The Creative Fringe

Happy (Belated) New Year

2011-01-10T12:49:00.000-08:00

WOW - we've been busy here counting all the lovely beads. But now we're done and ready to start some new projects. Take advantage of the slow winter months and learn a new technique. I just made some new examples of the "Tennis Bracelet" style bracelet that are really striking. Stop by and check them out.

We all are also bringing our own take on some old skills. Amanda has been making some really fun Peyote bracelets that you just have to see.

You also might want to think about making something special for your Valentine . . . that day is just around the corner. Maybe something out of Metal Clay or using your Metalsmithing skills. Call today to set up a class if you don't already know how, otherwise, stop in and use the tables, we love to have company!

New books and magazines are coming in daily, so if you need some inspiration, or need to do some "research" as we like to say, stop in and check them out too.

Hope you have a great week . . .
Jana

Resin and Resin Bezels on SALE this week!

2010-12-11T13:44:00.000-08:00

This week we'll have our Resin and Resin Bezels on sale! Come on in for a 15% discount on all of our materials. Monday we'll be completely restocked on all of our pre-made bracelet forms for resin and a whole shipment of Diamond Glaze!

12 Weeks of Gift Making: Crystals

2010-11-13T11:46:00.000-08:00

Come on in this week for all those fun sparkling crystals that we all love to adorn ourselves with during the holiday season! All of our Crystals are going to be 15% off as well as our Crystal Books. We're even discounting our Crystal Right Angle Weave class this week too!

Get some quick crystal earrings done early for Christmas!

7th Anniversary STORE WIDE Sale this weekend!

2010-11-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

7th Anniversary SALE and Party!

Who? You, your kids, and any of your friends
What?

Storewide Sale from 10%-50% off each department
First 25 people in the door each day get a special grab bag surprise filled with our handmade findings, beads, class give-a-ways, party give-a-ways, and coupon discounts on your next visit.
Kids look forward to face painting, free bookmark or key chain making, or make one of our $5.00 party bracelets!
Anniversary Party on Friday: Our "Birthday Party" will be at 6:00 PM. Come and join us for a fantastic night of appetizers, cider & wine, and jewelry making of course! Like BYOB with a whole lot more people and more food! We'll also have an extra grab-basket filled with discount percentages for your next visit!

When? Friday & Saturday, November 5th-6th

It's November Already

2010-11-02T14:47:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's November already? Have you been making Christmas presents as frantically as we are? If you need a change of scenery while you finish off those projects, don't forget we have tables you can stop in and work at anytime. No chance the kids will find you here . . . so stop in and be productive at the The Fringe today!

7th Anniversary Sale!

2010-10-20T14:24:00.000-07:00

We're celebrating our 7th year in Grand Haven as your local bead store! In honor of that we're having a storewide sale November 5th and 6th. Different departments in the store will have a different percentage off. This is a perfect time to stock up on your Christmas gift supplies! We're also having a beading party on Friday the 5th to celebrate. Come join us for appetizers, wine, and some fun beading. Bring your unfinished projects or start some of those gifts you want to make for Christmas!

12 Weeks of Gift Making SALE!

2010-10-20T14:22:00.000-07:00

We all find ourselves huslting to get all of our projects done in time for Christmas gifts. This year we're helping and encouraging you to get a JUMP START on your gift making ideas. We're having a sale for the twelve weeks until Christmas scheduled to help those out whose projects are going to take the longest. Sign up for our e-mail to get updates once a week or keep checking back our website.

October's Sale Schedule:
3rd-9th: Metalsmithing Tools & Sheet Metal, Metal 101 Class
10th-16th: All Seed Beads, Cabochons, Lacy Stiff Stuff, Ultra Suede, and our Beaded Cabochons Class.
17th-23rd: Soldering Tools, Solder, Sheet Metal, and our Soldering Classes.
24th-November 6th: Glass Rods, Glass Books, and Glass Classes.

WATCH OUT Fall Design Challenge

2010-09-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

The Creative Fringe Presents the new fall design challenge, Watch Out! A lot of us can make necklaces and bracelets until the cows come home, but very few venture to make a watch. Send us your most fantastic watch design in this competition. Our customers will vote for one week on their favorite designs. It can be one stranded, three stranded, it can be stitched, metal worked, or made out of lampwork beads. What ever goes here! We're hoping all different types of bead artists will join!

