I had a dream.. and in it, The Bead Fairy came to me and said.............

You must do the Best Bead Show in Baltimore, Maryland this weekend....so I am... 

Check it out everyone!
I will be there with my usual goodies and a whole bunch of brand new silk ribbons!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

ARTISTS: You are so talented, so different - its cool to be among you

I believe this morning I took my first deep breath after the shock that is Bead and Button (show).  The first few days after coming home you are still in the "zone" and then after a few personal appt's and telephone calls to non beady friends and family you begin to realize where you are.  HOME.   I slept late, I made a good breakfast, not an I-dont-have-any-time-or-counter-space-left-breakfast...because I am getting ready for a show.  We sat down together, at a table, civilized, though unkempt and talked.  I actually heard what Hank was saying instead of watching his lips move and thinking... "did I pack my rectangle cabochons in the jewelry case or is it in the shoe box of extra's?"  I drank all of my coffee.   We discussed some new product I picked up at the show and then sat down and used it for a bit and made some funky new molds for bead making... because we wanted to not because we had to..   Hank and I have a special project that we will announce when the time is right.. (no, Im not pregnant :( ) so we are doing our best to prepare for that.   Yesterday it was decided that I would be having minimal surgery on my cervical spine so that this awful problem that has been with me since last August can be put to rest (for a little while).    It is not a cure, but it is what I need for now and I am 100% satisfied with the Dr and the procedure and so is Hank.  You will have to do without me for about 6 weeks (awww, can ya handle it?  Please say no! :) but after-wards I believe I will be happy physically once again.   I have a "diet" that I do when I am about to have surgery (I hate the word diet., but it is a diet of sorts) so that my levels are in check and the process of recovery is easier, for me.  So I started that this morning.. hmm, its been 45 minutes and I'm doing ok..so far-so good! LOL  I will keep you posted on events as they unfold.

This morning I was looking through my contacts on Flickr.  My Goodness, sometimes I just can't believe the talent I see from all the creative people out there.  It was not like this years ago, it just wasn't.  Though the internet has brought us all together, I still believe the products and inspiration were not getting to alot of people who are using their creative energies now, in the most fabulous way!   There is alot of product on the market yet I find myself still very interested in those works that are simple and done with found objects and media-though I must have those products (just in case)

I am a poser of sorts lately.  I have a studio filled from floor to ceiling of hoarded medium.  Seriously, you have no idea.  I know alot of people say that.. but seriously, you have no idea what the heck I have.. Hank and I always joke and say "Wow, look at this place.. our kid would have had some Harvard education..." LOL (insert any expensive college of your choice in place of Harvard)  So, Anyway, I am a poser... because I don't use it, I only use ceramic lately..  So I would like to make a loose-goal of incorporating more mixed media works into my schedule this year (was that my goal last year??) and I really do hope that happens.  I miss it.

So, that's what I have to say this morning.  This blog post was inspired by my husband Hank who I found fabricating a skull & chain link "bumper" for his new pimped out golf cart by the sound of electric current kicking on and off and the glow of a MIG welder coming under the door in his work shop.   This is ART.

   Art is everywhere.. Mom's who are making the perfect Barbie Cake for their daughters birthday party - you are creating ART, Men and Women who are in their garages sanding the fender of their custom motorcycle - you are creating ART..  I hope the image of ARTIST is changing for people who when they HEAR the word do not just, SEE an image of an old Frenchman dabbing oil onto a canvas with shaky hand and baguette crumbs in his beard.   Its you too.

With much love on this beautiful day,
I leave you with..... The Hankster..

Bead and Button Show 2010

The Drive that normally takes about 15 hours took us a little longer. I am not sure if I am driving slower, taking more breaks or Milwaukee has moved further away. I had forgotten how much longer the drive is after Chicago and my excitement quickly turned when I realized I had a few more hours to go. But then we finally made it. The Ramada, The creepiest hotel Downtown has to offer and it was all ours for the next few days! Yay! I wont go into detail about how much sleep we had the 1st, 2nd or 4th days or how much smoke wafted into our non smoking room on our non smoking floor or how everything was wet and gross but after spending my third year there I just may consider another hotel... what do you think? Good Idea?

The Show was fabulous! I met so many new customers and so many dear friends. It was truly amazing to see faces of Facebook Friends and put their voices to their posts! (I apologize Miss Atherton for not giving you the wonderful Scottish accent you always deserved!) The Hugs were contagious, the smiles were genuine and the mutual appreciation delivered in large doses! I am sorry I cannot mention everyone here in my blog, but you know who you are! My memory doesn't really start to kick back into action until at least 3 days in New Jersey, when it knows it 's safe to come out and play!

