The Countdown Begins!

Are you up for a virtual craft and art fair scramble? I'm not, but I am getting prepped for real this year! Follow along as I try to get all my ducks in a row for my first real-live, three-day, need-a-tent festival.

So where are we going? Not just to any ol' place, but back to Ithaca, NY. Back "home" as it were. I was raised there, graduated college there (Cornell, class of '97 for those that care), got married there, and moved away 13 years ago for sunny Florida. Now I'm back in NY and looking forward to vending at the first art festival I ever went to and thought, "Hey, I want to do that."

So where am I in the process? I have tables and displays, pendants and earrings, and some beading kits based  on designs I made for classes last year, but everything needs a good re-vamp. The table coverings need to be lengthened, glass animals need to be made, lampwork beads, pendants and more beads, and kits need to be put together. A tent, of course, and new signage. My head is spinning.

First up: making murrini for the center of my new "water" theme pendants. Glass is on order and will be here tomorrow! (So happy I found Wale Apparatus, a glass distributor on the east coast. They ship same-day, and it gets here in only 1 or 2 days!)

Here's the pendant I'm making more of:

I sure hope my little Mega Minor Burner is up for the job!

More soon,

Kelley

www.kelleysbeading.com 

Summer is Coming!

The warm spell that hit the Northeast these last few weeks is gone, but it impressed on me that summer will come again! With that, I got busy applying for summer shows.

This year, I'm targeting the mid-size show scene. For the first time, I'm also applying for shows that require a tent. I don't have a tent, yet, but I do have my eye on the new 10X10 TrimLine that many other artists are raving about. It has a skylight to help light my work, and a vent opening in the front and rear canopy areas to help keep things cool inside.

Somehow, in my mind, you've "made it" when you have a tent full of items you'd keep if you could. Ever since my first festival  in Ithaca, NY--where I was raised--I've wanted to be a part of the festival scene. I didn't know until much later that my love for the little glass figurines my parents collected would turn into a fascination with glass that I could fill a tent with, but now I get it! I've moved my little studio inside the house so I can work in any weather (not the gas tanks, though; they're still outside where they belong). 

So far, I can tell you I'll be at Mayday Underground Crafts & Art Fest on April 28th at the Village Gate in Rochester, NY, and at the Damascus Shriner's Cruz Nights--with their awesome classic cars!--on Fridays on Bay Rd in Webster, NY from May 11 throughout the summer. I'll list more events as I hear back.

Since I can't have a post without a picture, here are some of my new beadwoven rivoli earrings, on sale at summer shows, and on Etsy. (I know, they're not lampwork, but a girl's gotta have more than one trick up her sleeve!)

Happy Spring!

Netting

My latest obsession is nettting. I've always loved the way beaded netting flows: loose, open and silky smooth. But it doesn't come naturally to me.

I'm one of those visual people. Peyote stitch, tubular herringbone, even cubic right-angle-weave all make sense to me; I can see how they're constructed. But netting? It's baffled me for years. Until now.

The book BEADED ALLURE by Kelly Wiese finally presented netting in a way I can follow. (Unlike a few other books I've picked up over the years). The cover promises romantic beadweaving projects - not my usual style - but inside? It's packed with step-by-step instructions to create beautiful netted designs.

My first project:

This is the basis for one of Kelly's more elaborate designs, but I like it as is. As a matter of fact, I'm already trying to visualize an adaptation to showcase some of my lampwork glass beads. I love feeling inspired!

Kelly's book can be found on her website: www.beadparlor.com

Happy beading!

Happy New Year!

I've been busily working behind the scenes to pull together new designs: beadweaving, lampworking (yes, baby, it's cold out there!) and class material. I just don't post! So: One of my many new year's resolutions--business wise--is to post twice a week to let you all know what's going on in my little beady corner of the world!

First up: New Class Announcement
This Sunday, January 15th, I'll be teaching another 'tween class at the Brighton Memorial Library at 1:30 P.M. ('tweens are anyone 9-13 years of age).
Class is FREE, but pre-registration is necessary! Call the library at (585) 784-5300 to register.

The project is a peyote stitch bracelet with Delica beads, fire polished rounds and a clasp by Tierracast. Colors are: Ice Pick Silver, Snowflake White, and Skate Pond Blue. Sensing a theme here?
All materials are provided thanks to the friends of the BML. Yay!

If class is full, leave your name and phone number with the library just in case someone cancels -- it happens more often then you'd think. (Next time I'll try to give you more advance notice.)

Enjoy!

Kelley