Happy May Day

We here at the Bead Lounge have braided ribbons and had a glass of mead to celebrate the wonders of spring. Of course that means we got snow here today.. go figure. We also set up for our Spring Expo. Holly has some amazing new wire wrapped pieces. Jan and Laura always astound me with the quality and quantity of their work. Jan was just published in Bead Unique and Laura had interest from a gallery in Sedona this weekend while we were at the Rocky Mountain Bead Soc. Show. Peg Harper who is going to be our new polymer clay teacher and soon to be president of the Rocky Mtn Polymer Clay Guild has a table. Catherine is bringing in her entire wedding line, called Bride Unique in . If you know someone who is getting married, have them stop by. Indie has medicine bags, next to the table where Sue and Kristie are setting up with beaded flowers and folded paper flower pendants that just need to be seen to be believed.

All in all, an amazing assortment of goodies for Mom.

Tammy Bality has brought in her Spirit Horses so that we could set up the display for ArtWalk on the 16th of May, and can you believe we sold three today, and it’s just the first. Send a shout out to all of the horse lovers you know… they are going quick.

Keep an eye on the website, it is under some major renovations. I’m finally sitting down and having it reflect the inner Bead Lounge… you will know what I mean when you see it.

Blessings to all… Patti

Spring is here

Hard to believe that we are already approaching May.  Spring has always been a season of growth and change.  We find that here at the Bead Lounge as well.  We have reestablished links with old friends and family (my peeps in Northern Ireland) and have let a few go.   Many of you know that Sarajane and her husband Bryan have been a great help in getting the Bead Lounge wheel rolling.  Sarajane decided last week to leave the Bead Lounge and focus her energies on other things.  I would encourage you to visit her website at www.polyclay.com to keep in touch with her, or wish her well.

Please keep a watch on the  Bead Lounge calendar for new polymer clay classes, coming soon.

And the Bead Lounge wheel keeps rolling.  Did you know that you can stop by and say hello to us at the Rocky Mountain Bead Society show the weekend of April 26th and 27th.

Quickly followed by our Spring Expo.  This expo is a copy of the Artisian Expo that we hold before Christmas.  It has been so popular that we are adding a spring installment to take advantage of the May ArtWalk in Longmont.  This also gives those of you who love this show a chance to purchase before Mother’s Day.

We have two accomplished artists featured for ArtWalk.  Please www.dolo.org and artwalklongmont.org to get the latest info

Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive.  I can’t begin to tell you how much your kind words and actions mean to me.  I’m very blessed.    Stay Tuned 

Rock On!

Not only did Patti do a marathon bead-buying-bonanza for the Bead Lounge in Tucson, but we’ve also been blessed with a recent visit from Carol and Mary of Voices Of The Stone. As traveling bead merchants they follow a long tradition of trade and combine an expertise and understanding of stones & minerals with an eye for what sort of beads are popular now with designers and buyers across the United States.

They are amazingly knowledgeable and well organized. Beads are all stored in labeled boxes. We spent all morning looking through and migrating the chosen from THEIR boxes into OUR bags!

We bought for the store….and for our upcoming projects as well!

Hot Rocks

Patti’s back from Tucson, and she’s brought all sorts of fabulous beads and rocks…including a 140 pound citrine plate!

It’s huge, its beautiful, and it’s waaaaaay too big to wear. So it’ll be featured in our front window display. We’ll be sure to post a picture soon. We’re getting ready to show ALL the wonderful wares that Patti brought back at our 3rd annual Pajama Party and Sale.

February 23rd at Bead Lounge in Longmont CO—wear your jammies or slipper and take 10% off the price of all the new inventory!

Seed Beads and More

The size 11 seed beads have arrived!

We’re tagging them and putting them out on the wall for sale; and we’re almost 3/4 of the way through with this huge job.

We have more than 250 colors available now in this size and in size 6.

When talking about seed beads, the number refers to how many beads (approximately) fit in an inch. So size six beads are larger than size 11’s. Size 15s are ALMOST too tiny to work with! But bead artists who do seed bead embroidery and fringe love having size and color options with which to do their work.

Heidi Kummli is well known for her gorgeous beadwork.

Her new book written with Sherry Serafini is also available at Bead Lounge. Pick up a copy and some seed beads for use in your next beading project.

We’re very luck to be able to boast that Heidi is one of our local artisans whose work is featured in the Bead Lounge Gallery.

