OK, I was overly optimistic when I thought we would have everything ready on Wednesday night or Thursday before noon at the latest.  I really wanted a night to rest up, so we’d be fresh, excited, and bushy-tailed Friday morning. 

“Overly optimistic” is a bit of an understatement.  “Wildly disconnected from reality” might be a bit more accurate.  At best, we’ll be excited.  Maybe a little punchy from being up too late too many nights in a row.  Definitely not bushy-tailed.

Thank heavens for Cafe Brazil, they’re keeping me vertical at this point.

Oh!  I forgot! 

As part of our Grand Opening Celebration, we’ll give everyone 20% off everything in the store except for sterling silver, gold and vermeil, and books. 

See you this weekend! 

After a truly herculean effort, all but 17 bags of seed beads have been put in tubes in only 4 days.  Thanks to all of our incredible volunteers, especially those of you that came all 4 days.  Especially Marilou and Chris, who stayed to the bitter end, only leaving when Mary said “Enough!  We’re done!” at 7:45 Sunday night.

You wonderful, amazing, FABULOUS women put beads into more than 10,000 tubes.  Nearly 1200 different colors and shapes.  That’s an awful lot of beads, people!!!

We can’t thank you enough, and for all you who are going no miss our Grand Opening Celebration to attend the Bead Retreat in Shreveport, be careful, have fun, and we promise to save some for you after you get back!

And for all of you who aren’t going to Shreveport, we’ll see you next weekend!! 

And to be perfectly honest, those remaining 17 bags are awfully boring colors.  Sad but true.  

Thanks!  A million times, Thanks!

We worked long and hard, both Saturday and Sunday.  We tubed all kinds and sizes of seed beads, including some of the fabulous new cuts and Aiko beads!

But don’t worry, there are still plenty of them left, and we’ll be back next weekend, doing it all again!

Thanks eversomuch to all the wonderful volunteers, we love ALL of you!

As Mary says – “Woo-Hoo!”

Well, I was planning to take a picture of the new store after we finished the floors and trim, all brand new and shiny, to compare to the “before” pictures of the space when we rented it.

I was going to take those pictures this afternoon.  Then Mary came over with endless boxes of tubes, wall pegs, and bins!  Really, vast amounts of this stuff!  Like 16 gynormous heavy boxes of wall pegs.  And 9 huge boxes of tubes for seed beads!  Soooooo many! 

It seemed a bit much to take a picture of a piled-up mess of mashed boxes, so I just skipped it.  At least we all know we’ll have plenty of beads to work on this weekend, and tubes to put them in.

There are still a few spots left, if anyone wants to help!

The new Artful Bead has floors now, so we’re willing to let out the address:

• Artful Bead  
• 2501 N. Josey Lane, Suite 116
• Carrollton, TX 75006
• Phone number 972-242-8949

It’s on the south-west corner of Josey Lane and Trinity Mills/George Bush Turnpike.  (There’s an exit for Josey on Geo. Bush, but you don’t have to use the tollway!) Catty-corner from the Target shopping center, and across Josey from Cafe Brazil.  When you see Shipley’s Donuts from Josey, turn in!  It says “Beads” above the door. 

Mapquest and Google maps are right about the address, but Microsoft’s seems to be a bit off. 

Now I have to get the back door painted and the bathroom floor cleaned up.  I’m running out of time! 

Updated Sunday 

Here’s who I have down so far.  Mornings are 9AM – 2PM, afternoons are 2 – 6 or 7PM, whenever we loose it.  Don’t worry if you come later and leave earlier or later, it’s not that organized.  If I’ve got you down for a time you can’t do, email info@artfulbead.com or leave a comment.

Saturday July 19th – Morning

• Marilou P
• Chris P
• Carol K
• Denise M
• Dianne D
• Patty C
• Shelly T
• Celeste H

Saturday July 19th – Afternoon

• Chris P
• Denise M
• Dianne D
• Carolyn H
• Patty C
• Shelley T
• Celeste H

Sunday July 20th – Morning

• Marilou P
• Chris P
• Carol K
• Dianne D
• Shelley T
• Celeste H
• Teresa S

Sunday July 20th – Afternoon

• Sandy T
• Dianne D
• Carolyn H
• Shelley T
• Celeste H
• Teresa S

Saturday July 26th – Morning

• Marilou P
• Chris P
• Carol K
• Denise M
• Dianne D
• Patty C
• Teresa S
• Celeste H

Saturday July 26th – Afternoon

• Chris P
• Denise M
• Dianne D
• Patty C
• Carolyn H
• Teresa S
• Jan V
• Celeste H

Sunday July 27th – Morning

• Marilou P
• Chris P
• Carol K
• Dianne D
• Patty C
• Teresa S
• Celeste H

Sunday July 27th – Afternoon

• Sandy T
• Dianne D
• Carolyn H
• Patty C
• Teresa S
• Jan V
• Celeste H

We can deal with 10 – 12 at a time, so we still have LOTS OF ROOM!!! 

Still no pictures to show you, but as of today, we have half the slatwall up, the bathroom finished, and all but 4 of the ceiling tiles replaced!  So we’re on track for our Grand Opening on August First and Second!!!  Brenda spent over 2 hours scraping paint, tape, and gum (?! gum?) off the windows, so they’re nice and shiny.  And we won’t try to figure out why anyone stuck gum on the window a long time ago. 

I’ll try to post the schedule for the tubing parties tomorrow night, now I have to update the class schedule.  Sorry!  Please feel free to say mean things about me, and about my general level of incompetence.  (It’s all true, I know it is.  I’m going to eat worms now.)