My weekend trip to the Bead Bazaar

We went to the annual Bead Bazaar in Denver this weekend.
Good to know where my peeps are! There were many different guilds there so I could talk to them. I decided to join the bead group, and the painters.

It was a beading extravaganza to me... I wanted one of each. I got some good deals and some terrific unique items not one of each however!

I spent a lot of time in this booth talking to the artist. They are really unique items made with raku (a pottery style where you place the items to be fired in actual flames to crack and absorb soot)

She was quiet and unassuming, so I was drawn to her to talk of process. She gets ideas all over the place of course, one piece leading her to the next idea.

She loves to play with color and embellishment

I believe this was my favorite for the intricacy and texture
this one was almost transparent.

I talked with one dealer who said she was a magpie, and I said how did she organize all the shiny/sparkly things she gathered and brought home? When you are an artist yourself and a dealer, how do you keep inventory separate? She said her studio is a big mess, and it was SHOCKING when she had to inventory her personal stash to start the business.

I have a friend who did that with quilting business. She said she had some outlandish shocking amount of money invested in her stash. I believe it. One day my husband went to my wall of fabric and said with a sweeping arm gesture, "Voila! Our new car!"

I loved this tray of thimbles...

silver, and a band to push the needle from the side of your finger. If I felt more financially secure I might have bought this one

I could use the whole wall by embellishing quilts and I did spend some money here.
I got some backing for doing embroidery pieces and cabachons.

I bought some delica's for peyote weaving.

I got some gold for pretty.
I had a grand time talking to the Aussie woman who explained the sizes and makers to me. She was like a breath of fresh air. I love makers.

look at this lovely antler with a carved owl and beads... so cool
I enjoyed the signs too... this piece was in the booth and awesome

Look at this!!!

shells and beads and sparkle, and hanging things and things you want and things you could use!











I liked this business name!

This may be the prettiest millefiori clay work I've seen.

The design is so fresh, not covering it with flowers, but sprinkling it with the flowers makes an enormous difference.

The difference from covering a garden with gnomes every 6 inches or placing groupings...

Do you like Day of the Dead items... you'd find them here

I did not take shots of my purchases but I will admit to indulging in this booth.

I had a great time talking to the designer. What fun she was, and she not only designs patterns and sells kits, she just opened a bead store in Texas.

I asked her the usual questions. Where do her ideas come from... the findings she owns. She does what most artists do when they pick something up in their hands, they ask "what can I do with this?"
Her biggest obstacle now is having enough time to make it all!
Ain't that the truth?
My husband got me three kits of my choice, the key necklace which looks like a Kachina doll to me, in turquoise.

this pretty bedazzled purple flower
not this although we dithered over it

(I have her number lol)
I did get this kit

and just the moon face to play with once I learn how to play with these circles. I figured by the time I did three kits, I'd want to do something unique to me.

How I could ever make it better I have no idea but I will have!
That's her card and number.



Our final shared joke was I asked what condition her studio was in. She snorted and laughed and I laughed and knew the answer because we all know the answer. A working studio is a mess.

I asked if she could work in chaos or needed everything in it's place.
Again, bwaaahahahahaha we shared a laugh.
We both decided if we had to wait for order and tidiness we'd never make a thing!! Can you relate?

This tote bag says it all "The Earth without art is just EH!
The little bag says, " Life is like Art, you have to know when to color outside the lines"

Our words of wisdom today.

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