great student!! Great stores. Always a good time. And this past Saturday I was in Costa Mesa doing a little trunk show at this cool store named Seed. They're carrying my jewelry there too. Yay!!

There are a whole host of activities I've got on my agenda coming up besides Glass Craft. There's a glass bead making class at Lighthouse, April 17 from 1-6. It's always a good time. And at the end of the month there's the Bead Society of Los Angeles Bead Show in Culver City. Lots of goodies and beads and stuff you need. For those of you that attend regularly I'll be at my regular table which is actually expanded to two tables. There will be my beads and Jenn Houser's fused glass. I'm trying to get Stacey Peterson with her cool PMC components and charms and jewelry to join us.

May is a busy month too. I have a trunk show scheduled for over at the San Gabriel Bead Company in Arcadia the weekend of May 8-9. I love this store and really look forward to this little event. There's going to be some macramé make and takes if you're interested. May 15th I'll be in Glendale for the Red Rabbit Arts and Crafts Market. More make and takes...

I'll be in Portland from the 16th through the 22nd, over at Bullseye Glass for a class. I'm so excited about that. There will be pictures and blog postings all about that adventure. Yea ha!!

And I've got a weekend class booked over at The Beadiak in Agoura for the first weekend of June. Those classes are always a blast so if you're ready to take the plunge and learn bead making here's a great opportunity. Hope to see you at one or more of these events!! Have a great day!! Now I must play with some of the glass I picked up over at The Mandrel yesterday...she had a great class with Leah Fairbanks this past weekend. I used the glass as an excuse to go say hi to Leah...

Shows...Classes...Stuff

The shows are lining up. Adding new stores. Just dropped off a bunch of flower oriented jewelry over at the Arboretum. Have you been there? So beautiful! I highly recommend it. And the classes...so it's a busy time of year. Beads get made. Blogs get written. It's all good.

Let's start with the shows. My next is a small trunk show March 27th down in Costa Mesa at the store Seed. It's a pretty cool little place. They sell a lot of eco friendly goods, offer fun classes and have a Patagonia shop there too. They're in a small mall that has one of my favorite vegan restaurants around, Native Foods. Guess I know where lunch is coming from.

Less than two weeks later I'll be in Las Vegas for Glasscraft and Bead Expo, April 9-11. I'll be in the bead part. Of course I'll be wandering around the show every chance I get to buy glass and tools and whatever cool stuff suits my glass fancy. In the past I've only spent what seemed like mere moments at the show. I'll be there 4 days so it should get interesting. I don't think I've ever spent that much time in Vegas.

The next show is the Bead Society of Los Angeles shin dig over in Culver City at the Veteran's Memorial Hall at Culver and Overland on April 25. 10-5. Always a good time and this season should be no exception. I'm really looking forward to seeing all my bead buddies...let me know if you need anything special and I'll bring it along.

May 1st is the opening for a jewelry show I'm in at Freehand over on 3rd St. in Mid-City Los Angeles. It is such an honor to be a part of this show. I love the store and have been fortunate enough to have been selling there for many years. This is my first time participating in their annual jewelry show. It's so cool. And it's their 30th Anniversary!

May 8-9 I'll have a trunk show over at the San Gabriel Bead Company. It is after all one of my favorite places on the planet. Do stop by. Get some beads. Hang out and make something. We'll be doing a bit of macramé and stuff...

The last show I'm listing is the Pasadena Bead and Design show in August. You'll hear more about it as it draws nearer...gotta plan ahead.

As for classes...the next is March 20-21 at The Beadiak in Agoura. I understand there's only a couple of spaces left so call them up and sign up. Two day classes are so cool. So much more torch time. And lunch is included.

March 23 I'll be down in Santa Monica teaching a little macramé class. A very cool bracelet. Just saw a bunch of the style at Fred Segal. Make your own...an even cooler version. Check out the Beadniks sight for contact info. We'll be having a book signing too of my Mod Knots masterpiece.

I'll be back over at Lighthouse Stained Glass April 17. 1-6. Always a good time...

Now I must get back to work on my new book outline. I'll keep you posted on the progress of that too as well as all kinds of exciting upcoming events! Now get off the computer and go make something!!

Wig Wag

Last night while working on my other blog I write over at craftgossip.com I found a cool tutorial on how to do the wig wag twistie. Well I gave it a try. It was posted over at torchbugs.com a form site for bad making. It has a bunch of tutorials which was something I was looking for last night. And I felt very fortunate finding something I was really curious about. It's a twistie I've seen used by Sarah Hornik and she was the person that posted the how-to. Whoo hoo! So I did it and it turned out pretty good for a first try. I plan on working on it a bit to get it down. I certainly like the look and would love to see it with raku and black, one of my favorite twistie combinations. So check out the twistie and the disk heart bead I made with it. Not bad...

Upcoming Good Times!

So I've got some cool glass adventures coming up...the first thing is a class at The Beadiak in Agoura. It's a weekend class and those are always a good time. Come on down I think there's a couple spaces still open. Call over to The Beadiak and sign up...818.597.8020. Everything you need is provided, even lunch. Just bring your desire to make glass beads...11-4 March 20-21, 2010.

GlassCraft and Bead Expo is coming to Las Vegas and I'm going to be there. I've got a table over in the bead area and I'll be loaded down with goodies for sale. And checking out all the cool glass stuff every chance I get. Are you going? It should be a blast! After all...what happens in Vegas...

I've got another cool event coming up in May. I'll be showing in the annual jewelry show at Freehand Gallery in Mid City Los Angeles. This is so cool!! I've been selling out of this store for ages but this is my first time doing their jewelry show. And it's their 30th anniversary. I'm so honored to be a part of it. I'll be creating some new goodies. Outrageous, large and super fun pieces! The opening is May 1st. I'll keep everyone posted though.

And lastly for todays blog posting. I'm working on the outline for my new book. My acquisitions editor at my publisher is having me move forward and create an outline so she can then present it to the powers that be. And it's a glass book! I love macramé but what I really really love is glass...

Time for Art Soup and Glass Bead Making!

This weekend I'l be over at Art Soup Studio in Altadena teaching glass bead making! Should be a blast. Two solid days of bead making fun. We'll pull stringer and make beads and then use that stringer we made to decorate more beads. Then there will be lunch...

So maybe you couldn't make it to this class...I have another 2 day class coming up next month at The Beadiak out in Agoura. March 2021, 2010. 11-4. That's always a good time! It's a great little bead store too. Hard to leave without picking up some cool gem stone beads or findings I can't find anywhere else. I think there's still space available in that class. Call over there to find out...818.597.8020.

And my next show...GlassCraft and Bead Expo in fabulous Las Vegas!! There will be beads and fused glass and good times...oh yeah. I've only spent small amounts of time at this show in the past so it sure will be interesting to do a few days. Las Vegas...Viva Las Vegas!!! So if you need beads, you can go to my etsy store, beadbrains.etsy.com or take a drive out to Las Vegas April 9-11, 2010.