Bead Fest and My Loot!

I can't believe Bead Fest PA has come and gone!  After all those long hours in the studio getting ready and looking forward to seeing my friends...it went too fast as always!  Molly and I have decided that we will definitely do it again next year.

Here is how the booth looked...

 Poor Molly was up till 2am Wednesday wrapping Irish Waxed Linen thread!  That's ALL she did Wednesday - she recruited her boyfriend Nick who worked for 5 hours with her!  And guess what...we didn't sell any! Well, I sold one 5 yard card but that's it!  It's crazy - I sell a ton of this in my Etsy shop!

 I felt like I had plenty of pieces.  Lots of color, sizes, shapes and textures...

My buddy Marsha came by my booth and made me laugh constantly! 

Saturday night Molly, Kellie and I went to dinner with Marsha, Jenny, and new friend Cooky who owns a fabulous bead/mixed media shop in San Diego! So much fun!

We always have a great time at Bead Fest!  I love hanging out with my beady buddies.  This year I met a few more in person which is always fun!  I loved having both of my girls with  me for the weekend!  Molly and Kellie had a great time.  Everyone was so nice to them and they shopped shopped shopped!

My birthday was Sunday, August 19th so it was a fantastic way to spend my b-day with my girls and all of my bead friends!  They surprised me with a sweet card and some gorgeous beadiness!  I'm missing a glass lampwork dog bead (I think Kellie snagged it) but these gorgeous pieces are from:  Green Girl Studios, Cooky gave me the 2 disks from Marsha, Anne Gardanne, Barbara Bechtel, Kerry Bogert, Jenny, Elaine Ray, Susan Kennedy, Olivia Brown, Jan Onipenco, Lisa Liddy, Diana! And there was some yummy chocolates from Cynthia! So much awesomeness! 

And then there was the shopping that I was able to sneak in and here is my loot:
KABs Concepts

 Second Surf

Jan and I had a great time swapping! I went a little crazy at her booth Molten Mayhem!

 I'm not sure if I will actually wear anything with the giant beads but I love them - I may just hoard them.  These are from The Bead Goes On

 Then I hit one of my favorite booths Hands of the Hills

 The gal who had a booth next to me Jennifer makes these awesome enameled head pins!

 and the damage continued at The Lipstick Ranch

I'm going to make a small art quilt and use these in the center...

 This is only a small peek at what I got from Jenny - Molly has the rest!

 and I went a little nuts at Ornamentea on Elaine Ray beads!  Molly has a big pile too!

the booth on the other side of me had some beautiful beads too! Starleen

and I had a crazy good time talking and shopping at Olivia's booth!

and we had a bead swap and my partner was Lisa Liddy

 the amazing Staci gave me this!

and I traded some of my pieces for these awesome silks from Marsha!

I'll have to grab all the goods that Kellie and Molly bought to show you after I recover from the state of my bank account!  Lets just say that the three of us did some damage! lol

Like all the pieces from Diana - I know she was at Diana's booth A LOT!

Bead Fest or Bust Sale...

It's Bead Fest PA time again and that means it's also time for the Bead Fest or Bust SALE!!!  I will be selling my pieces at Bead Fest this year (Artisan Table #448), but I decided to participate in this sale as well!

The sale will be this Friday, August 10 - Sunday, August 12!  I will be giving a discount of 20% off on all items in my Etsy shop when you enter coupon code: BEADYGIRL at checkout!!!!

I will be listing new pieces in my Etsy shop over the next few days.

**Please Note:  Because I will be vending at Bead Fest and will be out of town until Monday, August 20, I will pack all orders as fast as I can when I return to the studio on Tuesday, August 21.**

Below is a list of the Participating designers for the BEAD FEST OR BUST SALE! 

This is a great chance to save lots from your favorite designers! 

Think components for Fall/Holiday shows and gifts for the Holidays ~ 

Many of the participating stores will be offering giveaways on their blogs 

please be sure to stop by each!!

Mary Welsh Hubbard ~ White Clover Kiln (YOU ARE HERE)

20% off with coupon code BEADYGIRL at checkout

Etsy: www.whitecloverkiln.etsy.com

Blog: www.whitecloverkiln.blogspot.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/whitecloverkiln

Melinda Orr ~ Melinda Orr Designs ~ 15% off w/coupon code BEADYGIRL ~ Enter for the Leather Bracelet Kit Giveaway on the blog

Etsy: www.orrtec.etsy.com

Blog: www.orrtec.blogspot.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/melindaorrdesigns 

Karen Totten ~ Starry Road Studio ~ 20% off w/coupon code  BEADYGIRL
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ktotten
Blog: http://www.starryroadstudio.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/starryroadstudio

Marsha Neal ~ Marsha Neal Studio ~ 10% off your entire purchase from my Etsy shop including the special SALE section that has items marked down 30% off. Coupon Code: BEADYGIRL

Every listing purchased during this date from Marsha's Etsy shop will get entered into an additional drawing for a $25 Marsha Neal Studio Etsy Shop Gift Certificate (see her blog for extra info).
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MarshaNealStudio
Blog: http://www.marshanealstudio.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshaNealStudio

Lorilei Eurto~ Lorilei Eurto Jewelry ~ 20% w/coupon code BEADYGIRL

Store: www.LoreleiEurtoJewelry.etsy.com

Blog: http://www.Lorelei1141.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LoreleiEurto

Staci Louise ~ Staci Louise Originals ~ 20% off w/coupon code BEADYGIRL
Etsy: http://www.stacilouise.etsy.com
Etsy Components: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SLArtisanAccents
Blog: http://www.stacilouiseoriginals.com

Sue Kennedy ~ Sue Beads ~ 20% off w/coupon code BEADYGIRL

Etsy: www.suebeads.etsy.com

Blog: www.suebeads.blogspot.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/SueBeads/241806885873855

Lisa Peters ~ Lisa Peters Art ~ 20% off with coupon code BEADYGIRL (sorry not applicable for RING KITS)
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LisaPetersArt
Blob: http://www.lisa-petersart.blogspot.com

Jenny Davies Reazor~ 20% off w/coupon code BEADYGIRL
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/jdaviesreazor
Blog: http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog
Web: http://www.jdaviesreazor.com 

Wait...I'm A Sculptor?!!! I had no idea!

