Archive for the ‘Classes’ Category

Being a small business owner is hard.  In the retail world, it’s hard to please everyone all the time.  Customers are upset when you aren’t open on Sundays.  They wish you opened earlier and closed later.  Your own craft often takes a back seat to the daily tasks that pertain to business ownership.  The business owner is often “it”…the one who does the purchasing, inventory maintenance, merchandise arrangement, the fiscal books, cleaning, advertising, marketing, interfacing with customers, making sales and so on.  At the end of the day, you’re tired and not necessarily motivated to sit down and work on your own jewelry projects.  Sigh.

BUT

This past weekend was the prime example of the super fantastic benefits of owning a small bead shop, specifically one that specializes in Metal Clay!  I just spent two blissful days immersed in clay, surrounded by creative and talented individuals, and learning from a Metal Clay “celebrity”, Terry Kovalcik.  Terry has made a name for himself for the impressive mechanical hinges and closures he developed.  His background is as a seriously talented graphic artist and I am currently obsessed with these two awesome prints.  The NIGHT CHEF, which reminds me of one of  my absolute favorite books growing up, In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak, which is, apparently, a banned book?  Controversial at any rate, as Mickey (the main character) spends most of the book in the nude.  But anyway, I loved the illustrations in that book, and Terry’s chef reminds me of that.  Gosh, I haven’t thought of that book in ages!  Maybe that’s another reason the print appeals to me, it makes me reminisce on my youth.  I’d just love to have a large print of the Night Chef in my kitchen. Not because I cook, I leave that to my wonderful fiance.  But because it’d look so dang good hanging in the kitchen!

I also love Flying Pig.  How sweet is that pig?  His face is so hopeful, so happy.   He’s like “Look at me!  I’m a pig and I’m ‘effin flying”!  If I ever have children (when pigs fly?) that’s goin’ on their bedroom wall.

But I digress.  This weekend, I got to play hostess (as well as student) which  meant I got to spend some quality time just “chilling” with the Kovalciks, eating pizza and chatting the night they arrived, and unwinding after day one with a meal out at Seven Stone Steps (starting with delicious, honey-buttery pop-overs, mmmmm).  How cool is that?  I am able to contact an artist, say “hey, I’d love to have you teach here”, schedule them, bring in students from all over, and take the class!  I’ve taken classes with some of the “greats”, and I’m SO lucky that the stars aligned and I met Holly Gage and am apprenticing with her! The stars I’ve been lucky enough to learn from (in order of apperance in my life) Celie Fago, Jen Kahn (big ups Apprentice/Mentor!), Chris Darway (or should I link here!) Holly Gage, Lisa Cain, Julia Rai, Robert Dancik, Hadar Jacobson, Terry Kovalcik and coming soon to Dragonfly Beads, Donna Penoyer (WHISTLES WHOO WHOOT).  Not all of them have taught at my shop, but all of them have taught me SO MUCH, and all of this was made possible with help from the not-for-profit known as Dragonfly Beads! (Well, ok, I AM for profit, though technically, I do not distribute my surplus funds to the owner (me), but instead use them to help pursue the goal of staying in business)  Seriously though, I have been presented with some truly amazing opportunities, getting to rub elbows(…shoulders?  Noses?  What body part does that idiom refer to again?) with such talented artists (and their equally talented spouses).

Isn’t business ownership grand?

Here are a few shots from today.

 

Fresh out of the kiln!

Logo in the lid

Closure pin…it’s a little blurry and not riveted in place yet, but I’m SO proud of it!

I did a more “complicated” closure with Terry’s guidance…you push the small tab above the nose and it pops the pin out of the hole so the box opens!  so cool, i can’t wait to do more of these.

I am awaiting Corrin’s photos.  She snapped a bunch, and I’m sure she got some goodies!  Can’t wait to see them and share them with you.  I’m ready for a glass of wine, some popcorn and a night to unwind before we hang slat-wall at the shop!

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A reminder that we are happy to teach you basic stringing at no charge, but please make an appointment!

Tuesday, May 3rd, 1:00 pm.  Knot your Mother’s Pearls!

This class is being offered just in time for making a mothers day gift! Learn to string pearls!  What mother doesn’t love a hand-knotted pearl necklace?  Or perhaps you have your mother’s old pearl strand that you’d like to re string.  We’ll show you how!  $20 plus materials.  $30 if you bring your own pearls.

