Friday, November 21, 2008

Getting ready for a big class...guilty pleasure

We have artists in from time-to-time. We don't do it as often as some stores, mostly because it is a out of our routine and so requires a lot of extra thought. By nature, an out-of-town artist isn't used to the store and how our classroom is set up. They don't know their way around town, they don't have their own bed to go home to. It's extra, for us, to host them.

That said, I always enjoy doing this. I only book folks who I really want to take a class from. There, that's my dirty little secret. I book artists I want to learn from. Because of that, I only book maybe two a year, well spread out. It is hard for me to take a whole day 'off' and just enjoy a class. We have had a double-bounty lately, with Marcia DeCoster last weekend at Panopolie and Candie Cooper tomorrow at Ornamentea. I wasn't able to take Marcia's class as it fell on Cleo's birthday (sorry, honey, I can't be home all day 'cause I am gonna go bead! ooh, BAD mommy!) I am able to take Candie's class and I am inordinately excited. I can't help it. People think that if you have a bead store you must just spend all your time beading and making handmade clasps and earwires and chains. Whatever you want, whenever you want. Well, not true. Sad to burst the bubble but I hardly ever make anything that is not for an article or tutorial or book. I don't have time to play. Now, I am not complaining. Really, how could I? I make jewelry for a living and show folks how to do what I just did. I get to figure out new ideas, try new materials and mess up with impunity. No complaints here. The only thing I don't get to do very often is take classes. That, I miss. I love sitting in a class and just devoting myself to a project without thinking all those thoughts like 'this would be a great tutorial' or 'this is perfect for the next class session.' It's so freeing and fun to make something fun and for me!

Right now I am distracting my children with an enticing playmate and new markers so I can pack my bag for tomorrow. Loads of roving? check. Big jar of seed beads? check. Bizzare collection of old tins? check? Gloves? Tin snips? Copper wire? check. I am getting ready to enjoy a guilty pleasure, please excuse the giggling while I pack my tools.

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