Here we go…three great questions my mom asked in a comment to an earlier post:

1. Do you need to get an idea of what a necklace will look like before you buy beads so that you buy pretty close to the right amount? (I just wonder if you ever find yourself just a bead or a few beads short of being able to accomplish what you picture?)

   For me personally, I don’t tend to go into a bead show or store knowing exactly (or even roughly) what kind of designs I’m looking to make; I just go in and get inspired by the colors and shapes. Then, once I’ve bought the beads I like, I go home and play with them, try out different patterns, and take it from there. And in general, beads come in strands of anywhere from ten to 50 or 100, so I haven’t had much issue with running out — except when I was doing my bridesmaids’ necklaces and realized I was getting really close to running out of a certain bead that I hadn’t realized was in short supply. So, since that incident, I guess I do look at the approximate amount of beads on a strand I’m about to buy, and make a haphazard assessment of whether this bead is one that will be used sparingly on a necklace, or as a repeated accent throughout it. But I can’t even IMAGINE going in and trying to buy just the right amount of beads for ONE or TWO necklaces…no…I like to get beads that I can visualize in multiple different designs and color schemes and styles.

2. I would love to know about how long it takes to make a necklace, but I suppose that varies with the complexity of each necklace…

   Yeah, it really does vary based on the complexity of the necklace, my supply of beads/inspiration/lighting/patience, and my skill level as it (very, very slowly) increases over time. The first necklace I made took me HOURS (to my poor recollection, anyway), but if I made the same one now, it would take me about 30 minutes, I’d guess. Some days my wrists are a bit sorer than others, which can slow me down (darn you, carpal tunnel!). Sometimes I’ll stare at all of my beads for 20 minutes before anything really jumps out at me.

   Then there’s the clarification: does inspiration/initial design time count toward the total time it takes, or is it just from the time I actually start putting things together? If it starts when I first sit down to come up with designs, I’d say that one necklace usually takes at least an hour…but that includes about 20-25 minutes of sitting there and positioning the beads in a way that “clicks” before I ever bust out my tools. Once I’ve got the design laid out (and again, this will make more sense once I get my act together and do a “How I Do It” post), I can put a necklace together in 15 minutes if it’s fairly basic, 20-25 for more complicated ones.
   

3. Are there beading “rules” that help you in your designing? For instance, I imagine things should be symmetrical, but I could be wrong.
   I’ll address your “For instance” first, then the rules question. Symmetry is all up to the preference of the designer (or the person they’re designing FOR, in the case of more considerate beaders…hehe). I’ve only made one asymmetrical necklace, and it was inspired by one I saw on my cousin’s MIL, Janet. Otherwise, I don’t tend to be inclined toward asymmetrical designs when it comes to making them myself. But I’ve seen people make necklaces that were completely NOT symmetrical, and I love it. It’s just not something that comes instinctively to me as a jewelry designer. All that said, the word should really has no place in the realm of jewelry design, in my opinion, except that beading should

   be something that makes you feel warm fuzzies inside. *smile*

   As for rules…well, there are the basic How-To’s that Pauli taught me as far as how to close an eye pin, attach a clasp, etc., but even those “rules” are subject to the designer’s preference, style, and edu-bead-tional upbringing. I have a couple of friends who use wire rather than chain and pins, so their methods are, for one, totally foreign to me, and two: they’re their own. No two people bead alike. That’s what makes it so wonderful!

Thanks for reading, dear hundreds of imaginary friends! I’ve got another round of Q & A coming soon, with more questions from Pauli, plus that mysterious step-by-step on how I do it.

Again, feel free to leave me some suggestions for topics, design ideas or requests, connections I should make, or whatever your heart desires! And check out my still-in-bubble-wrap Etsy shop. Buy my one necklace! (And I don’t mean you, Mom or Pauli…) 

Thanks bunches.

In case you’re new to the world of beading, a bead show is basically when a bunch of vendors (okay, more likea couple hundred vendors) congregate in a big showroom or auditorium and sell their products. It is…in a word…heavenly.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Here are some questions that Pauli posed for me to discuss about bead shows, and interspersed are Ben’s photos to give you a glimpse into a real live bead show.

