Bangles + Friends = FABULOUS FUN!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I've got some really talented and amazing friends in my stamp club. Everyone had such a good time last night, and as usual, I had more fun than anyone.

When it came time for show & tell I started pulling out all these finished bangles, looking for honest assessment, and of course I got it. Some people like color on the inside of the bangle; some don't. Some like it on the edges; some don't. Trust me, if you ever work as a designer, involve all your artistic friends! They know what works and what doesn't, and after months working on bangles, you tend to lose sight of a specific design because your studio is filled with too many options. Translation: the more I looked at some of them, the more I grew to question what I was thinking when I made them. So passing them around a table with 8 very creative, artsy gals touching and turning and truly examining them, you get valuable feedback.

I could do a MasterCard commercial!

Cleaning the studio to prepare for guests: Zero Dollars

Passing around your artwork for one and all to see: Zero Dollars

Finding out which bangles are going to CHA: Priceless!!

And now for the really funny part of last night's fun... We decided which bangle should be a make & take at the show and yes, everyone was willing to get inky and give it a try. Sizes were selected, ink colors were chosen, and in less than 2 minutes they were finished. And there I stand, with my mouth open, thinking that went really fast. Which is good for a make & take if you've got a crowd, or even if you're trying to attract one.

So I asked if they'd mind doing a different technique, and of course everyone's willing, so they grab a second bangle, and select 2 colors of ink. Now this is what makes these gals priceless: they're anxious to experiment and try their own ideas, even if the end result is less than what they hoped, or in some cases, far better than I imagined. These are not "cookie cutter" gals who mimic what the next person is doing. No Way! They play designer and just like me, they're getting inky and having fun doing it. Now this one took far longer to complete. Doesn't mean it was a bad thing, or that it can't be done as a make & take; just means it's best to do when things are slow in the booth.

I'm kicking myself today for not taking pictures last night. I wish all of you could've seen the fun we were having. It was like one of my guinea pig classes where students are subjected to a mock class and I'm pleased to announce that everyone made me proud and left with 2 bangles.

My plan for next month's meeting is to share something I learned at CHA in someone else's make & take. Now doesn't that sound exciting?