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Written by Dara Spiotto
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Monday, 20 August 2007 |
 Dear Beady,
I work full time and when I get home I'm just too tired to work on my beading. How am I ever going to get any of it done? I'm attempting to make birthday gifts, so I've got a deadline! Help! Fatigued Feet in Miami
Dear Fatigued,
Take those tired tootsies and plunge them into a large, deep pan of size 11.0 seed beads. They'll feel cool and each little bead will massage your weariness away. Soon you'll be zipping earrings and bracelets off at the speed of light! Oh, and a margarita might help, too. But remember, don't drink and bead. You could end up with unintentional freeform.
Dear Beady,
I'm going blind. I like to do my beading at night in front of the TV. I can't miss my shows, and yet, each day I must work on my beading projects. I don't know what makes me happier: The Food Network and Comedy Central or semi-precious stones and Czech glass. So I sit at my table and watch TV and then try to re-focus my eyes on my project, only to have George Carlin or Emeril pop up on the tube and pull my attention away again. I'm in a perpetual haze of blurry eyesight. Is there a solution for me? Thanks, Sightless in Seattle
 Dear Sightless,
I feel your pain. Each morning I try to watch the news while I wire wrap vintage glass into multi-strand bracelets. I figure the news is boring enough to prevent me from glancing at the tube, and yet I can't peel my eyes off the news anchors jewelry! What stunning works of art! I end up tossing my wire aside and sketching as fast as I can to get the ideas down. My advice: turn off the TV and pop in Harry Potter on CD. Join the rest of the world in Potter-Mania and you'll be chugging out jewelry faster than you can say, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
 Dear Beady,
I want to be a jewelry designer and sell my work. I sell stuff spontaneously right off my body so I know my stuff is good. The problem is that I'm tired of driving to Los Angeles to get my beads! In order to make a profit, I need to get the lowest bead prices I can, so I think the best prices are in LA. Where can I get cheap beads? Lemme know, Frugal in Pasadena
Dear Ridiculous,
Hello?!?!! Do you know that gas is currently $3.50 a gallon? Are you unconscious when you pay $2.00 for only 10 minutes of parking in the Bead District of LA?? And you think you're keeping your costs down because you're saving four cents per bi-cone? Tsk. Tsk. Honey. Wake up and smell the Thread Heaven. Go to your local bead store. Get good quality beads at reasonable prices right in your neighborhood. And instead of spending all afternoon stuck on the 10 freeway in gridlock, take that class on the Byzantine Bracelet you've been itching to learn. And then you can stock up on jump rings while you're at it. Voila! Problem solved.
 Dear Beady,
Whenever I give a hand made bead gift to someone they almost always bring it back to me for a repair. I'm thinking of charging them to fix it. What do you think? Frances Fishingline
Dear Frances,
You've got to jump on the Soft Flex bandwagon, Missy! I mean, fishing line, come on! You've been reading Marla Gassner's book, The Bead and I , haven't you? Well, its 2007 my dear and did you know that in 3007 your jewelry may be non-existent because you're using fishing line? I suggest you rush to www.beadinpath.com and pick up some Soft Flex in bulk. You'll never have to repair jewelry again and your loved ones who receive your jewelry will thank you. And so will Edna Starshine who'll be wearing one of your necklace sets to a party on Venus in 3019.
Dear Beady,
I have a terrible habit of hurrying to clean up my bead space, and in the process I usually pour my seed beads back into the wrong color tube. My chocolate gets into my peanut butter, if you know what I mean. I don't have hours of spare time to pick out all the beads that don't belong in each tube. My beads are a mess. Please guide me. Sloppy Me in Birmingham
Dear Sloppy,
I have 3 words for you: Confetti Bead Mix. Oh, and 4 more words: Buy new seed beads. 'Nuff said.
 Dear Beady,
My husband is furious at me. I like to sit on the couch and bead, and sometimes my needle gets away from me and falls. Then I have a terrible time finding it and so I just get a new one. I don't want to waste my beading time searching for a needle in my shag carpet. Well, my husband has a knack for finding my needles, with his TOES! He says he's tired of being my pin cushion. What to do??? Clumsy in Cleveland
Dear Clumsy,
You certainly married a Saint! I don't know any man that would put up with that. I'm talking about your shag carpet. It has to go. Get something in a solid color and with low pile in a dark color so your needles will show up better. I think it's natural to make home decor choices that accommodate our beading. Don't you?
Do you have a question for Beady? Well, send it along and I'll do my best to help you out. Until then, my work here is done. Bead on! |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 24 August 2007 )
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