I've been trying to switch gears between making beads and making objects for Maryland Wine Festival which has been taking place in Westminster for a long time ... this year I have a table in the craft section and I'm pretty psyched to see my first wine festival.

My niece, Carrie, is going to help me--she's young and strong, with the added essential benefit of being polite, funny, and able to write receipts that are intelligible as well as correctly calculated.  Thanks for joining the team, Carrie!

Another I've made is to hire Darlene Mansue, who sold so effectively for Marsha Neal Studios, to represent my work at all the Innovative Beads Expos that can't get to myself.  Darlene, doing business as D7 Studio,  is charming, helpful, skilled, and everything I could ask for in a show partner.  Although I'll miss seeing so many of my good beady friends at shows, I'll be in the studio producing more interesting work for your projects and collections.

 I had the opportunity to be at BeadFest in Philly a couple of weeks ago; it was so much fun to be in the aisles, shopping with everyone else and to take a riveting class with Susan Lenart Kazmer.  Look for some items that will work in your riveted projects in the coming months.  

Right now, my beadmaking is focused on beads that will work on bottle stoppers, utensils like canape sets and bottle openers, as well as some fun necklaces that I've been able to price in the $40-$60 range because I'm using my old hoard of semi-precious stones and Bali silver.  I got these items at great prices before silver went up, so I can pass the savings along to my customers who like one-of-a-kind jewelry. 

I'm also using beads from my "left-over" trays ... those few remnants that hang on after a series is mostly depleted.  Perfect beads, in similiar color groups, but not matching ... I can get in that symetrical groove, so it's been fun trying to make attractive pieces that are a little out of sync.

I'll get some pictures and post them soon ...

Thanks for reading,

Nolly