Focused Shopper

I was going through some beads, looking for some more pearls for the project I am working on, and came across a bag of beads that I had forgotten about. About 4 years ago I had gone to a bead show in Ft. Worth, Texas with a couple of friends. I think they looked at every bead , finding, and tool they had in the place.

Me? I was looking for things I could use in bridal jewelry. I had just quit my job at the pharmacy to start my business. I had decided bridal jewelry was my thing. I love weddings, and I love jewelry, so this seem the natural choice for me.

Now, I knew that the trend in bridal jewelry was changing, and that brides were using more color in their attire, but for some reason, pearls and diamonds ( pearls and crystals) stick in my head as bridal. This kind of surprised me because I cater to what I call Bohemian Brides. Brides who want to go outside the traditional box. I was thinking that I would go funky in the design part of it, I guess.

Anyway, when we were all through with our shopping, we went to one of the cash counters to check out. Everybody in front of me and behind me had 4 or 5 baskets full of stuff.  When it came my turn to check out, I put my one little basket on the counter. I had 4 types of beads and several clasps in the basket. The lady looked in the basket, looked at me and smiled. She said, " I think you are the most focused shopper I have seen in here all day!"

These are the beads I had in the basket. I have used all of them, except for the hearts, in one thing or another. I am still waiting for just the right idea to pop into my head for the hearts. I am sure when the right person comes along, those hearts will be the first thing I think of.

Out of thousands of square feet of beads, this is what I took away with me!*L*


My ideas of what is bridal jewelry and what isn't has since changed. I still use lots of pearls and crystals, but now I can add color, and different types of beads, and still see it as a bridal piece.