November is already here.  The days fly by and sometimes I wonder were they have gone.  I have been busy preparing for the Bizarre Bazaar November 20th at Wool St Grill in Barrington.  We should have a good crowd and hope many of you can make it.  It is from 6 to 10 so bring your friends and come and have a blast!!

Good morning friends.  The sun is shining and it's a beautiful day.  I am relishing in each fall day before you know what comes, winter!  Let me fill you in with what I have been up to.  I had a very successful art show in Evanston.  A few friends made their way to Evanston to visit.  Thanks so much Melissa and Joyce!! Also set up a few booths down from me was Linda Wallis.  We grew up in the same town and I hung out with her sissy as a kid.   I thought that was fun.  I had a great reception with my jewelry.  Women enjoyed the delicacy of it and that was very encouraging. My next show is at Starline Art Gallery in my studio.  I will be having a wonderful artist joining me.  Another home town girl, Laura Gerard.  She will be bringing her handcrafted scarves and will be set up in my studio along side me.  So mark your calendars for October 24th, Starline galleries 4th Friday event.  It goes from 6 to 10 this month.  It will be Starlines last event of the year so it will be grand.  The address is 400 front St. Harvard, Il. 60033.

Wyatt is getting so big!

So a few other things I have been up to is watching my grandson Wyatt which is pure joy.
 Recently I have been working with 22 k gold.  This is a new venture for me since I am pretty committed to working with fine silver and sterling.  A friend of mine recently called me a purist.  I thought that was pretty funny!!

This delicate piece can be found on katherinesheetz.etsy.com

Hi Everyone, I am on my way to upper Wisconsin this weekend to meet my Mothers brothers and sisters.  I'm sitting in the back seat as my sissy drives.  I just wanted to give you a heads up that my class schedule is up and running.  If you see something that you would like to schedule please contact me via email @ Katherinesbeads@gmail.com or give me a call at 815-276-3399.
Looking forward to hearing from you.  Enjoy this beautiful weekend.

Tomorrows the day! Open house at my new roost!! Come for a visit and see the new studio and workshop space. We're offering a taste of what's to come with free workshops. Silk corded necklaces at 10 and earring design through out the rest of the day. First come first served! Beads available, refreshments and work tables too, so bring your projects beause we are having a to-do!!
We are located at 400 Front st. Studio 105e and 106e, Harvard, Il. The door will be open and we are the first studios on the right!!

Starline Art Gallery

sneak peek at my studio

400 front St. Harvard

My first free workshops and open house is August 9th from 10:00 to 3:00 at my new studio at Starline Gallery at 400 Front St. studio 105e and 106e Harvard, Il. 
Saturday at 10:00 I have 8 opening to do a free silk cord class and open space thoughout the rest of the day to teach earring making with Barb Phillips as my instructor.
These classes will be on a first come first serve basis. All the supplies will be available to be purchased seperately.
Beads, supplies and Katherine's jewelry will be available for purchase too.
So come and just hang out if you would like, the coffee will be on.
The door will be open and I am the first two studios on the right!

Greeting Friends.  I have a new roost at The Starline Art Gallery in Harvard and will  have an open house in August and you will all be invited. This event  date is still pending.  In the mean time I am doing the 4th Friday Art  Gallery event this Friday July 25th from 6 to 9pm at Starline Art Gallery in Harvard and Gallery in the Garden in Woodstock Saturday and Sunday July 26th and 27th from 10 to 5pm.  I hope you can make both or either event.  I would love to see your smiling faces.
Here is the link to the Gallery in the Garden. http://galleryinthegarden.org/main.html

