weekly wrap up - Sunday, May 5th

Happy Cinco De Mayo!  Be safe, friends...

We were closed last Sunday, I went to my parents to celebrate my birthday.  Can you imagine that two years ago for my birthday, I was getting the keys to our store space on Colfax?  Me either.  

Classes this week:
Monday, May 6th at 6pm - Caged Stone pendants (this class is full, but we scheduled another one on Tuesday, May 28th at 6pm)
Thursday, May 9th at 6pm - Wire Wrapped bracelet (still a few open spaces in this class)
Saturday, May 11th at 1pm - Earring party (still a few open spaces in this class)

We had some fun parties this week!  Here's a picture from Maren's 15th birthday party, they made wire wrapped bracelets, they did a great job!

Oh hey, did you know that we're on instagram now?  You can stalk us if you want.  :)

Catherine's birthday party goodie bags

We have a lot of fun jewelry marking birthday parties coming up in the next few weeks for the younger set; kicking off with Catherine's birthday party this evening.  We love helping kids discover a love of making their own jewelry and they're so enthusiastic.  

Our jewelry making birthday parties for kids come with fun little goodie bags!  Each set of goodie bags is different, depending on the age of the group (primarily whether or not they have their ears pierced) and what the birthday girl's favorite color is.  A group of 11 year old girls is coming in this weekend and Catherine's favorite color is purple, so we put together some purple earring kits for them.

Supply list:

• Mixed beads (make sure they're in pairs)
• make sure that they match
• Ear wires, head pins, wire (we usually do the earring goodie bags with 2 sets of each)
• Organza bags (to put all of your things in)

We also tossed in some quick directions, just in case they forgot how to make earrings when they got home.  

Here are the beads from one of the bags:

They should be able to get a few pairs of cute earrings and have some left over for other projects!

Making paper lanterns...

I found this really great How To (on Pinterest) for these really CUTE paper lanterns.  I'm always looking for ways to decorate the store and thought these might be fun.  We're not just about making your own jewelry or being a super awesome Denver bead store, we're full on craft masters!  Craft.  Masters. 

We changed up the directions a little.  First, this project called for 8x8 paper, cut in half, so the lanterns would have been 4" high.  We wanted ours a little bigger, so we started with 12x12 paper, and didn't cut it in half.  

We did cut the "contrasting" strips from the original papers though.  So our final size ended up being 10x12.  We don't have a lot of scrapbook paper laying around, we should though, it's fun... and handy.

We drew a box an inch in from all sides.  Can I mention that we don't apparently have ANY rulers here.  HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!

"I'm having so much fun right now!  This is the best ever," a direct quote from Aimee.

We drew lines an inch apart and cut them into strips (don't cut all the way down, or else it doesn't work) We used baby razor knives.  Aimee did.  I'm not allowed to have sharp things...  :)

 

Glue the ends together and voila! 

Add the contrasting paper to each end and there you have it!  We did hole punch the ends to add ribbons so we could hang them.

I don't think they're as cute as they are in the tutorial.  Why does that always happen!  Maybe it's because they're bigger.  Or not attached to that really cute purse.  It could be that we changed the dimensions too.  So instead of being 10x12, they should have been 6x12?  Who knows.

Tips for surviving your first bead show

We're very lucky to have some wonderful bead and gems shows brought into our lovely Denver area.  Typically the "season" starts in March and ends in October or so.  We know that sometimes those shows, even the thought of them can be incredibly overwhelming, so we put together some thoughts on how to have the best experience possible.

Before the show

1. Do some homework.  Do you want to buy labradorite?  Know what a good strand costs on average, get online and do research about what "quality" labradorite is and if there's anything you should keep an eye out for.  It's always sad to us when someone brings in a strand of stones that they way over paid for.
2. Know what a good deal is on something.  Just because a vendor is going to give you a "better price" than what is on the tag, it still could be too much.  
3. If you can, register online and fill registration forms for the shows prior to arrival to save you some time.
4. Make a few copies of your resale license (tax ID) if you're buying wholesale.  Some vendors will need it.
5. Make a budget!  Plan to stick to it!  Take cash if you need, once you're out of cash, that's it.  Do not go to the ATM once you've spent it.
6. Plan a little extra "just in case" - you might see something you never planned on.  :)
7. Call your bank and let them know that you're going to a bead show, even if it's in town.  The vendors at the show are going to be from all over the world, their credit card machines will process your transaction from their business address, at the Tucson show my card got ran through Texas, California, and New York in an hour time span.  
8. Bring a notebook.  This is helpful to take notes as you make your way through the show.  I also keep notes of every purchase I make and tally it throughout the day. 
9. Bring a check book and cash.  Some vendors don't take credit cards (crazy, I know.)
10. Wear comfortable shoes and bring snacks. 
11. Bring hand sanitizer, sometimes beads are super dirty.  I also pack lotion.
12. Take a black sharpie marker. I take notes about my purchases right on the bag - what kind of stones they are, how much I paid, etc.

 At the Show:

1. Once you're in walk around the whole show before start buying. Check prices, make notes in your notebook, write down the booth number, and then go back and shop later. You will find that some vendors are selling similar merchandise – find the best quality merchandise for the best price you can afford. 
2. If you fall in LOVE with something, buy it.  You may never see it again.
3. Take a break.  Stop, have a seat, and a snack every few hours.
4. Keep the vendor's business cards with what you bought from them.  If you're not buying from them, but you like what they have and you want to purchase from them later, here's my trick - I put their business card on the beads I like and take a picture of it with my cell phone.  It helps job my memory later. 
5. Make sure that what you paid for is in the bag, just in case.  Sometimes things get hectic, you want to make sure you have everything.
6. Before you leave the booth, make notes on the bag.  How much did you pay for each strand?  What type of stones are they?  Where were they mined?  Anything else you think you might need to know for later.

