Fall 2013 bead shows!

Are you heading to the fall bead shows this weekend?  First off, take an umbrella, obviously.  Second, read our blog about "How To Survive Your First Bead Show."  We wrote this last year at the request of some of our customers.  The bead shows this weekend are some of my favorite shows that come to the Denver area.  

At the Merchandise Mart:
Bead Renaissance Show
InterGem Show (wholesale, bring your sales tax ID)

At the Coliseum:
Mineral Fossil and Gem Show

Have fun!  Make good purchases! 

Creative phases

I am currently going through an earring making phase. Do you end up in jewelry making, creative phases? What are you really enjoying making right now?

Sarah just brought these super awesome earrings in!

once upon a time, there was a locked bathroom...

If you've been to our classes, or have ever asked for our bathroom key, you know how serious we are about making sure that we get that silly key back.  

In the last 3 or so days, we've found TWO keys left in the bathroom here.  We're holding them for ransom.

I'm personally hoping that these keys are from Fat Jacks... free sandwiches for life!  :)

Update:  One of them was Fat Jack's key.  I got a delicious cookie!  Mmmmm.

 

 

Weekly wrap up - Sunday, June 9th

This week has been a full week... as it seems that they all are.  Congratulations to all of you who made it through another school year...  here's to a great summer break!  

Jessica came in and shared with us that she taught her students how to make flower necklaces from used aluminum cans, a project that she learned in our Upcycled Flower necklace class, and that her students are donating the money they make from their jewelry sales to charity.  :)  This makes our hearts feel so happy.  { full story }

Our friend Megan at The Peacock Bead Shop closed her retail location on Friday.  :(  We like her.  She will have her Etsy shops open... check them out.  She was our "go to" seed bead expert, so we're totally going to miss having her in the area.  

Classes this week were amazing, and hilarious.  I'm always impressed at the beautiful bracelets that are created in the Viking Knit class.  It's probably the only class where you can screw it up a whole ton, and then by the end, it's beautiful!  We had a new friend drive down all the way from Vail to make it to this class!  Okay, not really, she came to Denver to visit a friend... and then they both came to class.  It was fun. 


All of our classes this week are full, except for the Foundations class and Bird's nest class on Saturday, June 15th.  If you were looking to get into the Caged Stone Pendant class, Byzantine bracelet class, or the Wire Wrapped bracelet class this week, please give us a call and we can get you on the wait lists  303-861-6823.  

Foundations Introduction to Beading

Made in the 6/4 class!

Learn the essentials to get started making your own beautiful beaded creations. Our wonderful instructors will show you how to work with tools and use basic beading supplies. During class, you will finish a necklace and a pair of earrings, and you'll gain the confidence to become a jewelry artist!  

Saturday, June 15th at 1pm (m+m)






 Bird's Nests

Made in April's class!

These sweet bird's nests are so adorable and fashioned completely out of wire. We'll show you how to add little beads for eggs. Learn how to finish your nest into a whimsical ring AND pendant, adding charms or flowers for an extra special touch.  

Saturday, June 15th at 4pm (m+m)


 

Reno Leather Wrapped Bracelets 

Made in April's class!

I'm adding this one as a bonus because it's next Monday... A little bit country and little bit rock and roll, these leather wrapped bracelets are beautiful, fun, and can be made to go with any outfit. We use leather, thread, and a bunch of beads to make these bracelets; we'll add a button for a clasp and yeehaw, into the sunset you go!   

Monday, June 17th at 6pm



We have some pretty big news coming up in the next few weeks, so please keep checking back!  We don't want you to miss it!   

<3anne.

Upcycled necklaces for charity...

We love teaching classes and think it's really fun when people come back into the store to show us what else they have created since taking a jewelry making class with us.  Late last week, Jessica came in and gave me an update on what she has been up to since she took our Upcycled Necklace class.  She teaches at Woodrow Wilson Academy in Westminster and taught her students how to make the upcycled flower necklaces!   

She emailed me a couple of pictures and this little note - 

"They were made to earn money for the Wright Cause Walk which is an organization our school created to help people in need at our school that are affected by cancer.  They are featured on the Tour de Fashion truck too."  The Tour De Fashion truck is giving all of the monies from the sales of the necklaces directly back to the students to donate.  

While I was at the Santa Fe Art Walk on Friday evening, I hopped onto the Tour De Fashion truck to see the super cute necklaces that Jessica's students had been creating.  How completely adorable!  I totally forgot to grab a picture, sorry!  The necklaces were really cute, it's really exciting to see the things that people learned how to do here at The Colorado Bead Company in the WILD!  You all are just so impressive, and so sweet.

