Secrets of Highly Creative Beaders Lately, I have found myself in a very peculiar state of mind. My last blog was right before the Bead&Button Show, when my little beady motor was revving up for the glorious revelry that is the quintessential heart of the show. I spent the week going to classes and...

Excitement is in the air, not to mention pollen (sniffle, sneeze). The Bead&Button Show is almost here and I am sooooo looking forward to seeing old friends and new beads. I’ll probably make some new friends because I’m taking two classes this year. Taking a class at the Bead&Button Show is great...

It’s been a social whirlwind for me during the last two weeks. On Monday, I spent the evening with members of the Loose Bead Society. On Wednesday, the Rings & Things Bead Tour Truck show was in town and the beads that Kim and the crew brought to Milwaukee were stellar. Oh, and I received the latest...

Can you believe it’s February – already?! This year is zooming by in the fast lane. Here in the bead world, things are heating up with lots of new, exciting products being brought to market by bead and component vendors, new and old alike. So it’s time to start giving my beloved blog readers the latest...

Well, here we are, smack dab at the beginning of a new year and a new decade. Since we’re all anticipating what comes next, I wonder, where are you on the beading continuum? Are you new to our world? If so, welcome to a truly amazing and beautiful way of creating jewelry! As we start the new year, I...

Hi everyone, I’ve been receiving some very nice comments in regard to my blog, "Part Two – Color Choices." I thought I would share them with you along with my part of the dialog! Here’s a question from Lady Elbinine: "So I’ve got to say, it is good to know that I am not the only one who...

How do you avoid beader’s burnout? I like to read forums about beading. They help me stay connected with other beaders and hear the latest news in the bead world. From time to time, I read a post by a person who is selling an entire bead stash. Other times, people write to say that after experiencing...

Q When stringing gemstone briolettes in a necklace, I have had trouble with the briolettes flipping to the inside of the necklace. I am constantly fussing with the briolettes to turn them to the outside when I wear the necklace. Is there a way to prevent this? A There are a couple of ways to remedy this...

In my last blog, I talked about designing the necklace "Tidepools Reflecting Prometheus," which I made for the 2009 Convergence competition held by Bead&Button and the International Society of Glass Beadmakers. The instructions for the necklace are in the new special issue Jewelry Designs...

In my last blog, I talked about designing the necklace "Tidepools Reflecting Prometheus," which I made for the 2009 Convergence competition held by Bead&Button and the International Society of Glass Beadmakers. The instructions for the necklace are in the new special issue Jewelry Designs...