Whole Bead Show in New York City

NEW YORK SPRING

Don't forget to visit The Beadin' Path in NYC at the Whole Bead Show from March 23rd through 25th, 2012. We'll be at the Metropolitan Pavilion, South Pavilion - located at 125 West 18th Street, between 6th and 7th in New York City.

Whole Bead Show Website

Maine Beading and Jewelry Classes

We are proud to offer outstanding jewelry-making and beading classes for the month of March. The Beadin' Path welcomes both Stephanie Sersich and Keith O'Connor. Resident staff designers also deliver some extraordinary classes in wire-working and metal stamping, along with another Family Jewels class taught by co-owner Heather DeSimone. Be sure to pre-register before the classes fill up! Register online or call the store at 207.865.4785.

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March Beading Classes

Fresh New Look for The Beadin' Path!

We have exciting news! The store is getting a fresh new look. Fun and functional changes are coming. In order to do the work, we are closed for a few days this week... please visit us online during that time! And come see us when we reopen on Saturday, January 7th!

Bead Soup Blog Party: Brass Baubles Necklace

First, I have to say that participating in my first ever Bead Soup Blog Party has been a blast! Thank you so much Lori Anderson from Pretty Things for setting this amazing experience up for me and other beaders like me!

by Karin Slaton

I was paired up with Karin Slaton from Back Story Beads.  Her site is full of amazingly intricate, and thoughtful seed bead woven designs.  I have to say that at first glance, I was intimidated.  I know find this really funny because if you read her initial post, it seems she felt the same way!  I may own a bead store, but as many store owners will tell you, we hardly ever bead anymore!  I've always gravitated toward the instant gratification, shall we say, style of beading.  I know how to weave, know all my stitches, have even taught (gasp!) beginner classes on it over the 18 years we've been here.  But I am always in awe of bead weavers who always have a project going & can whip around a free-form cab faster than I can get my kids off to school in the morning.  Anyway, Karin is clearly a very talented bead artist & I was very excited to be paired with her.

And then I got my beads!

Pretty Packaging with my Bead Soup

Carved Horn & Tibetan Beads

Talk about Christmas. And again, you might think me jaded.  Actually, I'll confess.  I AM jaded!  I see beads 12-20 hours a day, 6-7 days a week & pretty much year round... well, I see them a lot.  And beads of all kinds.  However, the beads Karin chose for me were so varied from the typical beads I work with & even more impressive, not typical of the types of beads we carry here at The Beadin' Path.  One thing that was really cool however, is that she sent me some amazing carved beads.  I believe they are carved from horn, but they have similar qualities to a vintage carved Bakelite bead.  I love my plastics & hardly ever work in 'naturals'.  So this was the perfect cross-over bead for her to send.  And here's the funny part: I sent her carved jet beads, along with her mixture of lovelies.  We must have been on the same wavelength!

You have to see the lovely packaging & labeling she took time for.  Another reason, this was such a fun package to receive.

OK, my finished piece:  

I'm thinking I might rework one section of chain & add in some more of the aged brass.  But I'm wearing my necklace to work today & I have the rest of the staff drooling over it & claiming they're going to steal it off my neck.  That's a good sign.  They're jaded too!

Thank you Karin & thank you Lori!

Can't wait for the next Bead Soup Blog Party!

Top 5 Bead Store Expectations

 

Bead stores have changed & evolved over the years.  When we first opened The Beadin' Path in 1993, our shoppers expected loads of kokopelli pendants, Christmas beads & everything dolphin.  We had a small work table where we helped would-be jewelry designers finish off leather 'thong' necklaces with spring cord ends & barrel clasps.

Fast forward ca. 2011: the trends are no longer dolphins & kokopellis, but vintage lace, bright colored mod & bold sized beads, agates, and any piece of metal that can be hammered, textures, stamped or otherwise manipulated.  'Beaders' have evolved into 'kitchen-counter-metalsmiths'.

Here's what you can expect from your local bead store:

1) Jewelry Finishing Tips
Every full-service bead store should be equipped with knowledgable staff'ers who make jewelry themselves. Part of the joy of working at a bead store is being able to share your knowledge with jewelry makers ranging in experience from newbie to pro.

2) Relaxed & Social Atmosphere
Great local bead stores have an area to pow-wow, hang-out, and otherwise connect with other jewelry makers.  Fantastic bead stores can range space-wise, from closet-sized spaces to mall-sized stores. Even in the smallest bead stores, it's imperative that there's a space to sit & learn a thing or two, from the staff or even other beaders at the studio space.

3) Design Advice

Inspiration should abound at your local bead store. When we get in new products, there's excitement from everyone on staff & we love to brainstorm different ways to use the new components.  Our shoppers inspire us as well when they pick up a pendant & pair it with something unexpected. Design advice is a give & take.

4) Beads and Jewelry Supplies You Can Touch
While some bead stores may have specialties within the beading niche, others might have a full range of various types of beads, materials & findings. What's great about shopping in an actual bead stores, is that aside from the services listed above, designing with beads is a tactile experience. Touch the beads, work with the textures, and understand your materials.

5) A Community
Like many niche-type stores, your local bead shop should be a place where you can gather or connect with others in your bead & jewelry making community.  If there isn't space, many bead stores will have retreats where they bring together their clientele for special classes, trunk shows & other fun events. Sometimes that community might start online using social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook & now Google+.  A bead store can really be the hub of an amazing and creative force.

What do you like about your favorite local bead shop?  I'd love to hear the things that make shopping there special.  Or what would you like to see at your local bead store?  Please comment below or email me at heather@beadinpath.com.

Vintage Metal Beads for the Summer

We've got the vintage metals for your sizzling summer designs. From vintage brass links, arrows, and leaf blanks to vintage copper hearts and twists, vintage metal beads and components offer mystique and beauty effortlessly.

So many types of fibers and beads complement metal pieces, such as the earring designs below. Don't limit yourself!

    

New Bead Flowers: Jump-Ups

An adorable new flower style (yes, yet another one!) that's perfect for layering and stacking your flower components, or great on its own.

The perfect earring-sized flower, these flower beads are available in loads of great colors.

Choose from these new blue, green, purple, red, and yellow flower beads.