Big bead day at my house

The LD is having a special promotion in conjunction with a lampwork demonstration later today. I just came home with 3 kits of 6 beads each that they let me customize. Paid for all 6 beads in each kit but, as part of the promotion, I was able to pick out 6 more freebies.

And then, because I was one of the first shoppers that day, I got to pick out a wrapped box with a mystery bead. It turned out to be not a spectacular but a very attractive black OOAK with a white "S" shaped figure. I didn't have any black beads at all and one of the freebies I picked was a black & white for just that reason. These will play nicely together.

I couldn't see what my surprise bead was because it was in a box wrapped up with a ribbon. I just chose the burgundy colored ribbon because it was the most interesting color choice. Then, on an errand in the nearby Target, I ran into the cutest and shyest little girl of about 2 1/2yo. with lovely long hair. She had on a dress with an Indian print of the same colors so I quickly untied the ribbon and offered it to her for her hair. She was so cute and had an adorable smile. It was nice to share a little of the abundance! I like how that all worked out.

All or most of the beads will only be visiting my house as they're destined to be Christmas, birthday and special occasion gifts, but I get to play with them and enjoy them and marvel at the abundance all day long.

And then, later, I get to go back for the demo. Hope I have enough resolve to keep my wallet in my purse.

Oh! If anyone is in the Los Angeles area, this demo will be at the Woodland Hills mall at Topanga and Victory. The demo will be from 2-8PM.

I can't recommend the store more highly. They are always pleasant and seem to really like helping people make their selections. They never rush anyone -- even if there are others waiting. I like that, personally -- even if I'm the one who has to wait. They seemed to recognize me by the third time I shopped there and they've gone out of their way to be friendly ever since whether I'm buying or just passing as I do other shopping in the mall. I don't suppose it has anything to do with the fact that I'm frequently pushing my grandson in his stroller. No. He's just 1yo and cute as a button and a world class flirt but I'm sure it's me they're interested in. AND these are the folks who took back all the broken pieces I purchased online even with the knowledge that I didn't buy them from them. I can't recommend them enough for their excellent service. They've also got just about everything. ...including the spectacular skeleton necklace.

Wow, what a day indeed. Can we have a sneek peek of your new beads before they get wrapped up?

Would love to visit your LD. Sounds great.

and your made a little girl smile too. Perfect!

What an awesome time! Even though they're gifts, can you post pics of the beads you got so we can see what you choose ?

Did they let you try on the skeleton necklace? I think that is such a neat necklace.
Would love to see a pic of your grandson with your Trollbeads.
I would love to see a bead demo. I think that my LD is having one in December. Looking forward to that.

I am awful, just awful at photography but I will try to get some pix up.

I went back for the demo and guess who did it? Kathy Perras! I must tell you she is not only talented and gracious, she is a lovely lady who answered every question -- no matter how many times she got the same one -- with pleasure while she continue to make beads AND she never grabbed the wrong thing and ended up with a third degree burn through the distractions. She also discussed her origins blowing glass in an artist collective at a museum in Toledo and her time working in the same studio with Dale Chihuly. (Small connection, I once lived in a building in Vancouver whose exterior is decorated with a huge Chihuly installation. So we had a short discussion, in agreement, about Chihuly and his work. That was fun!)

She was wearing a necklace with a gorgeous tiger focal bead that was about 2" in diameter. She was also wearing a beautiful TB bracelet full of her tigers. And she showed us a gorgeous focal bead dangle (non-TB) that was about 3" long and looked like an intricate geode with another geode inside encased in clear glass. It was breathtaking.

She demoed placing bubbles in beads, turning dots into hearts, making armadillos, getting silver to interact with glass to create an organic looking bead like an Old Earth, applying frit to make the mosaic type beads and even something that was very similar to her beautiful tiger beads. She took real pleasure from how interested everyone was in what she was doing.

She said her process in her studio is a bit different and that it takes her about 5 minutes to make a bead. To which her husband added 20 years (of experience and learning) and 5 minutes! And she agreed with me that beyond what she needs to know and use of chemistry, the process is a lot like a pastry chef working with sugar in many ways.

I loved her! And I really was genuinely thrilled to get to say how much I admire her work.

Here's a pic (sorry I forgot to take more; I was just too fascinated with what she was doing to take pix) of her at her torch:


Kathy Perras working at her torch by lautrerainey, on Flickr

Here is one of the staff from the LD wearing the skeleton:

Tienne wearing skelton necklace by lautrerainey, on Flickr

You can see that she threaded some beads in along the spine.

OMG, Beadiac. What a thrill!

I have three of her beads. I love to wear them. Receiving and opening the package from her was special. It felt like Christmas.

I have never met Kathy but in all by etsy dealings with her she has been so over the top I wish I could meet her an thank her personally.

OK, I've edited the pix of the beads I got:


For Kaija by lautrerainey, on Flickr


For Rachel by lautrerainey, on Flickr


For Galen by lautrerainey, on Flickr


Freebies and bonus bead by lautrerainey, on Flickr

I won't give all of these at once and I may rearrange what goes together. But this is the haul I came home with this morning.


BTW, those were all taken with my cell phone and superior to anything I got with my point-and-shoot camera.

Sounds like a lovely day!

What a fantastic day you had! Sounds wonderful and you got some great photos taken with your phone! Gorgeous beads