Come visit "The Bead Empress" booth at Richmond Craft Mafia's "Handmade Holiday" this coming Friday and Saturday (December llth & 12th). Wine reception kicks off the event at 7PM Friday night, followed by a full day of holiday shopping on Saturday. Check off that Christmas gift list, support your local artists and drop by Melanie's booth to say hello and see her latest wearable found objects line--high-mileage jewelry fit for a queen!

Well, dear friends, we're beginning to exhale... Yes, it's been two months today since we relocated and expanded the "Little Bead Shop that Could" and what a change it's been! It is truly my greatest joy to watch people enter the shop and say, "WOW"! It's especially gratifying to hear this from returning customers who supported our little shop in its infancy and helped us to transform our humble beginnings into the full-range bead shop that it has blossomed into today. We have so much gratitude in our hearts for all that YOU have done to support us. We hope that we can continue to nurture, inspire and provide technical support for all of your creative pursuits. If there is something you need for a project that we don't carry in the shop, please let us know and we'll do our best to add it to our inventory. In the meantime, Bead On!

Our New Instructor!

Meet Cynthia Bouvier, our newest instructor!

Here's how Cynthia introduced herself on our website:

Jewelry, as an art form, has the power to create moods, provoke opinions and produce reactions. This is the design philosophy that San Francisco native, Cynthia Bouvier, follows in creating and developing her own unique collection of jewelry. Cynthia uses primarily precious metals and gemstones in her work. Her ultimate goal is evoking confidence, elegance, sex appeal, and femininity through the use of striking color and inventive design in each of her pieces, which is what gives her jewelry its signature look.

Cynthia lived in Paris, France for three years and credits many of her designs as inspired by French fashion.

Cynthia has traveled the world and uses the places she has visited to inspire many of her designs.

WE DID IT!!!

We are all moved in--and we did in in an unbelievable two-day whirlwind of activity! Yes, the paper is off the windows and the doors are open!!!! Thanks to all of our dearest friends--and their spouses--for helping us navigate this daunting move. We're exhausted yet thrilled that the new shop is ready for business ahead of schedule and we can't WAIT to share our excitement, beads and classes with you!

While our "soft opening" began today, our "Relocation & Expansion Sale-bration" day is Saturday, October 3rd when we offer 20% off all beads. Mark your calendars now so that you can take advantage of this special "sale-bration" to stock up on beads for all of your holiday shows and gift-giving projects!

We're Dancin' as Fast as We Can!!!

Boy, have I got a lot of news--but first those long-promised pics from my trip to the Czech Republic. I told you I'd figure out

this blog-thingy...

Wow--now THAT's hot! The furnace I mean!

This could be a bead around YOUR neck--just give it a few minutes for the process to unfold. This was part of the Czech "pressed glass" factory tour.

Yeah, I know there aren't any beads in this picture, still i love it. It's a humble little corner in one of the Czech bead factories that we visited where the employees could take "5". Less really is more, isn't it?

Aren't these GORGEOUS??? Button samples from one of the factories we visited in the Czech Republic.

OK, onto business...did I mention there is SO MUCH going on around here? Thanks to Mike and Basil, our trusty construction dudes with the most'est, we are wayyyyyyy ahead of schedule. Hence, we will be closing the shop, Sunday September 6th to begin the move and will remain closed until the following Thursday, September l0th when we will re-open at 10AM (the bead goddess willing!). So much to do in between now and then, but it's all great and will knock your beads off when you see it all come together!

As if that isn't exciting enough, we just got word that our second shipment of Czech beads that we hand-picked from the Czech Republic is in route. Now who knows exactly what that means, but as least the beads are out of the factory and on their way into our beady, i mean greedy, little hands. We've been saving the beads as they roll in for our "Grand Relocation & Expansion Salebration" on Saturday, October 3rd...stay tuned and pray the boat gets here in time for our opening!!!

Lastly, be sure to mark your Fall calendar to visit two local shows that the Bead Empress does each year:

*Saturday, 9/19 - 43rd St. Festival of the Arts . Love, love, love this show--it's like "Old Home Week". Proceeds go to the Food Bank so come, shop local, support your local artists and contribute to a favorite local fundraising effort--while you're there, be sure to thank Robyn Cage for putting this all together year after year after year. It's way more work than you or I can imagine...

*Sunday, 10/4 - University of Richmond's "Arts Around the Lake" . Another favorite...and best yet, "Arts Around the Lake" finally moved back next to the lake last year making it all the more enjoyable. Bring the family or your best pals and enjoy the lovely Fall weather while supporting your local artists.

