In one week (January 15), online registration opens for classes offered at the 2008 Bead&Button Show held here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from June 1-8. New this year is a series of Fundamentals in Techniques workshops. These 3-day intensives give beginners an opportunity to learn a new technique or work with a new medium. I'm pleased to report that I'll be teaching Fundamentals in Polymer Clay. Fire Mountain Gems has underwritten the entire kit cost for this workshop. My goal is to ensure that each student comes away from the class with the confidence to use all the great tools and supplies provided in the kit, and become comfortable with techniques such as making a Skinner blend, simple caning, making image transfers, and pushing the clay to explore mokume gane and mica shift effects. Plenty of hands-on time assures that students will also learn how to incorporate jewelry findings in their pieces. I'm really looking forward to getting to know the students. Their wonderful energy and individual, creative expression always make teaching a very fun exchange.

To view the full listing of OVER 500 (!!!) workshops and classes offered at this year's show, visit http://www.beadandbuttonshow.com/bnbshow/default.aspx. To check out the latest buzz about the show, visit the show forums at http://cs.beadandbuttonshow.com/bnbshowcs/forums/. If you're planning on coming to town for the show, be sure to send us an email -- it would be great to hook up and meet you in person!