Fun Family Weekend

Tags

AmundArt Hus, Bead Box Bargains, Bill Amundson, Cheesers, Diakonos Designs, Shaiha Williams, Stoughton

I spent some time with family this weekend, one of my favorite things to do.  My sister and brother-in-law picked me up from work on Friday, and we stopped at my house to feed the cat before we went on to my parents.  I got beads in the mail! I had placed an order from Bead Box Bargains, a discount bead site I think I heard of from a mention by Shaiha Williams.  Thanks, Shaiha! The stock varies, but you can get some really great bargains.

When I was ordering, they had gemstone random picks. They have a variety of strands of a certain gemstone and you buy it ($1.99!) sight unseen and get a random size and shape. I am really pleased. I got two citrine and two aquamarine.

I also got some Czech glass.

I am on their mailing list, and they also had a coupon code.  My whole order came to just over $16 with shipping!  For me to get any bead order for less than a $20 bill is amazing!  BUT, I’m going to have to start being more conservative in my buying habits because I’ve decided to go to Bead & Button next year. I need to start saving!

In addition, I got a beautiful ceramic and glass pendant from a new-to-me artist, Kat Townsend.

Back to the family weekend. We went to Stoughton, a nearby town, to visit some shops.  One was the studio of an artist a co-worker told my sister about, Bill Amundson.  Really loved his style and anti-corporate bent.  Here is one subtle example; he had more that were quite a bit more salty! They all made me smile.

We also stopped in Cheesers.  I don’t have any pictures, but they deserve a mention because they have a wonderful cheese selection, and that’s saying something in Wisconsin! They are quite convenient because they are downstairs from a great bead store, Diakonos Designs.

I am very proud of my first purchase. I (like many people, I suspect) keep buying a lot of the same stuff.  Diakonos has a lot of wonderful African beads, but I have strands and strands of those hanging in my studio.  Even though that is the first thing I am attracted to, since I am not using them at a great rate, let me buy something else! I bought a little strand of blue quartz points.  So pretty!

I also bought some Czech glass drops for a specific project I have in mind.  I hope it turns out!  If so, you’ll see it soon!

Of course I couldn’t resist some rustic pieces and a couple clasps.

My dad was debating delving into a new media – leather! He was wavering, so I told him I’d like to buy some supplies for his birthday.  Happy early birthday, Dad!

Then we went home and hung out, my favorite thing. So cozy and relaxing. Here is a photo of one of my dad’s mini flower arrangements.

I didn’t get in any swimming like I planned, but next time!  Today I’ve got to catch up on stuff, but weekends always seem longer (in a good way!) when I get to spend some fun time with family.

Weekend Beads

Tags

Andrew Thornton, Diakonos Designs, Mali wedding beads, plastic beads

I took Friday off and had a nice, long weekend.  Parts of it involved beads, so I thought I’d share.

Recently, Andrew Thornton mentioned on Facebook that he is currently smitten with plastic beads.  I have to admit I’ve always liked plastic beads.  I don’t always know how to use them, but it doesn’t stop me from buying them.  This time I got a bunch and didn’t spend a penny.  My mother went to a yard sale and picked up bunches of beads.  She gave me 4 or 5 bags of plastic beads. Here are a couple of my favorites.

I actually have a bunch of these already!  I’m thinking multi-strand, ’60s inspired necklace.  Nice variety of colors.

Check out these large and lovely twisted ones.  I love the blue!

She also got several bags of paper beads.  These comics ones are my favorite. A couple of edges are coming up, so I’m going to see if I can re-glue them. These could make a fun necklace!

The coup of her purchases for me are these Mali wedding beads.  Seventy-five cents for all of them!!  I love these beads.

Then my parents and I went to a bead store in a nearby town, Diakonos Designs.  They have a really nice selection of beads and findings we all like.  The first thing that caught my eye was this strand of African recycled glass beads.  I was determined not to just fall in love with the first thing I saw, like I usually do. I didn’t pick them up as I shopped, but I ended up getting them in the end.

Here are some other things I picked up.  My mother got a larger version of the tin star.  I love those two craggy old resin pieces.  The three beads in back are wood.  There was a beautiful old brass shield piece that I was swooning over, but did not get because I was spending my money on other things.  My dad ended up getting that, so at least it stayed in the family!