Mel is on Etsy now!

Check it out!

This is just the first round ... We hope to continue updating over the next few weeks!

Demolition -- let the games begin... yes, that's dave painting 'the buttercup lounge', aka, stockroom. who says stockrooms have to be gray and ugly??

We're MOVING...

OK, let's see who's reading the blog? If it's you, then you're the first to know:

WE'RE MOVING!!!

Yes, we're relocating--but only two doors down so you won't have any hassles finding more fabulous beads to add to your bead stash. We're in the process of building out the former

Ave Maria shop just down the sidewalk from our current shop. We'll have over twice as much

room (so you can actually turn around w/o hitting another customer), a larger class room,

and of course, more delicious beads all hung at eye level so you can get to them more easily.

Leave us your well wishes by hitting "comment" below and you'll receive a one-time 20%

discount off your next purchase!

Wow--where did June go?!!

Can it really be a month since the last blog? Sorry about that but I hit the road (air?) again only this time to France with my daughter, Laurel, who is a French teacher at James River H.S. here in Chesterfield. Interestingly, on this trip we found a LOT more little bead shops in France than on previous trips. Most of them are quite small, sparse by American bead store standards, but have a lovely village feel about them and their share of beady-eyed followers. Photos to follow soon--I promise! Now that Laurel is through teaching for the summer she's going to tutor her mother on posting photographs on the blog, right Laurel?

V. exciting news! I just heard that beads from my Czech trip have cleared customs and are to arrive in Chicago tomorrow. They have to find their way down the bead chain to me but boy, am I excited! Now the problem is: WHERE to put these fabulous finds??? Stay tuned...

Yes, I KNOW dear customers....still have not got those images from Czechoslovakia up yet. You know why? Because I've been soooooo busy ordering new beads for YOU! Seriously, we have a bunch o' shipments coming in this week and are so busy getting ready for our 5th Annual Anniversary Bead Sale on Saturday, June 13th that I haven't had a minute to focus on getting those pics up. And did I mention my new Canon camera broke? No, really, it did. Anyway, am so onto this. I will get those pics posted, I will, I will, I will! But first Laurel (my daughter & website designer extraordinaire) needs to show me how to post pics on the blog. (Let's see if she really reads my blogs??? Are you reading this, Laurel?) In the meantime everyone, mark your calendars for our 5th Anniverary Bead Sale on the 13th. Pick up a free customer appreciation gift and get 20% off all loose beads and bead strands (no sterling---btw, are you guys watching the precious metals market 'cuz here we go again...). We also have a secret. Stay tuned...

Czech Republic "Bead Trip of a Lifetime"

Wow....what can I say? We're back from our trip to Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic with major jet lag and oodles of pictures to download to the blog. Give me a couple of days and hopefully I'll get some images up here for you to enjoy. In the meantime, we're expecting shipment of our hand-picked Czech beads within two months. Yes, it takes a verrrrryyyy long time to get these beads shipped to us as well as time to get them up on the walls. It's hard for us to wait, too, but know that it will be worth the wait everyone.

Summer and fall classes have been posted!

WOW what a line-up!  We have tons of news project AND technique classes, including three new summer classes just for kids, bead stitches, silver fusion, resin projects, photo transfers on polymer clay beads, ceramic beads with colorful glazes...  Certainly enough to keep you busy for the summer!

Check out our new samples:

http://www.fandangle-beads.com/classes/newclasses.html

Also, be on the lookout for a new shipment of Czech beads that will follow Melanie home from Europe in a few months.  Photos of her travels through the bead factories and flea markets of the Czech Republic will follow soon, as well.  

Fandangle Bead Store Wins VMFA Muse Award!

Wow--what a night! Out of a pool of approximately 60 nominees, Fandangle Bead Store was one of nine businesses who received a Muse Award from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts at its annual "Un-Gala" last night. A dozen of our beady-eyed employees, friends and family, donned in 1920's attire, arrived via James Limo Service (wonderful company, btw) at the Virginia Museum where we anxiously awaited for the winners to be announced. We share our award with all the creative spirits (that would be YOU, dear customers) who share our passion for all things beaded and sparkly, and who strive to blend beads, beauty and balance into your busy daily schedules. Our's is a recipricol relationship: You, the customer, ignite our creative spark as we strive to stay ahead of the creative curve and we hope that we provide inspiration to you as well. Our jewelry classes, beads and beading materials are a reflection of YOUR passion and we depend on you to let us know what you'd like to learn so that we can grow as a business, as artists and as educators. Likewise, we share our award with all those artists out there who were ever told you can't make a living "doing art". Intention and hard work paired with a good business plan go a long way to making dreams come true--oh, and did we mention a sense of humor is critical ???

