Beach House Bead Party

I held my 1st official party at Laura's beach house yesterday. Seven ladies made a necklace and earrings while a few fast beaders came away with 2 sets and repairs to old jewlery. Everyone proclaimed to have a great time and seemed excited to model their new pieces. I personlly found it rewarding both to teach people and to see looks of satisfaction with the finished pieces. It was a great learning opportunity for me.

• People loved the ear ring display on the wire tree! (Great job Mom.)
• I sold less than I'd expected. Most ladies used the pieces for inspiration only. I need to find another outlet to sell finished pieces.
• The handmade clay beads didn't attract much attention. (boo hoo...I love making these!)
• 7 people was about the maximim I could handle.
• Next time, I'll bring more silver chains, Swarovski crystals, gold seed beads, and temporary crimps. The "shiny and flashy" beads were more popular than the stones.
• I think ladies would pay extra for the expensive beads.
• The hand made links were a hit
• The party lasted for over 6 hours...way longer than I thought! I had a blast because I knew the people; but If I extend parties beyond my circle of close friends I'll need to set a time limit.

In the end, I thought it was neat to have a bead party in the comfort of someone's home with food & friends. Both Laura (my friend) and her mom asked me if I'd be willing to do it again. :-)