Meetups

Do you "meetup"? When I first encountered Magpie Gemstones, owner Szarka talked about meetups and I thought that was just her Canadian adaptation of some other word. Then I learned that meetups are a good thing.

Sometimes people bring new beads to a meetup and query how others think they might use them in designs. It's a great way to get ideas and gather enthusiasm for a project. For example, have you seen the fetish necklaces at Magpie Gemstones? I've gathered all manner of ideas for how to use the fetishes from the necklaces for new designs. One year a meetup buddy suggested I use them for key fob embellishments. I shudder to think how many of those I made and sold. Now I'm repeatedly taking them apart to make multistrand necklaces like the one shown below. Just think of all you can do with these. You can, of course, just leave the necklace alone and wear it! You'll get many comments about it! They are temporarily strung on string so one day they will probably come aprt but that's ok since then you get to make something new!

How about showing your meetup friends what you can do with beads from the multistones strand? These are rather inexpensive and can stand alone in a piece or be divied up into multiple designs. They are especially nice in earrings because the variety of stones makes the earrings quite versatile. I like to dangle several different stones from a jump ring and simply attach that to an earwire. Why not put several on a piece of chain and hang that from an earwire?

Unplanned learning also often occurs at a meetup. Perhaps one person brings a "show and tell" piece and people wonder how in the world it was created. This may lead to an impromptu explanation/demonstration of a particular weaving or other technique followed by attempts by others to recreate it. If you want, you can "meetup" with Magpie Gemstones right there at your computer and watch an online tutorial or read and view photos in one of our "how to" articles." http://www.magpiegemstones.com/tutorials_1.html Don't forget to send us a note if there's something you would like to see added to our collection of tutorials and information. We'd prefer to write about your interests rather than our own.

Meetups can be at a person's home, a craft store classroom, the corner coffee shop or most anywhere. You just need to set a date and time and invite folks. From two to 20, a meetup is a purposeful way to socialize and share ideas. Don't forget to take along some Magpie Gemstones to your next gathering! (and Szarka always brings her big cup of coffee!)

I'm still wondering if "meetup" is Canadian. What do you think?

. . . meeting up to support your bead needs, we are Magpie Gemstones.