This is what it looks like when you are packed and waiting to fly to your first non local bead show: Bead and Button. With much coaching from my bead sisters (Marsha, Diane and Nikki) I was packed and as ready as I would ever be.

Bead and Button is a large retail and wholesale trade show – literally beads and buttons. But also so much more! Jewelry supplies – and the classes! Oh the classes! I haven’t ever attended for pleasure or education, but this year I decided it was past time for me to vend!

Those 2 suitcases contain trays, table cloths, lights, packaging materials, all the display items, and a few of my cabochons I ran out of room… The green backpack? ALL the beads in my carry-on! Heavy, but safe. It all turns into this:

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My bead sisters have a routine – and welcomed me into the schedule, and the shared hotel room with open arms. Without them I would not have attempted this! We had a day to explore the city a bit… say Hi to the Fonz – as you do! Milwaukee has some gorgeous Art Deco buildings and a lovely River Walk. We headed to the Historic Third Ward for pedicures, and lunch at the Milwaukee Public Market.

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The show was great fun! As always it was wonderful to see friends, and family from this beady tribe of ours. Old friends: Cynthia and Greg of Green Girl Studios, Lisa and Hank of Lisa Peters Art, Leslie Pope, Marianne of Maku Raku, Kayla at Dakota Stones… New friends : Joy Munshower, Anne Choi, Kellie Wiegand, Natalie Hanson,

A had a stowaway – and Mendel the Mandrake did get up to some hijinks while I was busy with customers!

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And there was a little shopping. No really, not too much!

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But I think the most exciting new thing was the FISH LEATHER! Lisa Peters is importing this stunning material. I will be interviewing her for the Art Elements Blog in the near future. We were designing with it at once! Stay tuned!

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