~GREAT BEAD BONANZA~

Bead shopping is & always has been something I truly enjoy!  The colors, the style and the elements of ingredients, all make me radiate with pure joy.  I even truly enjoy the process of organizing them (after the purchase) back at the studio!  I can spend hours auditioning them with other beads for future projects.

Beads can be purchased at local bead shows, at brick & mortar shops, and even on line.  I prefer the bead shows where there are hundreds of vendors showing & selling a huge variety of beads consisting of either plastic, metal, glass or semi-precious stones that I can fondle & inspect, (be sure to ask if you are not sure what you are looking at).  When I go to a show, I always bring a list of my “needs”, and sometimes even color swatches, so I can keep on track and not forget something or loose focus, which is so easy to do with SO much to look at.  Tools and findings (called hardware) are also sold at the show for good prices, so keep that in mind. 

In choosing semi-precious stones, I like to ask the vendor where the particular stone I am interested in comes from (where the region a stone is mined makes a difference, because some miners like to colorize, dye, or even heat treat their stones to enhance the color or mask the defects).  The vendor is required to tell you the facts of that stone (and if it is natural or not) and it’s process.  Make sure to ask questions & to get your full answers (politely of course).  Then I start by picking a strand (or group of strands called a hank) and hold it up to the light to see the color (is it brilliant, pretty, or striking), the clarity of color (is it clean or muddy, or with speckles of “dirt”), do I like the marbling (if any) and are the beads consistent in color & size (unless I am making a graduated piece of large to smaller stones or a “random irregular funky” piece).  I want the stone beads to be as much as the same as possible.  If I am still happy with that strand, next I start looking at the lapidary work of the stones; are they consistent in size, shape, faceting and polished (in all directions; side to side, top to bottom, thick or thin), and are the holes put truly centered from end to end, and not tilled in the bead, and of the same size (you can not believe how much variable of poor quality you get here, especially in the drilled hole size from one end to the other, and from bead to bead, which determines the way it hangs and therefore the quality of the finished necklace).  This all might seem daunting, but it is all very important if you want a beautifully finished piece that hangs nicely, and the more you go thru this kind of scrutiny/inspection when shopping, the easier it gets.  Get to know your stones and what kind of shapes you like & are seeking to work with, so the shopping goes smoother.

Finally you get to the pricing, where in some cases, the more you purchase the lower the price point and some vendors will negotiate.  I do suggest that you not just buy more to pay less per bead, because you may not use 12 strands of a particular color of bead and you could of used that $money$ for another different strand.  But do count how many “good” beads are on the strand so you know if that strand has enough for your project.  When you do find a vendor you like dealing with, be sure to get their business card/info so you can purchase from them again in the future (either for on-line purchases, now that you know what you are looking for, or for registering with them for entry passes for future shows and their booth#).   

Seeking quality beads for your project is a bit tedious, but always yields a better finished result.  I have known some of my vendors for decades, and they know me & my requirement of good quality.  So when I request a certain stone, they have kept great strands just for me (to purchase).  They have even searched for particular gems/stones I’m looking for to bring to the show.  Establishing a good relationship with a vendor can be very valuable & for years to come.  Hope this helps you find some great beads!