Project Due Date: October 8th, 2010
(you can drop your project off at the store or mail it with your information)

First Place Winner: $30.00 Gift Certificate to the store
Second Place Winner: $20.00 Gift Certificate to the store
Third Place Winner: $10.00 Gift Certificate to the store

Stone Trunk Show!

2010-08-27T15:20:00.000-07:00

We're having a fantastic Trunk Show with all Semi Precious Stones Labor Day weekend.

September 3rd Friday: 10AM-9PM
September 4th Saturday: 10AM-5PM

The vendor we're getting the beads from is different from the past few we've had. They just stocked up, so the supplies are going to be FRESH!

Even with the road under construction we have an easy access back door. As a reminder we're in between 2nd and 3rd street. Look for the sign Hogeboom Realty on the building, we'll be the door right underneath it.

Sidewalk Sales Start Tomorrow!

2010-08-19T14:58:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to pop in and remind you all that Sidewalk Sales start tomorrow downtown Grand Haven. We will be out there in a tent but we'll also have our annual STOREWIDE SALE event! This is an opportunity you're not going to want to miss!

Sidewalk Sale Hours:
Friday: 9 AM-8 PM - we will be open until 9 PM
Saturday: 9 AM- 5 PM - we'll be open until 9 PM

Sidewalk Sales are Coming Soon!

2010-08-05T18:04:00.000-07:00

You don't want to miss out on our store-wide sale this year! We've got glass, stones, pearls, wire, metal, findings, anything you can imagine on sale! Sale runs Friday through Saturday August 20th-21st. Downtown Grand Haven will also be having "The Happening" with wine tasting, food tasting, and great music. A taste of all our own local flare!

2010-07-09T11:23:00.000-07:00

Stop by on Saturday for our Free Stringing Class at 10am. Or, if you're out for the Grand Haven Car Show on Sunday, we will be open from 12 to 5, come on in and take a break from the heat and make a bracelet for $5.

Art Show This Weekend!

2010-06-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

Don't forget about the Grand Haven Art Show this weekend right downtown Washington street in front of our store! In our block all the stores will have things for children to do. We'll also have table space if any of the jewelry in the art show has inspired you!

GreenBox Summer Design Challenge

2010-06-09T17:04:00.000-07:00

The Summer Design Challenge is HERE! This time we're not having you purchase a kit from the store. It is your mission to go out and FIND the things for this design. We’re really going to see how creative you can get this time! The theme is to reuse and recycle! We’ve got plenty of incredible recycled, antique and vintage beads. We’ve even got a strand of beads made out of old 45’s! This is a chance for you to use those found objects as creatively as you can.

DEADLINE: Friday July 9th

Judging Points:

Creativity
Eco Friendly
Design and Functionality

Judging Guidelines:

Stringing materials may include natural products such as: hemp, linen, cotton, reclaimed silver wire, etc. . . or anything that you’ve found to reuse outside of your beading stash
Beads that you have in your stash do not count as “reusing” beads
Anything in Recycling Bins, Junk Yards, or Thrift Stores goes.
Purchasable green products like Tagua Nuts, Bone, recycled glass, vintage, antique, or ancient beads are also acceptable.

WINNERS BOX
1st Place- $30.00 Gift Certificate to the store
2nd Place- Class of your choice (with the exception of any art clay classes)
3rd Place- Book: Beads of the World by Peter Francis Jr.

Want to Learn how to MAKE your own glass beads?

2010-06-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

Come explore the exciting world of hot glass! Learn how to set up a hot heat torch and your work area. From there you will learn how to make a basic bead, add decoration and do some basic shaping! you should have time to make at least 6 beads.

3 hour class
Instructor Rose Kren

We have one student for Saturday June 12 from 2-5 PM. We need one more student to make the class a GO! If you're interested give the store a call at 616-296-0020!

May 31 - Happy Memorial Day!

2010-05-31T10:55:00.000-07:00

We hope you all have had a relaxing weekend and had some time to spend with your family.

Our Earring Workshop class on Wednesday still has a few openings, if you are interested in attending, please give us a call or you can purchase the class online at www.thecreativefringe.com.

We are open today until 6pm - so if you need something, we'd love to see you.

It's Friday - May 28th

2010-05-28T07:21:00.000-07:00

It's Friday, May 28th and the beginning of a big holiday weekend. If you have some time Saturday morning, we do have a Basic Stringing class at 10am. This class is free and is a great jumping off point if you are thinking of trying beading. Please give us a call to let us know you can come by because class size is limited.

