Things to smile about

My dear friend, and very good customer, Donna and I get together every month or so to have burgers -- we started this a couple of years ago with the goal of finding the best burger in San Diego.  Over the past 2 years we've covered a lot of burger joints, disagreed on what makes the best burger (she likes Swiss Cheese, I'm all American)  designed some cool jewelry, shared the ups and downs of two very different marriages, families and points of view.

Our most recent find rates in both our Top 5....an unassuming little place inside the Days Inn (of all places) in Hotel Circle.  These are GOOD burgers! Fresh meat, cooked with just the right amount of pink in the middle.  Not too many bells and whistles on the All American Classic....my go-to burger and measuring stick for all the places we visit.  Oh...and the fries are worth the visit all by themselves.
If you live in or around San Diego -- or come for a visit, this is a worthwhile stop for lunch or a very inexpensive alternate for dinner.

So, Mz. D is a bit camera shy, but she was wearing this cool shell and Swarovski Pearl necklace.

And her Sister-In-Law just received these flirty, dangle-y, confetti Swarovski earrings for her birthday.

Jill said it better than I ever could....
AND she has a book cover to show....so here she is:
     http://networkedblogs.com/vgF2D

People I love....
From time to time I would like to share a bit of info about some of the amazing people I've met and become friends with in my sparklie world.  I'll be doing a lot of this, 'cause this sparklie trek I've taken has led me to a lot of really spectacular people!
And, because she convinced/coerced me into blogging again, I'm starting with Pat Reisenberger.  Pat is a serious over-achiever...she has more than one blog - and she keeps up with them regularly in a fun, chatty, manner that makes you feel you are just on the phone with her.  My favorite is her Crafty Retailer Blog:  http://www.thecraftyretailer.blogspot.com/  It is full of cool info about running your own business in the arts & crafts field.  Pat has tons of experience, she began marketing her business in the days before it was easy (with Facebook and LinkedIn and all the other social media sites) and has managed her own retail brick & mortar art/craft store.
Pat and I have been chatting and posting to each other for more than a year through our CYS Ambassador connection, but we met "IRL" at the CREATE YOUR STYLE in Tucson Ambassador Showroom last month.  She is as bright and warm as the sun from her Florida home!  Pat is also stunningly beautiful, and if this were Junior High I'd hate her.  But Pat is such a full kettle of bubbling goodness it was impossible to not be enchanted with her.  She designs primarily in felt and embellishes with Swarovski Elements in the most creative and innovative ways.  I can imagine her students are just spellbound by her, and some day I'm going to treat myself to one of her classes.
So...go over and read her blogs, The Crafty Retailer (above) and her really fun Urban Stitch Studio:  http://networkedblogs.com/uVNrL.  The woman is now RAISING GOATS!
I really regret that Pat and I didn't get our picture taken together...except this one.  Pat is on the far right and she is wearing one of her amazing felted and embellished scarves....I've got to get one of those...

Back to Blogging

OK, so like a large percentage of Bloggers, I started with the best intentions to write on a regular basis, and then...well, stuff happens.
So, I'm re-committing myself to keeping my blog up to date.

The good news is, I have good news to share.
I've been a busy lady over the past year or so, and now have a teaching schedule I can post up here, both Southern California and National.  I'll be putting that calendar up soon.

I also have projects published recently:
Wirework, Fall 2011
Bead & Button December 2011
Bead Design Studio December 2011
And...I'll have more projects coming, one in Bead Design Studio (Date TBD) and another project in Bead & Button magazine October 2012

And if looks like I've written 3 new blog posts all today...well, I just transferred a couple of my CREATE YOUR STYLE with Swarovski Sparkling Community Ambassador blogs over here.  In the future I'll be able to link my blogging to have everything appear at one time...ah, yes, as soon as I learn how!

Website is actually almost finished...will link to it soon.  I'd love to have your feedback.
So lots and lots of Sparkles and Smiles in my neighborhood - and I promise to share them!
Diane

Well, the suitcase is almost packed, and I'll be heading out to the Bead & Button show in Milwaukee for my very first time in just a few hours.  I've been remembering my first major bead show....about 6 years ago now, when I went to Tucson for the first time and I took my first 2 classes. 

