On the third Friday of every month, the shops and restaurants in the Oak Park Arts District are open with special events.  At Bead in Hand, we are open until 8 pm.

On July 16,  we are debuting our DAKOTA STONES TRUNK SHOW! Dakota Stones is  the same vendor who supplies our Stone of the Month selections, and they are sending us a large selection of semi-precious beads that we do not normally carry.  We will have an assortment of unique cuts and stone types from high quality rough material.  On Friday July 16, 2010 – come for the best selection!  We will also be giving out a free gift to the first 50 customers who make a Dakota Stones purchase through Sunday.

Our popular Jump-Start Beading class is every third Friday from 6-8 pm from August – December.     For more details about that class, go to Basic Beading Classes.

Artrageous – October 7 – 11, 2010

We will be participating in this Oak Park event!  Many details to follow.  Here’s what we have planned so far:

Unusual Pairings

This drop-in workshop is for everyone!  Take ordinary materials and make them into an unusual pair of earrings.  An assortment of ribbons, hardware, buttons, keys and other materials will be available, along with the wire, jump rings and the earwires you’ll need to construct your earrings.  Have fun!  No experience necessary and there are no rules – your earrings don’t even have to match.  Don’t wear earrings?  Make yourself a couple of pendants.  For all ages.  $5 per pair, all materials and use of tools included.  The supplies and assistance will be available from 1 – 5 pm throughout ArtRageous, Thursday, October 7 – Monday, October 11.  Reservations not required.  Come by and let your creativity roll!

A two-hour party includes:

• Invitations
• All materials for making the beaded item of your choice
• An experienced instructor
• Plates, cups, napkins and utensils
• Party favors

Cost:

$114 for a party of 8 (minimum). $12 per additional guest. Recommended maximum is party of 10.

Food Options:

• We can supply a chocolate, yellow or marble sheet cake from the Jewel bake shop with ice cream and soda for an additional $35.
• You can order a homemade chocolate or yellow cake with chocolate or white Italian meringue buttercream icing from the Buzz Cafe. An 8″ round cake serves 8-10 and is priced at $30 plus tax. A 10″ round cake serves 10-12 and is priced at $40 plus tax. (We had one of these for our anniversary party – it was delicious, and our experience was that it served more than 12.) Call Laura at the Buzz Cafe, 708.660.0894 to place your order. Please order at least one week in advance. The Buzz Cafe is at 905 S. Lombard, right around the corner from Bead in Hand, and you can pick up your order just before your party.
• The Buzz Cafe can also provide peanut butter and jelly, cheese, or turkey finger sandwiches with a fruit kabob, carrots and ranch dip for $4.50 per person (plus tax). Call Laura at the Buzz Cafe, 708.660.0894 to place your order.
• You may bring your own food and/or order pizza. We have generic plates, cups, silverware and serving utensils that you are welcome to use. The project usually lasts an hour and fifteen minutes, so plan your food delivery accordingly. We have a small stove, refrigerator and freezer for your use as well.

Parties held during store hours. Please make your reservation at least two weeks in advance. A $35 deposit is required.

Project Options:

Beaded Necklace – Ages 6 and up
Your child chooses the center beads and larger accent beads, each guest chooses their own small filler beads.

Criss-Cross Necklace – Ages 8 and up
Your child chooses the center beads and each guest chooses their own small filler beads.

Two Strand Bracelet - Ages 10 and up
We will choose a nice selection of beads for you.

Hemp Necklace - Ages 10 and up
Your child chooses the center beads and larger accent beads – each guest chooses their color of hemp.

Beaded Bowls – Ages 8 and up
This is a beaded bowl made with beads and “beadswax” in the style of the Huichol Indians of Mexico. Your child and each guest chooses their own pattern and beads.

A happy group with their finished necklaces after a party…

Beading parties are not just for kids! Here’s a great way for friends to get together to celebrate a birthday, wedding, reunion, or just for fun. Schedule a Celebration at Bead In Hand and you’ll leave with a unique item to always remind you of your special day.

PARTY PARTICULARS

• As host, you choose the project (the same project for all guests). When you and your guests arrive we’ll have a wide selection of pre-packaged kits to choose from that include all materials.
• Parties are held during regular store hours or evenings.
• The recommended maximum is a party of 8.

PROJECTS (TAX NOT INCLUDED IN PRICES)
See pictures at bottom of page.

• Single-strand necklace or bracelet (available in $15, $20 or $25 kits)
• Earrings ($5/kit)
• Criss-cross necklace or bracelet ($15/kit)
• Beaded vase ($15/kit)
• Design your own (see description below)

THE “DESIGN YOUR OWN” OPTION
No kit fee, just the 2-hour party fee plus the cost of materials (10% discount on materials purchased). Guests will be inspired by our samples for a night of designing and fun.

