FEBRUARY CLASSES

 Slide Tubes on a rubber cord bracelet.

 PMC Toggle

 Zig Zag Scallop Necklace taught by Julie Campbell (designed by Sheryl Yanagi).

 Sidewinder bracelet taught by Jeanne Craine.

Wire-Wrapped beads taught by Jeanne Craine.  

Cindi from Bead Haven will be hosting February classes at the Fairfax Center on Saturday, February 25.  I'll be teaching 2 PMC classes that day.  In the morning we'll be making fine silver tube beads which are perfect on a bracelet or on a chain and in the afternoon we'll learn how to make our own toggles.  Julie Campbell and Jeanne Craine will also be teaching classes that day (see the photos above).  Jeanne is teaching a third class that day, but I couldn't get the picture to load!  See that picture on the Bead Haven website.  Cindi Slater will also be teaching 2 free sessions of how to crimp and make wire wrapped loops for earrings.  These are 2 of the basics of jewelry making, so if you've always wanted to learn, now's your chance (and for free!).  It should be a fun day filled with a lot of laughs and learning.  See all of the details on the Bead Haven website.

VALENTINE

Valentine is located in downtown Iowa City, next to Herteen and Stocker.

 Some of the Valentine inspired earrings that I took to Valentine today.

Bronze Heart Pendants

Iowa City has a new pop up store called Valentine.  I took some work there today.  It's a very cute store filled with lots of fun handmade gifts.  I love the pop up concept.  If you don't know, pop up stores are retail spaces set up for a limited amount of time after which they close.  Often, they're in store fronts that would otherwise be vacant.  There have been Halloween pop ups around for a long time in our area, but the gift pop up is a fairly recent thing here.  It's a fresh, fun way to shop and a really nice way for artists to get work out into their own community, which isn't always easy.  Go check it out if you have a chance or visit their Facebook page here.

SIGN UP IS TOMORROW!

B121356 Mixed-Metal Layered Acid Etched Pendant (Saturday, June 9th)

B121468 and B122554 Riveting: A Keepsake Pendant (Friday, June 8th and another session on Sunday, June 10th)

B121469 Metal Etching 101 (Wednesday, June 6th)

Tomorrow (January 10th, noon central time) is the day that sign ups for the Bead and Button Show classes begin.  I'm so excited and I'm looking forward to meeting lots of new students in Milwaukee.  My friend Gail Lannum and I are teaching 4 metal fabrication classes at the show this year.  I met Gail at the show some years ago and we've been great friends ever since.  We have so much fun together and such a passion for jewelry and design that I know our students will have a great time.  Since I discovered The Bead and Button Show it's been a huge part of my life.  I've learned so much there as a participant, I've been awed by the vast variety of what's available on the show floor, and most importantly I've made life long friends at the show.  It's an adventurous week, for sure. Needless to say, I'm a huge fan of the show.  Which is why I'm so honored to be taking part this year as an instructor with Gail.  I hope that if you are able, no matter if your passion is metal, beads or glass, that you'll head to Milwaukee this June for your own adventure.

YULETIDE GREETINGS

Merry Christmas to all of you!  I wish you all the most excellent and happy holidays and a wonderful year to come.  

RETURN TO THE LIGHT

I like the winter solstice.  I always have, since learning about it in school as a kid.  I've always thought there was something magical about the longest night of the year.  After this night the sun begins its slow ascent and the days become longer until the snow melts and the wheel of the year brings us back to spring.  In ancient times Midwinter, as some call the solstice, marked the return of the sun, the giver of life.  Such a hopeful and magical thing to think on.  Who couldn't use a little magic in their lives?

BROWSE THE BEAD AND BUTTON SHOW

Browse 2012 Bead and Button classes HERE!

 The Bead and Button Show website is now open for browsing the classes in June!  You can't sign up until January10th, but you can register and browse and prepare your plan of attack.  There are more than 600 classes this year, and happily for me, 4 of those classes will be taught by myself and my good friend Gail Lannum.  The variety of classes available is staggering.  Whether you're into metal, glass, seed beads, or things I haven't even thought of, there's bound to be a class for you.  Take some time to check out the site, I promise you wont be disappointed.  

Copper and Bronze Mehndi Pendant.

Bronze and Copper Vine Shield Pendant

Bronze Prong Set Ammonite Pendant

Bronze and Copper Desert Flower Pendant

Large Mehndi Shield Pendant

Bunches of new things in the Etsy store today.  I have lots of new work, but getting it photographed and getting descriptions written always challenges me.  I'd rather just make stuff.  Time to put the big girl pants on though and get some of this stuff done!  I'm working on a lot of new things right now, including a tool and supply store on Etsy.  I want to make it easy for my students (and others, of course!) to find the tools that we most commonly use in my classes.  I'm pretty excited about this.  I'll post here when it's up and running.