Also, don't forget we will be open on Memorial Day from 10am to 6pm. Stop by and visit for a quick break from the heat!

New Petoskey Stone Cabs!

2010-05-20T15:25:00.000-07:00

If you've ever wanted to learn how to stitch around a cabochon, this week's your week! Today we received a great selection of Petoskey Stone Cabochons and there's a class on how to stitch them into beautiful pendants on Monday.

We need one more student so if you're interested call the store NOW at 616-296-0020! The class starts at 6:00 PM and will go until 9:00 PM.

KICK off the summer!

2010-05-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

Everyone who has taken this class has just adored their beaded flip flops! We only have one person signed up for our Beaded Flip Flop class on Thursday from 12-2:30 PM. We only need one more person to make it a GO, so if you're interested give the store a call RIGHT NOW at 616-296-0020!

Want to Learn Viking Knit?

2010-05-15T09:24:00.000-07:00

We've got one student signed up for Viking Knit next Friday from 12-3 PM. We need ONE more for the class to hold, so if you're interested give the store a call at 616-296-0020 and SIGN UP!

Hope to see you!
Rose Kren
Store Manager

New FREE Class!

2010-05-12T15:07:00.000-07:00

That's right our Basic Stringing Class is free for the whole month of May! We will be holding the class every Saturday from 10 AM-12 PM. Be sure to sign up ahead of time because we need to know how much staff to have on hand!

~Rose Kren
Store Manager

Interested in Making Glass Beads?

2010-04-21T15:26:00.000-07:00

We've got a class scheduled on Thursday April 29th, at 6:00 PM. We have one student so far and need just ONE more to hold the class! If you've ever wanted to NOW is the time. It's only a three hour class and you can always come back and use our torches/supplies!

To sign up call the store at 616-296-0020!

~Rose

Come VOTE!

2010-04-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

One more for Resin Jewelry!

2010-03-27T16:39:00.000-07:00

We have a Resin Jewelry class on Monday and only one person is signed up. We need one more to sign up to hold the class! If you're interested in signing up call us at 616-296-0020.

SPRING TRUNK SHOW

2010-03-25T14:48:00.000-07:00

Our Spring Trunk Show is in! The Trunk Show goes from Thursday through Saturday 10-8 PM. Stop in to check out this incredible selection:

Stones ranging from $12-$40
All Pearls $7.50
Murano Style Strands $4.00
Sparkling Chinese Crystal Strands $6.00
Cloisonne Strands $6.00
Large Hole Stone Strands (big enough to fit on leather) $8.00
Gemstone Pendants from $4-$8
Pandora Style Slider Beads $1.00 each
Base Metal Findings and Strands only $4

If you're worried about parking with the construction there's a parking lot behind the store with an easy access back entrance. Look for our A-Frame Chalkboard!

2010 Spring Design Challenge!

2010-03-02T12:19:00.000-08:00

2010 Spring Design Challenge

With all the romantic colors blossoming all over the fashion industry this Spring we thought we would juxtapose that color scheme in our design challenge. This is your chance to get creative. The best part about our design challenge is that everyone is working with the same elements and all of you will come up with something completely different.

Official Rules:
• You have to use 75% of the kit. We have divided the kit into bags so this is easy to figure out. There are 7 bags full of beads or findings, you must use at least 5 of them. You can add the same percentage of beads of your choice.
• You may NOT copy a design from a book or a magazine.
• You must drop off the entry the day of the deadline, any late entries will not be placed in the challenge.
• You can not receive any extra discounts on the design kit (example: if you take a class and purchase the kit you can not get an extra 15% off)
• BE CREATIVE and have a BLAST!

Awards
1st place: $30.00 gift certificate to the store
2nd place: $20.00 gift certificate to the store
3rd place: $10.00 gift certificate to the store

Deadline: April 1, 2010
• Customers will vote from April 2nd-April 9th

Class Openings!

