My First Bead Show

Last weekend my critter beads were in their very first bead show, The 2nd Annual Suburban Bead Encounter in Naperville, IL. Tammy Deck, from TLD Design Center and Gallery, in Westmont, IL, (where I took my lampwork classes) had asked me if she could sell my beads at her table at the show. She typically sells students' beads and instructor beads, as well as lampwork tools and glass. She also would have information about TLD classes available. I readily said yes, but then realized I had no idea how to price my beads. And I mean physically price them, as in a price tag. I did some research and asked my Fire Divas lampwork group for advice and got lots of creative ideas. But it was actually my husband who came up with the idea that stuck, literally - it involves hot glue (but don't worry, none of the animal beads were harmed in the pricing process). Lucky for me, my husband is a printer. So he printed small black cards with my shop name on the front, and I put the name of the bead (yes, they're all named!) and the price on the back. Then I hot-glued each and every critter bead to a card. This way the critters could stand upright, the way critters ought to be displayed. And the customer could take my little card with my info with them. The critters just peel right off the cards.

Here are three critters ready for the show. Rufus, on the left, sold before he left TLD. He never made it to the big show.
The critters are all hot glued to their cards and ready to be transported to TLD, which will display and sell them at the Suburban Bead Encounter.
Here's the set-up at the show. The critters are putting on their best "please adopt me" faces, just how I trained them.
A wide angle of the table shows the work of another student and the talented Hannah Rosner and Tammy Deck. My critters were in very good company.

My mom and I popped in to the show in the afternoon. I really enjoyed seeing other artists' beads up close - it was all so beautiful. I bought a few silver charms to incorporate into jewelry with my beads. My mom bought some, too - then she handed them to me and told me to make something for her with them. I sure wish she liked turtles.