The Search for the Blue Sun

Once upon a time, there was a mighty leader of the great Beady Tribe. She had conquered all their foes, and her people lived in peace and happy creativity. Their world was beautiful and all were happy. There was just one little problem. The weather. The weather was brutally cold.

And so, one day, the Fearless Beader, as she was known to one and all, tired of finding her beads all frozen together yet again, stood up before her people and said "Let us away - let us search for the legendary land of sun and warmth, and escape this frozen world!"

And so, they gathered up their supplies, and a big supply of Swarovski arrows, in case they ran into dangerous wild animals or savages. It was rumoured that there were Head Hunters out there, who would shrink your head down into a magical Crystal Skull, which, while very handsome, would be awfully awkward for wearing hats.

They gathered up their most precious possesions, like their beading magazines, and set forth. They walked and walked and soon came to a field of Purple Periwinkle flowers. In the middle of the flowers was a very old woman, but who was as cute as a button, sitting with a rug-beater in her hand.

"Hola, grandmother," they called to her. "We are on a great journey to find a warm land. Where do you know that is good?" And the old woman sat for a while and thought and spat apple pips into the meadow. "I think you need to find the land of the Swarovski Sun," she finally said.

"Tell us, grandmother - where do we find the mighty Swarovski Sun?"

"Well," she said, "I don't rightly know, but I know someone you can ask. You'll have to travel through the Smokey Mauve Mountains to the Crystal Volcano. There you will have to find the tall, thin bread people, and ask their leader where to find the mighty Swarovski Sun." And she waved her hand rather vaguely to the east to indicate they should go that way.

So they traveled and traveled. They came to the magical fields of Provence Lavender / Chrysolite Blend. They continued to travel, until they came to the Crystal / Montana Sapphire mountains. "We must be getting close," they all murmured.

But alas, they were only at the foothills of the Smokey Mauve Mountains. They walked and walked, and walked some more. They walked across the Crystal Sahara. They hiked across the plains of Matte African Turquoise.


Nobody was cold anymore, but now they were just too stubborn to quit.



Eventually, they spotted the massive Crystal Volcano - towering over the plains. "We have to climb that?" they wondered, milling around at the bottom of the volcano.

Just as they were putting on their climbing boots, a group of tall graceful people came out of the trees. They were very tall and thin and moved easily through the trees. The Fearless Beader strode out to meet them, wincing a little as they had been walking a very long time and her feet hurt.

"Greetings! I am the Fearless Beader, and we come in peace. We are here to find the leader of the Bread People and ask them where to find the land of the Mighty Swarovski Sun."
The tall thin people stood and stared at her in amazement, and then started to laugh. They laughed and laughed and laughed. They laughed so hard they fell on the ground and rolled about. Sometimes they stopped, and pointed, and then started to laugh again. Finally, they got it together long enough to say, "Mon dieu, we are the Queen Baguettes!" And then they started to laugh again.

At this point, even the Fearless Beader had to laugh. The tall thin bread people indeed! Oh, if she were ever to meet that old woman again! Soon they were all laughing together, laughing until they were out of breath and sitting on the ground under the trees.
"OK," she finally had the breath to say, "All kidding aside. We're looking for the mighty Swarovski sun so that we can live in the Crystal Paradise Shine."

"Ah," the Queen Baguettes nodded. "You want the Bermuda Blue Sun!" All of the Swarovski suns are there!
So the Fearless Beader and the Beady Tribe walked to the local village, and caught a bus to the airport and boarded a plane that took them to the bright Bermuda Blue Sun. And there they lived happily every after, beading on the warm sunny beaches and drinking Pina Coladas. And no one ever walked anywhere ever again.

Not Quite the End. 

If you are thinking about learning a new technique or building on a new one, you don't have to walk halfway around the world to do it. Just drop by our Meet the Teachers event this Saturday, January 10, from 11 to 4. Meet the instructors, see some examples of the kinds of work they do, ask some questions and see first-hand the great projects they have planned for you!

You can sign up for classes on the spot, and as a bonus, for each class you register for, you will receive a draw ballot toward a $25 gift certificate. One class = one ballot; two classes = two ballots, and so on! There will be lots more fun and surprises too!

Saturday, January 10, 2015
11:00am to 3:00pm

The following instructors will be available:

• Angela Peace (knotting and fiberwork);
• Amy Waldman-Smith (lampworking);
• Anne Marie Desaulniers (mixed media);
• Jen Rosen (wirework);
• Deborah Beesley (beadwork with wire);
• Pamela Kearns (beadwork);
• Bonni Poch (beadwork and wirework);
• Dawn Liu-Smyth (fiberwork/felting);
• Cindy Goldrick (metal work);
• Maria Rypan (beadwork);
• Deb Muss (lampworking);
• Liz Reynolds (metal clay);
• Dwyn Tomlinson (lampworking);
• Christine Woollacott (champlevé and cloisonné);
• Nadine Foskin (beadwork and wirework);
• Jane Doidge (wirework);
• Kelly Garland (beadwork and metal work);
• Nadine Foskin (beadwork and wirework).

So click on a link or an image to go directly to the items, or review all the new items here!