2010-02-23T12:20:00.001-08:00

Hurry and sign up for these classes this week before they're full:

Silver Clay Basics: Thursday Feb. 25, 6-8:30 PM
Open Torch: Sign up just by calling to let us know you're coming, table space is limited! Friday Feb 26, 6-9 PM
Earring Workshop: Saturday Feb 27, 2-5 PM
Soldering a Bezel: Sunday Feb. 28, 1-4

2010 Spring Design Challenge!

2010-02-23T12:02:00.001-08:00

We're starting to see the sun a little more, the sidewalks are a little more clear, growth is coming! We're looking to you, our customers, to let us know what kind of Design Challenge you would like to participate in. In the past we've had two different style challenges

Themed: last year we had THINK SPRING, our customers brought in designs to reflect the parts of Spring that they loved
Bundled Package: Rose picks out a variety of matching beads and components our customers purchase and everyone uses the same beads to make their designed piece

We need to know what you would prefer!

Spring's coming soon, we've not much time!

NEW SALE ITEMS

2010-02-09T13:52:00.000-08:00

Be sure to stop by to check out our SALE section. We've recently updated it and you'll be SHOCKED to see the discounts. We're talking:

$1.60 stone strand prices
Finished earrings for $6.00
Organza Ribbon for $2.80
Faceted Citrine Ovals for $10.80
Some stone strands 50-60% off

And don't forget about the Ice Sculpture Contest this Saturday downtown Grand Haven!

What's NEW?

2010-01-15T13:32:00.000-08:00

Antique Section
We're always getting in great new antique beads, but they're usually behind the counter out of reach! We've moved them so you can take a look at and feel all of these incredible beads. We offer a selection of ocean Amber, Czech glass, four hundred old coral, bloodstone, Amsterdam Donuts and many more items! Be sure to check them out. Once you read a little about them you can never look at them the same! We have a few books on hand to educate you on the history of these awesome beads.

Classes For those of you familiar with torches we've added a Bezel Soldering Class and a Lampwork Pendant Class as well.

In the Bezel Soldering class you will learn how to encase a cabochon with sheet metal and bezel wire. You will even learn how to make your own bail! You can cut your metal to be perfectly shaped around your stone or you can leave an edge to texture.

Class Fee: $25.00 + materials ($15.00 and up)
Dates: Wednesday Jan. 27, 6-9 PM
Sunday Jan. 31, 1-4 PM

Lampwork Pendants
You will learn how to make awesome focal pieces with the same torch you used in Glass 101. To take this, however, you did need to have a lot of hours under the torch. It's no walk in the park for newbies. Learn how to make drop pendants with a bail, flattened pendants, and flat back cabochon style pendants.

Class Fee: $30.00 + materials ($12.00 and up)
Date: Saturday Jan. 23, 2-5 PM

LOCAL ARTISTS
Our local artists are continually bringing in a fresh selection of consignment pendants and beads! Look for these artists pieces at the store:

Mark Jones: Lampwork Artist- offers a great selection of large cabochons
Cristine Grimm: Metal Clay Artist- offers a great selection of pendants in silver, copper, and brass
Randy Bennett: Lampwork Artist- offers a great selection of multi colored beads
Jill Jeltema: Ceramic Artist- offers an eclectic and earthy variety of beads and pendants
Rose Kren: Lampwork Artist- offers a variety of graduated beads (photo to the left), pendants, and earring sets

New Workstations!

For all of you who have made glass beads or soldered and didn't have the studio space to do it at home, we've got a space for you! From now on we will have a permanent glass station and soldering station in the back of the store. We had a vent installed so you don't have to worry about any fumes too!

The Creative Fringe

Happy (Belated) New Year

Resin and Resin Bezels on SALE this week!

12 Weeks of Gift Making: Crystals

7th Anniversary STORE WIDE Sale this weekend!

7th Anniversary SALE and Party!

It's November Already

7th Anniversary Sale!

12 Weeks of Gift Making SALE!

WATCH OUT Fall Design Challenge

Stone Trunk Show!

Sidewalk Sales Start Tomorrow!

Sidewalk Sales are Coming Soon!

Art Show This Weekend!

GreenBox Summer Design Challenge

Want to Learn how to MAKE your own glass beads?

May 31 - Happy Memorial Day!

It's Friday - May 28th

New Petoskey Stone Cabs!

KICK off the summer!

Want to Learn Viking Knit?

New *FREE* Class!

Interested in Making Glass Beads?

Come VOTE!

One more for Resin Jewelry!

SPRING TRUNK SHOW

2010 Spring Design Challenge!

Class Openings!

2010 Spring Design Challenge!

NEW SALE ITEMS

What's NEW?

New FREE Class!