Beading Elements, Inc.
Web: www.beadingelements Email: beadingelements@verizon.net
April-June 2008 Newsletter
Brenda and Karen: Havin’ Their Say
We Are Moving – May 1st!!!
We are so excited to announce that we are moving to larger quarters! This provides room for a dedicated classroom, daytime classes, a worktable – and lots and lots more beads! It also means better parking …and… we are still near a Thai restaurant! A lot of factors went into choosing this location, and although some of you will have to drive a little further we hope the improvements will make it worthwhile. We are amazed that we can expand so quickly after opening – and know that this is due to you, our wonderful customers.
*See map and directions.
501 N. Beneva Ave, Suite 620
Town & Country Shopping Center - Courtyard
Corner of Fruitville & Beneva
To celebrate our new location we are having a 20% off Sale for the 1st 3 days at our new location (May 1, 2, & 3). The sale applies to seed beads, Swarovskis, gemstone strands and pearl strands. We will have new products available that we had no space for at our old location. Come and see what is new!
We have scheduled daytime classes starting in May.
Customer Spotlight: Judi Dean
While we were remodeling our condo, I noticed that all of the magazines were showing beaded chandeliers in the dining rooms. Since we had already purchased a rather plain one, I decided that I needed to add some glamour to ours.
I had been driving passed this newly opened bead store and finally entered to see what it had to offer. Oh my gosh! What a wonderful store I had found. I explained to Karen what I wanted to attempt and she quickly introduced me to Fireline, and some ‘just perfect’ clear glass beads. The next week I was back for more beads to finish my masterpiece. I also added some antique teardrop crystals given to me by my mom and a friend. Wow! Back to Beading Elements to show them the pictures and to get some more beads for the next project.
I am originally from Sacramento, Ca, where I grew up and raised my two wonderful sons. I was actively involved with the Sacramento Embroiders Guild and have always enjoyed sewing, quilting and recently making and selling beaded cigar box purses. My mother was a very talented woman so it was natural for me to take after her.
I moved to Sarasota 14 years ago and met my best friend and now husband Bob. He is impressed with all of my projects and proud to tell everyone what I have made. Some of you may have even seen a mustached man standing in Beading Elements looking totally bewildered, holding a sticky note of items that I needed to finish a project. Bob starting calling Karen and Brenda ‘the girls’. Now on my days off he may ask, “Are you going to see the girls today?” hummmm
Although I have created many beautiful quilts and learned many new techniques through my life, I have to say beading is by far the most relaxing and rewarding hobby. I started just stringing beautiful beads with equally beautiful findings until…I started with bead weaving. Hooked to say the least. I have sold many pieces, and people are always amazed with the little bitty beads, and they remark about my patience to work with them.
The challenge to learn a new technique and actually see the necklace evolve out of several tubes of beads is so amazing. I find new patterns and head down to look for the ‘just perfect’ beads. I often ask ‘the girls’ about a certain stitch and they always tell me… “Really easy – you can make it in a day!”. I have never left the shop disappointed. The store for me has all that I have needed. When I talk to others who are just starting to bead, I tell them “You just have to go see Beading Elements”. I just want everyone to experience the joy that I have found.
Recently Bob and I went to a craft faire on Lido Beach. I came across some beautiful blown glass pendants. Bob waited patiently while I browsed, knowing that it was just a matter of time before my eyes would pick one out. Yep, the one I picked out has a beautiful blown back with aqua and iridescent colors in it. Holding it up I could see a herringbone necklace attached to it. Before I could say anything, Bob asked, “Do you have beads for it or does this mean a trip to see ‘the girls’? We both laughed.
Thank you Brenda and Karen for your friendship and most of all for the most wonderful bead store I have ever entered. I will always be grateful for your assistance with colors and ideas. Brenda, Bob says to quit showing me the ‘oh my gosh to die for pendants’!
I am looking forward to taking the free form peyote class. Yep, more beads are needed!
Welcome to Our New Employees! We have recently welcomed one of our good customers onto our staff. Stop by and say Hi to Chantelle Soganich. She has a great eye for design and color, and has great wire working skills. Be looking for classes offered by her this quarter!
We would also like to welcome Tanya Wilhelm to our team. Tanya has started by processing beads as they come into our store from suppliers. Although Tanya is not a beader (yet!), she is catching on quickly and is already a tremendous asset. With her background in e-commerce and office administration Tanya will be valuable in helping us with our website. Tanya is an actual Florida native (a rare bird indeed), with two daughters (yet more potential beaders!), and she looks forward to begin beading so she can share it with them. Tanya loves to read about religion and spirituality, and is an avid crocheter.
Did you Know? …About Differences in Silver
I get a little giggle when I think what we might all look like if our inner child could be seen shopping for beads – little girls in too big high heels and big hats or little boys with their dads’ pipes, gleefully picking out beads as if they were colorful candy. And then there is silver – can anyone really resist that bling? But what the heck is the difference between types of silver, other than the designs or country of origin? The grown-up curiosity takes over.
Fine silver is 99.9% or more pure silver. Sterling silver is an alloy containing at least 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. It is hallmarked as “.925” or “Sterling”. Sometimes alloys other than copper are used to improve certain traits, such as making it tarnish resistant. (Argentium silver is one example, but not widely available.)
Mexican silver (except for coins) originally contained a high silver content, usually 95% silver and 5% copper. However, today’s Mexican silver is made with 92.5% silver and are marked “Sterling”. Silver from India still has a high silver content, thus remaining very soft.
Hill Tribe silver is made by 4 different hill tribes in Thailand. The silver they use is usually 95-99% pure silver, thus much softer than sterling. This lends itself well to the type of handcrafting they do, which requires a great deal of bending, shaping and detail work. Bali and Tibetan silver both use sterling silver. Their designs are also handmade, but use different techniques from the Thai hill tribes, such as granulation and wirework decoration.
There has been a lot of news lately about lead and other contaminants in toys and food. Unfortunately, silver beads and findings are no exception. There is a great deal of counterfeit Tibetan, Bali, and possibly other indigenous silver. Recent testing was done by one of our vendors on seven ‘Tibetan Silver’ items offered on eBay. The testing proved these items did not contain any silver at all. Even worse, the items contained high levels of lead and other dangerous metals like arsenic.
Don’t feel shy about adding bling to your things…just make sure to ask your local bead stores about the origin of their silver. If they’re not sure, then you may want to use your own judgment before you buy.
Beading Elements, Inc. 4785 Swift Road, Sarasota, FL 34231
Beads…
and all the Elements that go with them
Store Hours:
Monday – Friday 10 - 6 pm
Saturday 12 – 6 pm
Sunday Closed
941-922-0311
Web: www.beadingelements
Email: beadingelements@verizon.net