The Art of Bead Embroidery:
Techniques, Designs & Inspirations
by Heidi Kummli & Sherry Serafini

Flowers In Winter

In our New Class Spotlight this month is Laura Humenik’s
Flowers On The Vine
Sunday, February 10
Noon to 3PM $55

Sign up and explore your creative potentials. Bring a friend and enjoy an adventure in color and form together!

Use beads and wire to create delicately vining sections that can become necklaces, bracelets, barrettes, or wedding jewelry–even a crown!

We’re rearranging our walls to make room for all the new size 11 seed beads and the beads, buttons, and other baubles that Patti will be bringing us back from the Tucson bead shows. We’ve got new classes, new inventory, and lots of new projects going on!

Size 11 Seed Beads coming right up!

We’re already rearranging the store in anticipation of the arrival of NEW BEADS!! We’ve got size 11 seed beads in over 250 colors en route, and a space on the wall all cleared for them. Plus we’ve got space cleared for all the wonderful beads, buttons, and stones that Patti will be bringing us from the utterly huge Tucson bead shows next month. She’s getting prepared now with special Shopping Endurance Training and we’re building our Wish List and doing our best impressions of cheerleaders who shake the beady pompoms. “Go Patti, Go!! Yeeeeeeaaaaaaaa…….BEADLOUNGE!!!”

We’ve also rearranged our class schedules and have a listing of all the classes right here on a new page in the Bead Lounge Blog. Learn to make one of a kind jewelry and wearable art, or promote your creative business endeavors. If there’s a class you’d like to see added, please leave a acomment and let us know.

A New Year Coming Right Up!

We’ve got all sorts of resolutions and plans and projects that will be happening here at Bead Lounge in 2008! We’re reorganizing and adding to our classes, so if you want to learn the fundamental skills, we offer the basics of beading, wire wrap, polymer clay or Precious Metal Clay. We also offer a variety of classes that are project oriented, and we’re adding more home decor as well as wearable art and jewelry classes. We have classes in the business of selling your art too. Check back in a week or so to see our updated listings.

Our featured artist at Bead Lounge right now is Laurie Parker Swenson, a textile artisan who makes gorgeous purses and handbags with great attention to detail. The picture here is a close up detail of one of her bags. Take a look at her work on our website.

Artisan Expo All Month long!

We’ve extended the fun–we’re featuring the Third Annual Artisan Expo throughout the rest of the month of December.

We have beautiful handmade ornaments available for purchase right from our tree, pottery, glass bowls and dishes, wire wrapped pendants and crystal jewelry, glass pendants and gifts, polymer clay  beads and more , beaded necklaces, earrings, bracelets, copper jewelry and objects of art, and handmade soaps and lotions! The stained glass piece seen here is by Fara Shimbo.

And thats all in addition to our usual wide selection of stone, crystal, glass and metal beads.

Come in to Bead Lounge at 320 Main Street in Longmont and see our fabulous gallery filled with creative holiday treats.

Make sure you take a good look at all the festive items in our award winning Christmas Window Display when you come in. There’s a lot to see at Bead Lounge!
 

Happy Handmade Holidays!

At Bead Lounge, we celebrate creativity all year round! Holidays of all kinds and times of the year are special times, and we invite everyone to put their hearts and hands to good use to make them memorable and beautiful. Instead of purchasing factory-made decorations and gifts that are turned out by the thousands, put your efforts towards a Handmade Holiday. Make beautiful gifts yourself and choose to purchase things made by the hands of the many talented artists in your neighborhood and around the world.
The dichroic glass bowl at right is by Tim Zaerr. The fused glass Christmas trees below are by Margie Drake. Both of these local artists have been Feature Artists Of The Month at Bead Lounge.

Whatever the spirit of the season that you celebrate, the decorations you display and the finery that you wear can be soft and subdued or  glittering and gleaming, classicly elegant or dramatic and different. Ina all the styles that  suit your fancy you can create things in your chosen colors and put it all together. Have fun decorating your home and yourself! Make special jewelry to accent the holiday outfit you have lined up and get the accessories that beautifully accent you and the clothes.

When you share the fun with family members and friends, you get far more out of the experience that just a lovely ornament or piece of jewelry. You get memories of time and fun that’s shared–and you get the gifts of increased skills and levels of appreciation too!

Want to keep the spirit of creativity alive and well? Make time to create with children in your life, and ensure that the fun continues throughout the coming generations by having some of it now. 

String some beads into a swag! Have an ornament making party! Or get together with friends to learn a new craft or a new technique in one you already enjoy.