It was February 2006 -- and among my goals for attending the show I wanted to meet Linda Hartung.  Many of you know Linda and her fabulous WireLace and AlaCarte Clasps.  I had read about her company, and I just had to see the products and her in real life!  Well, I took her class and I just loved every minute of it -- I was completely hooked on WireLace, and of course, I loved Linda from the first minute I met her.  BTW, I met Val Hirata in that class, Mimi from Mimi's Gems, and another good friend, Sara from JewelrySupply.com. 

I was so impressed with Linda's booth...it was one of the most professional set-ups I've ever seen.  And on one end of the booth were all these fabulous pieces of jewelry using WireLace and AlaCarte Clasps.  Linda was there, and told me she didn't design them all, some of the pieces were other designers work.  Well, at that moment I said to myself: "Someday...some day, my work will be on display in Linda's booth also". 

Folks, someday is HERE!

Linda has some of my work displayed in her booth now (the Chocolate River Lariat) AND I'm doing demo's at the Bead & Button show for her!  Somebody pinch me and reassure me that I'm awake, please!  This is truly a dream come true for me....and something else, something I think about every day.  Dreams DO come true, and we can make them happen!  We just don't ever know when, or how, or where.  We just need to dream the dreams, believe they will come true, and do everything we can to make them come true, and then......then....well....somehow, someday, they will.

I'll be living one of my dreams this Friday and Saturday!

Sparkles and smiles,  Diane

                                                                                                     

Last year I wrote about the CREATE YOUR STYLE in TUCSON experience, the showroom, the classes, the parties, and by all means they were there again this year, just as sparkling and exciting. 

This year, I want to write about something else that happens in Tucson.   Something that happens to my heart.

It starts the moment I arrive.  Maybe it is the dryness of the air, the golden sunsets and layered blues of the sky, I feel energized, all the waiting is over and the magic is happening and I want to breathe it all in.

Then I go to the CREATE YOUR STYLE in TUCSON showroom.  This clean, crisp, sparkling room wipes away all my cares and transports me into a new world.  And there, there in that new world is Nicole and Krissie, and the hugging starts and happy tears are shed.  It has only been since October we saw each other last, but it both feels like forever and like yesterday...just the way you feel when you see family. 

Then one after another after another, a familiar face, a welcome hug:  from Kansas City, Pennsylvania, Milwaukee, and even from Northern and Southern California, and of course, from Austria....shrieks, yelps, joyful sounds fill the showroom, and fill my heart.

All the beautiful crystal sample pieces for the workshops are laid out in the showroom and I finally see up close and personal what everyone else is teaching...Darn!  I want to take them all. But I'm not a student here anymore, I'm a teacher, a Swarovski Ambassador, and a featured designer in the new CREATE YOUR STYLE Magazine.  My heart does a backward flip and simultaneous cartwheel when I see the pieces I had kissed good-bye so many months ago -- the displays are stunning, everthing glistens in the light.  How did I ever get here?  I'm pinching myself...how can this be real? How can this be possible? Don't they know I'm just a little girl who likes to play with my mom's sparklie "jewels" and draw pictures of dresses and shoes and handbags and pretend they are all mine, pretend I have parties to go to where I can wear the dresses and shoes and carry the pretty handbags?  And then, in a little corner of my heart is a glow, and warm realization that yes, this IS real, these are my accomplishments -- these are my realized goals, it IS possible, for me, for all of us.

          

And it goes on, as the week goes on.  Reconnecting with my darling friends...friends who I have met in Tucson over the years now (OMG, has it really been 6 years!) I've omitted most of the last names, cause after reading this it sounded like I was name-dropping something awful, but these are friends I could only dream of having, like Laura Timmons (one of the most amazing souls anyone could meet -- I remember I asked Andreas a few years ago to introduce us....little did I dream we would become such soul-sisters), and Lisa, Leslie, Deb & Deb, Brenda, my dearest June, Jamie, Kristal, Val, Monica, Katie, Lilian, Tammy, Diane, my absolute darling Linda Hartung  -- everyone one of these ladies has increased the size of my heart, and they keep blowing it up like it is some gigantic balloon.  And then...hearing about weather problems and flight cancellations, and my heart deflates a bit.  Peg, Sandy, and Anna won't be there...oh no, I was so looking forward to seeing them also. Jubilation later in the week when Anna WAS able to get to Tucson...lots more hugging, and boucing up and down while hugging happend then!  And Fernando...Nick, Christian, Walter....Tucson isn't just about the ladies!

                                      

All of this happens because of Swarovski, because of CREATE YOUR STYLE.

