Rain, Rain, go away!

Today felt like the longest day! With the rain, you couldn't get out and do anything! It was a great time to bead but I didn't even have the time to do that! We have been very busy at the store getting everyone ready for their christmas projects and getting the store ready for more great beads and findings. I am working with some new distrubutors who are sending me some awesome stuff! I am focusing on altered jewelry, personalized jewelry, soldering, and cold connection supplies. I want to carry stuff that no one else in the county has! I'm sure it won't last long though because someone always has to jump on the bandwagon!

Anyways, not only are we getting in some awesome new stuff but I have been busy working on some top secret projects for January and February. There is one that I can't wait for you guys to see!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

My life is beads but every once in awhile I try something new and I have to pass it on. Tonight I tried a new recipe for Broccoli Cheese Soup. If you like Broccoli Cheese Soup you will love this recipe.

Ingredients:
3 cans (14 1/2 fluid ounces each) reduced sodium chicken broth
2 packages (16oz each) frozen cut broccoli
1 small onion coarsely chopped ( I don't like onion so i left this out)
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 1/2 cups dry Nestle Cranation Instant Nonfat Dry Milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup shredded chedder cheese
shredded chedder cheese (optional)

Heat broth in a large saucepan to boiling. Add Broccoli, onion, and garlic. Return to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until broccoli is tender. Remove from heat;

Combine dry milk, water, and flour in medium bowl; mix well. Stir into soup; season with salt and pepper if desired. Heat through. Add 1 cup cheese. Stir over low heat until melted. Sprinkle with additional cheese.

If you guys try this recipe, let me know what you think!

Beading Excursion

I love going to Bead Stores. Not only do I love looking at the beads but it gives me great ideas about how to display things, new project ideas, customer service do's and don'ts, etc. Well, Friday my friend Kim and I went on a bead store excursion and on the way home it gave me a really great idea. When I travel around to bead stores all over the state I am going to write a review about the store here on my blog so that you guys will know which one's to visit and which one's to skip. I will tell you about the store, what I loved about it, what was bad about it, and how their prices were.

On Friday we first went to the greatest eclectic stamping and paper store called Random Arts in Saluda NC. It was the cuttest little store I have ever been in. It had a great entrance and when you go into the store it is an artist's heaven. And the staff.....you can't get any nicer than these ladies! They knew how to run a store! They were very friendly and they had great product knowledge. They also helped to advertise other businesses on their block. They gave us some great recommendations for lunch and they told us about a few other businesses in their town. I love this because having a business in a small town, we have to help each other and advertise for each other. Word of mouth is the strongest advertising you can get.

From there we went to "My Garden Of Beadin" in Hendersonville. This is a really cute bead store that specializes in Vintage Beads and Findings. The store is small but they have a lot of stuff in it. They carry Swarovski and some chech glass beads. There prices are reasonable and the staff was nice. I saw a Montee ring that I loved and they allowed me to sit and make the ring while Kim was shopping. The only problem with the store is parking. There is a large parking lot at the end of the block but it was full and we had to drive around and wait for someone to leave so that we could get their space. Don't let parking keep you away though, because this is a bead store everyone should visit at least once.

I hope you guys enjoy this new blog idea. Also, be sure to check out my website at www.offthebeadedpathbeadstore.com because we have added a new contest for January! And remember, as of today there are only 17 more days until Christmas!

The Perspective of My Life: (Kelly Dale aka. queenofbling)
This first picture was taken around lunch and it is my work space. I was working on making a needle case holder for a class sample.

This is my favorite thing to eat for lunch at my favorite Coffee Shop called "The Daily Grind." It is a grilled cheese. It has 2 different kinds of cheese on it and it tastes great! It is supposed to be an "adult" grilled cheese with mayo and tomatos but I don't like either on my grilled chesse so I just get it plain.

This picture was taken around 10:00am. It is a small glimpse at what I see in my bead store called Off The Beaded Path. If you can't tell, I love purple!

This is a picture of the fountain in down town Forest City North Carolina USA. This fountain is right across from my husbands shop. It is one of the things that People love about our town. During Prom season all the prom goer's like to have their pictures taken in front of the fountain.

This is one of my favorite things to look at.....naked trees. This is a fruit tree in my back yard and I get to look at it every morning when I get into the car.

I was searching the internet this week and I found a great article on bead trends for fall and winter. Here is what it says:

Bead trends: Colors for fall and winterExpect to see lots of black beads and crystals showing up on necklaces, earrings, and even attached to clothing. Black is always a strong color going into the winter months and it appears to be even stronger this season. Another bead color to watch are fiery carnelian beads and stones which will make a dramatic statement around the holiday season. Expect red to have a strong presence this fall and winter both in fashion and in the world of jewelry. With the emphasis on purple in the world of fashion, amethyst will make a strong showing along with labradorite, a multicolored stone with purple and blue undertones. Blue is also an emerging color trend which will bring lapis into the forefront along with sodalite. You'll see these colors emphasized not only in semiprecious beads and stones but in glass and crystal beads as well.

Bead trends: The return of gold Although silver beads and pendants are still strong, gold and gold toned beads and jewelry is making a strong comeback overseas. Gold provides a beautiful contrast to the fiery carnelian and red shades that will be so popular this fall and winter. You'll also see a renewed interest in copper beads and pendants in keeping with the focus on red tones. Silver beads will continue to be important as they bring out the beauty of purple and blue stones and provide a contrasting background for black. Choose the metal that flatters your hair and face and you can't go wrong.

Beads trends: Long or layered beaded necklaces

Hope this helps you a litte bit when you are working on your jewelry in the upcoming weeks!

Swap Bot Earrings

I love to get things in the mail and that is why I love Swap-Bot. I joined an Earring Swap a few weeks ago and these 2 pairs have come in for me. I love to see what all people create. The small telephone earrngs are handmade of polymer clay. The orange one's are vintage earrings. They are both cute but the orange one's might be a bit too big for me. I know...Can't believe I said that can you?

Who knows though, they might go great with something that I own.

I am also in a Christmas card swap and the cards I have gotten have been really interesting. I got one from Portugal the other day and it was really interesting. I love to see how other people from other countries celebrate Christmas.

Be sure to check back one day this week because I am in a swap where I take pictures for one day of the world from my perspective. (What I see everyday.) I am really looking foward to that one! Also, I am going to try to post a new jewerly project this week!

Love this website!

Hello fellow Bead Geeks:

My mom and I went to the Southern Christmas Show this past friday and there was one vendor that I was absolutely smitten with. It was a company called Sweet Tees. (http://www.sweetteesbling.com/index.html) You have to check out their website! They use the Hot Fix Crystal Flat Backs and they design T-shirts, hats, aprons, etc. with these crystals. They have some really cute stuff! I instantly came home and started looking for the tool to add the crystals with. Come to find out my main distributor had them all the time I just never paid attention to them. I have some Hot Fix Crystals and Tools coming next week and I plan on doing a try-it-tuesday demo on them next month. This could take some of you to the next level on your beading! My husband said that once I get my hands on it nothing will be safe. I offered to do his Next Level Gamez logo in crystals but for some reason he wasn't too keen on the idea. Oh well, my first project is going to be a T-Shirt for me with the store's name on it. I'll let you know how I like it as soon as they come in~!