Beads of Eden

I've loved jewelry for as long as I can remember. Every time I go to a craft gallery, museum shop or craft show, I head straight for the jewelry cases. (If time and energy permit, I might check out something else.) Jewelry to me is like works of art that you can wear. A few years ago, a friend and I were visiting a gallery and drooling (quite literally) over some gorgeous and expensive necklaces. She had been making jewelry for a while and she pointed out that although the materials and designs were really special, the construction was pretty simple - something that either of us could do. A few months later, she took me to a bead shop for the first time. After three hours I was still wandering around in a daze. So many options! Thanks to her teaching, I started making a few things using beads from old necklaces that I took apart. As I became more confident, I started buying new beads and gradually using finer materials. At some point I discovered Etsy as an online source for an incredible variety of beads at reasonable prices. But there's nothing more fun than exploring bead stores, checking out the shops as I travel to other towns and states. I had a wonderful experience last November when I visited the Bead Museum in Glendale, AZ, with beads from every place and time!  (Did you know there is a natural blue coral?)  Sadly, I just learned that the museum is closing and the collection is being transferred to the Mingei International Museum in San Diego, where it will join a fine collection of folk art, craft and design.