Bead and Button Show Review

I can't believe how long it's been since I did a blog post. I've been so busy with work and other stuff the past few months that it never seems to get to the top of the to-do list.

I went to the Bead and Button Show in June and had a wonderful time. I did a three day Masterclass with Sherry Serafini which was a fabulous experience. Over three days you really have an opportunity to get to know other students and talk in depth with the teacher, which I really like. I haven't done much on my necklace that I started in class since I got back, but I will be getting on to it shortly.

Since I got back I have really focused on completing my class projects and doing some of the kits I purchased at the Show. This was because after going in 2008, I ended up with a few kits that I never completed - they are still hanging around in fact - and I didn't want the same thing to happen this time.

Here's a photo of three completed projects: a loomwork project done in a class with Judy Walker (green/black), a  bracelet kit from Jill Wiseman (silver) and a kumihimo bracelet (gold/brown) - my first ever! I have completed a few other things but they are currently with the Bead Society of Victoria, as they were on display at the recent Melbourne Bead Expo [http://www.melbournebeadexpo.com.au/]. I will post photos of those later.

The Show was very enjoyable and also very damaging to my bank account :) I was inspired by all of the classes that I took while at the Show, and really enjoyed the opportunity to learn. The trading hall was like a treasure trove. It was funny to see all of the Show attendees on Thursday night, lined up waiting to get into the preview sale. I worked out which stall I wanted first (Gary Wilson's cabs) and made a bee-line for it as soon as the doors opened. I wasn't the only one, either, there was people stacked three deep around the stall at one point, sorting through hundreds of trays of stones to choose their favourites. I was very happy to have had the chance to buy some earlier in Sherry's classes, and I think Gary gave her some of the best ones to sell early. I'm going to have lots of beading fun with those cabs over the next couple of years. I was more focused than last time I think, and really hunted for things that I knew I could not purchase in Australia. Even then I seemed to end up with an awful lot of seed beads! I will definitely aim to go again.

I should get a chance to get back to my necklace I started in Sherry's class soon. It has some wonderful cabochons that I purchased from Stone Femme [http://www.etsy.com/shop/StoneFemme] and I'm quite certain it will look stunning when it's finished.