Life in the NEW bead store!

Oh my.  It's been ages since I posted to this blog.  Guess we got a little busy before we moved, and I never got around to updating it.  While we were under construction, I had meant to send weekly updates with pictures to let everyone know how far along we were.  I figured I'd be really excited about the improvements, but as most of you know, it was not to be.  Construction took many months, which we never expected.  It was unfortunate, but FORTUNATELY it did eventually get completed, and we are now very comfortable in our new home.  Our new location is wonderful.  We have great neighbors, La Septima to the right of us, and Antiques & Etc. to the left of us (if you're facing the store).  We also have the fantastic Shrimp Boat just a few doors down, and I must admit, I'm addicted to their caesar salad dressing!  Customers have had nothing but positive things to say about the new Bead Boutique!  They also love our new store since it's convenient to good food, and just a great location overall.  Everyone has welcomed us with open arms, and we are grateful to those of you who have stopped in to say hello and check out our new digs.  

We've restocked the store with a lot of new merchandise, and we continue to do so on a weekly basis.  We had some great trunk shows going on through the holidays, and one still remains.  I spoke with the vendor yesterday, and she has agreed to allow us to keep the trunk show indefinitely!  That was great news!  Even better news is that she has loads of more NEW trunk show inventory to send, and you'll probably start seeing some of that in February.

Have you checked out our calendar lately?  We have a host of new classes set up through the end of the month and in February, April and May.  Stacy Perry is returning with her fantastic metal classes...don't miss out on taking one of her classes.  You will truly enjoy her thorough instruction, and you'll walk away with an exquisite piece of jewelry you will cherish forever.  More classes will be added to the calendar as the months progress and as I hear back from some of our former instructors who are currently creating new workshops for The Bead Boutique!  Please check the calendar often and stay tuned for weekly announcements of our upcoming classes and events.  Link to The Bead Boutique Calendar here.

Do you know what makes having this wonderful business so worthwhile and rewarding?  Our customers.  Especially the little customers.  A few years ago, a lovely customer by the name of Susan used to come into our store often.  She had just had a baby girl, Kendall, and she was so excited about making Kendall all kinds of jewelry with a lot of BLING (what mother wouldn't be).  She always brought Kendall with her, and beautiful baby Kendall would sit in her stroller quietly and enjoyed being near her mommy.  I think she was also enjoying being surrounded by all the bling her mommy was making for her.  Then Susan got busy with a successful business she started.  We hadn't seen Susan nor Kendall for a few years until tonight when they both walked into our store.  It was wonderful seeing them both again, but it was especially wonderful to see Kendall, who is now a happy, precocious 5-year old.  She LOVED being here, I think, not only because she's a little girl, and little girls LOVE beads, but I truly believe when Kendall was a baby, she knew what was going on around her, because her mother told us she loves wearing jewelry!  She picked out all her own beads, and created her very own bracelet.  She was so excited about it...and a little bit excited about Coco (my mom's dog), which caused some distraction, as she also has a similar puppy at home.  She would focus on stringing a bead or two, then go over to Coco, pet her and talk to her, while she created her masterpiece.  Once she was done, Kendall did not want to leave, so I told her, when she was old enough, she could come into the bead store and work here but to plan on counting lots of beads!  Needless to say, it was great having both Susan and Kendall at The Bead Boutique again.

Below is a photo of precious Kendall and the concentration and excitement of making her very first piece of jewelry...a lovely bracelet!

Join us for Gallery Hop this weekend, September 9 & 10!  Don't miss out on the treasure hunt!  Click here for details:  Gallery Hop Details

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo & NEW Classes!

    

Although Cinco de Mayo is not a national holiday in Mexico and does not represent Mexican Independence Day, many Mexican Americans and Americans alike will bust out the sombreros and fire up the margarita machine, including The Bead Boutique, for Cinco de Mayo!  So join us for the festivities and fun!

  

When:  Thursday, May 5

Where:  The Bead Boutique

Time:  6:00 PM to ?

  

We'll have refreshments and MARGARITAS along with a pinhata with "special prizes" inside!  For every dollar you spend during the event, you'll receive a ticket.  The person with the most tickets will have the first shot at the pinhata, then the person with the second most gets the next shot, etc. etc., until someone breaks the pinhata and releases the goodies inside!

  

See our coupon offer below for this event only!

  

CLICK HERE TO RSVP FOR THIS FREE EVENT: Bead Boutique Cinco de Mayo Celebration  

  

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***NEW Classes in MAY!***

  

  Examples:

NEW Basic Glass Fusing 101

Instructor:  JoAnn Wedge

Date/Time:

Saturday, May 14 - 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Cost:  $100.00 per student

Glass Materials are included

  

Class size is limited to 6 students, so sign up quickly to reserve your spot in this class!  

