Be Very A-Frayed!

It's less than two weeks until Halloween! Do you have your decorations up, the pumpkins carved, and the costumes made/purchased. I don't let my husband buy trick-or-treat candy until a couple days before beggar's night, or we'd have it all eaten ahead of time!! My daughter is less than fond of this time of year in the stores since the scarier costumes are just too frightening to even look at on display. And speaking of being afraid, I have a-fraying topic for my blog readers today.

While I do caution my customers that the denim beads on my jewelry will fray with wear, it's a matter of personal preference how it's worn once the fraying becomes more prominant. The bracelet I made for my sister gets worn quite frequently--thanks, Sis. She showed it to me when I visited her last month.

If you like the affect of the fraying, feel free to wear it with fringe swaying. If you want, you can carefully trim the strings for a cleaner look. If you've worn it totally out, return the piece, and I will make it look new again.

Happy Halloween!!!

2009 Vacations are BEAD-utiful!!!!

A long overdue post to my Casual Day Designs followers!!

I discovered some great bead shops in my travels this past summer! And with the snow we had today, I guess it's safe to say the summer is over! Which means I beader get back to beading!

The owner of 2nd Street Beads in St. Charles, Missouri gave me a great tagline for my jewelry when I described my unique craft--"It's the denim you flip over your head" [instead of stepping into one leg at a time].

At 1/8th A Bead Shop in Schroeder, Minnesota, the owner provided me with some very helpful information about some authenticity questions I had regarding my recent acquisition of grandma's jewelry.

The sales associate at String Along With Me in St. Charles, Missouri revealed some secret strands of assorted beads in the store's backroom that she let me sort through since my sister and I were the only ones in the store.

On our trip up the North Shore, we stopped in Superior Beads in Duluth where I found some beautiful stone beads and sterling bead cones. I made a necklace that I grew quite fond of. However, like any good beader, I sold that one from around my neck when a customer at the craft show last month inquired about it.

Each bead store, like my denim beads, is unique. I think I could become great friends with all the proprietors. They are unique individuals themselves and it is definitely reflected in their stores. I also know that I could spend hours and hours in each bead store.

My husband and I planned a romantic getaway to a B&B in Stillwater, MN last month for our 14th wedding anniversary. Tucked away in the basement of the Art N Soul on historic main street in Stillwater is a wonderful nook called Stillwater Beads. I found some one-of-a-kind treasures hidden away there. After my second stroll around the store, my very patient husband excused himself with a cell phone call and waited on a bench outside while I finished shopping. Thanks, Honey!!