Diakonos has the best selection of chain.  I got a mere fraction of what I really wanted, but little by little I will build up my chain stash.

Thanks for visiting!

 

 

Art Glass and Bead Show

Tags

Aardvark Art Glass, Art Glass and Bead Show, CB&Co, Dakota Stones, Diakonos Designs, Diane Hawkey, East of the Sun beads, Elka Designs, Papio Creek Gems & Gifts, Tanya McGuire, Taylors Falls Bead Store

This weekend I went to the Art Glass and Bead Show right in my town of Madison, Wisconsin.  It has been many years since I’ve attended this show, so I was interested to see how I would like it.  I am pleased to say I was very happy with the experience.  There was enough variety and quality in the vendors for me to feel like I got what I wanted, yet it wasn’t totally exhausting for me like Bead and Button can be. I went with my parents, and they felt the same way.

Taylors Falls Bead Store

One thing I wanted to get at the show was chain.  I never have enough chain.  I never feel like I can find what I’m looking for on line, and even if I read measurements, I’m terrible at translating that in my head.  So it was nice to be able to pick it out in person.  I love that blue dangle chain!

The chain motherlode, though, was at Diakonos Designs. They had a huge selection of a nice variety of chain.  It’s a store I’ve been to in person since it’s in a town only about 30 minutes away.  I’m starting to wonder why I don’t go more often because I was fairly impressed with their nice variety of beads when I went one or two times.  They have a different variety of things than my local bead store.  They’ll be seeing me more often, especially as I need more chain.

Diakonos Designs

I also got a few other bits and bobs from the Diakonos booth.  They have some good clasps.  They even had some Diane Hawkey beads!

I picked up a cactus pendant from local lampwork artist Cathy Lybarger of Aardvark Art Glass.  I really love her work and have other beautiful pieces.

Aardvark Art Glass

Tanya McGuire

I also got some lampwork from Tanya McGuire.  That big, multicolor bead in the upper left corner is big, but it’s very light because it’s hollow.  I love that!

Papio Creek Gems & Gifts

This strand of coral is very unlike something I’d usually pick, but I saw it in someone’s tray as I was passing a booth, and it looked so good I found it in the display and bought a strand!

I have wanted a pendant by Kristi Evenson of CB&Co for a while, and this was my chance!  Her booth was a beautiful set up with old wood and beautiful fabric. It was fun to stand there, look at her wares and choose the one I wanted.  I had narrowed it down to this one and maybe one other when my mother looked at the display and picked this one out immediately.  She knows me well.

The East of the Sun booth was quite popular.  There was a ton of stuff I wanted, but when I saw these trade beads, I looked no further.  I really hope proprietor Ramsey Finger is there again next year!  He said he wants to get his website up and running but he travels a lot, so I’ve linked to his placeholder.  I’ll be checking back patiently because he really had nice stuff and great prices.  He told me these are kakamba beads.  I had a strand of them years ago, and they were some of my favorite beads ever.  I am so happy to have gotten some more.

Dakota Stones

I was thrilled that Dakota Stones was there. Their booth was this huge layout of gorgeous strand after gorgeous strand.  My mom and I said that’s where we want to spend our time next year.  I was standing there trying to talk myself into or out of (I’m not sure which) buying this apatite and citrine.  Another shopper picked up the only two strands of apatite in this cut, size and finish. She was carrying it around while shopping, and I stayed in the booth for at least 15 minutes to see if she was going to buy them both.  I moved slightly (and picked up the turquoise) but the minute she decided not to buy them, I picked one up, scooped up the citrine and made my purchase.

Elka Designs

At the end of the show, my mom and I had purchased much more than my dad, so my mom pointed out some metal beads she thought he would like in the Elka Designs booth near the entrance. Of course while he was looking, so were we.  I am not good at focusing when looking at a ton of strands, but my mom found these keshi pearls.  She mentioned they were half price while she was waiting in line to buy them, so I couldn’t resist and bought a strand too.

I really enjoyed the show and look forward to going again next year.  I felt like Goldilocks – it was just right!