Bead Shows & Summer Beads

This month is bead shows, summer peridot & carnelian for August. Scroll down, or click a link on the html version.

To go to the HTML version with color photos click http://www.mrbead.com/july09.htm

Bead Shows
Summer Peridot
Peridot & Pearl Necklace
Carnelian - For August
Pearl & Peridot Necklace
$10 or £6 off!

Bead Shows & Fairs

In the US, there are two kinds of bead shows: wholesale and retail. You will need the right credentials to get into the wholesale shows, where really big bead vendors and importers exhibit. In the UK, they are usually combined, so anyone can buy wholesale. If your bead show is in the States, make sure you bring photo ID and at least one copy of your resale license so you can register for wholesale.

Retails shows are made up of mostly smaller exhibitors, typically very varied. Selling loose and strand beads, one-of-a-kind readymade jewelry, antique, and other specialty items like bead books, storage boxes, and accessories. Most shows will charge a small entrance fee, usually reduced or free for toddlers.

If you haven’t been to the gym lately: drink a mocha espresso latte before you go. You’ll need the energy to walk the entire floor! It’s also a good idea to take some sort of trolley bag so you don’t get tired huffing bags of heavy beads around all day. You’ll also need a pen and paper for notes. Grab a map or list of exhibiters before you go in, you will need this to organize the best places to buy from. Some buyers like to bring some of their own beads to match colors and shapes. It's easy to imagine a design if you can get the colors right, and you may even get a few new ideas to use.

When you enter the show you’ll see rows and rows of bead vendors, all sitting next to one another in little booths or behind tables. Some of the larger exhibitors rent many booths making a huge presence - but don’t miss out on the little sellers, they often feature handmade items you won’t find anywhere else. You’ll probably be overwhelmed at the variety of things to buy. So walk the entire show before you get anything. Each exhibitor has a number which you should write down so you can revisit. Use a pen to circle those vendors you know you don’t want to miss and later beeline to them first. If you're with a friend, it’s a good idea to walk the show solo so you don’t waste time lingering at booths you’re not interested with – you can meet up for a drink later, compare the bargains found, and scope out items you may have missed. Keep moving to stay focused and get through the show faster. After seeing all the stalls, sit down and go through your list. Get yourself some lunch and a drink.

If you’re a compulsive shopper: review your stash and make a list of things you need before you go. This prevents getting home to find you’ve spent good money on something you already have. Bring cash, as many exhibitors won’t take credit cards and you are less likely to get carried away with “real money”! Give yourself a budget and withdraw small notes, as many vendors can’t change $100s. Stop spending when you run out. For those expensive must-have items, a check book is useful with a check guarantee card. Most sellers will accept this payment and you are less likely to overspend than with a card.

Talk to the vendors to educate yourself. It will help you make better choices, curbing your natural tendency to buy on impulse. Some sellers with online stores may offer discount codes to use on their website within a few days of the show - these are always worthwhile making a note, plus you can choose leisurely when you get home. Keep exhibiters business cards and leaflets together in one bag so they don't get lost - or if you buy, keep in the bag with the purchase.

Many shows offer beading classes. These workshops are a great way to learn techniques and projects you might not encounter in your home town. Bead fairs are also a great place to stock up on bead books, threads, boxes, and other bead accessories which are hard to find elsewhere. You can find where the shows are by Googling in your area - key “bead fair” or bead shows” + your location over say 100-miles. However, be prepared to travel, as the best shows are likely to be miles away. Especially in Britain where there is a shortage of bead shows, although more are being organized every year. If you can't find a bead-only show, then go to a craft fair with bead exhibiters.

If you intend to buy a lot of beads at a fair, it’s a good idea to call your credit card companies to let them know, especially if you are going to a show in another country. This saves the inconvenience of having payments declined. When there are charges on your card from many different cities and/or countries in a short amount of time it looks like fraud. If you are going to another country, make sure you bring a calculator to convert prices to the currency you understand best. Keep all receipts in the same bag as the beads you buy, so you know how much they cost when you get home. It’s also a good idea to take a large felt-tip pen to write the price directly on the bag yourself – this is especially useful if you are in a country where you don’t understand the writing. If you are flying home and are worried about being overweight, bring a lot as hand luggage. Wholesale beads will be very heavy, but not bulky: carry-on bags don’t get weighed at the airport! We sometimes carry over 18 kgs (40lbs) on the plane in a pilot’s bag with wheels.

One last tip: If you are buying wholesale in the US, get your resale number printed on business cards with all your contact information to leave with merchants so you don’t have to wait while they copying everything down. To make sure you always have a copy of your resale license, shrink a copy down to a size that can fit in your wallet, and have it laminated.

The largest bead show in the world is in Tucson, Arizona, every February. Other large American shows are at Honolulu, HI in January; Austin, TX in March; New York, NY also in March; and Vancouver, Canada in April/May. US Wholesale Bead Shows

In the UK the largest bead shows are mixed in with craft fairs, like at the NEC Birmingham Hobby Crafts- but the largest bead-only show is The Big Bead Show in October at Sandown Park, West London. If you are in Scotland or the north of England go to the Edinburgh Bead Fair in early-October. For the latest UK Craft Fairs click here.

To see which bead shows MrBead.co.uk will be exhibiting at click here. Next month: Exhibiting at Bead Shows

Peridot – the cooling gemstone for August

Peridot has been mined as a gemstone for thousands of years, said to be the favorite gem of Cleopatra, and mentioned in the Bible. In ancient Egypt it was mined at night because legend tells that peridot was hard to see during the day, yet easily visible by lamplight. The Greeks and Romans called peridot “topazion” and “topazius” - the later named topaz, to end the confusion between the two. Peridot has also been confused with emerald and many jewelers refer to it as "evening emerald". Peridot was later used to decorate medieval churches, carried back to Europe by the Crusaders, like the huge stones of more than 200 carats in size at Cologne Cathedral.

The gemstone is actually known under three names: Peridot, Chrysolith (derived from the Greek word “goldstone”) and Olivin, because Peridot is the gemstone variety of the Olivin mineral. In the gemstone trade it is generally called Peridot, a name derived from the Greek “peridona”, meaning something like “giving plenty.

Peridot is recommended for insomnia, digestive problems and to stimulate the mind. Some say peridot has the power to drive away evil spirits, intensified when the stone is set in gold. And it’s also said to strengthen the power of any medicine drunk from peridot goblets. Peridot is for people with the star sign of Leo.

Peridot & Pearl Necklace

To see all or peridot beads click MrBead.com or MrBead.co.uk

Carnelian – another gemstone for August

Carnelian is for confidence. Said to help blood disorders and eliminate toxins from the body. Carnelian is in tune with the energies of the Earth, making you feel comfortable with your environment. Allowing you to pause and reflect, while feeling settled and more secure. Carnelian stimulates the reproductive organs too; hence it’s long use as a fertility symbol. It is also said to help creativity and have a clearing effect, replacing negative energy with positive. Making it easier to find direction and feel in control of your life.

A good stone for people starting new projects or who feel they are going nowhere. It motivates, allowing you to find the energy to make the most out of life. Carnelian is best for people with the zodiac sign of Leo, and for those born on a Friday.

See all our carnelian beads at MrBead.com or MrBead.co.uk

$10 or £6 off!

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