Wednesday, May 4th, 4:00 to 5:30 Girl Scouts

We’ll have our hands full from 4 to 5:30 on Wednesday evening, teaching some great girl scouts the basics of beading!  Call to schedule your own private event, 655-1050.

 

Thursday, May 5th, 5:30 to 8:30.  Ladies Night Out and CNY Glass!

Celebrate the Spring Season with a Ladies Night Out!  At 5:30, gather in downtown Cazenovia, where the shops will be open with refreshments and tastings provided by Nelson Farms.  At 8:30, gather at the Lincklaen House for appetizers, cash bar and door prizes.  Wear the most outrageous Hat of the Evening, and win a $100 Caz Bucks gift certificate.  Must be present (and wearing your hat!) to win.  Sponsored by the HCBD of the Greater Cazenovia Area Chamber of Commerce.  For more information, call 315-655-9243 or go to Cazenovia.com.

We will have a mini trunk show of CNY Glass beads.  Jackie Rice will be here demonstrating basic earring making, and the Rice’s will be back May 27th and 28th for a larger trunk show and class!  Check out the class sample (an awesome wire wrapped ring!) at Ladies Night!

Friday, May 6th, 4 to 6 pm.  Birthday Party

We’ll have our hands full from 4 to 6 pm on Friday evening with a birthday party!  Call to schedule your own private event, 655-1050.

Saturday, May 7th, 11-5.  Wabi Sabi Bells (Beginner-Intermediate)

These earrings are a design inspired by a trip to Arcosanti in Arizona.  These delicate metal clay bells make a tiny jingle.  You’ll find yourself nodding a lot more to hear their sweet sound!  Resident instructor erin has been working with PMC since 2003 and completed her PMC Certification in 2007.  She has been teaching PMC classes for the past four years and is a generous and practiced instructor  $135+ materials

 

 

Thursday, May 12th, 5 to 7 pm.  Peyote Stitch

Join guest instructor Laura who will teach you this versatile classic to make a beautiful bracelet.  The Peyote stitch creates a silky smooth bracelet that feels like a luxurious fabric against your wrist.  The patterns are endless! $20 plus materials

Friday, May 13th, Knot your Mother’s Pearls, 4-6pm.

Learn to string pearls!  What mother doesn’t love a hand-knotted pearl necklace?  Or perhaps you have your mother’s old pearl strand that you’d like to re string.  We’ll show you how!  $20 plus materials.  $30 if you bring your own pearls.

Saturday, May 14th and Sunday, May 15th, 9-5. Boxes and Hinges in Metal Clay with Terry Kovalcik.  Determined Beginner/ Intermediate

In this class, Terry and students will explore the process of making a box using silver PMC. It can be a small decorative box that sits on a table or slips into your pocket. It can be a pendant that holds something close to your heart. The choice will be yours.

The techniques we examine will entail pattern making, dry construction, rolling textures, hinges, riveting and closures. For those who wish to skip the steps necessary to make the hinge parts for the box, unfired parts will be available for purchase.  $375 plus materials.  Students may bring their own materials to class.  Call for a supply list!

 

 

Thursday, May 19th 5-7 pm.  Pearl and Crystal Bracelet

This lovely 3 strand bracelet would look gorgeous gracing the wrist of a bride, someone celebrating a first communion, a graduation…or just because!  $50 includes all materials. Please specify white, lavender or pink kit.

Thursday, May 26th Byzantine Cross Chain Maille Earrings

Learn to make these intricate earrings! A great introduction to the process of chain maille.   $30 includes all materials.  Please specify silver color or copper kit.

Friday, May 27th.  Finally Friday CNY Glass Trunk Show

It’s Finally Friday in Cazenovia!  Shops will be staying open late, and Chris and Jackie Rice of CNY Glass will be here with their wonderful beads and metal gift items.  Come check it out!

Saturday, May 28th 11-4pm CNY Glass Trunk Show!

Chris and Jackie Rice will be spending the day at the store for an awesome trunk show.  Chris and Jackie are lampwork artists and Chris is a welding wiz.  Between the two of them, they have some fantastic glass beads, finished jewelry and unique house wears: funky furniture, side tables, wine racks, business card holders, jewelry displays and much more!  Come meet this amazing couple and find some great one of a kind gifts!