1. What is a “bead show”? Where are they held?As I mentioned before, a bead show is essentially a massive STORE, made up of vendors from all over the place and beads of an inconceivable variety. The shows that Pauli and I most often frequent are in Santa Monica, Costa Mesa, and Santa Barbara, but they’re all over the place. The Santa Monica show is usually held at a giant convention center; and the Costa Mesa and Santa Barbara shows are at the fairgrounds.Vendors will often hold specials and sales at bead shows in order to drum up more interest. My favorite vendor is Kahn Fagan. They specialize in vintage beads, so their selection is always unique, and their prices are very reasonable. It also helps that the gentlemen behind the table are pleasant and easy to do business with. In fact, I used a bunch of beads from Kahn Fagan in the necklaces I made for my bridesmaids, and months after purchasing them, the guys remembered me at another bead show and congratulated me on my marriage. (Note to self: Get pictures of the bridesmaids’ necklaces! Can’t believe I forgot to do that…)

   Also, bead shows are not ONLY for buying beads. There are people selling semiprecious stones, all sorts of different chains and charms, storage containers, tools, displays and more. To be quite honest, it can sometimes be overwhelming to walk into a bead show! But the thrill of exploration is so worth it, and the feeling you get after taking in thousands of colors and shapes is absolutely priceless.

   

2. What was your first impression at your first bead show?Ooh, that’s kind of a funny story, actually. My very first bead show was last November (2008), and I only got to spend about two hours there because I had to go to a funeral service AND a wedding rehearsal later that day. Now, two hours may seem like plenty of time to you, but wait until you walk into one of these giant buildings full of shiny things — two hours ain’t NOTHIN’.But anyway, my initial impression at that show, upon walking into the Santa Monica Convention Center, was one of amazement-bordering-sheer-terror. It was as if, in that first breath of bead-show-air, I knew I was doomed. Pauli and I spent at least half of our two hours at Kahn Fagan’s booth, just gawking and touching and imagining all of the wonderful things we could create with their beads. Suddenly we realized we’d been standing there the entire time, and that we should at least browse the rest of the room quickly so that I could begin to grasp the magnitude of All Things Beaded.And boy, did I grasp.

   
   I mean really, people. SERIOUSLY. How can you not be in love with this stuff right now?

3. How do you choose beads? It’s hard to say, really. Sometimes when I go to a bead show, I have something specific in mind, like I did when I was finding beads for my bridesmaids’ necklaces. Other times I just go and expect to be inspired by something — and inspiration never fails me. The two necklaces I showed you in my last post were made up primarily of beads I saw at the last show and just went, “Yes. I need those.”In general, though, here’s how it works (for me). I’ll grab a tray, which most vendors have on hand because they like to make it easy for you to buy Lots and Lots of Beads. I’ll peruse a booth for a minute or two, or until one strand of beads leaps up at me and demands to be grabbed. I’ll pick it up, hold it up to the light (mostly to look like I know what I’m doing), feel its texture, and then if I can see myself using it for anything, I’ll keep it in hand as I look at other beads that might go with it. It’s really that simple.Most of the time it’s a Matter of Necessity. Some might call it obsession, the way I fawn over beads and practically moan with delight at the really great ones…but if it’s something that I can sense will fuel my creativity (and it’s within my price range), I just have to have it. Who am I to stifle my right brain…right?
4. How do you store beads? I’m SO glad you asked! See, there are probably upwards of 13 million ways to store your beads (and I never, EVER exagerrate), and it all depends on your method of creating, I think. A friend of mine stores her beads in those sectioned plastic containers that are about the size of a sheet of paper and an inch or two deep. These generally have 16-20 sections, so it makes for pretty functional storage. Plus you can organize them by color, or shape, or any way you want.But since I learned all of my beading ways from Pauli, here’s how I do it. I use containers like these:
   

   (Photo via my2angels.net/)

   You can find them at Michael’s, or at bead shows, or probably any craft store, really. They are small cylindrical bottles that come in a larger lidded box for easier transportation. The reason I love these is because I can move individual containers of beads around to get a feel for which ones could go with others; whereas, with the sectioned containers, your blue beads are always in that spot second from the left on the top row, and it’s not as easy to visualize the blue ones with those iridescent ones way in the lower right corner of the container. This is all a matter of preference, though.

5. Do you buy beads with a specific project in mind, or for other reasons? Oh, I guess I sort of answered this one earlier, too. Basically, sometimes I buy beads deliberately, knowing ahead of time what I plan to use them for — but the great thing about beads is that even when I DO buy a strand with one idea in mind, there are almost always a bunch of beads left that can go into a totally different project.Beading really provides an endless amount of creative opportunity, which is probably why I love it so much.

   Well, that and the fact that I love finding beads that are so delightful I can seriously TASTE them. It’s so fun to confuse my senses like that!

   

   

   So, tell me: What did I leave out that you want to know about beads, bead shows, or the process of buying beads? Or, if you’ve been to a bead show, what’s your favorite part?

   And while you’re helping me out…what else would you like to see here at Wearable Joy? I already have a post or two in mind to show you some more things I’ve made, but I want to know what you’re interested in!