Working on Bead Dreams Project

Well, I have started working on my Bead Dreams project for this year.  I wanted to give you a sneek peek a the colors I would be using.  I love to use Montees and plan to do my whole project with them.  Who knows if the piece will even get accepted but I can leave the project knowing that I gave it my all.

Along with my Bead Dreams project, I have been working on projects for Februarys Class Schedule.  I thought I would go ahead and post a few pics of some of the projects for you to see.  I have been really struggling with class projects this year.  In 09 I sent out a survey to my email customers to fill out.  One of the questions was "Do you take classes at our store and if not why?"  One response has really rubbed me wrong since the person sent it in and I don't really know why.  The person said that they do not attend classes  because we don't offer any classes except seed bead classes and they are not interested in that.  I try to have a good balance in my classes with seed beads and wire and then every once in awhile a mixed media class.    I guess she either doesn't like the other classes we offer or she doesn't look at the class schedule. I don't really know why this has upset me though because this person has never even been to a class at my store that I recall.  Whatever the reason it got me to thinking about myself and my store.  Since I have started beading I have had a love affair with Seed Beads.  I love them and think they are fantastic.  I love what you can do with them and I love all of their possibilities.  I love the fact that they come in every color you could possibily imagine. Thus being the reason I carry a ton of seed beads in my store.  A majority of my customers love seed beads too.  I do, however, try to keep a good stock of all things beads in my store for people who don't like to use seed beads.  As a bead store do we brand ourselves into a certain type of store?  One of our other local bead stores seems to offer a majority of wire working classes.  Are they branded as a Wire Working store?  Do people complain that they never have any classes except wire classes? Who knows?  I love my store and I love what I do.  If I didn't do my seed bead work I wouldn't enjoy my work at all. I love to make pretty shiny things and although others might not like to do the same I still try to oblige them and their creative outlets.   I have come to one conclusion...I must trudge on and continue to do what I love or Off The Beaded Path will be no more.  We are in the process of re-branding ourselves and this will take a few months.  Until then...you can continue to expect the same exceptional classes that you have come to love at Off The Beaded Path!