Gathering Recap (Finally!)

While on vacation in Portland in July we had the chance to get up to Bellevue, Washington for a couple days to the International Society of Glass Beadmakers annual convention, the Gathering.

I was blown away by the beautiful beads I saw, the friendly people, and the awesome deals on glass, tools (a shell press and a beadroller) and tutorials!  I spent WAY too much money, but I'm happy with what I got.  Even better was the Bead Swap on the last day of the convention.  The name says it all.  I brought a string of my own beads and I picked up over fifty awesome beads in trade from other beadmakers.  Here is an almost complete selection of the beads that came home with me.

If you recognize one of the beads as yours but the name is wrong, or vice versa, please let me know.  I had a *teensy* bit of difficulty keeping all the business cards together with the right beads.

I also invite everyone listed below to leave a comment with their website address, Etsy shop name, or what have you, and I'll edit this post to include a link.

Aren't these all absolutely gorgeous beads?!

Beth Eliason

Bethany Burch

Carlos Bazan

Crystal Clark

Diane Peterson

Diane Sepanski

Diane Woodall

Dream Fire Glass

Duane McCormick

Elaine Rusk

Elise Swope

Elizabeth Bunn

Elizabeth Ward

Ellen Gaimari

Evelyn Duberry

Gayle Wolfe-Himes

Glenda Long

Helen of Red Sheep Beads

Joy Munshower

Judy Carlson

Julie Levitt

Kandice Seeber

Karla Klein

Kathy Lowe

Kathy Spignese

Kerri Fuhr

Lara Lutrick

Laura Bowker

Lori Bergmann

Marcy Lamberson

Marlene Minhas

Mary Tarara

Melody Spence

Morgan Campbell

Nicole Valentine

Pam Spencer

Patrice Tobolowsky

Penny Dickinson

Rene Perez

Roger Child

Sally Wood

Shannon Vickers

Susan Shahinian

Tammy Osczepinski Kerber

Monday Madness Sale!

I've decided to start a weekly sale one particular item at my Etsy store and post about it everywhere, including blogging, tweeting, pinning, and facebooking, hence the name "Monday Madness Sale"!  Don't forget to check back weekly for a new sale every Monday!

This week's Monday Madness item is a playful matched set of beads that are perfect to make earrings, or just use as colorful spacers in a larger piece.  Just for today, from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed (about 10pm Hawaii time), this bead set is 25% off.  Click here to take you directly to the sale page! :)

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you have a great Monday!

TGIF Treasury for 7/6/2012

Here's this week's Treasury featuring items that are currently for sale on Etsy that include lampwork beads.  There are some incredible jewelry designers on Etsy, and the lampwork beads are just exquisite. Aren't these pieces beautiful?

Please give a little bloggy love to these talented jewelry artists and click the pictures to visit their Etsy shops.  (Sadly, the picture on the bottom left isn't showing up for some reason, so please click on the square and it will take you directly to an absolutely gorgeous kumihimo necklace that just has to be seen to believed!)

Wednesday Lampwork Bead Reveal

Happy 4th of July everybody!  Today's blog post will be short on text but long on pictures, 'cause I ain't spending a moment longer inside the house than I have to.  This week I decided to grab a rod of good ol' red, white, and blue, and put together some cute, patriotic-like beads.

Here are the color to glass matches I came up with:
Red = Vetrofond Red Medium Special
White = Creation is Messy Peace
Blue = Creation is Messy French Blue (one of my favorite colors, and they've gone and discontinued it)

The beads:

Have a great Independence Day!