And so many new friends, Heather, Marlene, Pam, Rae, Kelly & Vivian, Anne, Dana, Kim & Kim, Paula & Paula, Jill & Jill, and Theresa, -- my heart just keeps stretching as all these lovely people jump in.  And of course, my roomie Stephanie; shared experiences, shared laughs and shared love enlarges my heart even more. 

There are favorite vendors to revisit -- Beckie, Nikia, Kay, Cindy, Rosalyn, Lisa and many new ones to meet.  Parties and more introductions, more reconnections, more hugs, even sightings of a few San Diego neighbors...a few slightly embarrasing photos taken; more friends and more memories made.  I never thought there was room inside me for my heart to grow this big.

Next year and in years to come there will be shrieks and hugs as we see each other again...and our hearts grow even bigger.

In Tucson.

Sparkles and smiles!

Too much fun in Tucson

So, originally I had planned to blog each day from Tucson, so I could keep my posts short.  Oops, didn't happen.  Tucson was a nonstop whirlwind for me this year, the best yet!

Everthing I do in Tucson centers around the Create Your Style in Tucson event sponsored by CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements which is held at the Tucson YWCA on North Bonita Ave.  This year I taught 2 Workshops and held 1 Demonstration, attended 1 Workshop, the CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements Ambassador meeting, and of course, THE party.  This is a great venue for Swarovski, and they graciously add a $5,000 donation to Your Sister's Closet;  the Y's used clothing program for women re-entering the workforce.

Swarovski's show is different from all the others in Tucson because it is based on sharing knowledge, not on selling products. 10 workshops are held daily for 4 days, and this year there was even one in the evening.  Various designers and application experts come in from around the country to teach. Swarovski sponsors the workshops, which keeps the cost low; often well below what one would pay for the elements alone.  The event is very well attended, and classes fill up quickly. 

Additionally, designers conduct free demonstrations showing easy or new techniques and examples of the various ways CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements can be used.

Spectacular pieces from the Inspiration books and Design Competitions are on display.

Crystallized Swarovski Elements are available to look at (and drool over) in the main showroom and a beautiful crystal curtain provides a sparkling backdrop for all the activity. Everywhere you turn, light and color bounce off the walls....everything is Crystallized!

   

There is a wonderful courtyard in the center area where you can sit and enjoy the Tucson sun, have a sandwich or salad, sip a soda and gab with your friends. In the showroom you can see see Swarovski's new Innovations and colors, this release is really fantastic, watch your local bead store for the ceramic beads, the new designer pendants and the gorgeous new Fern Green color.
And watch here for parts 2 and 3....Classes & Shopping
Sparkles and smiles,  Diane

CHA, CHA, CHA (Part II)

So, home Saturday night, and DH and I were back on the road for family dinner night at my brother’s house in Temecula. Tom’s wife Barb is a great cook, and put together a homemade pizza party for us. We had fun making the pizzas (trying to throw the dough, aghhh, it isn’t easy) and piling them high with all our favorite goodies. I’m really liking the family dinner nights we’ve done the past few months, and I think we are going to make them a regular event.

Back on the road to Anaheim on Monday to check out my very first CHA Trade Show. While this is a bit more subdued; many more business suits and much quieter, it is about 3 times the size as the SuperShow and open only to CHA members, vendors and their guests. The major craft companies put up huge booths to showcase all their products, and the smaller, newer companies have their own section. Color is everywhere, big signs at floor level and up in the air over the booths. Many more crafts are represented; where the SuperShow was slanted toward paper crafts and scrapbookers, CHA covers just about everything.

Beadalon had a big booth there, and I met Yvette Rodriguez; love having a face to go with the e-mails. Lots and lots of very cool new things are coming from Beadalon. Our Ambassador Katie Hacker has just launched her own line of beading components called Katiedids. You are going to want to have them all, because they work so very well with all our CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements . If you are going to Tucson make sure you check out Beadalon’s booth.

I spent the entire day walking up and down the aisles of the show. I watched Ambassador Lisa Pavelka demonstrate her incredible polymer clay skills and her Magic Gloss products at the Amate Studios booth. Amate sells the Base Elements line of jewelry bases, links, charms and belt buckles that have the recessed areas that can be filled with any manner of materials.

I learned how to use the Hotfixer from the fine folks at the Kandi Corp. booth. I also entered a “name the new product” contest…I think I came up with 2 good suggestions, so we’ll see whether or not they select my entry. I checked out some very cool yarns shown at the Saleutions (an Australian company) booth.