 I had an entire kiln load of greens and grays!  Here are some of the buttons...

 and cabochons...

 and...wait...I'm a sculptor?  I had no idea of  my talents! 

so stunning! so inspiring! so unique! I can't even tell you the depth of emotions I felt when I pulled this pile of gorgeousness out of the kiln! lol

Have a great day!  I'm off to discover my other hidden tallents!

Started Out Crazy - Ended Happy

So I opened the kiln to this...

 hhhhh, I really loved this shank button but at some point it had slipped off it's post and attached itself to that bar :O(  And then there was this flower who also decided it was in love...

 So in the first 3 seconds I was two down but then came these...

 love them.  And while I was glazing I thought I would do some layering of colors.  I was a little worried because I usually like to do a sample first, but I like this peachy color that I got with a very pale pink (that I don't really love) with a light yellow over it.

 This is the same pale pink with purple over it.  Kinda 70's tie dye thing going on here.

They're a little funky, but I think I like them.  These are my favorites.

 Actually, that big flower was lavender with aqua over it.

I'm not a big fan of matte glazes (I think I told you that before), but I love this matte aqua!

 I've been making these bracelet bar beads too.

 I made a bunch of them, but I think I'll keep this one for me.

What do you think?  Do you like them?

And I've discovered that chewing gum like a cow, snapping it, and blowing bubbles helps my glazing immensely! lol 

and it's prettttty classy too!

Flowers Flowers Flowers...

First, I'm sorry for the crappy photos.  For some reason my computer will not import photos from my camera.  I don't know whats wrong but suddenly it doesn't recognize my camera?!?  So all the photos in this post are from my iPhone and they suck. lol

Anyway, I started this week way behind in the porcelain glazing!

 I loaded the kiln yesterday and here are a few of the pieces that came out this morning...

These little flowers are awesome if I do say so myself!  I love them.  I want to make a bazillion of them and I want to hoard them.  They remind me of tea cups or lily pads.  Anyway, I love them.

 I've been pulling out glazes that I haven't used in a long time.  The dark ones are an aqua matte that is much prettier in person (again, my iPhone photos suck - and I'm sorry about that) the others are an icy blue.

Oh, my eyes on this photo --- Gaaaa. pretty bad, but in person these are pretty lilac and amethyst color. You'll just have to use your imagination here. lol

 ooo, yet again - your imagination is needed here as well...these are light pink, and a pinkish purple color.

So even though the color is way off - you can see the patterns at least and I'm really happy with them so far.

I'm glazing all day again today.  Oooh my poor butt!  I'm working at home in my kitchen so instead of sitting on my super comfy leather padded stool at the studio - I'm sitting on a hard as rock kitchen chair.  I'll be loading the kiln in few minutes again too so tomorrow I'm hoping to have some good stuff to show you.  

Stay cool - it's another killer humid hot day here in Maryland so I'm going to hide inside.  Happy Thursday!

A Little Peek At The Porcelain....

Unloaded the kiln again this morning with some porcelain.  This is still my all time favorite glaze combination! love love love this color.

 I am caaaa razy about the big lentil bead in the lower right corner!

 Sadly, these three leaves all had the glaze run right on over the bottom hole/wire loops ;O( at first I thought I was going to have to just trash them, but the glaze completely encased the wires and the second hole so they are actually usable.  

 and that brings us to my new work of art....A porcelain lentil bead lollipop! waaaaaah, I am so sad about this!

 I took a little peek in the kiln last night when the temperature got down to 200 degrees and this giant lentil bead was the first thing I saw and I was like ooooooooo I love it.  But then when I unloaded the kiln it wouldn't come off of the rod! damn damn damn!

I can't throw it in the trash because that would just be too traumatic for me so ... it's a lollipop decoration ... yay!  As much as I love it I am not going to try to make any more of them so don't get excited! :O)

Forgotten Glaze Combinations...

I'm still glazing.  I found the next two glaze combinations while I was choosing colors.  I had completely forgotten about these two results.  The first one is black with a green over it.

and this one is black with a blue over it.  I really love this one!

this batch had a lot of purples in it too

 this (blurry as it is) it like a plum color with green over it.  I'm not sure I like it on the big pieces, but I love the beads.

 this is an even darker plum with a green over it

 I'm not even sure how I got this piece.  It's the only one this color.  It's a dark pink with a blue over it but I have no idea what blue it is.  Maybe aqua. 

 I kind of like this flower.  I only made one.  Maybe I'll make some more.

 Lots of owls in this batch too.

My mother-in-law died yesterday morning and we are all in the sad process of funeral arrangements so no orders will be shipped until Wednesday, July 25.  Thanks for stopping by - have a great weekend!