Thursday, April 29, 2010

Been there, done that

I'm home! Since we last talked, I flew off to Denver and arrived in the middle of a seriously lousy spring storm. My favorite part was when the rental car lady sent me to the LAST car in the LAST row for my own vehicle as 35mph winds and driving rain pelted me in the 34 degree temperatures (can't even imagine what the wind chill was.) I was hauling two suitcases, one with a broken wheel. And I might have said some very bad words in that moment, but they were necessary and appropriate to the situation.

Luckily, things got better from there. I was still dragging from having been ill last week so my energy level wasn't what it usually is, but let's face it - when you're at a bead show, it's hard to not have a good time! The Rocky Mountain Bead Society puts on a heck of a show with great vendors and demos and classes and door prizes. I'll definitely be back next year!

So now I'm home again, and facing the BIG ONE. Yup. The Bead & Button Show is just 36 days away. (I've been having a lot of fun torturing the other instructors with a daily countdown on Facebook.) The volume of kits I'm needing to make is staggering and it will quite literally take an entire month to do it. Thank goodness I'm the freaky kind of personality who doesn't mind the monotony of kit assembly tasks. And I know I have a large group of beady friends here who are willing to step in and help when I need it. Right now the biggest task is simply getting the beads and supplies ordered and here.

Speaking of Facebook, are you my Facebook friend? I'd love it if you'd friend me!
http://www.facebook.com/jill.wiseman

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Bye Miami - Hello Denver!

My weekend in Miami went by MUCH too fast! The good news is that I get to go back in December, but I'm getting ahead of myself with that.

This was certainly one of the more interesting shows I've attended in the last few years for a number of reasons. First, my booth was right next door to the lovely, sassy ladies of the South Florida Jewelry Guild, and they are a riot! Each day a new group arrived to spice things up and rustle up more laughter. We got along like peanut butter and jelly, and I'm happy to say they are letting me come back the weekend before Christmas for three days of classes. And giggles. Beads and giggles always seem to go together, don't they???

I also got to spend some quality time with the amazing Anna Draeger, a fellow seed bead designer, and one of the editors at Bead & Button Magazine. Anna and I have known each other in passing for years, but never really had time to get to know one another. In Miami we quickly rectified that situation, and cemented our friendship with a crazy fun night on South Beach, dancing the evening away... Her brand new book, Crystal Brilliance, has just been released, and it's a winner! So many new projects I'm dying to tackle. Sigh. Where is the TIME??

Monday was a rushed trip to the airport that almost left me missing my flight home. I was literally in the security line hearing them page my name at the gate that was just beyond. I begged a few folks to let me cut in front of them, and managed to sneak on board with seconds to spare. No, don't ask why I was running that late.

By the time I got home 3 hours later, I realized I was getting sick AND had an eye infection coming on. AGH. So since then I've done very little but sleep. I fit in a quick trip to the doctor earlier today because the eye isn't getting better on it's own fast enough for me. Especially since I'm leaving again Thursday - this time for Denver!

Yup. Denver and the Rocky Mountain Bead Society Bazaar, here I come! Last year was my first time at this particular show and it was just wonderful. Really great vendors, and a good crowd of folks. Many amazing classes. So pretty please, come visit if you're anywhere nearby this weekend!

After I get home again Monday, the plan is for non-stop Bead & Button Show prep for the next four weeks straight. But maybe I'll sleep for a solid day first. Yeah. And a massage. And THEN kits.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Miami madness

And the show hasn't even begun!

I flew to Miami with no troubles on Wednesday night, and man do I feel lucky! Everyone I know who flew in on Thursday had delayed planes, missed connections, and all sorts of traveling mishaps. My biggest issue has been that I managed to leave my toiletries bag back at home. AARGH. Walgreens and CVS have perfected the art of building on every few blocks, however, and saved the day.

So my main mission today was simple: retrieve the boxes I shipped ahead from the hotel and lug them to the convention center that's attached to the hotel by way of a stroll through a wholesale merchandise mart, filled with more purses and glittery faux jewelry than I've ever seen in one place. Get the table set up. And then bead for a few hours as there are samples I need to mail off next week that need finishing.

Got all that first part accomplished, no problem. But then it all went nutty. I had to make a run to the bank. Got caught in traffic when President Obama landed in Miami and they started closing down streets for the motorcade. I talked with friends for a while, then had to go pick up a lost and wayward traveler in from the Ft. Lauderdale airport. Rounded out the night with a great group of friends parked in the hotel lobby bar.

There's always tomorrow for that beading....

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Link to original broken foot post

For those of you who weren't reading this blog back two years ago when the "incident" happened, here's the full story:
http://tapestrybeads.blogspot.com/2008/04/if-it-aint-one-thing-its-your-mother.html

Maybe it was worth it

From June:
Maybe it was worth breaking my foot moving the stones to build this planter. It's just started blooming and is covered in buds.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Workedy work

I've had my head down, avoiding distractions (mostly) trying to get massive piles of work shoveled out the door. There's been progress, but there's always more sneaking in when I'm not looking!

So I have this crazy spreadsheet where I've calculated out how many of each kit I want to make before Bead & Button, and how much of each kind of bead I need for that number of kits, and the volume is pretty scary! LOL! If I don't get a good head start on it now, I'm totally in trouble later. And cash flow being a reality, I can't afford to buy ALL the supplies at once, so as they come in, I get them weighed, and bagged and labeled. The final kit assembly chaos will come later in May.

I also spent some beading time for a few days and I've come up with a potential rock star project that I can't wait to show you! I will say it's not a quick one - that's for sure. I'm still working on finishing the initial necklace (there will be variations too, as per usual with me!) and then it will translate into an awesome bracelet as well. As soon as I can, I'll give you a sneak peek!

There are teaching proposal deadlines on April 30th for both Bead Fest Texas 2010 and Bead Fest Santa Fe 2011 and I really need to get on it! MORE design and beading time is definitely in the immediate future. As a matter of fact, I'm assigning myself at least one day a week dedicated to designing for a while.

In the meantime, though, I've got a couple of trips coming up! I leave next Wednesday for the Best Bead Show in Miami, and the following weekend I'll be in Denver for the Rocky Mountain Bead Society Show. I'm looking forward to them both SO MUCH!