Picture from here

Jessica also mentioned that her students would be selling their finished necklaces and earrings to raise money for their school trips this year as well, I'll keep you updated with where they're going to be.   This is so awesome and I was so touched and impressed with all that the students are doing that we're going to donate a bunch of supplies to them this year to support them in their efforts.  :)  

<3anne.

Weekly wrap up - Sunday, June 2nd

I love reusing and repurposing stuff into new stuff.  Our Upcycled Flower Necklace class is a perfect solution for soda cans (or beer cans).  You can also make earrings with the same technique.  :)  Check out Chris' necklace from this weekend - you'll never look at cans the same again!  (Are you friends following us on Instagram?)  We teach this class frequently for Girl Scouts... it's a perfect way for them to get their jewelry badge. 

We also had our maiden voyage of the Minneapolis bracelet class.  I had no idea how much I would LOVE teaching this class and the pieces that come from it.  I started one in class and didn't finish it, so Sarah finished it for me yesterday.  She's awesome, and the bracelet looks good, but I don't think she got bit by the "seed bead" bug... 

On the bead store front, we're very sad to say that our friend Megan at the Peacock shop is in her last week with a brick and mortar store front.  Stop over and check out her goodies before she goes exclusively online, she's off of 8th and Santa Fe, across from Fabric Bliss.  Here's a link to her sassy Etsy page, if you're looking to shop online.  

We have some classes this week with space:

Macramazing!

We have an amazing update on a retro classic, creating crazy stylish bracelet, perfect for girls and guys. Learn how (or get a refresher) to work with satin cord to make these trendy bracelets that are great for layering and rich with texture. Experiment with different colors and findings to see what suits you best. Come macrame with us!  (We have some ABBA already loaded on the iPod!)  Level: Beginner. Mon, June 3rd at 6p

Foundations

Learn the essentials to get started making your own beautiful beaded creations. Our wonderful instructors will show you how to work with tools and use basic beading supplies. During class, you will finish a necklace and a pair of earrings, and you'll gain the confidence to become a jewelry artist! Not sure what kind of necklace you want?  Any of our team will be happy to help you pick something else out.  Level: Beginner.  Tuesday, June 4th at 6pm.

Earring Party

Join the party--whether you are a new beader or an experienced earring enthusiast, you will love the Earring Party for May and June. This party will make the three pairs of earrings pictured. Learn different techniques incorporating head pins, wire, briolettes, and more. With the new format of our earring class, every session will offer a fresh collection of earrings so you can stay in fashion as the seasons change. Don’t worry about shopping—we’ve already found all of the coolest parts for you!  Level: Beginner.  Thursday, June 6th at 6pm.

We've been hard at work on classes for July and August.  We have some great things to show for it too!  A lot of our classes are getting reboots, so they'll be similar... and yet different.  :)  Don't worry, they'll still be awesome.  We also have some new classes for you - Ice resin and a class on how to make your own findings?!  Sign us up!  

This little hot thing will be on the schedule too - Hey, hey Ombre!

 Have a great week this week friends, it's supposed to be gorgeous!

- anne.

Take one! The Minneapolis bracelet!

When we decide to offer a new class, we typically do it in a couple of ways - 1. it's something that has been suggested, lots of times by lots of people; creating projects that teach new skills, don't take for-ever and don't cost a ton of money in supplies can be harder than you think.  2.  it's something that is really awesome and we want to share. 

The Minneapolis bracelet came from a similar class that our friends at The Bead Monkey in Minneapolis offer.  :)  See the name connection there?  The bracelets that come from that class are always so pretty and I really liked the idea of a 'simple' bead weaving project.  Bead weaving is something that most people either like or they don't, seed beads are awfully tiny.  

I'm always a little nervous for a new class.  I know that I know how to do it, and I've taught it to at least one of my co-workers, and usually my mom (she's typically a really good person to test classes on, because she doesn't hesitate to not pay attention to directions or to ask lots of questions).  I never really know though how a group of people is going take to directions or if maybe my math somewhere was off or what is going to happen.

GOOD NEWS THOUGH!  Usually our maiden voyages of a class goes fairly well.  The Minneapolis bracelet class was no exception.  I was very lucky to have a great crew in class as well, that's always a huge help.  Jacki, Alex, and Chris did wonderfully!  Their bracelets turned out beautifully. 

