Hellooo January!

So we all know this month- the long dark nights, the stormy days, the suddenness of sunlight splitting the gloom of a murky afternoon. The perfect month to nest inside and work on your craft while dreaming of summer's play to come. Of gardens in bedtime moonlight, of afternoons filled with saltwater breezes, walking the beach searching for bits of shell and glass. All winter long, I collect places in my mind; places that on summer afternoons, warm from the days's sun; I can sit and craft.  I I watched for benches and lawn chairs, porches and swing sets, picnic tables and stone walls- all with which to perch myself upon and craft or knit. I can see it all now as I think of summer. Lucas will run and run and finally collapse at my feet while I smile and bead,  enjoying every moment. What beadwork will I do outside? I like to embroider tiny pieces. I carry all the supplies in a sandwich bag and work in my lap. Losing a seed bead or twelve is not bothersome. It is my gift to all that is around me...the earth. The ground. The grass. A bit of color, a splash of sparkle. What a trail I can leave!

For this evening though, as I grow sleepier and hear what I think are mousey noises in my garage office; I will post a picture of some of our newest beads. Acid etched, two hole glass beads in a stunning collection of earthy and rich colors. Good night.

An experiment this fine, sunny afternoon where the heavy frost still lingers in the shaded areas of my yard. I have always posted to my blog from the main computer and not my phone but oh, if I could go this! Post from my phone! Marvelous technology. So here is the post and a picture, maybe, with more to come later.

Almost December & We Have EVENTS!

Hello on this very blustery Port Townsend evening. Today found us needing to close early because of the high winds that just couldn't seem to let us open or close our front door! Very exciting but scary silly to be on the streets. Anyhow, I did manage to get some beadwork done and visit with some very interesting customers.

December is a very busy month for nearly all of us. In addition to being at the shop, I have holiday preparations to make and gifts to craft and maybe, a party to plan. To make things a bit easier on you we are having a new chocolatier in town setting up for the first Saturday during December's Gallery Walk. You can sample these delights and purchase some for yourself or as gifts. This is her first time in our shop and you know how we love our chocolate! We are thinking you do too.

This is a one day pop-up shop in the lobby of Wynwoods Gallery and Bead Studio, on the corner of Water and Tyler streets, downtown Port Townsend. Come sample delicious chocolate, get a jump on your holiday shopping, or simply come to ask questions and get to know us a little. No tickets or reservations necessary. Come for the Christmas Tree lighting and stay for the chocolate! Meet Megan in person too! From 3:00 to 7:00 pm during the GALLERY WALK! 

Also, during Gallery Walk, December 1st, all day, we will be having an ALL THINGS TURQUOISE TRUNK SHOW & SALE! Turquoise gemstone beads, turquoise color magnasite beads, turquoise glass beads, turquoise ribbon and you get the picture. It is all TURQUOISE which is December's birthstone. Come treat yourself to a gift of the month's color or maybe that special beady person in your life, with a December birthday ( or not ) needs a little turquoise!

See you soon! Think chocolate and think turquoise and maybe, think an evening with nice tree lighting weather. We are, of course, open rain or shine! XO 

GIRLS' Day INTO Night OUT!

A SPECIAL IN SHOP EVENT

Girls' Night Out is this coming Thursday, October 4th from 11:00 to 7:00. Maybe even later! We will be having a gemstone trunk show, FUN sales throughout the day, good conversation and chocolates.

A special fundraiser will be our beautiful Czech glass and crystal stretchy bracelets in an array of pink and cranberry shades. The bracelets, all lovingly crafted by us, will be on sale for just $ 3.00 each with all proceeds being donated. ( PERFECT TO GIVE AS A GIFT OR TO STASH AWAY FOR THE HOLIDAYS OR TO WEAR YOURSELF. )

Hoping you stop in to say hello and support a cause that is close to all of us. The best part about my shop for me is the friendship you all offer and the conversation we enjoy together. As always, one on one help is available! See you on Thursday!!

A quick Hello

We are here! The Wooden Boat Festival is over and summer is on the verge of leaving us. Hello gray skies and rainy weather. You know what this means? Perfect, and I do mean perfect, beading weather!

We have added many new things to the shop inventory and as always I will be around for private classes and in store help. My repair work basket is nearly caught up too so feel free to bring in your broken beady treasures and jewelry. I can also help you fix your own pieces.

If you want to see me for certain, give the shop a call ( 360-385-6131 ) and check in. I actually do take a couple of days off for studio time and -gasp-a personal life! Wait. What IS that?

I have added in a bunch of new Picasso finished size 6 and 8 seed beads, all lovingly and expertly crafted in the Czech Republic. There is a limited supply right now so come in soon.

I will leave you with a picture of these new beads and get the shop ready to open. Our hours remain 11:00 to 5:30.

FIND US - September 14th, Friday, and September 15th, Saturday, at the Cabin Fever Quilters expo at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. I will be part of the vendor market and have a few beads on sale along with an amazing range of all my favorite fat quarters. It is QUILT time too!

Summer Smoked!

We have been inundated with the sad smell of smoke from all the fires in British Columbia. It has wafted down here and made our days a horrid shade of pinkgray and the smell makes me react in sorrow as I think of all the great forests and trees lost to fire. I pray daily for rain and I want nothing more than the fires to end and the animals and nature recover. I think with pain and sadness for all the people who have lost their treasured possessions. I grieve right along side of all of them and they are never far from my thoughts.

In my grief, I turn to work that is comforting to me. Meditative to my mind and releasing in my emotions. Each movement becomes a prayer. Each turn a wish for rain. I have been wrapping sea glass and turning them into pendants. I have wrapped many as I have fallen in love with the ease of crafting with the bronze wires available now. All through last weekend's studio tour, as the smoke grew into the air all weekend; I wrapped pendants. Here then is a photo.

I think of them as mermaid jewels and like the colors of the waters around here. Aquas, sapphires, cobalt blues. The air may be colored gray and everything coated with a layer of black ash but the water remains...

I have added some of the two hole Carrier Beads into the shop for your design experimentation. These are glass and although I have not tried them yet, I think they will make up into some interesting work. More colors arriving shortly.

Finally, news that makes me excited to share - the building is getting a fresh coat of paint, the first in a very long time. The new sidewalks are in, the rain gardens planted and now, paint!! A great way to wrap up the summer in downtown Port Townsend! 

ps - if you see anything in the photos you would like to order or inquire about, just email me at lois@wynwoods.com or call the shop at 360-385-6131, daily 11 - 5:30. Alas, I am not  modern enough to have an answering machine there but a real person will answer your calls during those hours. Happy Beading my friends! Now off to attempt a rain dance!

STUDIO TOUR

I am studio tour destination # 45 on the map!