Can you believe it’s February – already?! This year is zooming by in the fast lane. Here in the bead world, things are heating up with lots of new, exciting products being brought to market by bead and component vendors, new and old alike. So it’s time to start giving my beloved blog readers the latest scoop on cool, new stuff.
As I write this latest installment of Maggie’s Musings, I’m both exhilarated and exhausted. Exhilarated because I just returned from New York City, and exhausted because I just returned from New York City! Why, you ask? Why would I be going to New York City when the rest of the beading community was swimming like salmon upstream to the glorious Tucson Bead Shows?
Well, here’s my latest news: I’ve been asked by a purse designer to create beaded embellishments for a new line of handbags. Thrilling doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel about this opportunity. In order to design these bags cohesively, both fabric and beads needed to be picked out together. And where does one go for gorgeous fabrics and beads? The Garment District in New York City. Our first stop was Mood Fabrics, the very Mood Fabrics seen on the hit reality show “Project Runway.” I adore beading with leather and was looking forward to a chance to paw through suede and kidskin. At one point, I was bent over a counter strewn with leather, lost in the joy of having so many colors and finishes to choose from.
Back on the street, my travel partner, Peggy, was pointing out different businesses. I wasn’t listening attentively because there was a Starbucks Americano with two shots of espresso in my hand. But my ears perked up when I heard Peggy say “Toho.” She pointed to a storefront and there it was, the Toho Shoji store. (Insert angels singing here.) Even though it wasn’t on our itinerary, I made a beeline for it through bike messengers and taxis. The store was very well lit with everything arranged neatly. I saw several items that I hadn’t seen before, and shopping was easy due to the spaciousness and friendly staff. Definitely on my list of stores that I want to spend more time in.
Next, we were off to K. Gottfried Inc., Swarovski dealer extraordinaire. We were warmly greeted by Alex and Rita and proceeded to get down to the business of picking out colors, sizes, shapes, and finishes of crystals. Not an easy task, I might add, because K. Gottfried has sample boards with every Swarovski product that is manufactured. The unicorns and rainbows were, indeed, swirling around in my brain. Can one faint from a Swarovski overdose? I definitely felt like swooning when Rita brought out samples of the latest colors. Alex very patiently ignored all the drooling; he’s obviously seen people go whack-a-doodle over Cyclamen Opal crystal beads before.
On to York Beads, grand purveyors of Czech beads. This store is small but floor-to-ceiling packed with beads. Peggy was exhausted from hauling fabric and headed for a spot to sit down while I ran about the store grabbing hanks of Czech glass and shrieking like a child in a candy store. I WAS in a candy store, my kind of candy! I saw beads that I had only thought were some sort of urban legend.
Still, we kept to our list and walked out with some incredible accent beads. After a quick but wonderful lunch break at the Guy and Gallard deli, we headed to M & J Trimming. You might ask, what would a bead fanatic like myself need from a trim store? Lots of stuff: buttons, fancy snaps, and hooks for bracelet clasps. Something immediately caught my eye – sequins made from brass in several finishes like old gold, gunmetal, and antiqued copper. I cannot wait to use these in bead embroidery. These gleaming, metal sequins are pictured above. I have them scattered onto a piece of section of pale cream leather that has a pearlized glaze. Just placing the sequins randomly reveals such a beautiful, organic look. This is definitely inspiring. There was a huge selection of cords and lush tassels in every imaginable color. With just a little bit of beaded embellishment, cord and tassel can become an extravagant lariat necklace, and that just might be my next project.
So, there you have it, my adventure in the Big Apple. Excellent stores. Lots of dim sum at the Red Egg restaurant. Very friendly people. And now I want to hear all about YOUR latest bead adventure, big or small. Leave a comment and share with the rest of us the good vibes received in a local bead store or maybe a shopping trip to the Tucson Bead Shows. Because, as you know, it's all about beads and the camaraderie that beaders share when we’re together.
Maggie Roschyk is an accomplished beadwork and jewelry artist who teaches jewelry making and publishes articles about designing jewelry. She loves teaching aspiring artists and seeing the "aha" moment in their eyes. Her goal is to inspire others to look beyond the empirical moment and strive to create beaded art that reflects their individualism.