  

  

Supplies Students should bring:

• Small washcloth
• Size 12" ruler
• Drawing paper for ideas
• Brown Bag Lunch to take a break and share information with each other.

Glass materials are included in this class.  Tools will be available to borrow for this class.

We are excited to have this talented, new fused glass artist/instructor teaching at The Bead Boutique.

  

JoAnn's Bio:
"I am and always have been an artist in practice and at heart.  Even starting as a child, I was drawing, painting and playing with all sorts of things to make crafts.

Pottery finally took over after I got married, got my bachelor's degree, taught school, and then adopted a baby boy and later had a baby girl and did my pottery in the garage with her.

I started to play with glass in 1995 along with being a stoneware/porcelain potter.  I was fascinated with dichroic glass, especially and after making lots of BIG things that did not sell due to price.  I then created smaller and smaller pieces until I finally focused on dichroic jewelry.  Every year new glass comes out with more inspiration to make great new looks, color combinations, and wearable art.

I have always had the "teacher" at my core when it comes to sharing my art.  Witout sharing, there is no growth personally or in the art world as each idea builds on another.  Someone elses idea just may be the one to crack the ceiling of a new invention.

I love seeing people learn a new skill; seeing their creativity coming out in new ways and being able to feel good about what they do for themselves and in their art.  It is all about creating more positives in our lives." 

Click here to register for this class: Basic Glass Fusing 101  

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NEW Crazy Coil Bracelet

Instructor:  Stacy Perry

  

Date/Time:

Sunday, May 15 - 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Cost:  $115 per student

Materials fee is additional

Class size is limited to 8 students, so sign up quickly to reserve your spot in the class!  ONLY 3 seats left! 

In this fast-paced 6-hour workshop you'll be making this fun coiled wire link bracelet.  First, you'll learn how to twist your own wire and then coil it.  Using various wires, you'll have fun creating several versions of this stylish link.  Connect them all together, add a lovely clasp and -- voilà -- you'll have a beautiful handcrafted bracelet! 

 

Recommended tools to bring to the workshop (if available):

• Round nose pliers
• Flat nose pliers
• Chain nose pliers
• Flush or semi-flush cutters that will cut up to 12 gauge wire
• Apron
• Ball peen or chasing hammer
• Texture hammers
• Riveting hammer
• Deadblow hammer
• Needle files
• Universal eyelet setter
• Metal hole punch 1.8 - 3 mm (3/32 inch)
• Multi-hole or Power Punch
• Beading awl
• 12-inch ruler
• Wooden dapping cube
• Steel daps from smallest size to approx. 1/2 inch ball (Nos. 1-14)
• Tube ringer
• Bracelet mandrel
• Jewelry handsaw or mini cut-off saw (a mini cut-off saw will be available in class for cutting tubing)
• Plastic or Rawhide mallet
• Steel bench block
• Sharpie® or other indelible pen
• Hand towel
• Metal Shears for cutting sheet metal
• Brown Bag Lunch

MATERIALS FEE additional.  We will be working with copper wire in this class.

   

Tools will be available to borrow and use at the workshop and some quality tools will be available for purchase.  Your workshop fee includes a complete written take-home tutorial with photos.

Basic wire working skills recommended but all skill levels are welcome.

Click here to register for this class:  Crazy Coil Bracelet

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NEW Ancient Musing Necklace

Instructor:  Stacy Perry

  

Date/Time:

Saturday, May 21 - 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Cost:  $115 per student

Materials fee is additional

Class size is limited to 8 students, so sign up quickly to reserve your spot in the class!  

This great summer lampwork necklace features a coiled wire focal, highlighting delightful beads.  The focal is Sterling silver wire with a small pure copper wire accent. This necklace has been given a slight Southwestern feel with silver beads and flowers by the Thai Hilltribe folks.  The focal is 3 inches wide.

Four wonderful coils make up the chain, along with more lovely lampwork and Hilltribe silver.  For a finishing touch, the entire piece has been given a gentle rich patina.  This necklace is a comfortable 22 inches in length.

