Table of Contents Last Issue!? Shopping Vicariously: Tucson Through the Eyes of Guest Reporters Bead Makers Tackle the Economy Garnet Twin Set Deborah's Trip to Tucson Q & A

Today, I noticed the first daffodils emerging from the cold ground in my yard. This is my official sign of spring, so I am celebrating all things new, flowery, bright and beautiful.

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Last Issue!?
February Simply Beads is the last issue of the magazine that will be printed. Anyone holding a paid subscription will receive BeadStyle instead. I had a lot of e-mails after subscribers were notified of this change and I would like to thank the loyal subscribers who have written to tell me that they're sad to see Simply Beads come to an end. But we're not done yet!

We plan to continue our online newsletter and will soon be working on a second book to follow up the newly released Earrings, Earrings, Earrings! Simply Beads will remain an online resource for the fun, easy projects that you've come to expect.

So, don't worry: We're still here to help you out with your bead needs and questions! Use my easy feedback form if you want to send a message, ask a question or share your tips and inspirations.

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Shopping Vicariously: Tucson Through the Eyes of Guest Reporters

This year I was unable to attend the giant bead extravaganza that takes place in Tucson. To make sure I didn't miss out, I enlisted the help of attendees to tell me what they shopped for and saw at the show. And I spent a lot of time peeking at everyone's posted photos of what they bought. No, it wasn't as much fun as being there, but, yes, it certainly saved me some money!

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Bead Makers Tackle the Economy
By AJ Reardon of Erthe Fae Designs

AJ Reardon is a talented jewelry maker with a taste for detail and a remarkable gift for color. We met at last year's show, and I've been admiring her jewelry ever since. She's written up her take on Tucson and about the current economy from a beader's perspective.

In trying economic times, people traditionally turn to handcrafts as a way to pass the time, alleviate stress and provide beautiful home decor that they might not otherwise be able to afford. But when finances become tight, crafters and artists have to stick to a tight budget and cut back on their spending. Beaders who previously went wild at shows were carefully picking and choosing what they purchased at the 2009 Tucson Gem Shows. In anticipation of this, several artists were offering smaller, more affordable versions of their most popular bead styles.

I first encountered this trend at To Bead True Blue, where my first stop was Christi Friesen's booth. In addition to books, polymer clay supplies and her whimsical and highly detailed polymer sculptures and beads, Christi had a new line of molded pendants. Called amulets and coming complete with a printout of an amusing pseudo-historical explanation, these pendants offered a bit of Christi's art and humor at a price that any designer could afford.

At The Best Bead Show, which is widely considered to be the destination for artist-made beads, I found several other artists offering budget-friendly beads. Tucson lampworker Margaret Zinser debuted miniature versions of her beetles last year, much to my delight. This year, she also had mini talisman and tie-dye and maze beads, ranging from $20 to $30.

While talking with Margaret, I met JC Herrell, who was also producing smaller versions of her beads at a similar price point. In both cases, these scaled-down focals had the same designs and high quality as the larger, more expensive beads.

I took a few minutes to speak to all three of these artists while I shopped at their booths, and they all spoke of being concerned about the economy, and how they all were trying to offer incentives and more affordable products for their customers. Their concerns were well-placed, as gem show attendance was down (some rumors I heard said it was down by 60 percent), and the attendees who were there seemed to be spending much less than usual.

About AJ: AJ Reardon dabbled with beads throughout her childhood, but didn't become obsessed until 1998. She draws her inspiration from nature, mythology, faerie lore and the Gothic and Steampunk subcultures. She hoards art beads, French Jet and malachite beads. Her first love is writing, and she is always working on a novel. In addition to writing and beading, she enjoys reading a good book, playing fantasy games and belly dancing to Goth music.

To see some of AJ's imaginative work, pictures of her purchases or find out what makes her tick, visit ErtheFae's Etsy site or ErtheFae's blog. My thanks go to AJ for her reporter-on-the-go attitude.

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Garnet Twin Set Designs by Dianne de Vienne Double your options with a twin set -- a pair of necklaces that look great together or on their own. Materials 16-inch strand 4 - 5mm garnet round beads 16-inch strand 6 - 8mm garnet briolettes 28 (4 x 5mm) white potato freshwater pearls Sterling silver beads: 2 (3mm) round, 4 (3 x 6mm) tube Sterling silver and garnet pendant Sterling silver bail 4 (1.3mm) sterling silver crimp beads 2 sterling silver soldered jump rings 2 sterling silver hook clasps 47 inches .018-inch-diameter nylon-coated flexible beading wire Chain-nose pliers Wire nippers Tape Finished Sizes Inner strand measures 17 inches (including clasp) Outer strand measures 18 inches (including clasp) Instructions Outer Strand 1) Cut a 24-inch length of wire; tape one end. 2) String the following onto wire: crimp bead, tube bead, 48 garnet round beads and a sterling silver round bead. Inner Strand 1) Attach tape to one end of remaining 23-inch length of wire. 2) String a crimp bead and a tube bead onto wire. String a pearl and four garnet briolettes; repeat 26 additional times. String on a pearl, tube bead and a crimp bead. Attach tape to end of wire. Finishing 1) Measure inner strand against outer strand to make sure they lay properly against each other; if needed, add or subtract necessary beads. 2) Remove tape from one end of one of the strands and string on a hook clasp; thread wire back through the crimp and tube beads, gently pulling wire. Use chain-nose pliers to flatten the crimp bead. Trim excess wire. Repeat for opposite end of strand to attach a jump ring. 3) Repeat step 2 for remaining beaded strand. Sources: Garnet beads and pearls from Fire Mountain Gems & Beads; pendant from AAA Earth Treasures; clasps from Thunderbird Supply Co.; beading wire from South Pacific Wholesale Copyright © March 2007 Simply Beads magazine. All rights reserved. Click here for printer-friendly page.

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