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CNY Glass Studio Trunk Show

Saturday, January 22nd, 11-3

 

Just a quick reminder to let you know that Chris and Jackie Rice of CNY Glass Studios will be at the store this Saturday, January 22nd from 11 to 3 with trunk show of their beautiful hand crafted beads and metal work. 

 

Jackie and erin will be teaming up again to bring you a class from 12 to 2.  Learn to make an open heart with Metal Clay, or make several metal clay charms and then we will teach you to make a wire wrapped bail to attach some of Jackie’s hand crafted heart beads!  A great gift for a loved one.  Class is $50 plus materials.

 

A reminder that Dragonfly Bead’s winter hours are now in effect.  The new hours are as follows:

Tuesday 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Wednesday 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Thursday 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Friday 11:00 am to 6:00 pm

Saturday 11:00 am to 5:00 pm

 

Thank you for choosing to support your local bead shop and local artisans! 

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Beading Parties

We have private beading parties held at our convenient Bead Bar for children and adults.  This is a great opportunity to make bridal jewelry, celebrate a birthday, get together with your coworkers, or make gifts for friends and family.  You provide the food and drinks, and we’ll help you enjoy a fun evening, where everyone leaves with a finished piece of jewelry!  Call for details 682-3207.

Friday, January 7^th, 1-5pm

Basic PMC-Urban Fairy Earrings  (Beginner)

These earrings were seen in Enchanted Adornments by Green Girl Studio’s Cynthia Thornton.  If you’re curious about PMC, but not sure how much time or money you want to invest in it, this is the class for you!  Resident instructor erin has been working with PMC since 2003 and completed her PMC Certification in 2007.  She has been teaching PMC classes for the past two years and is a very generous and practiced instructor.  In this class, you will have an opportunity to work with the material and use texture to make a stunning pair of fine silver earrings with a few accent beads.   $65 plus materials

Wednesday, January 12^th, 5-7pm.

Totally Tubular Peyote! (Beginner)

Guest instructor Laura will teach you how to make amazing tubular beads using the peyote stitch.  These beads are much easier than they look, and very impressive on their own, or make an entire necklace with them!  $25 plus materials

 

Friday, January 14^th, 1-5pm.

A Taste of PMC (Beginner)

If you’re curious about PMC, but not sure how much time or money you want to invest in it, this is the class for you!  Resident instructor erin has been working with PMC since 2003 and completed her PMC Certification in 2007.  She has been teaching PMC classes for the past two years and is a very generous and practiced instructor.  In this class, you will have an opportunity to work with the material and use texture to make a stunning fine silver pendant! $65 plus materials

Saturday, January 15^th, 11-5

Discovering Metal Clay (Beginner)

Discover this magical material with resident instructor erin and turn “clay” into silver!  PMC is not really clay, but .999 Fine Silver particles suspended in water and cellulose binder.  It looks and feels like clay, and can be textured, filed, carved, sanded and molded.  When fired in a kiln, the water and binder burn out, leaving you with a piece of pure silver jewelry!  This class teaches you how to work with the material and includes stone setting, paper, paste and syringe usage and texturing and cutting lump clay.  Students go home with a bracelet or set of earrings and pendant.  You will also receive a basic PMC tool kit as part of this class. Erin has been working with PMC since 2003 and completed her PMC Certification in 2007.  She has been teaching PMC classes for the past two years and is a generous and practiced instructor.  $135 plus materials

Wednesday, January 19^th, 5-7pm

Post Earring Sampler

Join guest instructor Laura who will teach you how to make three pairs of post-style earrings.  These creative earrings are comfortable to wear, and are even “telephone friendly!”  As featured in the Summer ’09 edition of Step by Step Wire Jewelry.  $25 plus materials.

Friday, January 21^st, 11:30 – 5:30

PMC Lentil Bead (Hollow Forms) (Intermediate)

Add more dimension to your PMC pieces and learn the basics of making a hollow form. Students will complete one to two “lentil” shaped pod beads in this class, and discuss other ways to make a hollow bead in PMC.  Resident instructor erin has been working with PMC since 2003 and completed her PMC Certification in 2007.  She has been teaching PMC classes for the past two years and is a very generous and practiced instructor.  $125 plus materials

Saturday, January 22^nd, 11-3pm

CNY Glass Studios Trunk Show!

