Beadlust

Puget Sound
Bead Festival

If you can't make it this year, put it on your calendar for next year! Hands down, this is my totally favorite event of every year, and it's right around the corner. Just a week and a few days from now, I'll be up to my ears in beads, glorious beady people, and the nicest host and hostess one could ever want.

In July each year, the Bead Factory sponsors the Puget Sound Bead Festival at the Tacoma Convention Center in WA state. What began in the early '9os as a bead bazaar, a gathering of bead sellers and buyers, has evolved into a fabulous 4-day event with many top-notch teachers and a huge bazaar.

Despite the size of the event, organizers, Vicki and Mark Lareau, manage to make everyone feel comfortable with their seemingly tireless personal attention to details. For example, every class room is equipped (at their expense) with an Ott Light for every work station. This is a fantastic advantage for beading students... no eye strain here. Also their friendly staff are conveniently stationed and available to all participants to answer questions or solve the occassional problem.

Now, if you aren't already itching to jump on your magic carpet, think about this: the Tacoma Convention Center is walking distance from the Museum of Glass, where currently they are featuring a full-scale exhibition of beadwork by Joyce Scott! Joyce is a prolific, internationally known bead artist. Her work always generates an immediate, strong emotional response. Although her work is widely published, it's well worth seeing in person.

The pictures in this post illustrate the 4 classes I'll be teaching this year: Techniques of Bead Embroidery, Bead Embellished Spirit dolls, Woven Treasure Bracelet and Beaded Buttons.

Will you be there?