And away we go to Shop Hop.......

Vintage beads galore!



Here are Maggie, Myra, Rose, and Shirley cutting fat quarters like there is no tomorrow!!!!

Last week was very intense and full for me as I was lucky enough to work at Quiltworks NW in Bellevue (www.quiltworksnw.com).  Last fall the owner Stacy Baumeister acquired the local cool shop "Beads and Beyond".  I think that it all worked out quite nicely as she packed everything up and moved to new digs one block east of the old location to 121A 107th Avenue NE, Bellevue, Wa., 98004.  I have never seen this combination before, but I think that it is a cozy fit to say the least.  I am very grateful to Stacy and her staff for inviting me to play in her sandbox.  I went to Sew Expo this year with the Quiltworks team and did demos of the patterns I was debuting there.  It was the most fun I had had in months.

Last week was Shop Hop, a tradition among quilters.  The goal is to visit 57 independently owned fabric stores in 4 days.  I got to greet our guests as they made this stop on their long roadtrip!  Then...................coolness all around as the store to top it off had this fabulous guest jewelry artist, Gail Crosman Moore.  I was totally inspired by her designs.  And even better yet, she had all of her  makings and findings there for sale, while she taught classes.  Checkout her website at www.gailcrosmanmoore.com .


Here are the sequins.

Gail uses beads, findings, felting, and sequins for her own artistic expression that I had never seen before.  She also makes glass beads and pendents.  I love the "mat" pendents that look like shells best.  It was all very yummy.

I am getting ready for a trunk show in the Magnolia Village on Thursday, July 9th from 6-9pm at Bleu Papillon, 3315 W. McGraw, Seattle Wa, 98199, 206-284-3526.  I am working on new jewelry designs that are unique, with vintage touches and very wearable.  I will have "windowpane" pendents too.  Please come check it all out next week on Thursday!!!


Thank-you Gail for showing me a new way to create! This is one of my stacked necklaces, where the elements lie on top of each other


Gail paints her metal findings. It is so cool!

And finally, I started teaching my DIY Open Sew class at my house.  I have a great set-up in the garage for the class.  It really is working out very well.  One of my fabulous students reminded me that Microsoft and Amazon started in garages too.  Write me and I will send you a schedule to at cheryl@paradisodesigns.com.  I can only dream.  But for the moment I am having alot of fun!  Have a great day and week everyone!!! Sew Rama!


Just sewing in the garage!!!!!  Can you tell we are in the garage?