The Creative Connection and the Torse Bead

This past week I was in Minneapolis for the Creative Connection Event - organized by Jo Packham, Nancy Soriano and a handful of other talented people - Amy Butler was a keynote speaker as well as MaryJane Butters and Ree Drummond. There were hundreds of women from all over the United States that came to craft, shop, eat and learn about the creative side of business. I taught a couple of different classes - including a three-strand necklace workshop where I introduced my new favorite bead...the torse bead. Used as military adornment beads on epaulets during the French Revolution, torse, which means twist in French, are small 2mm gold plated beads with a nice size hole for beading. Marcia, of Tinsel Trading, laughed every time she was in the room and I introduced the petite bead to my class - I think she figured the beads were made in India last month - and I am getting all excited over nothing. But these little beads are a big deal - having survived the last 200 years - they are the perfect accent bead for vintage-inspired jewelry. I felt the same way about the Creative Connection - after spending the last twenty years working in a creative industry, like jewelry making, it is exciting to be a part of a community that is now celebrating the business of craft.