After the Show:

1. put all of your cards and notes in a place where you'll remember where they are so you can reference them later if you need.

Here are some more great tips from our Facebook friends:

Kody suggests - Bring a sidekick!

Deanna says -  Walk the floor before buying - otherwise your budget (and you must make a shopping plan) will go bust before you are down the first aisle.

Mary recommends - Just like gambling, bring just the amount of cash you are allowing yourself to spend. Do not bring a credit card. If there is something more you need, make arrangement with the seller to get it later by mail. Or - leave your card with someone else, or in a place that you have to work to get to, like locked in a friend's car or room. It's very easy to break the bank on all those wonderful things.

Sahari talks about budgeting too - I would have to set a spending limit and then take only that amount with me. And peruse the whole place first if you can and then make your selections.

Kate says -  Wear sensible shoes and don't buy anything until you've done the grand tour. I also have a budget and stick to it!

Karen knows her stuff - Check out all the booths before you buy. But there's one exception. If you see something that is the most amazing, one of a kind thing ever, buy it immediately, or the next person will.

Carleen agrees with everyone and adds -  The only thing I would add (and always forget) is to bring pics of projects you have in the works that are "missing that last piece" or bring mini baggies with sample beads from a project to match new finds too

JonAnn has an organization tip too -  Take a notepad and ziplock bags. As you buy put the purchase and the vendor card in the bag with the receipt. 

Lori says -  Bring smaller bills, vendors appreciate getting near exact change.

Gayley wraps it up with this helpful tip - bring a xanax!

Upcycled Flower Necklace class - March 2013

Dreaming of spring today?  Check out these flowery necklaces. In our Upcycled Flower Necklace class, you'll learn how to create beaded links, wire wrap glass briolettes and make upcycled flowers from cans and glass pearls. Supplies are included in this class, all you need to bring is your lovely self and a can. Level: Beginner. Cost: $25.  

see all of the pictures from class on our Facebook page

weekly wrap up - Sunday, April 21st

Monday is Earth Day.  What do you have planned to celebrate?  We're going to make some of these really cute paper lanterns for the windows.  Hopefully it works out.  I'll keep you updated!

Check out this fun picture from the Reno Leather Wrapped Bracelet class on Monday night.   Fat Jacks brought over some hummus and veggies, which was a nice snack on such a snowy evening.  On Tuesday night we made adjustable rings in the Wrapped Around Your Finger wire ring class.  This is Ilian's ring!  I'll post pictures from both of these classes to the Facebook soon!

We had a great group in this week from Mitchell High School in Mitchell, Nebraska.  They're going to be making jewelry to sell as part of their fundraisers for their trips.  This year they sold cookies and came to Denver for a few days - they took a class with us, did a tour of Hammond's candy factory and will be seeing the Blue Man group tonight.  I hope they had a great time and have fun at prom tomorrow night.  Go Tigers!

CLASSES THIS WEEK WITH SPACE:
Monday, April 22nd at 6pm - Oh Deer! Bracelet
Tuesday, April 23rd at 6pm - Twisted Treasures pendant
Wednesday, April 24th at 6pm - Wire Wrapped bracelet
Thursday, April 25th at 9am - Foundations Intro to Beading (m+m)


Don't forget that we're going to be closed on Sunday, April 28th.

What's your crafting soundtrack?

We have a pretty random mix that we like to play for classes sometimes, it seems that there's a little something for everyone!  What's your crafting soundtrack?  What sparks your creativity or lets you focus?

Here's ours:
Get the party started - P!nk
We are family - Sister Sledge
Love Train - the O'jays
Fly me to the moon - Frank Sinatra
Celebration - Kool + The Gang
Good times - Chic
Here I am - Al Green
Family affair - Sly + the family stone
Love rollercoaster - Ohio Players
Play that funky music - wild cherry
Get up - james brown
Girls just want to have fun - cyndi lauper
hey ya - outkast
respect - aretha franklin
I got you - james brown
I can't help myself - the four tops
lady marmalade - patti + labelle
abc - jackson 5
love shack - b-52s
Funkytown - lipps, inc
conga - gloria estefan
bust a move - young mc
the way you look tonight - tony bennet
hot hot hot - buster poindexter and his banshees of of blue
let's stay together - al green
come fly with me - frank sinatra
love - nat king cole
shining star - earth wind and fire
that's the way i like it - kc and the sunshine band
car wash - rose royce
La Bamba - Los Lobos
Electric boogie - Marcia Griffiths
Boogie wonderland - Earth Wind and Fire
YMCA - village people
Dancing queen - ABBA
u can't touch this - MC hammer
give up the funk - parliament
off the wall - Michael Jackson
superstition - Stevie Wonder
 a little less conversation - Elvis Presley (jxl radio edit remix)
hey ladies - beastie boys
super bass - nicki minaj
kiss - prince
wild thing - tone loc
it takes two - dj ez rock + rob base
let it whip - dazz band
can't get enough of your love, babe - Barry White
wonderful tonight - Eric Clapton
at last - Etta James
shake your groove thing - peaches and herb
he's the greatest dancer - sister sledge
pretty young thing pyt - Michael Jackson
l.o.v.e. - Ashlee Simpson
super freak - Rick James
jump, jive an wail - Louis Prima
wonderful night - Fatboy slim
you spin me round - dead or alive
rebel yell - billy idol
opp - naughty by nature
kiss me - sixpence none the richer
what i like about you - the romantics
are you gonna be my girl - jet
hips dont lie - Shakira
temperature - Sean Paul
pon de replay - Rihanna
this magic moment - Jay and The Americans
let's get it on - Marvin Gaye
last dance - Donna Sommer