BTW: Bead & Button Loot

What's on my bead table today? Why goodies from Bead & Button, of course!

My art bead stash includes: Marsha Neal, Julie Miller, Lisa Peters, Golem, Tesori Trovati, Pumpkin Hill Glass, Diane Hawkey, Andrew Thornton, Green Girl Studios, Firefly Design Studio, Gardanne, Thornberg Beads, Kim Fields and Julie Nordine. 

Add in some Humblebeads for maximum inspiration impact!

One of my new show favs - the very sweet and talented Anne from Gardanne Beads. Perfect Humblebeads color combo!   

I didn't pick up much beyond art beads. Of course, now I wish I had!

And I just jumped right in making stuff! I couldn't help myself - I was so inspired by all these goodies.

I'm addicted to stacking beads into these sweet totem style necklaces. 

Whipped these up Saturday morning before the show. 

Bead & Button is always so much fun. I love hanging out with my beady tribe in person. And most of all I love spending the weekend with my two cheerleaders, booth assistants, personal shoppers and all around best bead bud on the planet Erin Prais-Hintz and my auntie Rosanne. Thank you to everyone that stopped by and said hello. I loved visiting with each of you!

The booth and new goodies from Humblebeads.

I hope to list the new beads before the end of the week. 

And up next? Oh let's all head to Philly for Bead Fest in a few months! I will be there in the artisan area and I can not wait!!!

So what's on your Bead Table today? #BeadTableWednesday on Instagram or include your link below. 

An InLinkz Link-up

Catching Up

Some of you asked to see my booth at Bead & Button - so here it is.  It was fun to have the book on display this year! I also had jewelry from the book at the booth.  I met so many lovely customers this year.  It was nice to meet some people I've only known in name. 

There where a few shy souls who came up and introduce themselves and they said, "Oh, I'm nobody. I don't have a blog or anything."  I wanted to let everyone know on the other side of the table, I love meeting everyone who enjoys my work.  There are no small beaders, only small bead stashes.  Ha! Which I work very hard to remedy. 

I love meeting new people who have no clout, no publication credits, but they love beads and that's all I need to have a fun conversation!  So many people who make jewelry just do it for themselves, often they have stressful jobs and beads are something fun.  You are all important to me and I'm thankful for anyone who is a Humblebeads fan, you are a big deal to me!

The beads that go on for miles!  Big sellers this year were owls, tiger lilies, starfish, urchins, nest pendants, bird house beads, dogwood pendants in cream, eggs and birds, clasps and headpins.  And the hedgies got so many ooh and ahhs I thought they were going to get big heads.  They are always a favorite.

Loved the Bohemian inspired collection - these were quite popular too!

A garden of headpins - piles of beads make me giddy.  

So I have been a zombie, just filling orders, recovering and letting plans simmer.  I have all sorts of fun things to share soon, including details about my fall retreat.


Check out the Art Bead Scene for a chance to win one of my Birch Log beads and get a coupon code to save 10% in my Etsy shop!

Bead & Button Prep

There is a feverish countdown here in the Humblebeads Studio as we prep for Bead & Button.  I'm trying so hard to get everything ready before Monday.  I may be in denial.  We have trays and trays of beads that look like this, waiting to be painted.  I have two helpers, my mom and aunt Rosanne coming over for a bead painting slumber party.  I better stock up on some chocolate! 

Besides all this painting I am still making disk beads.  They are always a favorite and ones that I have to do most of the work myself.  So that's what I'm doing for the next three days. 

My brother is a steel fabricator and he is making me a few custom designed displays for my booth.  He is bringing them on Saturday.  I'm working on a super sweet background with some of my sketches and beads fitting in with the theme of my book.  Can't wait to show you!

This is my checklist for next week and why I want to be done with making beads already!

1. Booth backdrop
2. Paint all displays white
3. Find banners
4. Put new silk fabric on old jewelry displays
5. Gather my demo materials for Saturday (Book signing and demo at the Kalmbach booth at 3pm on Saturday)
6. Gather Bead Cruise samples and cards
7. Tie up disk beads & headpins
8. Finish toggle bars for clasps
9. Gather biz and packaging stuff for booth
10. Stamp cards and wrap silk ribbons

 

I'll feel better on Sunday, when I have my disks done!  Of course, there are still orders going on during this busy time.  Not everyone is going to Bead & Button so we are taking care of you guys and keeping you inspired and stocked with beads arriving in your mailbox.

I thought you'd enjoy seeing one of these house beads in action.  This is an awesome bracelet from Lorelei Eurto, that girl is way too talented!  I will have a project out this summer in a magazine with the little nest house.  I will share more when the time comes. 

