Come and wish our dear friend, Sonia Gayo, well on her new adventure in Pennsylvania. She will be moving to be close to her family, and we will all miss her at our table of friends.  Please join us for goodies from 1:00-5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23,  and to visit with her before she leaves us.  She will be missed!

Happy Springtime!

I can't believe how fast this year is going. New beads, new friends, and lots of new ideas. As I always say, "so many beads, so little time". I've been working on some refurbished vintage collar necklaces that can be seen at the Jewelry Jubilee at the Gallery at the Network through May 1. I've been selling my jewelry downtown at this great gallery for quite a few years, and love the exposure that my work gets there.

My dear friend, Donna (Donna Wolfe Designs), has been helping me put my Beads of Sharon Etsy store up. It's a lot of work, and I have a lot of respect for the artists that work on theirs every day. I'm getting better, and hope to get some more designs up soon.

Please feel free to come gather at my table of friends each day, to work on your projects, get feedback from others, or to just chat. I look forward to seeing all of my diverse group of friends and meeting new ones each day. Happy Beading!

Classes:

April 11, 6-8:30 p.m., Wednesday; Beginning Jewelry Making

April 18, 6-8:30 p.m., Wednesday; "Railroad Track" Bracelets

April 25, 6-8:30 p.m., Wednesday; Beginning Wire-wrapping

May 2, 6-8:30 p.m., Wednesday; Metal Stamping for Mom's Day

May 9, 6-8:30 p.m., Wednesday; Easy Earrings

May 16, 6-8:30 p.m., Wednesday; Beginning Jewelry Making

May 23, 6-8:30 p.m., Wednesday; Spring Dreams Flower Bracelet

May 30, 6-8:30 p.m., Wednesday; Beginning Wire-wrapping

Small Businesses:

Please remember to shop at your local small businesses as much as you can. We can't always have exactly what you want or need, but we all try to please our customers as much as possible. The convenience of ordering online is very popular, but you won't get the personal service that we can provide. And, if we are to stay in business, we need you as a customer throughout the year. Let me know if you want me to order something special for you. If I can't get it for you, I'll try to find another local small business that can. We are all working hard to keep each other going in this economy.

Wedding Jewelry:

I have an amazing amount of pearls, crystals, and other beads for making jewelry for the bride and her party, mother of the bride, flower girl, etc. I can design for you, if you're not up to the task, and can work with any budget. If you'd like, we can come up with bridesmaid's jewelry that will double as their gift from you. I also like to design jewelry from old family pieces that have sentimental value and meaning. You'll feel like a princess, wearing your own unique jewelry on your big day.

Parties Available:

Private jewelry-making parties are available for both adults and children over the age of 8 years. Please call to reserve a time and we can talk over what your party would like to do. I like to keep my parties at 4, but we can discuss the possibility of adding a couple more to your party, if needed. Please feel free to bring your own refreshments.

About My Store

In July, 2008, I quietly opened my store, realizing a dream that I'd had for several years. After some years of struggling to find my niche, I was able (with the help of family and friends) to start my business. I love teaching classes, doing repairs, designing, making custom jewelry, and selling the beads and findings so that everyone can make their own creations. I want all of my customers to know how much I appreciate their patronage. I know how hard it's been the past couple of years, and I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has helped me with my passion.

I am also selling my jewelry at the Gallery at the Network, and appreciate how they promote me (with the other artists in the gallery), to the downtown customers. They have been my connection to downtown, since my store is in a small business complex. I have added many new jewelry designers to the store, and have some new clothing items from Bali.