I arrived at Best Bead right at 10 a.m. and managed to get a great parking spot (nice for leaving when you don't think you can go another step LOL). I headed directly to Sylvie Lansdowne's space so I could say hi and offer her any help. She's my bead-mentor-mom and my hero since we met online wayyy back in the AOL days. Her space was arranged and decorated so delightfully that it was easy to find! Her latest designs are whimsical and clever, with lots of different elements and terrific color combinations. And the way that she combines lampwork with seed beads (I don't DO seed beads), is incredible!
After that, I zipped off to the Beads of Courage booth in the tool tent, so I could deliver this year's bag of odds & ends donation beads, plus several purple hearts and a butterfly. I got to meet their Karen, who handles donations. Hopefully I'll do this more regularly in the future. I'd failed to count my beads, but I know they weighed 2.4 pounds.
Next big stop was Hot Glass Color, one of my favorite glass suppliers for Kugler 96 cane. They have a new line of 104 glass (Friedrich) with some great colors, including a lovely transparent aqua and an intensely orange opaque.
Onward to score primo hugs from Rashan and Lori. Yay! I had a great time chatting with them. Looking at Rashan's work always makes me want to play with boro.
I browsed through the rest of the tent and drooled at all of the lovely bead strands. My mantra became "I don't need any more freshwater pearls, I don't, I don't, I don't!" I want lots, but need is a different story. (Some day I'll post a pic of my stash.)
I had to repeat that several times as I entered the main gym space, too. Add tools, dichro, wire, and other good things, too. I got to stop and say quick hellos to several artists, as well as having nice chats with Lisa Kan and Lori Engle. Lisa's display was lovely, especially her rainbow arrangement of her beautiful flowers. Lori's beads always enthrall me. Her large lentils are compellingly touchable and her colors are very soothing.
I got in some other quick "greets and waves" and missed a few friends who weren't at their booths. Most notably, JC Herrell, but at least I got to see her beautiful new micro-mosaic designs. I hope this link works, it's from Facebook.
After that I table-sat for Sylvie for a little while and schmoozed with her and her neighbors, until my son summoned me and we returned home in time to watch the Super Bowl. (No comment. LOL)
I have to say that I also missed some folks who just weren't there, for various reasons. Clearly the economy has changed the "face" of Best Bead. While it's a fabulous and important show, especially for glass artists, times have been tough and it's much more difficult to justify the costs of participation. There were notably fewer glass artists there, and more components and stranded "other" beads. I was going to add tools, but Frantz Glass wasn't there, and that was also a notable hole in the tool tent. I hope the economy is truly beginning a turnaround and that the face of Best Bead goes back to what I think of "normal", and soon.