Sunday Resin Class

We still have a spot left in this, our most popular, class. Come join us this Sunday and create your own one-of-a-kind resin pendants. We supply the bezels, resins, tools, flotsam and instruction--you just show up and have fun! To see on-line samples for this class just click on "Gallery" and/or "Spring Classes" links on our website where you'll find numerous examples of found art jewelry objects made with resin. Now is the time to actually USE all that stuff you've been squirreling away for years--anything is fair game: think old cards, lace, laser images of old photographs, buttons, glitter, scraps of homemade paper, metal stampings. Likewise, your favorite rubber stamps can be used with Staz-On permanent inks and textured paper and then set in, say, a vintage optical lense and topped off with resin. The possibilities are endless!

Greg's Masterpiece

Greg's upcoming class--
help us name it! Just click "comment" and write in your suggestion...

Weekly sale category!

Wow, what's that blue stuff in the sky? Finallllllly the rain is past...ahhhh. Hey, great news! Just for our bloggers, beginning this week we're going to announce the sale category for the upcoming Monday-only sale day. That's right--no more "Secret Monday" sales wherein you have to come in to see what the sale category is; instead, simply check the blog weekly and you'll find that we've posted the category that will be featured as "on sale". When you come into the shop and are ready to ring up your purchases, make sure you tell us BEFORE we ring your sale that you saw the sale category featured on the blog and we'll give you 20% off that particular category which is featured on that particular that Monday. Just our little way of saying thanks for checking-in with our blog for all the lastest news in Beadland!

P.S. The sale item for this coming Monday is "Freshwater Pearls".

Denise's Polymer Class

Hope you all had a "hoppy Easter" and a chance to wear your newly beaded Spring creations to the Easter parade of your choice. The Easter Bunny hopped by Fandangle Bead Store and dropped off a few new items that we are uber-excited about: a new gel liver of sulfur to create a lasting 'vintage' patina on your metal and chain creations. That's right, it's a gel with no shelf life and will not become inactive if the top is accidentally left ajar. It's more expensive than the standard liver of sulfur nuggets, powder and liquids but it will last you a great while longer.
I love putting patinas on my metals--NO MORE METAL POLISHING! That's right, as I've gotten older I've created a list of things I no longer do, i.e., no more ironing, no more curling my hair, and no more metal polishing. Try it--it's liberating! Let me know what you've added to your list of things you no longer do--I'm always looking to weed out time-killers to make more opportunities for doing what I really love to do, i.e., making jewelry and fondling all things sparkly.

In addition to the gel liver of sulfur, the Easter Bunny also dropped off a new shipment of resins in a larger size kit--that's right: you asked for it, we found it. This resin is a thicker domed resin made by Rio Grande and makes a total of l6 ounces of resin--that's a LOT of jewelry! Again, it costs more than our smaller kits but will go a veryyyyyy long way. Just mix and use the same as you've always done and voila! Just bead and wear your one-of-a-kind masterpieces and watch the heads turn.

Lastly, Denise's new polymer class still has a couple of spots open so call now to reserve your space. We're really excited about the new polymer products that will be up on the wall (next to the resin supplies) by the end of the week. Fandangle Bead Store will feature Donna Kato's polymer clay which we find to be preferable over other leading brands. Likewise we have new polymer clay books, clay tools, sealants, stencils, texturing materials, pasta rollers, and especially exciting, new image transfer kits. We're always on the look-out for new products and classes that will enhance your creativity and add variety to your beaded creations. Come in and meet Denise if you haven't already and while you're at it, be sure to check out her new basic wire and specialty wire jewelry classes.

Virginia Museum Muse Awards

Fandangle Bead Store, i.e., "the little bead shop that could", just found out today that we were selected as a 2009 Virginia Museum of Fine Arts "MUSE Awards" semi-finalist! What are the MUSE Awards? The Muse Awards honor extraordinary creativity in Virginia business and recognize the major role that creativity plays in Virginia industry. According to Eddie Gugelman of SunTrust Bank Mid-Atlantic and chair of the VMFA Business Council which sponsors the MUSE Awards, “Creativity is a powerful yet often unrecognized component of success, and its application within the Virginia business community is helping to shape the commonwealth into a diverse and dynamic economic region." Business organizations, professional groups, and business and professional councils in Virginia are eligible to nominate themselves or other for-profit Virginia businesses that practice unique and creative approaches. “Just as VMFA’s collection celebrates the best of creative expression for the past 6,000 years, the Muse Awards celebrate creative genius and inspire Virginia companies to lead the way,” Gugelman says.

