Gemstone & Bead Imports

Been too long!

So sorry I haven't blogged in a while....so busy at the shop getting it re-designed for BEADS ONLY!!!  I am actually excited about just focusing on beads going forward.  Also getting ready for all of the the events coming up.  Have you signed up for all of our classes and the Patera Trunk Show?  Should be lots of fun!! 

Here are the dates:

Donna Downey Class  Sunday, July 26th  12-5pm

Patera Trunk Show  Monday, July 27th  7-9pm 

Suze Weinberg Class    Friday, July 31st  6pm 

If you haven't been in lately...come see how we have changed and what is new!!  We have a cool new Soldering Iron kit from Simply Swank.  Look forward to seeing you soon!

New ideas and inspiration

While in NJ for Ranger U I met Margot Potter "The Impatient Crafter".  Margot is an adorable bundle of energy and creativity and wore the most adorable jewelry everyday.  She is an author, designer, & Beadalon Design Team Member....and a few other fabulous things!!  She had on this really cool necklace that I just had to duplicate....

here is her version.....

 

This is Beadalon chain and Quick Links with Chipboard Disks.

here is mine....I used the same technique to create the disks out of chipboard, stamps and magazine photos (cool, huh?)...but I used different chain and added some acrylic rondelles. 

  

here is another take on the same idea...just using Basic Grey "Pheobe" paper and more acrylic beads.

 

These necklaces are pretty cool because you can get a very dramatic effect with the disks but none of the weight of a bead that large.  We have the chipboard circles in three sizes....I used the largest (1.75")

Be sure to check out and bookmark Margot's Blog .  She is currently writing a new book but her most recent release is "Beyond the Bead" and is full of great jewelry.   

Exciting Patera News

We are very excited to announce that on Monday, July 27th we will be hosting a Trunk Show & Demo for Patera by Nunn Design!!!  Becky Nunn will be in the shop from 7-9pm showing you all the latest and greatest in Patera products and how to use them.  She will also be Officially Launching the Summer CHA Products...and you will be able to purchase them that night!!!  The products are so new...no one has seen them and you will be the first to see them in our shop.  Watch for reminder emails that will go out to you in July....but mark your calendars and plan to join us!  We are taking reservations so call and reserve your space.  Their is no cost to attend the Demo & Trunk Show; but space is limited!!

Until then....be sure to go to the Patera Website Here to see their brand new site.  It is  a beautiful site with a great gallery and demo videos!!!  Very cool!!!  You can see great products like you see below and more!!!

 

 

Makes ya wonder...

 

When I went to New Jersey...I was invited to spend a couple of nights at Suze Weinberg's home.  How fun!!  She is a lovely, not to mention HI-larious hostess.  I arrived late in the evening and after a lovely "dinner" of toast and tea; I was shown to my room which was adorable and cozy.  When I started to get ready for bed...I noticed this little sign near my bed.  Makes ya wonder sometimes if the universe isn't trying to tell you something.  :)

On a shop note....Come in on Tuesday evening to see how to make a Kuchi Koil with Aluminum wire!!  Remember...we are OPEN 'til 8pm!

Suze Weinberg is coming in July!

You have to check out Suze Weinberg's BLOG HERE ....I even got a shout out!!  wink...   She has figured out how to make beads out of wax!!!  Way cool!!!  She is coming to teach again on July 31st.  Check your email for class info!!  If you have already signed up for Donna Downey's class and want to sign up for Suze's class...you will receive 10% off!  So BOTH classes will cost $130.50 total!!  What a deal!

Newsletter & Summer Camp

Keep your eyes out for a newsletter in your mailbox soon!  It has all the Summer Events and Details!!!

Summer Camp is beginning soon!!!  The details are in the Newsletter, but here are some photos!  Amanda really outdid herself on this one.  The layouts are really super-cute and have lots of new techniques for your child to learn.  There are 20 different layouts they will complete to have an album that is "All About Me".  You can come in the shop to see the completed album.

Dates, Times, & Fees are in the June Newsletter soming to your email inbox soon!!

 

 

Back home & Summer Nights

 

Well,  I am home from Ranger U. I had a fantastic time and learned so much....can't wait to share it all with you!  But....I must say....I am wiped out!  It was a hectic 3 days filled with lots of technique and non-stop action.

I met some wonderful people while I was there....like....Heidi Swapp

  

Heidi is such a nice "girl".  She and I sat next to each other and spent the whole weekend getting to know each other.  We had a lovely dinner Sunday night too.  She is just as cute in person as she is in this photo too!!

