Bead and Button 2014, the Recap

I'm BACK! Grab a coffee and snack. This is gonna be a long one!

    If you've never been to Bead and Button, it is all you could imagine and more. If ever you have the opportunity to go, make it happen. Not only is the convention filled to the brim with all of the most beautiful beads and components you could ever dream of, but it is FILLED TO BRIM with the most creative bunch of people you could ever meet.  The room Buzzes. I'm not kidding. There is this electric energy, a buzz - all through the room. But it's easy to get disoriented. I got lost several times because the vendor grid pattern they have on the floor just makes it so confusing to get around  and I'm sure I probably missed a whole section because I'd leave one booth and totally forget what direction I was going in.


Anyway, I roomed with Loralee Kolton and her friend Martha Scott and they were the best roommates ever. It was so nice to finally meet Loralee in person as we have been online Facebook friends forever now. What a treat to be able to chat the night away, we have a lot in common and enjoyed the bead talk and kitty talk too. I just love her and can't wait to be able to spend time with her again!

I got to see all of my online bead friends. Started my shopping trip in Artist row of course, and stocked up on my favorite goodies and even found a few new things! Bead shopping can be a daunting task, it can be exhausting too. And unfortunately being that focused means the camera kind of stays in my pocket because there is so much chatting and hard concentration. ;) Ok so I'm lazy - and didn't take many pictures. I'm sorry!

I spent Saturday shopping for the other stuff like chain, metal sheet, and czech glass and stones.

Here is the loot: (click the pics for links to their websites)






















  I have an idea to put together a few kits that will coincide with the beaded chain ebook that I wrote.
Still have to get some seed beads before I can assemble them. I will make 5 to start to see how they sell.


Brenda sold me some dark annealed steel wire and she's going to be lending me one of her Jig's to play around with for a blog post. Stay tuned for that!


Now the artist beads!









Dwayne is Andrew and Cynthia's older brother and was at the show for the first time exhibiting his new components! They were really incredible! He made the stars, wings and cicada.

Julie Nordine's birds are to die for.

The little lock from Elemental Adornments has me completely smitten.

and I could not pass up a few new Anne Choi goodies!














There was bead shopping but also some important stuff like networking, and talk about book possibilities, and social media, and even some conversations about some new business ideas like creating bead kits. Lots to think about and very exciting! I had a nice dinner with the Innovation team from Nunn Design, including Becky Nunn. Enjoyed chatting about jewelry and what the girls have been up to since we were on the team last year. I even learned a few things, including a new way to promote using a program that could be replacing my neglected newsletter! Stay tuned for that!

Another highlight was following Andrew and Cynthia Thornton around while they shopped for beads. Talk about inspiration- if there were ever a pair you'd want to shop with it's these two. They know their beads.


Sunday morning over morning coffee we ran into Kristin Oppold, whose work I've have admired and looked up to for quite a while now- what a fun place to finally meet in person! We got a nice picture to commemorate it!

I can't wait to start planning my next trip to Bead & Button! 
If you went, what did you buy, who did you meet?




Comments

  1. Anonymous6/09/2014

    Sounds like a wonderful, wonderful weekend!

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    1. It was so amazing. You would have loved it! I hope you can make there sometime! It blows Bead Fest out of the water.

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  2. Damn! I need to get to B&B- I should have made the TWO HOUR drive. Gah- I just couldn't image doing it with juni this year. Maybe next! Awesome loot.

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    1. Oh I would have LOVED to see you! But figured with Juni it'd be too hard for you to make it. Yes I hope that at the next one we'll be able to meet up!

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  3. Wonderful post Lorelei! I love reading about your adventure, connections and awesome bead purchases. Someday soon I hope I can make it to the show in person too.

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    1. I hope so too! Thanks for stopping in to read about it. I like to pass on the word especially of new artists I met so that they can be on your radar too! I hope you check out some of their sites, such talented people!

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  4. What a great post - felt like I got to experience some of it (kind of!!!) Your selections were gorgeous. Now, I have to go wipe the drool off my computer!! Thank you so much for sharing.

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  5. Oh, you lucky, lucky gal! I wish they had such shows in the UK!

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  6. You found lots and lots of treasures indeed! I like the lean toward metallics in the first photos. The clay, pewter, stone, glass, etc. - it's all beautiful. Glad you had fun & got to talk about what you love while spending time with those who do as well.

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  7. It sounds like a fantastic event. I need to go! Hopefully next year!

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  8. That is some gorgeous bead loot! Sounds like you had a really fun weekend with beads and beady peeps. Some year I hope to attend Bead and Button but for now Bead Fest in Philadelphia is my happy place (and most affordable option as far as travel goes)! I sure do love living vicariously through everyone that attends this show though. ;)

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  9. WOW! Super fantastic! It will be fun to see these raw beauties get some Lorelei-ification!

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  10. Well THAT is quite the haul! So nice to be able to live vicariously through the attendees!!

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  11. Julie B6/09/2014

    Thank you for that wonderful post... you made my day. I agree with Lori, so fun to "be there" even if only virtually ;) If I ever win the lottery, you know where I am headin'! Is there anything similar in the west?

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  12. wow...what an adventure.. I have a pair of Judie Mountain earrings from Santa Fe...she and her husband are both incredible artists! What a lot of work you went to to put this post together...I'm sure these vendors appreciate it! thanks for sharing

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  13. What a great post. Love the way you organized your purchases. It might come in handy later too. Thanks for sharing. It sounds like fun.

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  14. It was fun looking at your purchases (especially from my fellow lamp worker friends) and reading your story. This year was my first Bead & Button and wow! It was so much fun seeing what was offered. I taught some classes, participated in the Flame On fundraiser for Breast Cancer. I bought a few items and mostly walked around with my mouth and eyes wide open being totally amazed. Thanks for your recap and photos. Loads of fun reading about your experience.

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  15. This was the 4th year I've been to the Bead & Button show. I am lucky enough to live less than two hours from Milwaukee. I bought some great copper and blue raku beads from XAZ Bead Company, some pewter heart pocket charms from Thomas Mann, Czech glass beads from Raven's Journey, a pendant and ribbed bead from Marsha Neal, and a few wooden beads from Priscillabeads. I did a Make & Take too using Ice Resin. Had a lot of fun!

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  16. Beautiful !! Really gemstones can be used anywhere in any style.Every day new ideas of gemstones are emerging its trend and making it more popular.

    Ratnasagarjewels
    Ratna Sager is a family operated business group which made its entrance in world of jewels eleven years back in 2002.

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  17. Drool, swoon, faint! What grand goodies you came home with! Bead and Button is definitely on my bucket list. Thanks for letting me live vicariously.

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  18. Sounds like you had a lot of fun as well as made a few connections and have some exciting stuff on the horizon. I can't wait to see what's in store!! Thanks for sharing all the eye candy with us. :)

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