Day 1 – 2014 So. Cal. Bead Shop Hop – Store #1 – Creative Castle, Newbury Park

2014-So-Cal-Bead-Shop-Hop--1-Newbury-Park

After my traditional “Date Day” where I rescue my husband from work-related lunchtime company emergencies, I headed off to my first stop on the Bead Shop Hop kickoff day – aptly, it is store #1 in Newbury Park, CA. 1-Creative-Castle This is a very familiar store to me and they know my face by now as it is one of two I hit for my delica bead supplies. They easily have the second largest selection in the Los Angeles (and maybe Ventura) area. I was greeted warmly by the staff and quickly signed up under the guise of “passport #9”, with them as my starting store and my home store. Home store designations are important as that is where they send any and all prizes you win for store hopping for the three weekends. Here are the quick stats on what you can expect at Creative Castle when you hit it on your Shop Hop:

Theme – The Secret Life of Bees.

Charm – a silver bee. Goodies – honey sticks, gift baskets you can win.

Discounts – 10% off your purchase today and they’ll punch your key tag. Gifts with purchase – Spend $15, receive Level 1 bag, Spend #35, receive Level 2 bag.

Since this is a store I go to a lot (Date Day is a weekly thing and this store is 12 minutes away from the husband’s work, thus a dangerous combination), I had no idea what I was going to get when I went in. Luckily, they were having a Trunk Show. 1---beyond-beadery-trunk-show Beyond Beadery was in town and it was a two-edged sword. Good for all the goodies I picked up, a bad hit for the pocket book, especially for my first store where I was hoping to spend conservatively. HA! It would only be a yardstick for the average amount I would be spending the at each store the entire weekend. Sadly, because the store makes no money on Trunk Shows (it all goes to the visiting vendor), my keychain got no punches and I got no gift bag, BUT I did get the sticker in the book and their tiny little bee charm just for showing up. On to the haul from Beyond Beadery via Creative Castle: 1---bead-haul

Top left – brass flat-backed Victorian butterfly, Czech Glass Dragonfly button, Rauten Rose Oval flat-backed Cabochons, Sun Swirl Oval Dagger Beads.

Middle – a hank of Vintage size 13 Watermelon Sherbet-Colored Charlotte Cut Seed Beads, size 15 Blue Metallic Iris Charlotte Cut Seed Beads, 2-hole Triangle Purple Metallic Iris Spacer Beads, and a relatively new style bead called an “O” Bead in Crystal Wine and Topaz Purple colors.

Bottom – Eggplant Metallic Glow Dagger Beads and more O Beads in Jet and Crystal Blue.

As I shop, I try to picture a project for each bead and piece I pick up, otherwise my hubby would have to back a truck up to the front door and bring out the forklift. He almost had to anyway. If all the stores are going to be like this, I better start making stuff out of my hauls fast. I don’t think I have a place for all these new beads. Tomorrow – Store #2 – Beadiak

Kristine Cherry
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Owner of KC Dragonfly.

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