My own personal Bead/Quilt shop run, July 2012

Redlands Sewing Center, State Street

First, a stop at an all time favorite shop in Redlands, my friend Tami just got her new Viking serger here! Showed the gals in the shop my newest pattern,'It's too Darn Hot' and talked about how great it would be for a quick sewing class!

A Rolling Stone on Citrus Avenue

And just around the corner, a fabulous bead and button store with tons of hidden gems everywhere you look!  They have a new way to buy an interesting collection of great stones too, multiples of beads on a single strand.

The Painted Lady Quilt Shop on Tennesse Ave.

A darling shop getting a well deserved facelift under creative new ownership. Lots of hard to find Civil War goods plus some of the newest and latest colorful textiles by the likes of Riley Blake and others. I found something here to add to my Halloween collection!

The Garden of Beadin' in Upland, CA

Just one of the most innovative Bead shops in the Inland Empire, whenever we are close, I want to stop. Since I had a specific project on the board I wanted to stay on target and just add components for that piece...ya, right! I did find more great items from Tierra Cast and some large holed beads to fit on the ndebele bracelet I am creating. More on that later...

Upland Sew & Vac, Second Street, Upland, CA

And literally right down the street, another really great sewing machine center, this one with lots and lots of cute fabric and a mini long arm quilting machine I've had my eyes on for a long time. They a very good clients and liked the new pattern I had shown them...Your store of choice for Bernina sewing machines!

Brea Bead Works, just west of 57 Fwy on Imperial Hwy.

And a trip down the freeway won't be complete without a stop at BBW...newly remodeled and chock full of fantastic beads. Here I found  pink dichroic rings from Paula Radke, they might find themselves hanging on a necklace...must be soon, I need something pink to wear!

Beadology, on Golden West in Huntington Beach

The main reason for this trip, a class with famed Judy Walker, for a multistrand Ndebele bracelet. It seems unlikely I know, but to take a class with a well known teacher at a fraction of the cost at a convention, such as Bead&Button, is hard to pass up! Plus, I know any class will enhance what one might know and will advance your skill level exponentially.

Many thanks to my Dear Hubby, John, the driving force (literally, ha!) behind my creativity and progression down this career path. This little road trip was his idea and I'm glad he was willing to go the distance. It was a great trip topped off with nice lunch in Old Downtown Fullerton, then a little stroll through some vintage stores and an art gallery or two. 

A Bead Hop, Nevada and Utah

From Cedar City, UT...The Bead Forest, quiant, right on Main St. at the center of town.


At Park Silly outdoor Market on a lovely Sunday...found again Beadniks!

My favorite in the heart of Salt Lake City, south of city in Sugarhouse. Next to Sundance outlet!

A definite stop in Las Vegas, outside the strip but worth a look around.

My new favorite bead shop in Las Vegas, closer to the strip, tons and tons of unusual collectibles!

Well along the way to visit my son and daughter in law in Utah we found a few good Bead shops! Most of these are places I had been to before and they truly never disapoint!
Driving up to Cedar City is always a pretty sight then in the heart of town is a familiar old bead shop, it used to be almost underground when it was across the street! He's a clever guy and does his own lampwork beads, carries an ecelectic variety of beads...even had a few little beaded fishes that a gal makes for his shop! Don't let the simple nature of the shop fool you, look around ,ask about the Delicas behind the counter! Gold plated and Platinum Delica beads..pricey but when you run out and need more, well, need I say more?

After a few days in Park City, is was time to run down the hill and visit Salt Lake City...even a few minutes in String Beads is worth it! I don't know how many bonus cards I have, but some day I will put them all together and qualify for a discount! Fun pieces to look at, lots of great beads hanging on the wall and a friendly staff. I noticed the owners eager to help a new beader learn a skill. Nice findings as well...a bonus, next door is the Sundance Catalog outlet store! Those are burgundy pearls that I will use in the Sophia Earrings from Maggie Meister's new book.

A bonus find in Park City...Beadniks which was in the Redmond Shopping center had closed....but wait for it.... the owner was selling her product (at a fabulous discount) at the Park Silly Market on Sunday. A fun surprise of which my dear hubby took a picture and posted on my facebook page! Found great pink leather for another wraparound and two strands of awesome 4mm round semi precious stones.

On the return trip, it was nice to stop in Las Vegas and check out a couple of old haunts...Sadly, Beads Plus has finally closed, but Discount Beads has expanded. Great deals on seed beads and more! Just couldn't take it all home so I only left with a nessecary handful. I did notice they must have every color of every size of Swarovski Pearl on a huge wall...Great staff ready to help when needed.

And then ... the FIND of the trip...a darling little shop with a simple name, Beads Findings, with so much inventory I'm going to have to go back a few times to look it all over. Easy to find and right off the strip I think...maybe a few blocks over but close enough. If you can't find what you want, ask the owner, she'll know just where it is and show you even more than you know you wanted...She had lots of great stories, too, as she had businesses in Hawaii and Spain over the years. A very interesting woman! Great silver, lots of old collectible pieces, surrounded by some of the current fashion bling of today. Hey, ya gotta keep up with the Joneses.

All in all a good trip and I kept busy while in the car! Almost finished the pair of brick stitched earrings, began the two drop peyote base needed for a pendant plus made two outer beaded bases for a round style bead. More to come on those! As for the easiest way to travel and bead, well my DH set up a board with a small pillow underneath, one of those with the little pebbly beads so it conforms to my lap. This trip I put a square of non skid gripper stuff on the underside, the type used for rugs, and it worked well and kept the board securly on my lap. The board has outside rims so that the beads don't slide off and all my nessecary bead kit items fit in a super cute zipper pouch that one of my Bead Chicks friends made for me a few years ago! Every pit stop I made sure to pick up any loose threads and there was never a tell tale sign of my work...well, except for the errant bead or two !

Beading to Beat Autism...a Beading Girl's Night Out

What a fun night we had last night! To kick off the 2011 Bead Shop Hop, we introduced all attendees to the schedule of events upcoming in September. Wow, two weekends in a row seeking out all the great Bead Shops in SoCal...a beader's dream come true!
Tied into this evening was a worthy event as well, we all gathered around the beading table to create little stretchy bracelets that will in turn help a young girl's dream come to fruition! Check out www.beadingtobeatautism.com and read about Michala's story...she's only fourteen years old and has aspirations of building a center for education and research into the silent world of Autism. At age ten she raised over 250Thousand $$$ for her family and the treatment of her young brother, now four years later she desires funding for a Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Find out how to help her further this dream...
For some great pics of the night I'm sure we'll have some good photos on Monica's Quilt and Bead Creations web site, www.monicasquiltandbead.com. I bet we hold this event again so Monica herself can take part in the fun and others who were unable to attend can have another opportunity for fun , creativity and community service.
Above is my creation with Turquoise looking Magnasite and a Red Coral bead for contrast, remember your color theory?!? Lots of Silver spacers, nice chunks add a bit of panache! And then there is the puzzle Charm ( a symbol for autism)...given to me awhile ago by Deb, one of my Bead Chick friends. This Charm has some great words on the back as well...family, tradition, love, friends, charity...to remind us of what's important in our daily lives.
It was amazing to hear the stories of how many in attendance last night knew someone close to them who had Autism affecting a close personal friend or relative.