PENDANT SWAP
Make a pendant in your favorite style and get one in return in our pendant swap. It's not necessary to make an elaborate rope; just hang it on a pretty ribbon so your recipient can wear it right away. At the retreat, bring your pendant and a slip of paper with your name on it to Table 1 any time before dinner on Saturday. No need to wrap it; we'll pop them into matching gift bags and conduct the swap Saturday night at dinner. This has been a popular event and it's a chance to share some of your best work with someone who will appreciate the time and effort you put into it (unlike your relatives...😉)
BEAD COLOR CHALLENGE 2023
The 2023 Challenge will be announced in November.
Immediately after lunch Saturday, bring your piece to the challenge display near Table 1. There will be numbered slips of paper to write your name. Set up your piece for display with the number showing and your name hidden. Winners will be announced Saturday night and, as always, there will be cash prizes for the winners and much enthusiastic praise for everyone who enters.
Participation in the Bead Challenge grants permission to Texas Beaders and Texas Bead Retreat to post photos of work submitted to their websites, blogs and/or Facebook pages.
WHITE ELEPHANT TABLE
Bring your unloved beads and bead supplies to feed the White Elephant, then sort through the goodies left by others to find treasures you can use. One beader's trash is another's treasure, right?
DOOR PRIZES
We've got special welcome gifts for everyone, exclusive to the Texas Bead Retreat, and we think you'll like them. We'll also have drawings for door prizes at various times throughout the event. If you're selling at the retreat, we ask that you donate a door prize for the drawings.
BALLROOM
The Ballroom is our main meeting space throughout the weekend. While we all want to have every possible bead supply handy at the retreat, this causes the aisles to be blocked and dangerous. Anything brought into the room must fit on or under the table. Nothing can be placed beside your chair that will block walkways. Unfortunately we don't have room for boxes and rolling carts in the ballroom. Please leave your extra bead supplies in your room, or in the designated area in the foyer. Items left in the foyer are at your own risk and we don’t recommend leaving them overnight.
To avoid tripping dangers, all electrical cords must be completely taped down with duct tape, which we will have available. Connect your cords to plugs on the outer walls, not floor plugs in the walkways. Be sure and bring extension cords and power strips for your table!
Keep in mind that some attendees might have mobility challenges getting around the Ballroom. Please be sure to leave uncluttered space.
In accordance with state law, the hotel does not allow us to bring our own liquor into the ballroom or other public areas. Doing so puts the hotel's liquor license in jeopardy.