And then there is Tim Holtz .....Tim did such an amazing job putting together the weekend and is an amazing instructor.  He knows what he is doing around all those products.  It was great to learn about the products in a technical way and have him explain how they work.  I have definitely made a new friend in Tim and am looking forward to seeing him in July at CHA.  Thanks for including me Tim...it was great!  :)

 

I will be creating a "Technique" area in the shop so you can see what I did at Ranger U and use it as inspiration to create your own fabulous projects.  We will be showing you techniques all Summer long...come join us!!!

Starting   June 9th....we will be OPEN on Tuesday & Thursday nights until 8pm!   We will be showing you new techniques on Tuesday nights...a different one wach week.  Thursday nights is Ladies Night.....grab a friend or 2 and a bottle of wine and join us for an evening of creativity!!!

Day 2....the fun continues

Day 2 started with Claudine Hellmuth teaching us to use her Paints, Sticky-Back Canvas, & Mediums.  Very fun stuff.  Her paints are the best acrylics to work with....the most amazing texture and colors.  I was so busy learning I forgot to take a picture of the process.  I do have a set of tags to share with you though.  :)

After lunch ("Square Pizza"...which was delish)  we had more time with Tim.  

He taught us all about "Distress" products.  Now, although these products are traditionally used in Scrapbooking projects....all I could think of when I was doing them was....this would make some great jewelry.  Like this tag....wouldn't this technique make a beautiful pendant in a Memory Frame.  Sized to fit of course....

 

After LOTS more tags...the 3 Designers held a Q&A Session.  They answered questions from the students.  It was nice to hear how they all got started and how they ended up with Ranger. 

 

Well...you are all caught up and I am all tuckered out.  I am headed to bed.  Tomorrow is ALL TIM...ALL DAY!!!  He is teaching Adirondack products......Alcohol Inks...MY FAVE!!!!  Yay!!!  Stay tuned for those pics.  Should be fun!!!

Day 1 at Ranger U

Day 1 at Ranger University started with Tim teaching us all about Perfect Pearls.....

All of the techniques were mounted on tags after completed....so now we have a great reference for each technique!!!   Can you see pendants??  I can!!  :)

After a quick lunch...it was Suze's turn to teach us all about UTEE and The Melting Pot.  Now, I was fortunate to have a little experience with the pot...so I was a little ahead of the curve.  But nevertheless it was totally fun to play and have Suze teach us the ins & outs.  This is a frame with all of the 9 techniques she taught.  Of course it is coming home with me to display in the shop for you to use as reference or inspiration!!!  ;)

 

Sidebar.....

I am sitting next to Heidi Swapp and what a sweetheart she is.....

 

After all of the learning was said and done for the day....the Ranger folks treated us to a Bar-B-Que.  Here is me, Suze, & DONNA DOWNEY

 

Donna & I are rooming together....which is funny 'cuz neither one of us like to room with people!!  But....we get along like peas & carrots (Forrest Gump reference there).  If you are signed up for her class next month....LUCKY YOU!!  If you haven't signed up yet.....what are you waiting for?  She is a total hoot!!!!!  You are gonna LOVE her class and what she has to teach you!!  She is super talented!!!! 

 

The techniques I am learning are so much fun and very exciting.  The most amazing thing is that all of it can be used to make jewelry!!  Wanna learn what I am learning?  Well then, you will have to come to our Summer Nights on Tuesdays to learn these new techniques and how to work them into your designs.  You are gonna love it all!!!! 

More tomorrow!!!

Fun Stuff at Ranger U

Well here I am in New Jersey at Ranger U and having a great time!  Ranger U is a workshop sponsored by Ranger...the manufacturer of Tim Holtz Fragments, Inks, Alcohol Inks, etc, as well as Suze Weinberg's Melting Pot & UTEE and Claudine Hellmuth's Paints & Sticky Back Canvas.  It is 3 days filled with workshops teaching everything there is to know about Ranger products.....EVERYTHING!!  

Here is what we did on Thursday......

  SUZE  took us to breakfast at Jackson Diner....WAY too much food!!

 

Then a quick stop at her Studio to drop off and pick up some supplies.

 

Suze took us to the Red Bank Bead Shop....it was a great little shop in an area similar to College Park or Winter Park.  Nice shop..but ....not as nice as ours!  *wink!  Suze had a great time buying beads....I think I have created a monster!!!  She is already a Bead-a-holic!!!

 

Then after dinner at Suze's house (cooked by her husband "The Lenster"....we did a little playing in her at home studio.  She showed me how to do the Wax Frame project she will be teaching in our shop on July 31st.....really fun!!!!!

 

Here is my frame...you can come see the finished product at the shop when I return on Tuesday.

 

That was just Thursday...Ranger U starts on Friday!!  :)