Ran into Lilian Chen…seems she and I are at the same places a lot these days. It is always a delight to hang with Lilian, she is a real force of nature! Then I hung out at the JHB booth where I met Lisa Lambright. Haley Hertz and I held a floor meeting (literally, we were sitting on the floor) and she showed me some of her designs. Loved her crocheted wire cuff, simple, elegant, but packs a big punch with the color and the CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements Rivoli Button Focal and clasp. Haley is my new hero, she is talented, funny, cute as a button, full of energy, knows just about everyone in our CRYSTALLIZED™ world, and has a very, very cool job. Lisa Lambright gave me a copy of Kristal Wick’s book,  Fabulous Fabric Beads, and Kristal herself (who I have been basically stalking for five years now) signed it for me. I met Kristal five years ago at the 2006 CYS in Tucson show and I knew from the very start that this was a lady who was going places. Now she has a best selling book, her own line of fabric beads, a line of toggles that are coming out right now, and she has 2 finalist pieces this year in the K. Gottfried design contest, which she placed 3rd in last year. Go, Kristal, Go!

From left to right:  Kristal Wick, Margot Potter, Haley Hertz, Lisa Pavelka, Lilian Chen

So, exhausted, hungry and thirsty I headed back to my car at 5:45 (15 minutes after the show closed). The people who work these shows are real seasoned professionals; many of them had their booths covered and were out of there before me. They were back early the next morning while I was slowly sipping my coffee and looking over all the business cards, fliers and goodies I brought home from my 3 days in crafting heaven!

CHA, CHA, CHA* (Part I)

I went to the CHA show in Anaheim for the first time this past week...Flashback to my life's earlier sensory overloads: Sears' toy department when I was a child, Disneyland, Cirque de Soleil, New York City and Hong Kong....my overworked eyes didn't know where to focus first.

“CHA” actually refers to two shows: the Craft SuperShow and the Craft and Hobby Association 2010 Winter Convention & Trade Show. The SuperShow is a 2 day crafting extravaganza open to the public, held on January 22 & 23. On January 24, after the SuperShow closed, the Convention and Trade Show opened, and ran for 4 days.

More than 100 vendors presented products at the SuperShow and hosted “make & takes” where crafters gained hands-on experience using the latest tools and materials. Imagine your favorite big craft store, multiply it by about 30 and throw in the noise level of a professional sports event. Aisle after aisle was filled with papers, scissors, fabric, glues, containers, clays, books, paints, brushes, markers, rubber stamps, yarn, metals and tools for every imaginable craft. Oh, and glitter….glitter in every possible color and applied to every possible surface. Large groups congregated around demonstration sites and loud cheers and hoots accompanied the raffle prize drawings that seemed to occur every 15 minutes. Crafting celebrities were everywhere: conducting seminars, signing books, demonstrating products and walking the floor.

While I usually don’t last long in places with so much stimulation, I had no problem at the SuperShow. I wanted to absorb it all and store it away for later inspiration. Who knows what color, image or new gadget might provide the spark for something fabulous in a month or two. My first wander around lasted 4 hours and I never took a break from the sights and sounds.

At 7:00 on Friday I attended the Inspired at Home Pajama Party Live!, hosted by Tiffany Windsor, daughter of the famous Aleene, inventor of the super-tacky glue we all love. 100 attendees gathered around 10 tables, enjoyed their exclusive make-n-takes, made new friends and collected their SWAG. I was lucky enough to join the PLAID Enterprises table where I tried out the coolest tool: Simply Screen. This is a silk screening product used to make very professional looking designs on all types of fabrics. We applied our designs to a sleep shirt. It was so much fun to see how each person chose different parts of the design and different colors. There were plenty of raffle prizes, and lots of screaming. Our SWAG bag was a pink knit pillowcase filled with goodies.

After the party my fellow Swarovski Ambassador, June Beach and I went to the hotel for drinks, dinner and more fun. She introduced me to a crowd of industry people and we stayed up much too late gabbing at our own "Sparkle Sister" pajama party. The next morning we picked up right where we left off. Coffee, Facebook entries and some sorely needed primping occurred simultaneous with nonstop conversation. Then June whipped up a fabulous necklace because she didn’t have anything that looked “just right” with her outfit. She is such a talented designer and skilled jewelry maker, her wrapped loops are perfect! We were off to the show again; June was working and I was back to wandering around, trying to absorb even more.

