Why Beads?

I love beads, the variety, shapes, colors and materials they are available in are virtually endless. I began collecting and working with beads over 20 years ago and the passion has just grown.

The world of beads is vast and varied as the human existence. With a history going back some 30,000 years and spanning all cultures and continents. Beads have been used to adorn the human body as long as we have walked upright.

The story of beads more than likely begins with found objects with a hole already worn in it that early man could string and wear. Creating holes in objects to string and wear could not be far behind. Thus the earliest bead makers were born.

Since that humble beginning today we have beads in all varieties, shapes, sizes and materials available to us: stone, shell, gems, plastics, paper, bone, ivory, wood, metals and more. The prices range accordingly as well. From very affordable to thousands and thousands for a single antique or precious gem stone bead. I have been at shows and seen dealers selling pearls for less than a dollar a strand to over $1,000 dollars for a strand, wholesale!

Having been in and around the beads business for 20 years I have gained a lot of experience and seen a lot of beads. Although I know a lot, I know there is so much more to learn. Another fascinating aspect of this business, so much history to understand and always new and exciting items coming to the market place.

If you love beads the way I do, keep up with me and my Etsy bead shop Beadin Around The Block I cannot tell you what you will find there on a daily basis however I can tell you, you will find beads that are inexpensive to pricey, in materials from glass to gem stone, cinnabar to bone. Beads that were made recently, vintage beads and beads from antiquity, you never know what you’ll find because you never know what I will come across scouring shows, estate sales, back alleys and thrift stores. It is an endless world of variety that never gets boring.