Winners of the 2009 VMFA MUSE Award will be announced at The Muse UN-GALA: An Awards Ceremony unlike any other...The Muse program culminates with the Un-Gala awards celebration, which has become a must-attend event for the "Who's-Who" among both the vanguard and brightest new talents in the corporate community. The theme of the party changes each year, and is closely guarded by the Muse committee until the night of the event. Mark your calendars for Thursday, April 30, 2009 and be sure to look for the Bead Empress and Sparkie "The Bead Boy" at the Un-Gala!

For more information please contactElizabeth Lowsley-Williams at 804.340.1469 or E-mail: Elizabeth.Lowsley-Williams@vmfa.museum

Learn Soft-Solder with "Sparkie, The Bead Boy"

Just who IS this "Sparkie, the Bead Boy" guy anyway??? Most of our customers know him as "Greg" (our shop manager) but we prefer to think of him as our resident solder-meister. Seriously, this guy has been knee-deep in silver, solder and and base metals on all fronts for (dare we say it?) a couple of decades. "Sparkie" still has two spots left in his Saturday, April 25th "Soft-Soldered Pendants" class. For $250 you get to take the Saturday class, plus your soldering bench awaits you at the end of class--yes, that's right: you get to take home ALL OF THE MATERIALS at the end of the class thus enabling you to jump right into creating more beautiful baubles instead of searching item by item for all the supplies needed later on.
We insist on using environmentally friendly and highest quality lead-free soldering supplies and irons in this most popular class. Check out samples under our "Classes" section and call today to reserve one of the last two spaces in the May class!

Beading Weaving? Not Me!

That's what I USED to say too! Working with tiny beads was so not my thing--or so I thought. Then I decided to open a bead store all of a sudden I HAD to learn how to bead weave...so began my journey into the world of Miyuki seed beads. What I didn't know is that Miyukis would become my new obsession. Yes, I became totally addicted to learning simple stitches that could then be combined to create unique necklace strands, bead bracelets & cuffs, earrings, ornaments and yes, even decorations for the walls. Fandangle Bead Store offers an amazing selection of Miyukis in every size and shape imaginable along with a variety of entry-level seed bead classes designed for beginners. As with all our lessons, we limit classes to three hours, focus on basic solid technique and then release you to your new obsession. The joy in seed beading is that after you have learned a simple stitch, then you get to pick out your own delightful color combinations to match your mood and your wardrobe. Call the shop at 327.9992 to register today. Upcoming classes are posted through the end of June 2009.

Milagros

Fresh from Santa Fe, we now have a selection of beautiful hand-cast milagros, inspired by traditional Mexican designs. So, what is a milagro? Well, upon entering a church in Latin American, one often sees the dressed statue of a saint curiously festooned with hundreds of tiny gold or silver arms, legs, animals, plants or praying figures. These votice objects have been hung on the saint by the faithful to remind the saint of the supplicant's injured arm or leg, injured or pregnant animal, endangered crop, or in petition of a special favor. These prayer offerings are commonly called "milagros" (miracles), "ex-votos" or "dijes" in Spanish. In many countries "milagros" may also have a symbolic or talismanic quality. A woman will wear a parrot or horse on her necklace because she identifies with the bird or animal; a village elder will hang a fish 'dije" from his staff of office because he is a fisherman, or perhaps from a fishing village. Cast in sterling silver or brass from original votice offerings found in various parts of the Americas, these "milagros" make special presents for friends in need: a foot "milagro" for an accident-prone skier, a horse "milagro" for a child hoping for a pony; the torso of a pregnant woman to wish a friend a safe pregnancy; a corn "milagro" for a gardener; a lung "milagro" for a friend trying to quit smoking; a praying figure for a special favor and so forth. What a humble and thought-provoking gift. What a stunning accent to a necklace, nestled among beaded silk crochet strands! What a unique pair of earrings!

Spring has sprung!

The spring bead shipments are up and overflowing! We've gotten several new shipments, including shimmerwing butterfly pendants, ethnic beads and pendants including polished antler, large-hole (and silver-lined) glass lampwork beads, Tibetan brass and turquoise talismans, brass and sterling replicas of ancient Ethiopian pendants and charms, vintage button clasps, Bob Burkett's collector-grade, hand-cast fairy pendants, Spanish-inspired milagros, Paula Radke dichroic glass and pendants, most of which we guarentee you will not find elsewhere in Virginia! Check out our new products page for pictures.


