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Here are Sara and I are ready to demonstrate using Soft Flex Beading Wire at The 2014 Bead&Button Show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This marks my 5th or 6th year working the show with Soft Flex Company. I’m not entirely sure because, the years tend to blur together and I took a few years off after having my second child so, I haven’t worked them all in a row. For those in the beading industry this is one of the largest trade shows of the year. It is full of inspiration with hundreds of classes, free make it take it’s and demos, design challenges on display and large selection of beading vendors and art bead makers.

It is one of two trade shows a year I work in Soft Flex’s booth. It really nice to get out from behind my desk, spend time with my co-workers I rarely see and interact with our customers face to face. I did a lot of demoing on how to crimp as well as using Soft Flex wire to knit and macrame.

I played around with knitting 28G Soft Flex Craft Wire during the show. I had a customer stop by having a tough time getting the final shape to look good so, I created a design that day and asked him to come back the next day and I would discuss how it went. We realized that he didn’t have a draw plate. This tool is necessary to work harden and even out the wire strand after knitting Craft Wire.

Creating a macrame design with Soft Flex Wire. I loved this mini macrame board that Sara found on Amazon so much, I bought it from her to take home with me! It holds Soft Flex beading wire perfectly. So much easier then using tape – I find that the wire slips out of the tape too easily.

My beading haul from the Bead&Button Show! Although I don’t NEED any more beading supplies I can’t help but shop a little when I’m at a show. It’s wonderful to see items in person, see design ideas and buy directly from artists and small businesses.

1. Soft Flex Beading Wire  in Colors Peridot, Green Turquoise, Citrine, Red Jasper, Chrysoprase and Antique Brass Color.
2. Wanderlust Pennants by Tesori Trovati Jewelry
3. Crane Bead, If Love was a Bead and Tiger Bead from Beads of Courage
4. Bokamo Bracelet Supplies
5. Ceramic Beads by Golem Studio
6. Shell Donut Pendants by Lillypilly Designs 
7. Brass Bead Strand from Hands of the Hills

Super random, I posted on Facebook that I was at the Milwaukee Public Market (cool place!) and my Phoenix friend Tosca saw it and and said she’ll be in Milwaukee that week too! She stopped by the show on Saturday night and we grabbed a bite to eat. It was great getting to know her better. We met during the Phoenix Art Mural Project in December and haven’t gotten together since. Social media at it’s finest when spontaneous meeting occur!

We at Soft Flex Company had so much fun sharing our love of beading at the Bead&Button Show this year through demonstrations in our booth, free make-it-take-its, sponsoring Bead Dreams, sponsoring the ISGB exhibit and sponsoring the Beads of Courage Design Challenge. Looking forward to what’s in store for next year! Until then, I need to get my bead on.

Since I first shared about the Beads of Courage “Creativity in Full Circle” design challenge sponsored by Soft Flex Company in this post – I have a bit more information about the process to share. It’s really flippin’ cool!

The challenge begins with 10 Beads of Courage children, siblings and parents who create beads based on words like Love, Hope and Spirit and what those words mean to them. 10 glass bead artists were then challenged to create beads based on the top designs. 10 jewelry designers chosen by Soft Flex Company were challenged to incorporate the beads into a finished necklace design.

The bead I received was based on if INSPIRE were a bead … designed by Kailey Maks (Age: 8) from Ann & Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, IL.

In her words: Meaning to breathe life – dolphin and water do both. It is said unicorn dolphins – finding a cure for illness and ocean waves – storm/sickness. Fitting that a unicorn dolphin symbolizes findings a cure!

The bead artist that brought Kailey’s design to life in glass is Nanette Charif from Tucson, AZ.

Nanette’s Bio: I have been a glass artist for 9 years. I began collecting beads and stringing them together over 30 years ago. My focus started with beads and what I can do with them and adding my hand crafted beads with store beads for my jewelry. I have since learned to make murini and multi-colored canes along with more sculptured type pieces like turtles, fish, and pumpkins. I get much of my inspiration from my wonderful lush backyard  and my beautiful Koi pond. Tucson also has the benefit of other cultures to enrich all of us.

Click to purchase if Inspire was a bead … as well as see all the other top bead designs!

If INSPIRE were a bead was then sent to me and I incorporated it into this  necklace bringing “Creativity in Full Circle”! When I received my bead in the mail it was equal parts excitement and fear. I had just a few weeks to complete my design, the final necklace was to be  showcased with designers I respect and admire, but mostly I wanted to honor the bead designed by Kailey and created by Nanette and it’s a bead based on the word Inspire!

I needed to push myself to create something that hopefully would inspire others. I began working with the bead to create a hanging pendant. I’m inspired by jewelry designs that use interesting materials and force me look closer and examine how it was created. With that in mind, I knew I wanted the pendant to have some fun elements like the Dark Blue Lapis Soft Flex Wire and bead tassel. I also felt that knitting Dark Blue Lapis Soft Flex beading wire would add interest with texture. I knit with wire often but, had yet to add beads to my knitted designs so, of course I wanted to try that out and knitted with Swarovski crystal beads! Lastly, I added some fun blue glass beads from my stash and added those and crystal beads to complete the necklace. I was a little concerned I was putting too many idea in one piece but, I think by keeping the color scheme classic and simple in blue and white it helps it all work together.

I’m truly honored to be one of the 10 designers participating in this challenge  alongside jewelry designers I admire so very much and a wonderful cause I am happy to support! The finished necklace designs were featured at the 2014 Bead&Button Show in Milwaukee and sold to raise money for the Beads of Courage Program.

Visit Beads of Courage to learn more and see how you can get involved with this amazing organization! Beads of Courage, provides arts-in-medicine for children coping with serious illnesses, their families and the health care providers who care for them. Truly an awesome organization.

Visit Soft Flex Company for more information about this project with Beads of Courage and the products used in the final jewelry designs.

Beads of Courage and Soft Flex Company are teaming up for a special design challenge called “Creativity in Full Circle”.

For the “Creativity in Full Circle” design challenge, 10 glass beads were created based on drawings by 10 children in the Beads of Courage program. Those beads were sent to 10 jewelry designers who were asked to create a finished necklace design with each bead. The finished necklace designs will be featured at the next Bead&Button Show in Milwaukee and sold to raise money for the Beads of Courage Program.

My word is inspire and this is the imaginative bead I received this week, now I need to get to work on creating a necklace design. I’m super excited to be one of the 10 designers participating in this challenge  alongside jewelry designers I admire and a wonderful cause I am happy to support!

For those of you who are not familiar with Beads of Courage, they provide arts-in-medicine for children coping with serious illnesses, their families and the health care providers who care for them. Truly an awesome organization.

Visit Beads of Courage to see how you can get involved with this amazing organization!

Visit Soft Flex Company for more information about this project with Beads of Courage.