Beyond Beads

I began beading for fun. I found a beading kit in an airport and thought it would be perfect to make something. I remember it well. It included an instruction book and all the necessary beads and components for the project.

I spent a few weeks visiting my grandmother in a small Midwestern town with not much to do. She ended up with a lot of new necklaces to wear on her nightly walks around the neighborhood. I mastered and accomplished the daisy stitch and skills that would develop into creative enterprises.

I never forgot my unique discovery sitting at that kitchen table and listening to an old CD player. I think it was a Lenny Kravitz album. I had instructions, beads and guts. I was determined to see if my finished project looked anything like the ones they showed in the book. It did. By the time the music was done, I was hooked on beading.

My summer spent in solitude in that sleepy hollow town flourished with beads and inspired a life long hobby. Throughout my life, I revisited beads and it became a prosperous endeavor.

The beading kit wasn’t my first tumble with beads. I went to college in sunny Florida and became obsessed with beads on a random outing to a tiny boutique. I was impressed with the huge variety of beads and their willingness to make a necklace in the store. I took them up on the offer and ended up with a cool red beaded necklace. I thought it was an amazing treasure. Looking back I realize beads weaved their way into my life providing solace on both occasions.

I was a sports reporter at the time and wanted something interesting to pair with my attempt at a unique tennis outfit. The necklace was a match.

I was intrigued by the little beads and amazing designs they could produce. It was a subtle dance but beads always took the lead and I easily followed.

Life can turn quickly in directions and mine often proved challenging. I didn’t find the meaning behind the beads in my life until I was truly in need of them. While they had always popped in and out of my world, they found permanent residence when I decided to dedicate my time to developing a business.

“We’re going to make earrings,” I ambitiously announced to my sister one day.

“Okay,” she replied.

I might have a different story if she’d told me no. Her faith in me never waivered. It was sincere blind faith. We were both at a standstill tired of the 9 to 5 rut and interested in a way to make money outside of the trapped walls.

I knew the summer I cultivated beading could turn into more than a hobby. The most challenging thing was sourcing beads. In a pre-internet world, I relied on catalogs in my residing small town. In fact it was always the lack of finding bead supplies that truly kept me from diving fully into jewelry making for years.

Luckily for new beaders that’s not a problem today. Beading supplies and tutorials are a click away. You’re seconds away from becoming a sketch artist, painter, jewelry designer, fashion maven or any other creative talent.

I relied on my basic knowledge of jewelry construction and intuition. My first attempt at a business included suede and leather beaded earrings. I admit I was better at beading than marketing. After too many boutique rejections, I was determined in my quest and decided to learn as much as I could about creating jewelry.

I turned away from my initial avant garde designs and focused on the basics. I quickly found gems, pearls, chain and much more as my muse.

My reasons were definitely monetarily related at the time. Now I look back and see how the development of becoming a jewelry designer did much more for me on a personal level.

Creativity only gets lost when its usage is solely for money. You can see the exchange in a designer’s work. True passion for creating something entirely unique definitely shows in an artists work.

My so called business led me from outdoor and indoor craft fairs all the way to a successful internet business.

I wouldn’t trade those cold craft fair days for anything. The thrill of creating jewelry was one thing but selling it for money was rewarding. I truly did a happy dance in my same kitchen I learned to bead the night I came home with over $100.

I entered many contests over the years and received recognition. It was during those endeavors, I began threading the needle and with the tiny beads in an art called seed bead embroidery.

I will always create jewelry but I will always come back to seed bead embroidery because it’s a relaxing hobby. I found peace with beading.

As a bonus, I found the artistry of seed bead embroidery an inexpensive way to create unique and elaborate jewelry. Those tiny little beads I simply used to string to create a necklace easily became elaborate pieces worthy of anyone that fancied a unique piece of jewelry.

I never looked back and I continued exploring various mediums of jewelry design. I invested in leather stamping and paint. I tousled with chain. I was a few dollars short of a proper kiln and terrified of blowing up my residence when I discovered the art of seed bead embroidery jewelry. It became both a monetary pursuit and happy pastime.

I believe each artist tells a story regardless of the materials or medium. I have many seed beaded pieces of jewelry completed. In every piece, I can tell you a story and revisit a snapshot of my life. I can recall my mood, reason behind color patterns, time of year and often circumstances in my life when creating each particular piece.

I wove this story just as I use the thread, needle and beads. Words and pictures of a beaded embroidery project write the story.

I believe beading is a useful resource for my own mental stability and health. Creativity can jolt or still the mind. It’s a form of meditation that can provide relaxation.

Hobbies in art can be useful as a way to cope with the outside world. In my mind, beads don’t formulate opinions about me or talk back. That’s a plus. In any creative endeavor, beauty is the end result. Art hobbies allow you to express yourself while in a happy or negative state but always be amazed by the brilliant finished product.

I’m always pleased with the end result of my work and it provides a sense of accomplishment in a fast paced competitive world. It allows me an outlet and ability to up my game in my hobby and talents.

I’ve met many individuals who use beading to create beautiful work and eliminate stress.

I will admit there are a few downsides to my little hobby. Thread that takes on a mind of its own and knots inconveniently is a good example of a little bit of stress in any endeavor. However, if you’re efficient at unknotting chains as I am, you’re good.

Large projects require patience and a lot of starting and stopping. The great thing is you truly can pick up where you left off and complete a design months later.

Endless possibilities in design, varying beads and dependent upon time, beading can become an addictive hobby.

I hope in time people go back to art as a way of letting go of the day. I highly recommend adopting artistry as a component to ones overall health.

We live in a world filled with stress and strife. The ability to create some little thing of beauty is a nice way to live. After all, we need our technology to get things done but we need our creativity to thrive and survive.