{ squeal } I am so in love with these!  And this class!

Sending your husband to the bead store? Make a list! Weekly wrap up May 19th

Sending your husband to the bead store to get supplies? Make him a list! Chris just came in with this list that Sarah made. :)

Sarah has taken a few classes with us and makes the cutest jewelry for kids!  It's completely envious!  She's going to be at the Sweet William Market in Stapleton on Saturday, May 25th with a bunch of our other friends.  :)  Go say hey!  Check out their incredible goodies.  

We have a few classes this week that still have space!

Knotty Knots pearl knotting on Tuesday, May 21st
Pearl knotting is a great skill to have in your arsenal, and we'll will teach you everything you need to know to get started. Indulge in Swarovski pearls to make this modern update to a classic style. Learn the trick to knotting pearls using silk thread, creating a knot in between each bead. See how to finish your new bracelet using clamshells and a classy toggle clasp. Your bracelet will make the perfect addition to every outfit.  Register here.

Oh Deer! Bracelet on Thursday, May 23rd at 6pm (one space left)
Have you herd the news? People just FAWN all over this little bracelet!  It's so cute and so practical for practicing your jewelry making on!  This class is designed to cover so many different techniques for you. We'll cover beading wire, crimp beads and covers, attaching chain, connecting beads with eyepins, using headpins to make charms, and properly opening and closing jump-rings.  Register here.

There's also space in Saturday's Wire Wrapped Bracelet class and Tuesday, May 28th Caged Stone pendant class.

On Monday was the most amazing Macramazing class!  Have you seen the shamballa style bracelets pretty much everywhere the last few months?  Us too! 

You can see the full album from this class on our Facebook page.   

We've had a slew of the under 10 crowd this weekend.  I love these little necklaces that Scarlett and Stella made in the Foundations Intro to Beading class on Saturday. 

We had a few birthday parties this weekend too!  Birthdays and jewelry/beading party?  SO FUN!  Huge thanks to everyone who joined us this weekend!  

Have a great week friends... and remember... 

See you soon.  <3 anne.

 

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.

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

Weekly wrap up - Sunday, April 14th

I hope everyone had a great week this week!  Looking forward to more April snow showers?

If you're looking to join the Caged Stone Pendant class in May, it is already full.  :(  sorry!  We are looking to schedule an additional class in mid to late May.  However, there is still space in the June class on Monday, June 10th, if you're looking to get something on your schedule now.  Also, you can check out the Twisted Treasures class which is similar - if you have a Groupon that is about to expire, we will take them towards this class.  If you have questions, give us a call. 

Kristin came in and shared a really fun hair tie that she made with beads.  She used a thin beading wire to put it all together.  These little guys also double as cute bracelets.  Awesome!

We still have space in the Wrapped Around Your Finger wire wrapped adjustable rings class on Tuesday evening.  :)  Aimee is teaching this class and it's awe-some.

Also!  We added a new class!  Macramazing!  

We have an amazing update on a retro classic, creating crazy stylish bracelet, perfect for girls and guys. Learn how (or get a refresher) to work with satin cord to make these trendy bracelets that are great for layering and rich with texture. Experiment with different colors and findings to see what suits you best. Come macrame with us!  (We have some ABBA already loaded on the iPod!)  Level: Beginner.  This class is a little bit shorter than our regular classes and is only $15.

Have a great week!  If it does snow, stay warm and safe!

Weekly wrap up - Sunday, April 7th

It has been a busy week here!  It's been a great week, but a bit busy!  I've been working on finalizing the May scheduling and getting a bit of the June schedule done too; it's so time consuming... and so much fun.

We have some classes next week that still have space, give us a call or register online:

Tuesday, April 9th at 6pm - Caged Stone Pendants (1 space left!)
Thursday, April 11th at 9am - Wire Wrapped Stone bracelet (m+m, 12+)
Saturday, April 13th at 1pm - Birds Nest Rings + Pendants (m+m, 8+)
Sunday, April 14th at 1pm - Craft It! Afternoon (m+m)

Here's a sneak peek at the new classes for May:

Earring Party for May and June

Join the party--whether you are a new beader or an experienced earring enthusiast, you will love the Earring Party! This party will make the three pairs of earrings pictured (Daydream Weaver earrings, mixed up clusters with feather charms, and the mobius chainmaille flowers). Learn different techniques incorporating head pins, wire, briolettes, and more.  Level: beginner.  Cost: $30 (all supplies included)
 
Saturday, May 11th at 1pm 
Thursday, June 6th at 6pm

Love Me Knots chainmaille bracelet

This is a wonderful chainmaille weave to fall in love with. We'll use colored jump rings to make our love knot clusters and create a beautiful bracelet with them. This is a great class to practice opening and closing jump rings, creating a sweet bracelet to wear. Level: Beginner. Cost: $35.  All supplies included.