Wednesday, February 2^nd, 5-7pm

Hammered Heart Earrings

Join guest instructor Laura who will teach you how to bend some spiral heart earrings and then texture them with a hammer.  Lightweight and apropos for the season!  $25 plus materials

Saturday, February 5^th, 11-5

PMC Rings  (Intermediate)

This class will cover a variety of ways that rings can be made in PMC.  Students will complete one ring in this class. Erin has been working with PMC since 2003 and completed her PMC Certification in 2007.  She has been teaching PMC classes for the past two years and is a generous and practiced instructor.   Spaces limited!   $125 plus materials.

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Sitting in the Seattle / Tacoma airport, looking out at the dark and rainy tarmac, and thinking about the past fee days. Despite the relentless rain, I had such a great time at The Ranch, surrounded by colorful and creative artists. There were some really impressive complex canes made, and I can’t wait to see the photos of finished pieces. I finished my prong piece yesterday, and will take and post photos soon. Holly and I stayed up way too late most nights this week, talking in the dark like two girls at a slumber party. Pretty much every waking hour was filled with our chatter, and my brain is buzzing with ideas and possibilities. Our kind driver Marshall (who brought us to and from the airport) could barely get a word in edgewise! But Holly and I never seem to run short on conversation. Randi was such a gracious host, and The Ranch a fully stocked studio with eye candy covering just about every surface, nook and cranny. I barely finished asking “oh! What is this?” before I picked up another shiny object and wanted to know ” and how was this made”?! So many inspirations. I can’t wait to go back!

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So day 2 of Innovative Prong Settings went quite well.  We didn’t leave the studio until 8 pm!  It was a long day, but a lot of information learned and a great critique delivered.  I like that Holly makes a point of having students critique their work as well as the work of fellow students.  Some very valid insights and points are addressed, and I it really helps me contemplate a little further what my piece is saying and what I intend for it to say to the viewer.  So hurrah for Holly!

Today is day 1 of Negative Space Caning.  I love this class and it gets my brain going into hyperdrive.  We have two carry over students from the prong settings class, and it’s been cool to get to know them over the past 3 days.  I decided not to do any caning today though, as I am smitten with titanium, so I finished my prong piece from yesterday and put it in the kiln to fire.   Currently I’m working on a piece featuring a hunk of titanium that reminds me of Falkor, the luck dragon from Never Ending Story.  I’m looking forward to seeing how my dragon emerges.

It’s been so much fun getting to know Randi.  She’s a hoot!  This morning I went out in the pouring rain to meet Toby, her daughter’s 25 year old horse.  I fed him a carrot but he knickered and whinnied in excitement over his grains.  He let me stroke his soft winter coat as he munched his breakfast.  His stable was nice and dry, but there has been a LOT of rain, and the road into Snohomish is closed due to flooding…uh oh.  Hoping its’ cleared by the time we have to head to the airport!

It’s been a great trip thus far.  Snohomish is such a cute little town, I wish we had more time to explore it.  I’m hoping to be back in the near future to teach a class myself!  Randi and I are discussing ideas for a commemorative jewelry class.  Very cool.

I should get back to my titanium.  I’ll get some pictures of the negative space projects and post them as soon as I get back to my computer!

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Day one of Innovative Prong settings with Holly Gage at The Ranch in Snohomish WA. Also my first blog post written entirely via iPhone. This will therefore be short. After a rocky start trying to find a piece of titanium that inspired me, I started making a funky heart (of all things… Not a big heart jewelry fan, but this is more the suggestion of the heart.). I’m very much enjoying the process, and I must have looked at all of Hollys titanium 20 times over the course of the day, seeing something different every time- a branch, a seahorse, a fish, coral, a puppy…I’m looking forward to more work tomorrow, and perhaps some new visions in the titanium. Randi has been a lovely host, Holly a giving instructor, and the students enthusiastic learners. All in all a great first day. And I saw a Sequoia!

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If you’re curious about PMC, but not sure how much time or money you want to invest in it, this is the class for you!  Resident instructor erin has been working with PMC since 2003 and completed her PMC Certification in 2007.  She has been teaching PMC classes for the past two years and is a very generous and practiced instructor.  In this class, you will have an opportunity to work with the material and use texture to make a stunning fine silver pendant! $75 includes materials

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