So that is the news around these parts.  Are you heading to Bead & Button next week?  I can't wait to sit and chat with beady folks and see everything at the show!

New Cuff Beads and My Bead & Button Stash



Cuff 'em Danno! 

I finally listed the new beads.  I'm so glad you all encouraged me to make more - they were a hit at the show.  Some are almost sold out.  I will make more but not for a little while.  I have more beads right now than I know what to do with.  It's quite fun to see them all stuffed in their bins - so many beads.  I made over 800 for the show - well I stopped counting at 800, who knows how many were actually finished by the time it was all said and done.  I sold a ton, but not 800!   

You can win one of the cuff beads on the Art Bead Scene this week. 

I thought I'd share some of my Bead & Button stash with you - this is about half of what I brought home.  Some things were traded with other artists, always an awesome way to collect new beads, others were picked up for projects for my new book proposal that I'm working on right now.  I used most of my Bead & Button stash last year on book and magazine projects - so proud of myself!

Top row, left to right: Sea of Glass lampwork from my buddy Melissa.  My favorite leaf chain from Primitive Earth Beads, one day I will splurge and buy a whole spool of this awesome stuff.  My favorite find from the show was Vintage Meadows's handpainted lucite flowers - Heather French is so talented and sweet - now if I can just encourage her to hurry up and join the online world!  These and Humblebeads - it's like they were made for each other.

Bottom row, first photo, clockwise: More from Sea of Glass. Patina sheets of copper and brass from Lilly Pilly - the turquoise is quite stunning.  Not sure what I'm going to do with them yet.  Raku beads from the very talented MAKU Studios.  Raku gingko from Lisa Peters Art. Filigree and brass stampings from Mermaid's Dowry.  Word beads from Diane Hawkey.  Polymer clay beads from Pam and Heather Wynn.  The oak leaf toggle is from Odd Designs Pottery, she had some great clasps.  And in the center are some new things from Green Girl Studio and Andrew Thornton.

Second photo: Ceramic beads from Golem Studios, should have bought more!  The branch rings are from Ezel Findings, who were my neighbors behind the curtain at the show.  Love these earthy findings.  A random collection of bits and bobs from AD Adornment.  More Green Girl Pewter and in the center are you ready for it - my Kerri Fuhr bead!  I had been wishing and lusting and hinting to everyone I know that they could buy this for my birthday - and what do you know - it's now mine!!!  I love Kerri - what an incredibly talented artist. 

I've wasted now time and started working on projects with my new treasures.  If you haven't read about the Muffin Tin Jewelry Challenge, check it out.  You can still play along!  The prize is a $75 goodie bag from the Bead & Button show, including Humblebeads!

gratitude

What an amazing show.  I had the best time this year.  I was able to meet so many wonderful people.  I'm always so thankful for those who visit with me at the show and indulge in their art bead fix at my table!  I love the thoughtfulness of Humblebead fans who bring in their jewelry to show me how they used the beads they bought the previous year.  It really touches my heart that you took the time to share your creations with me.

I'm so thankful for this community - for the amazing beadmakers, creative designers and those companies that support the handcrafted mission of using art beads with their products. So very, very thankful for the friendships forged over the years and for new connections made with beady friends.

The show always whizzes by way before I'm ready for it to end.  There were people I wish I could have visited with more and others I didn't get a chance to meet.  I find I just didn't have a very high energy level this year.  I think 24 hours in the car driving up didn't help!  So now I'm taking a week off to spend with my family, regroup and have some fun.  I will share more goodies later and I have more updates to share on the Art Bead Scene about the show.  

There are crazy days ahead and this will be a very memorable summer - I couldn't have asked for a better kick off to the season! 

My cup overfloweth...that's how I feel today.

Bead & Button Update

I have been working away and I'm on schedule and I've slept 8 hours for the last three nights! (That's a miracle!) Today will be my last day of clay work and then we'll be painting, sanding and tagging things for 2 days.  I stopped counting when I reached 700 focal bead, pendants, connectors and clasps. That doesn't include disk beads or charms.  I think I may have enough!  Funny though, the pile doesn't look like 700 beads.  But I will have a full table.

I CAN NOT WAIT TO GO!!!

I have sketched out a new plan for my booth and it involves needing 3 of these:

Which led me to list 8 of my new cuff beads on Etsy to pay for said displays!

So if you were lusting and thought you'd have to wait until mid-June to get your mitts on one - well here is your chance.

Some of you have been asking about the vintage image pendants.  I ran into a technical issue with the permanency of the the image transfers and didn't want to cover them in resin.  So I'm waiting on my new supplies and will have those after the show.  My last tests were a success, but I couldn't find one of the items locally, so I'm waiting on the FedEx truck. 