Tuesday, May 14th at 6pm

Minneapolis bracelet

To know it is to love it!  Get to know bead weaving a little bit better by mixing sparkly crystals and classic pearls with seed beads. Practice weaving with two needles as you follow this crossweave pattern. You'll wear home your glamorous bracelet that will make you feel gorgeous each time you put it on.  This lovely little bracelet is a shout-out to our friends at The Bead Monkey in Minneapolis, if you're in the area, check them out!  Cost: $30.  All supplies included.

Thursday, May 30th at 6pm

Hopefully I'll have the schedule finished on Monday and send it out to everyone. 

***

In other fun news, Sarah made this really cute necklace with the new bird connectors we got in. She used a thin chain, wire wrapped some tiny stones and connected the bird.  

A wedding necklace - a keepsake memory

Is it almost wedding season already?!  Apparently!  We've started getting a sprinkling of brides, bridesmaids, and jewelry designers looking for inspiration and supplies to create their own beaded wedding jewelry.  

This afternoon a wonderful woman named Allison came in.  She brought with her quite the ziplock bag of her grandmother's old jewelry.  Some the pieces were costume pieces, very glitzy and sparkly, and others were her grandmother's old pearls, a treasured piece of jewelry in most families.  I know mine are, anyways.  

Allison is getting married in August and is planning to transform her grandmother's necklaces into a beautiful, large necklace and bracelet to wear down the aisle.  She also wanted to add in new beads to tie it all together.  Her bridesmaid's dresses are kind of a blue/teal/turquoise color.  She told me that she's done a little bit of crafting and necklace stringing, however not in a while and nothing too labor intensive.  I love projects like this!  I'm so excited for her.  As we talked, I got to know her a bit more and found out a little more about what she's looking for in a necklace.  

One of the things she mentioned was wanting a large, show stopping piece for the wedding but not knowing what to do with it after the wedding.  Solution: use a spacer bar and lobster clasps with split rings.  Each necklace will basically be an individual necklace that will be "temporarily" attached to the final piece with the spacer bars.  After the wedding, she'll just remove each necklace from the spacer bar and will have several pieces she can wear, one, two, three at a time.

Supplies needed to do this:

• spacer bars
• lobster clasps (for attaching individual necklaces to the spacer bars
• lobster clasp (for the spacers bars to actually put the necklace on for her wedding day)
• crimp tubes - she went with 2mm x 2mm sterling silver crimps
• beading wire - a medium weight wire is best for the mixed media project
• bead board - because she's making several pieces, she'll want to make sure they all measure out correctly
• and her beads, of course

I'm so excited for her updates on this project.  I { love } the idea of re-purposing her gram's old stuff.  :)  I bet she's going to do an incredible job!  (Allison, if you're reading this, don't forget to come back in and give us updates!)

{ love } + beads,
Anne.

New Inventory - funky cabs, cufflink backs, connectors

Whooo!  New stuff!  I love when new bits and pieces and goodies come in.  

 Fancy cufflink backs - I just love cufflinks

 swirl and twig connectors, these are VERY cool

 shell pendants

 leaf connectors, we have both the left and right facing ones

Awesome new cabochon pairs - we've had these before and are excited to have them back in stock

more cabochons, these are quite a bit larger, 40x30mm (the skulls are amazing!)

filigree ring backs/blanks - we've had these before as well, they're quite popular because the quality is really nice, they're heavy and hold up incredibly well.

Such happy bits!  -Anne.

Twisted Treasures class - January 2013

This fun and interesting wire wrapping technique is a great way to begin creating your own unique wearable wire art! Learn how to form a wire net that can encase an assortment of shapes including gemstones, beads, and many other miscellaneous treasures. The only limit here is your own imagination! After twisting your way to the top of your piece, you will have the opportunity to embellish your pendant with coils, spirals, and beaded treasures. This creative project is a fabulous introduction to wire wrapping. Level: beginner.  To register for this, or other wire wrapping classes,  in the future, click here.

We offer plenty of amazing wire wrapping classes in our Denver bead store location, for more information, visit us at www.theColoradoBeadCo.com