Recommended tools to bring to the workshop (if available):

• Round nose pliers
• Flat nose pliers
• Chain nose pliers
• Flush or semi-flush cutters that will cut up to 12 gauge wire
• Apron
• Ball peen or chasing hammer
• Texture hammers
• Riveting hammer
• Deadblow hammer
• Needle files
• Universal eyelet setter
• Metal hole punch 1.8 - 3 mm (3/32 inch)
• Multi-hole or Power Punch
• Beading awl
• 12-inch ruler
• Wooden dapping cube
• Steel daps from smallest size to approx. 1/2 inch ball (Nos. 1-14)
• Tube ringer
• Bracelet mandrel
• Jewelry handsaw or mini cut-off saw (a mini cut-off saw will be available in class for cutting tubing)
• Plastic or Rawhide mallet
• Steel bench block
• Sharpie® or other indelible pen
• Hand towel
• Metal Shears for cutting sheet metal
• Brown Bag Lunch

MATERIALS FEE additional.  We will be working with copper wire in this class.

   

Tools will be available to borrow and use at the workshop and some quality tools will be available for purchase.  Your workshop fee includes a complete written take-home tutorial with photos.

Basic wire working skills recommended but all skill levels are welcome.

Click here to register for this class:  Ancient Musing Necklace

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Weight-Watchers-is-Coming-to-The-Bead-Boutique-.html?soid=1101638673634&aid=9ex5weIB4kM

WEIGHT WATCHERS IS COMING TO THE BEAD BOUTIQUE!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Weight-Watchers-is-Coming-to-The-Bead-Boutique-.html?soid=1101638673634&aid=9ex5weIB4kM

We Don't Have Customers, We Have Friends!

Many of you may have noticed our "motto" running across our register screen when you approach the register to pay..."we don't have customers, we have friends!"  Several have commented on the little saying, and a lot of you may not have even noticed it.  However, we don't just say it because we "think" it.  We say it because it's TRUE!  Throughout our last few years here at The Bead Boutique, we have been very fortunate to have made so many wonderful and special friends, and they're not just customers any longer, they have become our dear friends.

A lot of you have met my mother when visiting the store, and many of you also know how truly special, patient and amazing she is.  I always say I've got the best mother that walks the earth, and I know quite a few of our customers feel the same way about her, too!  She's been "adopted" lots of times by so many customers, I've lost track!  I always say if I could make money renting her out, I'd make a fortune!  However, I wouldn't trade my mom for anything in the world, and so many of you feel the same way about her, which truly touches me.  We've been blessed to have numerous customers come in to visit with my mom, sit with her and begin their daily therapy.  I cannot tell you how much she LOVES being with each and every one of you.  You are all special to her.  Many of you give her lots of hugs when you see her (she gets more hugs than I do)!  Many of you come in and bring her gifts, many bring in family and friends to meet her, and many of you insist on helping her in countless ways.

One such customer is Julie, who comes into our store frequently and sits with my mother.  Recently, Julie and my mom were talking when they came upon the subject of gardening.  My mother told her she wanted  to remove some dead trees and fruit trees from her backyard, but she knew it was too big a job for her to accomplish.  Then out of the goodness of her heart, with her very gracious and charming demeanor (it's hard to say NO to her) Julie offered to take care of removing these trees for my mother.  She spoke to her very special and wonderful husband Jim, and the two of them trekked over to my mom's this past weekend and spent hours at her house removing the unwanted, dead and overgrown fruit trees.  My mother is so thankful to be able to look into her backyard and not see those ugly trees any longer!

Needless to say, my mother and I are truly grateful to Julie and Jim for caring so much and taking the time out of their busy schedules to carry out this labor of love.  We cannot thank them enough!  

They had so much fun, they decided to "make memories" (as Julie said) and take pictures!  I'd like to share some of those pictures with everyone.

Now you all know why we have that motto blazing across our register screen, because it is so very true.

Our FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS are so popular!

Ever since we received a shipment of these fabulous shell PEACE SIGNS, we've been making wonderful "friendship" bracelets with them.  Lots of our customers' kids are scooping them up and making a variety of fun bracelets for themselves and friends!  If you need to make inexpensive gifts for your children's friends, or their school friends, for the holidays, you should stop by and make a few using these peace signs while they last!  They're not only inexpensive, but they're fun to use in a variety of jewelry designs--especially friendship bracelets!  Along with the peace signs, you'll have fun going through our bowls and tubs of Czech glass beads which will not only be entertaining but you're sure to find many hidden treasures amongst thousands of beads!  Using these beads in your designs will not only enhance your piece, but they're sure to add a flash of color which will get you and your bracelet noticed!

Here's Sara, her daughter and her daughter's best friend, who came in today to make their very own friendship bracelets!

Holiday shopping has begun!

Wow!  What a busy day today!  Lots of customers were pouring in the door to begin their holiday shopping for beads and findings to make their very own great handmade gifts.  We had many new customers coming in who were excited about their new bead purchases "and visions of jewelry designs danced in their heads!"  Make this holiday a very special HANDMADE HOLIDAY for yourself, family and friends.  They will love the time and attention you took to design something especially handmade for them.