The 23rd annual Creativ Festival
“Where shopping, inspiration and
creativity flourish!”
The Creativ Festival was held this past weekend from Oct 22-24th and JohnBead was there!
It’s where you go to get in-the-know and stay on top of what’s hot, what’s new and what’s next in the world of sewing, knitting, quilting, beading, needlework, rug hooking, fibre arts, paper crafts and other creative art forms.
Formally known as the creative sewing and needlework festival, the event has come some ways from it’s origin. Guests had a wider variety of creative outlets to admire. Though this wasn’t specifically a BEAD event, Swarovski Ambassadors Laura Timmons and Stephanie Dixon held make and takes as well as classes. The show also featured Nick Regine who shared 25 years of Jewellery manufacturing experience as he showed guests how easy it is to use Hot Fix Swarovski Element Flatbacks. Guests embellisehd a denim pouch with the BeJeweler Stone Styler. Kim, key account manager of Swarovski Elements, provided valuable insights and an exceptional overview of the company, their products, applications and trends that benefits both retailers and consumers alike.
Our Sales Manager Lynda got to take a class and had this to say;
“I had a fabulous time at the show on the weekend. If you want to get inspired then you must take a workshop with the fabulous duo, Kim Paquette and Nick Regime, instructors from Swarovski. Kim was awesome as usual ,giving us valuable insights and showing trends that were very inspiring. Nick came up with great ways to apply Swarovski elements to fabric, glass, wood and Plexiglas. He had some great ideas and unique techniques with working with crystals.
They were awesome!
So if you ever see them at a show you must stop by and see them in action!” -Lynda.
A variety of Bead related Classes were showcased;
J
ewellery & Accessory Design (25) All Levels-3 hour workshop
Guests worked with Swarovski Elements exploring the varity of techniues and discored various ways of setting stones. With different types of glue, epoxy clay, ultravilet and hot fix gluing techniques to create and embellish jewllery and accessories.
Pearl Knotting (25) All Levels- 2 hour workshop
Guests learnt the proper technique of pearl knotting to ensure high quality end results.
Jewellery & Accessory Design for Retailers – 3 hour workshop
The class was restriced to retailers and designers. They learnt new techniques to embellish and design jewellery and accessories using Swarovski Elements.
On our Saturday exploration of the show, we came across many beautiful works of art. There was a handful of booths representing Bead Stores ;
ACC
…just to name a few.
Marilyn Gardiner had some wonderful kits ready with all the beads and findings as well as full instructions you’d need. She has various chainmaille designs and beadwork. Melanie from our inside sales team and Dorthe, from our purchasing department both did a make and take with Marilyn and made themselves some lovely earrings with the chainmaille technique.
The Girls and I also fell in love with Karibu Beads (Kazuri Beads from Kenya). Not only do the beads have a great story but they are trully beautiful and individually unique. Full of color and magic Kazuri was founded in 1975. The now established factory employs disadvantaged single women and trains them to produce these unique clay beads and jewellery. Kazuri is a member of the World Fair Trade Federation.
One of the other fun things I picked up at the show was a fur necklace made of sheared beaver yarn made by Paula Lishman from Fur Yarn. It’s so nice and warm ,I love it for the coming fall season.
Scrapbooking and stamping seemed to have grown in popularity. The show was full of the latest and greatest sewing, knitting machines as well as the dedicated work of handcrafted knits and quilts.
Donna from our customer service team said it best;
“A veritable feast for the creative soul! A cornucopia of colour and inspiration!” -Donna
-Lilla