COST

$80 for a 2-hour party with instructor, plus the cost of the kits for each person (or materials, if you choose to design your own).

RESERVING SPACE

$80 deposit is required to reserve your space. At least 72 hours cancellation notice is required to receive a full refund of the deposit. Bead In Hand will retain $25 for cancellations of less than 72 hours.

REFRESHMENTS:

You are welcome to bring your own treats and beverages (sorry, no alcohol). Projects usually require about 1 ½ hours, which leaves a half hour for socializing and refreshments. If you are having food delivered (such as pizza), plan your food delivery accordingly. We are happy to provide paper plates, napkins and utensils at no extra charge.

FOOD FROM THE BUZZ:

You can order appetizers or desserts from the Buzz Café, 905 S. Lombard, just around the corner from Bead In Hand. Go to the catering menu at www.thebuzzcafe.com for details.

Single-strand necklace

Earrings

Criss-cross necklace

Beaded Vase

Join other beaders for an evening of beading and conversation!

Shop after hours with less distractions!

Just bring your project and come!

There’s no charge for a pleasant evening filled with a sharing of beading ideas and inspiration.

We meet from 6:30 – 9 pm on the first Tuesday of the month (no meeting in January).

We were delighted to have our Beader’s Night Out featured in our local newspaper, the Oak Leaves. Go to http://blogs.pioneerlocal.com/oakpark365/2009/01/jan_9_2009_bead_in_hand.html to see the article and a video taken during Beader’s Night Out. Be sure to watch the video – you might see someone you know!

Speeder Beader

We now carry Speeder Beaders for flex wire.  This is the necklace Kim made using odds and ends of beads and the Speeder Beader tool.  It attaches to the end of the flex wire and acts like a needle, so you can pick up beads quickly and easily.  It’s a great way to use up lots of odds and ends!

Prayer Beads

These are the gifts I gave my two children (Jenny, age 21 and Brian, age 19) in 2003 for Mother’s Day. They are “Peace, Health and Harmony Prayer Bracelets.” I was inspired by Rachel, a former employee. She helped me pick the stones and I prepared a list stating what each stone represents, which I gave with the bracelet. I think they liked it, and my hope is that they will find comfort in holding the beads when they need to reduce stress in their adult lives.

American Flag Pin

Many different sizes of pins or beads can be used, but this one was made with nine 1 1/2″ safety pins and size 6 seed beads. The beads are strung, as pictured, on the open side of 8 pins. The only hard part is getting these pins around to the unopen side of the 9th pin – leaving the open side clear to pin to your clothing. You wind the pins on, one at a time, around the spring. A split ring plier helps to hold the spring open. They all have to go on the same way so the beads end up on the forward side.

What to do with odds and ends?
Knot them into an asymmetrical necklace.

As bead collectors, we often end up with lots of “miscellaneous.” A couple of beads here and there that weren’t needed to finish a project, beads that were bought for a project and then not used after all, short lengths of chain that were a little more than we needed, or beads that didn’t work out for the project they were intended. At my shop, we have lots of those beads and they end up in a big box and then I look for ways to use them.

For this one, I used all African beads – sand, bone and metal. I cut 5 strands of black waxed poly, each 2 yards long. I started in the middle, folded the five strands in half and looped them all through the stone donut. Then there are ten half strands, which I split so that each side had five strands. Then came the fun part – I just started adding beads and knotting! Sometimes just one or two strands would go through the bead and sometimes all five, depending on the size of the hole in the bead. I didn’t preplan the design, but I built both sides up at the same time, and if it looked right, I knew it was balanced. When it was long enough, I brought all ten strands together in one big knot. I trimmed the strands, put another little bead on the end of each and tied one last knot. I used the cut pieces of thread that were long enough to add dangles below the stone.

Wire, chain and semi-precious beads with a toggle clasp center.

This one used up bits of chain and miscellaneous semi-precious beads. I wired the beads into the pieces of chain so that I had 3 lengths about 18″ long and connected those to a toggle clasp. I used up more pieces of chain in a dangle off the clasp. The necklace that inspired me to make this one had all the same chain, but I used all different pieces and I like the way it looks. The second picture is a closeup of just the toggle. (I have these sterling toggle clasps in the shop with either garnets or amethysts for $12.50 each)

Do you have a charm bracelet you never wear?

I did too, but I turned it into a charm necklace, added a few bead dangles and now I wear it often! I get lots of compliments on this necklace and it was so easy. I just took a length of fairly heavy sterling chain and transferred all the charms to it. I put a few special lampworked beads on headpins and worked those in with the charms to give the necklace a little more color.