Shop Schedule:

Humblebeads.com closes tomorrow.

Humblebeads.etsy.com closes on Monday. 

I will reopen mid-June, I'm not sure of the date yet.

(I'm planning on taking a little time off when I'm done with B & B to recover and work on some long overdue projects.)

Bead & Button prep and new charms!

I have an ominous heavy metal tune nagging in the back of my head: "This is the final countdown..."

The piles of beads are growing - awesome.

They have holes drilled - sweet.

They are naked - what the heck!  I have some serious days of painting ahead.

This is only 1/2 of what I'm bringing to Bead & Button. I still have disk beads, birds & eggs, woodland creatures and clasps to finish.

What me - freaking out?  No way, I have 2 weeks left.  OH my lord - can we say denial?

Another bead inspired by my illustrations.  I actually have a children's book I've been working on with a bird character who loves beads.  You can see her below.

Some of you asked if I sell my artwork.  I do have a Zazzle shop, that print things on-demand.  You can get the images on t-shirts, bags, cards, magnets, etc. etc. etc.

You can find them here.

I have listed 8 new tiny charms in my shop - have a look!

Photos from Bead & Button

As promised, photos from Bead & Button!  Oh my gosh, it was too much fun.  I loved meeting everyone, too many to mention.  I loved hearing from folks that read my blog, make sure you leave a comment to say hi!  Hanging out with Erin and Rosanne was so much fun.  My brother even drove over to the show from Michigan and spent a day with us.  I shopped, 'oh lord I was suppose to be selling how did I get so much shopping done'-shopped!  That was thanks to my two awesome booth helpers.  And trouble-making shopping helpers.  I think we like to blame each other, but really it didn't take much arm twisting to snag our favorite beads.

The Humblebeads Booth, I went with a minimalistic design with white plates and bowls.  I tossed in a few metal leaf plates and bird nests for texture.  That grey material - silk with metallic strands, a gift from a friend.  Oh how I love that fabric.

Toggles, an updated version that will soon be in my Etsy shop with leafs, branches and key toggles instead of the hammered wire ones.  This way you can pick your favorite metal.

 I wish I had picked up more of the nests/bowls - they were so cute!

A sneak peek at the new beads - birches and October Sky pendants and cuffs.  Yumm-o my friends.

And speaking of friends, what is better than meeting up with your bead tribe during this event?  I touched base with old buddies and met many new wonderful and talented peeps.  Here is Jess from Vintaj with super-creative designer and author Sherri Haab. Jess was doing a great make-and-take at the booth the entire show!

 Me and Jess - photo snagged from their facebook page!

 A necklace on display at the Vintaj booth, created by Jess and featuring a Humblebead!

Yeah it's Melanie from Earthenwood - her booth and new work is amazing!  It was so good to visit in between selling!

A photo I sneaked of Pam from Bello Modo, she was too busy working the show.  They had a huge booth filled with all sorts of goodies.  Can't wait to see them again on the next Bead Cruise!

That sweet little beadmaker, Diane Hawkey.  She is as quirky and fun as her beads! I love her work and picked up quite a few of her word beads that I will be playing with in the studio soon.

Andrew from Green Girl Studios.  I was lucky enough to be kitty-corner from their booth and was able to chat with Andrew a few times.  He also came to my rescue with an extra light - ah the joy of learning things from a new show!

 Here he is pictured with his friend, but for the life of me I can't remember her name. 

Okay, now I need to photograph my art bead stash from the show.  I got some amazing beads, for which you will hate me for a few moments.  Tee-hee.

Bead & Button Prep

Okay folks, the countdown has begun!  I have a new booth number for Bead & Button, #1212.  I like that!  There are so many little details to think about along with making beads and making beads and did I mention making beads? 

I designed postcards, business cards and two banners for my booth.  I ordered the banners from Vista Print.  I hope they turn out.  I ordered them early enough that I can come up with a back up plan if they don't.  That is my banner design above.  I also did a banner for the Bead Cruise. They are 3' x  2.5'.  I use Vista Print for postcards all the time, so hopefully the banners will rock.

How cute is this?  They put the image on all sorts of products and ask if you want to add them to your cart.  And why yes, yes I did.  They also had it on a coffee mug and journal and that has me thinking about opening a little zazzle or cafe press shop with some of my bead images and inspirational quotes.  I mean, I know you like Humblebeads, but I'm sure you'd rather have some nice little saying on a bag or journal rather than my business name!

Okay, you've read this far - let's have a nice giveaway today.  I will pick on random winner on Friday to win an egg bead.  All you have to do is answer this question - what Humblebeads would you like to see at my booth at Bead & Button?  It's okay if you are only dreaming about going, I'd still like to hear from you!