Daily Blogs : bead shops

Are You Ready to Teach Beading?

Michelle M. — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:33:00 GMT

If you've been beading for awhile, chances are someone has asked you to teach. You might hate the idea, or maybe you're like me--intrigued, but clueless. How do you make that leap from student to teacher? Luckily, the generous instructors at Bead Fest Santa Fe offered to share their tips and advice about teaching jewelry making. Click on the instructors' names in this newsletter to learn more about their backgrounds and current classes....(read more)

Beadaholic Confessions: Reader Poll Results

Michelle M. — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:43:00 GMT

I was delighted that almost 80% buy beads without knowing exactly how they'll use them. Me too! Now that my stash is getting out of control, I try to have at least a general idea--"those beads would make cute earrings"--but sometimes that's as specific as I get. I also found it fascinating that a few readers confessed that they hated shopping, except for beads. It is thrilling to rush home, unwrap your beads, and admire them. (If I'm not driving, I'll even unwrap mine in the car on the way home.) Some beaders have done things like choose their house or vacation spots accordinging to "bead proximity." One reader even claimed, "I try to live my life so that I am never less than five miles away from a bead store." (Try explaining that to your real estate or travel agents!) ...(read more)

Bead Spree Winners

Michelle M. — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:30:00 GMT

When I retire from Beading Daily, I want Ed McMahon's job. You know, the guy who drives around handing out those huge million dollar checks?...(read more)

Win a Shopping Spree at Your Local Bead Shop

Michelle M. — Tue, 20 May 2008 14:55:00 GMT

To celebrate the start of summer (and because I really, really like giving things away!), Beading Daily is giving away 3 shopping sprees ($300, $200, $100) to use at local bead shops in the U.S. and Canada. Imagine what you could buy with that money: beads, findings, stringing materials, magazines, books, tools! Winners will be announced here on Beading Daily. Yes, that's right--fame AND fortune! Enter today.

What kind of bead shopper are you?

Polymer tree pendant
by Curly Tree Designs

Do you relate to the experience of Curly Tree Designs? She went to her local bead shop for just one pendant, "But, then I started browsing and found these incredibly cool agate beads. . ."

Or how about Humblebeads? This is how she described a recent shopping experience: "We went clay and bead shopping this morning. I found some awesome copper links of chain, I'm going to antique them and make something spectacular." I can definitely relate. I often buy something with a vague but exciting idea (Best! Project! Ever!), but sometimes when I get home, it turns into something else entirely--or sometimes it sits around in my bead stash waiting patiently for inspiration. (I just used a clasp for a Beadwork project that I bought at least four years ago!)

Or how about the Arizona Crafty Burrito Collective? "To me, there's nothing more fun or exciting than going bead shopping. It's like sensory overload! There's so much to choose from and ideas swirl madly in my head and then I get home and forget most of it! So, now I keep a little notebook and write down all my ideas but who knows if I ever will get to all of them."

Does any of this sound familiar?

New Reader Poll: Do you usually buy beads for a specific project or do you buy beads and figure out what to do with them later? What type of shopper are you? This poll ends June 1, 2008. Results will be shared in a future Beading Daily.

Michelle Mach shares beading news, contests, reader galleries, and other beady stuff every Monday on Beading Daily.

Find (and Rate) a Bead Shop Near You

Michelle M. — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:14:00 GMT

The Perfect Souvenir

Some tourists may snap up T-shirts or boxes of salt water taffy, but when I travel, it's all about the beads. A bead or even a handful of beads is the perfect souvenir--small, not too pricey, and lasting, never shrinking or fading, or worse, being eaten. Whenever I paw through my bead stash, memories of my trips coming flooding back. There are those pretty shell flower beads from that shop in Honolulu that was nearly impossible to find, but oh so worth it! There is a tube of hip anodized blue jump rings from a funky bead shop in Ohio and pretty silver dollar charms--perfect for summery earrings--from California. And how can I forget the pair of copper leaf beads that I bought when I was in Australia last year?

The minute I found out about that trip to Australia, I started searching for bead shops. It was frustrating and slow. What I wanted--and couldn't seem to find--was a nice list by location that I could print off and tuck into my suitcase. Instead, after much searching, I found some random websites here and there, which I scribbled into a notebook.

Once there, none of the shops on my pathetic list turned out to be nearby. But apparently, my beading karma is pretty good. My hotel in Melbourne was literally a few blocks away from a cute bead shop lined with glass jars of beads. Arranged by color, it felt like walking into a rainbow. That shop experience was one of my best memories of the trip. (That and the penguins.)

Introducing the Big Bead Book Directory

Let me be clear: locating bead shops is not an Australian problem! Finding bead shops is a problem no matter where you go. There are many outdated lists floating around the Internet, not to mention shop websites that hang around long after the shop has closed. That's why I was so excited when I learned that we would be creating an international directory on Beading Daily that lists shops, bead societies, and wholesalers. It's not finished yet. (It's in "beta" in geek speak.) We really need your help adding to it, particularly with listings outside the U.S. Both paid and free options are available. So if you're a bead shop owner, a wholesaler, or the president of a bead society, please take a minute and add (or check) your information in the directory. (If you're already listed, you'll be receiving an email in the next day or two with your account login and password.)

In addition to basic contact information, this directory also allows you to add your ratings. We all know that finding the location of a bead shop is only half the battle. The other half is finding an amazing bead shop, one that you'll want to return to again and again (if only in your dreams). Recommendations from beading friends are always prized, but I'm hoping the Big Bead Book will be the next best thing. What are the "five star" bead shops in your area? You know the ones I'm talking about--the ones that offer an inviting place to shop, that place special orders for the beads we just "have" to have, that hold fabulous classes (both formal and impromptu), that host beading contests and parties, and are willing to go "above and beyond" on a regular basis. Take a few minutes and add your ratings to the directory. I promise if I visit I'll leave a few beads for you!

Visit the Big Bead Book

Does anyone else visit bead shops on vacation? What are some of your favorite bead souvenirs? Share your comments on the website.

Coming This Week: On Wednesday, Jean Campbell shares her secrets for creating perfect simple and wrapped loops. On Friday, I'll share a free necklace project. It might have fringe and seed beads or it might have gemstones and chain; I'm not sure which of the two free necklace projects will be finalized by Friday, so you'll just have to be surprised along with me!

Michelle Mach shares beading news, contests, reader galleries, and other beady stuff every Monday on Beading Daily. If you have comments or questions for Michelle, please post them on the website.