The theme this year is “Heavenly Bodies”, and members interpreted that phrase in quite a few different ways!  I’ll admit that I went for the obvious,and submitted a piece that included celestial imagery.

If you will be in the Fitchburg MA region between now and the beginning of January, Fitchburg Access Television would love to see you

CMWCA founders, C. M. Judge & Joanne Boudreau

Goodnight Moon!

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Recently, I did exactly that!

Our town has been holding an arts fest for a couple of years now, called Art Smart. Local artists, musicians, teachers, and organizations are invited to participate. It’s the only “show” that I do anymore, and even though I sell very little (sometimes nothing) at it, I still like to get out there once a year and hear what people are thinking.

Why do a show that you know doesn’t cater to your target audience? I love my town and I love the people. Sometimes that’s good enough.

How about you?  If doing shows is important to your income, can you imagine doing one that you knew would be a selling bust?  You can leave your comments here, or if you’d like to share a picture of your show booth and a link to your site, email me with the details at cyndi @ b5Media.com (remove the spaces).

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You can find out all the information on booking at the site link above, and you should also visit the Bead Cruise blog, where you’ll learn more about the instructors, the projects, the cruise ship, the sites to come…

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

Melinda Barta came up with a brilliant idea for this fun book. Instead of spreading her many talents out too thinly, she concentrated on just three areas: pendants, charms, and clasps.

It’s often hard to find exactly that perfect piece to customize your jewelry, and if you can make your own pendants, charms, and clasps, you can add them to readily available lain beads to create a masterpiece that is distinctively yours. Melinda includes over 275 quick and easy ideas for mixed media components as well as 7 full stringing projects. Once you start making these components, you’ll never run out of ideas about what to do with them!

Custom Cool Jewelry teaches you how to create personalized, affordable, and unique alternatives to store-bought beading components using a wide range of jewelry and basic crafting materials including embossing powder, collage papers, wire, fibers, glass etching cream, patinas, found objects, fabric, memorabilia and more.

Check out The Bookshop for lots more links to books about jewelry-making in addition to this fine guide!

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The regular conference runs from July 16 to 18, 2009, while the pre-conference classes take place on July 13 to 15.  All information and registration forms can be found at the link above.  One of the teachers will be the talented Lis-el Crowley, whose work is pictured below!

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

The answer is NO!  You can still go, but you’ve got to make your plans NOW!!  The show starts on May 31, so visit the link above and see what classes are still available.  If you just want to go for the socializing and shopping, there’s all the info you need at that link too.

Anyone going who’d care to share impressions and pictures afterwards?  Email me at cyndi @ b5Media.com (remove the spaces) and we’ll set it up!

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M. Sturman Jewellery will be holding an exclusive private sample sale:

Date:  Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Time: 6PM to 9 PM

Location:  In Good Company Workplaces
16 West 23rd Street, 4th Fl.
New York   10010

So bring a friend and join us to get a head start on your summer accessorizing — and get some exceptional deals, too.  From steals ($75) to sensational ($750)!
(sorry, no credit cards – cash, checks only)

M. STURMAN JEWELLERY is for the spirited woman reveling in the spotlight . . . the style-savvy woman a step ahead of the crowd. . . . the serene woman revealing herself through fashion . . . for every woman who enjoys the exceptional.

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The Innovative Beads Expo
Shows and classes in the northeast only. Click on Beading Classes

Bead&Button Show
Milwaukee, WI. Click on Classes

Best Bead Shows (Crystal Myths)
Tucson, AZ. Click on Bead Shows. Bead show classes are linked in the right sidebar

To Bead True Blue
Tucson, AZ.   Click on Workshop List

Down the Street Bead Shows
Southeast locations only. Click on Class sign up page

Puget Sound Bead Festival
Puget Sound, WA. Click on Classes

Gem and Jewelry Show (JOGS)
Tucson, AZ. Click on Classes

Intergalactic Bead and Jewelry Shows
Click on Classes

International Gem and Jewelry Shows
Free beginner workshops with Wendy Simpson Conner
Click here for Wendy’s schedule

Interweave Bead and Jewelry Events:
Step by Step bead classes
Jewelry Artist classes

Whole Bead Show
Click on city to see class schedule

MJSA Expo
New York City. Go to Shows & Events, and click on Seminars

Rio Grande
Catalog in Motion events

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Beads by John Winter

More Tucson news!  February 3 through 8, the Manning House will be open for beady business.

At the gorgeous Manning House, Exhibitors offer classes and workshops demonstrating how to create artistic pieces such as the ones they exhibit. These classes and workshops are held throughout the day, every day of the show.  Classes range from beginner to advanced, and cover beading, polymer, metal, glass, and business savvy!  The fabulous John Winter and Linda Gettings are just two of the names you’ll recognize!!

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Some of you will remember that I posted about the Remembering Cindy Etsy shop back in October. Well, I wanted to give you an update, sent to me by Dulcey Heller, a forum friend of Cindy’s.  The last of the beaded mystery panels, dolls, and other objects have been loaded into the shop.  It’s come down to shop now or forever hold your peace 

Cindy died in 2005 of lung cancer before being able to complete the project. Moderators of the Bead Art Forum have since completed assembling the Mystery Image Challenge. These four completed panels are now for sale in the Remembering Cindy Etsy shop. The panels, postcards, and a couple of the dolls (explained below) are already listed. There’s much more to be added, which will happen over the next three weeks or so. All profits after expenses will be donated to the American Lung Association in Cindy’s memory.

Also for sale in the shop are some of the dolls that were made for her during her battle with cancer. Her partner, John, gave them back to the Bead Art Forum for this purpose. There are also items that have been donated specifically for sale in Cindy’s memory. Those who would like their own small memory of Cindy’s Mystery Image Challenge can also purchase postcards of the four panels. Again, all profits after expenses will be donated to the American Lung Association.

Please visit the Remembering Cindy Etsy shop (she would have loved Etsy). The shop will be open through the end of 2008, closing in early 2009. Cindy is missed, and we want to help fight that disease that took her away from us, with funds from your purchases in the shop.

Post from: Jewelry and Beading