And then, it happened! I met the Queen of Crafts herself, Carol Duval. OK, I about fell down when I saw her…and yes, I did the whole overwhelmed gushing fan bit with her. I’ve been a Carol Duval fan for many, many years, long before her hit TV show helped launch the HGTV network, and the careers of dozens of craft celebrities. Our Swarovski Ambassador Lisa Pavelka was a regular guest on the show.  Almost everything I know about crafting techniques I have learned from watching Carol’s show. She is just as gracious and lovely IRL as she is on TV, and she even consented to a picture of her, me and another crafting maven, Mary O’Neil.

On Saturday afternoon I taught four Needle Felting make-&-takes at the Craft-N-Spin(TM) booth. Again, so much fun and so many new friends! Before I knew it the SuperShow was over and it was time to help break down the booth and go home.



After, along with thinking about all the crafty goodness I saw, I was also thinking about how to incorporate CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements into all the new craft ideas. My new chandelier design T-Shirt that I won at the Pajama Party Live event is waiting for the addition of some Flat Backs. I think along with standard Xillion Rose shape I’ll add a few Teardrop shaped Art. 2300 and Marquise shaped Art. 2200. My needle-felting skills will be put to good use with some CRYSTALLIZED™ Yarn. So many paper crafts were being featured, and every time I saw a new paper punch design or rubber stamp I thought…Crystals…they were just missing that extra sparkle. As I watched a demonstration on a vintage technique of Hairpin Lace Crochet I thought how nice the scarf would look with a combination of Round Art. 5000, Bicone Art. 5328, Teardrop, Art. 5500, and Polygon, Art. 5203 beads on the fringed ends. And I am absolutely determined now to make some tassels with all the beautiful fibers I saw, and use my favorite Briolette pendants, Art. 6007 and 6010.

Like the SuperShow itself, I've probably overwhelmed you with information here, so I think I’ll wait to post Part II, the Trade Show. In the meantime, here are a few pictures from Saturday. I apologize for not taking more; I was so busy looking at everything I forgot to take my camera out!

                  * a special Thank You to my friend Haley for the reference.

My Make-N-Take buddies

Mike in the Craft-N-Spin booth

My new BFFs at the Pajama Party Live! Event

Setting up to blog

Well, I am finally jumping into the blogosphere and sharing how my passion for and obsession with CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements changed my life and brought me to a sparkling world where I belonged all along.

Welcome and thanks for visiting!  Whether you have come here directly, through a link on the COMMUNITY.CREATE-YOUR-STYLE.COM, Facebook, or from another blogger, I'm glad you have dropped by to visit and I hope you are comfortable here.

So why "Sparkles and Smiles"?  Two years ago I was invited to join the testing team of Swarovski's new Sparkling Community associated with their CREATE-YOUR-STYLE.COM website.  I was honored to be included and then excited to find three of my favorite teachers; Margot Potter*, Lisa Pavelka and Val Hirata, were also on the team.  I signed in, created my profile, posted a few pictures and said hello to the people I knew.  I was immediately welcomed and embraced by some of the lovliest people I have ever met.  Soon, checking in on the community was something I looked forward to every day.  I posted more designs, added details to my profile, and ventured into the Community forum, where one of our members (and now moderator), Wendy had initiated a "Daily Chit Chat".  I joined in the talk and signed my posts with "sparkles and smiles".  The phrase summed up what the community meant to me and later became what I wanted to share with the community.  Now sparkles and smiles are what I want to share with everyone I meet.

Our Sparkling Community, by the way, went live in June 2008 and has grown to over 7500 members.  If you haven't checked it out yet, please do.  It's a vibrant, international collection of designers and enthusiasts ranging from beginners to seasoned professionals.  You can read blog posts from our other CREATE YOUR STYLE Ambassadors.  I'm certain you will recognize many of them, for they comprise an exclusive network of well-known experts in the Do-It-Yourself field, have a passion for CREATE YOUR STYLE with CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements, a high level of design expertise and a strong record of conducting workshops.

So until the next time....

Sparkles and smiles,  Diane

            *Margot has a fun blog, The Impatient Crafter.  She has helped
              me countless times believe in my ability to make my wildest
              dreams come true. Check back here later and I'll tell you much
              more about Margot.