• flys for fishing
• to decorate greeting cards
• dollhouse miniatures – such as vases, lamps, lightbulbs, hatboxes
• to adorn dolls
• to hang on draperies
• to sew on quilts
• to decorate purses
• to put fringe on purses
• to put on ends of curtain rods
• to hang on fan chains
• to decorate frames
• fringe on scarves
• game pieces
• a customized rosary
• meditation beads
• wine identifiers
• on spines of handmade books
• tassels
• in paintings – This one was made by Dawn Ferencak – for more information about her work, please visit www.ferencak.net.
• to bead cow pitchers!

I have a collection of cow pitchers and it was inevitable that they would begin to get beaded. Allow me to introduce my latest:

Baby Bovine Bares Belly

I am proud to say that she just won “Most Humorous” in the Bead Society of Greater Chicago’s 2002 Bead Challenge. The Challenge was to bead something that would fit in a 3″ x 3″ x 3″ box. I always have fun with the challenge. A special thanks to Jenny Bezingue for the creative title. I was going to give her the rather boring name of “Baby Cow.” Here she is from the side so you can see her tail:

This one I named “Party Cow” (because I had no one to help me) and she won a ribbon in the 1999 Bead Challenge of the Bead Society of Greater Chicago. The theme was “Party”.

I entered this one in the 2000 bead challenge. The theme was “Wings”. She didn’t win, but I think she’s quite cute just the same. I call her “Holy Cow”.

This one I entered in the 2001 Bead Challenge. The theme was “Everything Old Is New Again.” I named her “Old to New, Moo to Shoe,” or “Shoe Cow” for short. She also didn’t win, but she still wears her shoes proudly.

If you don’t want to buy the whole necklace, I also have these wonderful very old sterling drops, purchased by my supplier on the same trip to Yemen. The intricate filigree work on them is amazing. They are $22.50 each. They make a wonderful pendant, but they are also light enough to be used for earrings.

Last but not least, I also bought this necklace from the same supplier. It is also from Yemen, very old, made with sterling drops, coral and beautiful carnelian. The necklace is $950.

If you are interested in any of these items, please contact us.

I was in the shop in June and I will be back in August.  I have been busy at home working on scheduling great classes.  We have reworked our Third Friday classes to a Jump-Start Beading class – it’s a great class to get started with!  In two hours, you can make up a quick jewelry item using one of our kits or bring in something broken of your own and remake it.  You’ll learn the basics in this class – and there is a lot you can do with just the basics!

I also have been making jewelry to sell, now that I have a little more free time, and my work is currently for sale at the San Clemente Art Gallery in San Clemente, California.  San Clemente is a beautiful city – right on the Pacific Ocean in Southern California. It’s a destination for tourists, and especially surfers.  There are surfers in the water every day of the year.  If you find yourself in this area, let me know!

This group of young ladies has been meeting at Bead in Hand for classes with me since April, 1999. Left to right, they are Loretta, Marian, Estella, Carol, Pat, me and Nancy. One of these ladies is close to 90 years young. (Estella – but don’t tell her I told you.) I’m happy to say that they have continued to come in monthly since I have been gone, and we get together when I am in town.  We still have fun beading together!

I began beading when Doris opened her store, about 15 years ago.  My daughter Alison was a teenager and got interested in stringing beads and since she couldn’t drive yet, I’d drive her to different bead stores in the city.  I would just stand around and look while she bought beads.  We were thrilled when Bead in Hand opened and I took her there and stood around again and looked while she bought beads.  I noticed a sign in the store for an upcoming class to make earrings with seed beads.  Alison couldn’t go, so I thought I’d take the class and show her, not quite knowing what the class would be like.  After the first few minutes of class, I was hooked, and the rest is history. I’ve been an avid beader ever since.  I most like to do off loom beadweaving but also enjoy stringing beads to make bracelets and necklaces.  Alison, by the way, is working on her doctorate at the University of Wisconsin, studying beads in Cambodia and Thailand.

I have never worked at the store but Alison was their first employee!

I love to do bead work mostly, I think, because it is relaxing, and very satisfying to be able to make a beautiful work of art, even if it takes a long time. I think the journey of working on a piece is even more satisfying than finishing it.  And through beadwork, I have met many wonderful and inspiring women(and a few men!).  I would say that beads, and Bead in Hand, have been a very important part of my life for many years.

Thank you, Diane, and to see more about Diane’s daughter Alison and her PhD work, look at our links and go to Alison’s bead blog.

In March, 2009 I taught the senior group my San Clemente Links bracelet. Nancy went further and made this gorgeous necklace!

As always, I thank you for your business. Keep on beading!