Shop updates and classes

I have some personal news about the shop.  We have had a long winter and my first year anniversary is coming up. Business has been sluggish and I realize as a new shop it can take a while to get re-established.  But one year has come and almost gone and unfortunately we have not turned a profit so I have made a decision to close my doors once again June 1st.  As sad as this is to me and my customers I am trying to stay positive and look at this as another stepping stone on my journey.  I will re-establish myself at Starline Factory in Harvard with a studio space to design jewelry and teach classes.
I realize Harvard is a bit of a hike for some of you but I hope you will make the journey.  Starline is a fabulous space and the atmoshpere is inspiring to say the least.
To encourage some of you to come I hope to establish what I am going to call play days.  I will teach simple classes for free with the exception of materials.  My hope is to establish a schedule every other week and possibly more depending on the interest.  Some of these classes will just be a gathering of beaders and jewelry makers alike to gather and share their passion together.  Starline is the perfect place for this because if we outgrow the studio we can use other parts of the building. So my plan is to keep you all informed with my blog and send out emails with a monthly schedule.  If you and your friends want to join a play day just text, call or email me and we will pop you on the schedule.  These classes will have 3 to 4 hour time limits with a minimum of  three people.  I think this will give us plenty of time to be leisure in our work with no time stresses.  Sounds fun huh!!
I will also offer classes for a fee that will be more advanced if there is an interest.  Classes such as wire fusing, stack ring making, pmc workshops and if other teachers are willing to make the trip possibly more advanced metal smithing classes and such.  But we will cross that road when I move. People have been asking me if I will still be selling beads.  I will still have my website with beads for sale @
www. katherinesbeads.etsy.com and what ever I have available I will be willing to sell.  So yes, I will still sell beads, findings and jewelry making materials but I will be some what limited to space.  These beads will be available on play days, class days, Fourth Fridays (4th fridays is a monthly art gallery-show established by Nancy Merkling which is the 4th friday of every month from 6 pm to 10ish) or  by appointment. 
Learn more about Nancy Merkling and 4th Fridays at www.nancymerkling.com.
So with all of this said I am going to post a few lovely pictures I have taken through the few years I was at starline.  Many of you have never been to the building and have no clue what it is.  Starline is a beautiful old factory that has been rehabbed into an art gallery and art studios.  Artists rent studio spaces to work on their medium.  Each studio is a private space for them to use as often as they wish.  They are kind of like loft style studio apartments. I hope these pictures will inspire you to come for a visit..
Thanks for your time and reading this lengthy blog post. So as I am winding down in Woodstock I will continue to have sales and continue with classes.  So keep your eyes peeled for emails.  Talk to you soon...katherine

The entrance to Starlines 4th Friday Art Gallery...

Those AC units are Studio spaces..

My old studio...

My old studio...recognize the beads??

Stairs going up to Studios..But there is a freight elevator if stairs aren't your thing..

An old 4th Friday event about 4 years ago..

..

This is my daughter Ellie and do you notice the lady in the backround.  That is Nancy Merkling.  She teaches photography classes in her studio at Starline.  Ellie and I took a class together when she was home from college two years ago.  I hope to take more soon...

A place to lounge around at Starline...

Hi Friends!! 

This Saturday Katherine's Beads is having 25% off all bead strands!! This includes freshwater pearl strands too. Come in early for the best pickins!! We open at 10:00.

Also for those of you who are just interested in jewelry come and see my newer designs!

Lots of colorful beads to choose from...

Here is a sample of my newer designs I have been working on.  This piece is a 2 inch fine silver pendant with an aquamarine gemstone hung on a sterling silver chain...

Here's a full view..

A delicate but colorful gemstone necklace..

This sweet piece is available on katherinesheetz.etsy.com or come to the shop and try her on........

We are well into February and the weather is awful.  Businesses are suffering and no one wants to venture out.  But I say don't let the winter hold you back.  This is one of the most important times to get together and have community otherwise we begin feeling depressed, sluggish and unmotivated.
We have our class schedule up and it's time to hear from some of you.  We are  ready to craft our jewelry and teach to all.  
Here is a new pair of earrings I designed with sterling silver wire and a jig. I then wired  Japanese seed beads to the frame.  They were labor intensive but fun and I was so pleased with the results.

We would love to hear from you.  We are now offering day time enameling classes with our new instructor Patricia Eagle.  Check out the class schedule on the right. Feel free to visit Patricia's web site at www.patricialynndesigns.com
Make it a great day!!!
Katherine

    Happy New Year Friends!  I hope this is reaching you in good health.  Our house was riddled with viruses this season but we are now well and ready to get back to work.  The weather has been an obstacle with cars not starting and such but it sounds as though the temperature is going up to maybe a balmy 30.
   My Class schedule is updated through March.  I also am offering a you plus two class.  If the dates on my schedule don't work for you and two friends you can choose a class and date to put on the calender.  Just give me a call or email me if you are interested in  putting something  on the schedule.
     I also plan on adding Patricia Eagle as a new day time instructor.  Updates will be posted soon.
Looking forward to seeing you at Katherine's Beads.