Jewelry and “Is it just me?”

I have been working on some jewelry for my friend…here’s what I’ve come up with…

An illusion set using some of personal favorite colors (my living room thrives in these tones)
illusion set

A charmed bracelet using clearanced Stuff by Duff charms.
charmed

A pretty, shimmery bracelet made with Bead Heaven beads.
blue and silver

I was in Michael’s yesterday and I got to thinkin’. Is there such a thing as too many beads? I used to go in there and wish they had a better selection, but now I don’t know what to buy! Some of the beads are almost too trendy, does that make sense? For example, the Stuff by Duff charms were cute but I wouldn’t have bought them if they weren’t already clearanced. I do dig the Halcraft beads (the sparkly ones) and the natural ones that they have as well, but there are a lot of beads in there that I noticed just got clearanced. I guess what I am saying is that the beads are being shipped in there more on quantity and not on quality and I don’t like that the creativity aspect of beadmaking has been taken out of the loop. It seems any old joe can make something these days and that the ingenuity aspect is gone. I don’t know, maybe that’s just me. I do with they would focalize on instead getting nicer spacers, wire, and findings. Seems like I always go into that place and not finding exactly the wire I am needing, etc. It also bums me, when they put stuff in that is 2 years past the trend. Like, I would have died for giant polka dot plastic beads 2 years ago, but now, I’m not into it as much. Not to say they aren’t cute, but they are not as innovative as they were a while back. It does take a while production going and the trends into stores, and I understand that, but I guess I would like a little more forward thinking…I think I’m being a hypocrite, so I need to stop now.

Is it also me, or are craft store bathrooms the nastiest things on earth? I guess it’s hard for the employees to do it all, but I don’t even think they are touching it with a ten foot pole. I guess I’m being kinda rude, I digress.

Comments

  1. says

    My Friend

    Here’s my two cents. Don’t buy beads at Craft Stores, visit your local bead shops and also surf the net. There are literally billions of beads being made all over the world and a very small and rather pedantic selection is available at the craft stores. Though they are expanding their bead sections, they still lack. Plus you can find much better pricing elsewhere, especially if you can buy wholesale.

    For me…it’s the bead district in Manhattan and the art beads made by my friends many of whom played Ornament Thursday with us.

    Soldier on and seek the unique!

    xoxo
    Margot

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