Ahhhhhh…. The holidays are behind us! No more rushing around doing last minute marathons to the mall or grocery store. No more midnight wrapping. You can even toss out the eggnog. Somehow it doesn’t taste as good on a cold January night. Break out the hot cocoa an clink a toast to the holidays that have moved on! Hooray!

Once the decorations have been put away, we can find ourselves with quite a bit of time on our hands. The garden is hibernating, the house is clean, and its too cold to sit by the pool. What to do?? My suggestion is to get out there and take a class! Start the new year off with a fresh start. It’s a great opportunity to learn something new and try something different. I know what you’re thinking. Why would an old bird like me take a class? How would I know what to take?? What if I struggle??? What if I can’t do it??????? Oh nooooo!!!!

Just stop it. You’re totally capable and able and the only thing lacking is willingness. Don’t you want to have a relaxing evening with other bead buddies (that you may not have even met yet!) and learn how to make a beautiful piece of jewelry? The bead class environment is a fantastic place. The atmosphere is full of creative ideas floating around, and its impossible not to get caught up in that. You get exposed to someone else’s talents and color combinations and techniques. You start to learn little bits of tips and hints and tricks. You get tantalized and the next thing you know you’re aching to get out the beads and start beading up a storm!

Remember, at classes everyone is a different bead skill level. You could be sitting with beginners or masters. But you know what? Everyone has advice or ideas to pass along, no matter what the skill level is. In the end you’ll walk away with a head full of information that you’re anxious to begin bringing to life, and an energy level that will make you bead well into the night.

Here’s some good class advice for you…

* Arrive early. I mean approximately 15-30 minutes early. That way you can choose your seat, get your things settled, meet the instructor, use the bathroom, finish your dinner or whatever else you need to do before class. One huge benefit to arriving early is to make sure you have all the materials you need for class. Then you can pick out bead colors, thread your needle, or otherwise prepare your stuff so you’re ready when class begins.

* Don’t forget to bring your own lighting if you need it. And don’t forget your eyeglasses. That’s a major one!

* Remember to speak up if you need help. You paid money to take this class, so you should walk away from it having learned something. If you need more direction or help, don’t be shy to ask for it.

* Keep the chatting to a minimum. It makes it difficult for instructors to teach if they have to compete with too many voices. Have fun, but be respectful of the others who are there to learn and are wanting their money’s worth.

* Remember as you’re striving for perfection that the piece you’re working on is a learning piece! Don’t be so hard on yourself or get frustrated. The same applies if you don’t like the colors you’re using. Once you have the grasp of the technique, then begin another one that’s more to your liking. Nothing wrong with that.

* Be courageous! There are so many fantastic classes to choose from, and by many different people. It’s a great opportunity to expand your bead horizons. And you can begin working on those holiday gifts for next year now!!