1998 - a weekend that changed my life

I was visiting my daughter in Portland, OR. She was in college at Pacific University. And we planned to hang out in Portland for the weekend. I had some time to kill before she arrived, and I noticed that there was a convention close by called Embellishment: the Bead and Button Show. Here is how it was described…

If original decorative accessories give you a rush, head to Portland to the Embellishment: The Bead and Button Show.. This is where you can learn how to embellish shoes and handbags, how to make jewelry, or check out offerings from more than 100 exhibitors. Glass beadmaking, making pins from found objects, and fashion shows are all on the schedule.

So I went. And I fell in love with glass beads.

Eventually the show moved to Milwaukee, WI. It became affiliated with the Bead and Button Magazine which was owned by Kalmbach Media because Milwaukee was their headquarters. And from 2000 until 2020 the Bead and Button Show attracted beaders and jewelry makers from around the world. It’s where I sold my lampworked beads for years, went to take classes, and hang out with friends, and of course buy beads. In 2020 out of the blue the magazine closed and the convention died.

Every year they gave all attendees a colorful bag. I still have my collection.