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 Beads and Hearts
by Alice Korach
I just returned from Tucson. I’m a living testimony that you can have a marvelous time at the biggest bead show(s) in the world and spend almost no money. In the past, I always committed horrible assaults on my checkbook and credit cards, so I was worried about how I’d deal with the fact that I currently have no disposable income. It was OK. I bought beads from three artists I plan to profile in upcoming months so I would have something beautiful to inspire me as I write, and I bought one other bead – a beautiful example of James Jones’ latest work and shockingly inexpensive -- just because. I needed three things for the DVD we’ll be shooting in the spring, and that was it for my expenditures.
I’d also never worked fulltime in a booth, so I gained some valuable experience working with Tonette to promote the Bead Bugle. Be nice to those people behind the table. Their feet hurt – a lot – but they keep smiling and happily talking about beads to anyone who will listen. A kind word is almost as good as a purchase and sometimes better if it’s heartfelt.
But I think that the most wonderful thing about getting to the Tucson shows was seeing my old friends, both known and unknown. The beadmakers and suppliers were wonderful, and it was such a treat to get to visit with them as one of themselves rather than as someone who might be able to grant the deepest desire of their hearts. It was great to hear so much positive feedback from the many people who are enjoying the Bead Bugle, and I saw lots of beautiful beadwork that I hope you’ll get to see on the Bead Bugle soon. It was also lovely to chat with people who had enjoyed my work at Bead&Button and to reassure them that I’m part of this community for life. To make a long story short, bead people are the best. Being around thousands of them can’t help but make you happy, and I was (and still am) very, very happy.
 Being at the Best Bead Show from Tuesday through Sunday made it difficult to get over to the Whole Bead Show, where I used to stay, but I did manage to spend the last morning visiting with all my old friends there. That’s when I saw this mother-of-pearl “tsunami” bead that Marilyn Berg of MB Beads had made to raise money for “Beads of Hope.” It’s a rectangle, 33x25mm, with TSUNAMI engraved on the front. The money raised goes to the Jamie Moyer Foundation to benefit an orphanage in Sri Lanka. Marilyn was very apologetic that her business logo had been engraved on the back; the supplier misunderstood her directions. You can have one or more of these beautiful pearl plaques for a donation of $5 or more each. Order them at www.MBBeads.com. Marilyn will also post some jewelry examples using the beads by the middle of February. Bead people truly are the best, and Marilyn is one of the biggest hearted of us all. Be sure to take a look at what she is doing in her Beads of Hope project when you go to her website.
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