Upcoming classes:

Polymer Clay Beads and Pendants - Saturday, April 18
Basic Wire Work - Sunday, April 19
Soft-soldered pendants - Saturday April 25
Intro to Resins - Sunday, April 26
Check out class samples and descriptions here.

PMC Bronze is here!

Announcing the arrival of the hottest item on the PMC market—Bronze PMC! With silver costs skyrocketing, Bronze PMC offers a less expensive alternative to silver PMC. Better yet, students have three times more metal clay per package to work with. Bronze PMC fires to a warm true bronze, is harder than silver PMC, and handles easily. FBS now sells PMC bronze and will offer classes on this exciting new medium this fall. Check out our newsletter for more details.

Our new mailing list policy

Because of the ever-increasing postal costs associated with mailing out hard copies of our quarterly newsletters, we have decided to take advantage of the age of technology (or as Melanie says, use to these stupid computers to our advantage for once!). Effective immediately, we will no longer mail postcards to people via postal services. Instead we will post quarterly class listings, shop events and coupons on our website. If you would like to receive occasional email updates, please email us at : zukpers@aol.com . We'll be happy to add you to our e-mail customer list so that you will stay abreast of all the latest news here in Beadland.

Grace and Courtesy Customer of the Month

Fandangle Bead Store is committed to offering its customers exceptional service, educational opportunities and quality products at a fair market price. 
In addition to our new mission statement, we would like to say thank you to our customers who make it a delight to be in the bead business and who remind us daily why we're here to help you. Starting this Spring, we will be surprising customers who are as compassionate as they are passionate (about beads of course). You, our valued friends and customers, make our job a pleasure by being patient and understanding even when we're having "a moment". We'd like to say thank you to all our special customers (and we have many!). As a start, we're implementing a weekly reward to a customer recognized by the Fandangle Bead Store staff as having been a particular joy to work with. At the shop's discretion, we will approach our "special customers", let them know how wonderful it was doing business with them, and rewarding them with a 20% discount off their purchases that day. Additionally, the names of these weekly rewards recipients will be entered into the pot for a $100 gift certificate drawing at the end of the year. This is our way of givIng a weekly nod to the many wonderful customers who grace our lives and remind us why we do what we do. We like to think of it as Bead Karma.

Announcing Fandangle Bead Store's New Bead kits!

Basic Bead Kits (From our classes--you asked for them, we got 'em!)
Designer Focal Bead Kits (all you add as is killer filler)
Necklace Whimsy" (Basic Stringing Necklace Kits)

The Glass Slipper Project

We are happy to announce the unveiling of a very special project and we need your help.  Prom time is quickly approaching at our local high schools, and yet not all girls can afford to attend this special event because of the prohibitive costs associated with formal occasions.  To that end, as many of you know, the Midlothian Junior Women's League and Q-94 have partnered together in the past few years to create the "Cinderella Dreams" project which ensures that no young woman is denied the chance to experience a quintessential event of adolescence -- attending her Prom.  

  

Here's where you come in!  

Fandangle Bead Store is fortunate to be a part of a flourishing community of beady-eyed women who just love a good cause.  And we just knowwww you have extra beads or beaded jewelry looking for a good home.  Put those baubles to good use by donating them to the Glass Slipper project!  We only have three weeks to collect your donations, which may include pieces you have either made or if you don't have time to make anything special, perhaps you could consider donating jewelry you no longer wear.  We'll take it all!  Necklaces, bracelets, earrings -- anything sparkly is fair game and will be given new life by the girls who wear them on prom night.  Just drop donations by FBS before March 18 and we'll make sure that it gets to the "Cinderella Dreams" project in time for this pre-prom event.

Yes, beady-eyed customers...I know, I really create a vacuum when it comes to blogging. Having said that, I'm going to make it up to you. My daughter, Laurel, and I have created the 'Fandangle Beadtini". Here's the recipe:

2 oz. fig vodka*
1 oz. elderflower liquor
1/2 TB simple syrup (flavor w/ a few slices of fresh ginger when making for a little zing!)
3 oz. fizzy lizzy sparkling grapefruit soda
3 ice cubes

*If you cannot find fig vodka, make your own: Put 3 c. of vodka in a saucepan, add a cup of fresh figs halved and bring to a boil and then simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Cool & bottle.

Shake vigorously & pour into ice cold martini glass. Do not attempt beading after
drinking this delish' concoction! Enjoy!