My second ever bead store

Creative Castle in Newbury Park California was the second bead store I ever taught at.  At the helm, lovely Carole Tripp who I've know known going on 13 years.

Carole's store has a wonderful selection of crystal, seed beads, czech glass, vintage beads and findings and is full of helpful folks to answer your questions.  I say this because more and more bead stores are finding it difficult to stay in business.  My good friend Susan closed her store the Beading Frenzy after 17 years.  The stores that remain need our support.

I sometimes hear beaders talking about sources where they might get beads less expensively priced, however consider the valuable service that our local bead stores provide.  We can look at color and size, make design decisions with beads laid out side by side, we can consult with a knowledgeable beader and in some we can take classes, expanding our skills while socializing with others, who like us have the love of beads.  That is a whole lot of positive and in my book is worth giving up any small price advantage to make sure it continues to exist.

Next week I will be teaching the Dream Keeper Vessel Ring, the brand new Cassandra and the beautiful Aelia pendant.  I'm excited, not only because I have so many friends at the store, and there is the darling Bailey, my second favorite dog in the world, but because I'm going to take the train!  I love train travel and it's a pretty rare day that it fits into my schedule and is available in the direction I'm going.  I love the rhythm of a train, watching the scenery go by,  relaxing into travel instead of racing through LA traffic.



Aelia

Cassandra

Dream Keeper Vessel Ring

So please, if you are lucky enough to have a local bead store in your midst, please consider supporting them. It would be a terrible shame if we couldn't continue to spend a leisurely day playing with the beads or run over for that special bead we need to finish a project, or take a class and visit with friends.