I had a bitersweet time last week – one of my favorite bead stores went out of business. They are demolishing the shopping center where it was located, and the owners decided that it just wasn’t feasible to move. I’m losing the opportunity to learn dichroic glassmaking and lampworking locally with a studio that could be rented. The owner is keeping her artist studio, however, and we’ll still be able to get her beautiful art glass.
My loss is also my gain, however, because they had a 75% off sale where my husband encouraged me to spend some of my business capital. $65.00 later and I had almost $200.00 worth of beads in my possession. Hee hee.
Here are some of the results, all destined to turn into SOMETHING. Several of the pieces already have design ideas brewing… Click to embiggen.
Stash one, two and three. This is only a partial view. You don’t want to be looking at supplies forever! Yes, Stash three is being overseen by the “kitten” of the house, three year old Dora. I still can’t believe she’s already three. She thought the stone chip strands were there just for her to play with. And pose with.
Closeups of a few of my favorites. The cab bead (it’s drilled, oddly) in the first photo has a hankering to go into a needlelace necklace. I’m still playing with ideas for the shape of the lace. The two donuts with skrimshaw kitties I have NO idea what they’re going to be, but they are sure cute! The glass beads I just fell in love with. The red ones are very smooth and have a very deco feel to them with the grey and black swaths through them. And the blue… well, I just love blue vintage beads!
And Pookah made an appearance, too… This is Dora’s mother. And a full pound and a half smaller than her daughter! Pookah should maybe have been named Pixie, she’s so small.
I can hardly wait to play with these, but for now they are going to have to go into the storage bins, because even though I’ve got ideas, I’ve also got things that have to be done first. Durn it.