I was glad to be able to leave my booth in spurts. (Thank you Mom) I do not know how you do it as "pure shoppers". As a vendor I usually look for things to improve my work but this year I was acquiring some new products so that Hank and I can begin our new Mixed Media project together, one we have been thinking about for a while now. I do not think there was any booth that did not have something I wanted (NEEDED). The product out there is truly amazing. I have some secrets in store for my next batch of inventory.. so stay tuned.

Each year as a gift to Mom for working so hard for me she is allowed to pick anything from any artisan bead maker. This year she was lucky enough to pick a gorgeous giant Marble from Kevin O'Grady who everyone knows as a glass artist and teacher at B & B. Prior to that purchase she and I were first drawn to a brand new addition to Bead and Button, a Glass Artist by the name of Rodney Andrews. His work is amazing. There were some glass beads (GIANT ONES) that I knew were different than anything I had seen up until now and had to inquire about them. The process for making them was truly intriguing to me (someone who knows NOTHING about glass) and I'm sure impressed even the old timer's. (B & B old-timers, not OLD Timers.. LOL) He also had a line of glass beads made into bracelets and other pieces for jewelry and mom had to pick one of his for a present as well. It was her first purchase, prior to her marble and he just had to make it smaller for her because her wrist is the size of my finger. I would love it if you checked out his website and his work. I can tell you he was one of the nicest people I have met at the show and truly an inspiration to talk to you about process and love of the art-form. Perhaps ladies-looking-for-cabs can find one of his as a source of inspiration for their next piece! If you do tell him Lisa Peters sent ya! He's a sweetheart & I know you will love whatever piece you choose!

I decided to take my camera and take some photo's of the Bead Dreams cabinets! WOW, was I ever surprised to see a LPA Cab inside Sherry Serafini's "Road Warrior". I saw the piece first and fell in love with it immediately! Only then did I realize there was an LPA rusty crusty inside of it! Congrats to my BOC Family members Vlad & Kremena from Golem Design Studio and Joan Miller for winning ribbons in the handmade beads/button category and thumbs up to my BAO sister Naftali (Janice Abarbanel) for a piece made of Polymer beads (not sure what category that was.. sorry) . There were some really gorgeous pieces in the Metal Clay area as well..that was super impressive!

There is so much more to blog about but there is a beautiful sunny day outside waiting for me to take advantage of it. I have been in the house for so long that I can't spend another minute without a visit to the garden.

Will write more later!
Thank you everyone for making B & B 2010 a total success!
Lisa

Bead and Button Show - It's finally Here!

In Just a few more hours I leave for the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee, WI! I cannot believe how much stuff I have -- I thought I would get better at this and it seems as though I am getting more and more unorganized! Here I am, 12:20am doing laundry and have not even sent out a blast email to my customers! I figure if you are going, you know I'm there! Right? Right? Um, right :O uh oh!

So for those of you who are interested I am in Booth 1213 and will be there all week! Just for stopping by my blog I have a special for ya. Here is a coupon good for $5 off your purchase of $50 or more at my table! (at the bottom of this blog post or also available on my Facebook FAN Page!) Just print the coupon and bring it with you!

I will try very hard to keep my booth organized and pretty -- but simple when it comes to my beads is not one of my strong points! Please tell me if you are looking for anything in particular because I have so much stuff that will be stashed behind the curtain (literally.. there is a curtain and behind it is where I stash stuff! ) or under the table! Just make yourself at home behind my booth and take your time!

So here we go again! I look forward to seeing you all and Look forward to meeting some of you for the first time. I will have my computer with me so I can check emails at night when I get back to my room, so please send me a message if you need something! Driving in 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-

One More Week......

One more week to go until the Bead and Button Show. It's been a very strange week. Usually I am amped up and have such anxiety. My work is never done on time and I am firing until the wee hours of the night before I leave. This year it was all finished by May 21st. My house is semi-clean and my beads are packed and ready to go. I even went away this weekend. It's a very strange feeling.

I do have some work to do., a few loads of Overglaze and Lustre firings but those are just "extra".. I know I'm missing something BIG. What did I forget? Can anyone tell me? ;)

I have been adding some listings to the D*stash shop little by little and very happy to see that is getting some activity! I am also really pleased to see what my customers are doing with the D*stashed items! (almost made me not want to D*stash them!) LOL!

So its a strange feeling having time on my hands right now..
Had to blog about it!

Lisa