Stash Saturday 4 - Beads

My Favorite beads, glass ladybugs, they are a bit larger than 1/4". I sew them on a lot of my floral quilts, sitting on a flower petal or climbing a stem. I get them at the local annual Gem & Mineral Show at the Fairgrounds, but the dealer hasn't had any the last few years, so now I am kind of hoarding them.

My stash of beads, in clear plastic divided boxes, there is a second smaller stack to the right of these. I have extra boxes, but no where to put them. You can clean up your room, get extra shoe boxes, but if you have no where for the shoe boxes to go, then it does not help. This is the position I find my self in, more stuff-no room for the stuff.

The first two boxes are basic seed beads, tubes and small bags, plain, iridescent & crystal. Also rocailles, gold and silver metallic, small pearls, and the next size larger than seed beads. I use these in flower centers, as a scatter across a large area, or to fill in an area.

Next I have even more seed beads in larger quantities, and the out of place plastic lobster? He has been sneaking around from box to box, trying to find a home. I have an assortment of "Good" beads, specialty items, pieces from old earrings, vintage beads, and charms, small rubber animals, I sew on as embellishments, like beads. The variety is endless, lots of miscellaneous stuff and one of a kind items. I also have boxes of sequins, jewelry findings, miscellaneous, wood beads, plastic crystals, the only thing I DO NOT have is pony beads. I hate them!! I also have several shoe boxes of sea shells, many of them already drilled, but I do drill others with a small diamond drill bit, I add them to my undersea, tropical fish quilts.

Then I have a shoebox of even better beads, strands of turquoise, rose quartz, hematite, pearl, lapis, stuff for making necklaces and jewelry. There are beautiful glass and shell pendants, as focal points. Most of these I got at Shipwreck Beads just outside Olympia, Washington. Click here for Shipwreck Beads. If you ever get a chance to go, please do, it is an amazing warehouse full of the most delicious stuff! You can order online, minimum order $25, which is very easy to do. I add beads to lots of my art quilts, it is the first thing I go to, to embellish anything. They add texture, sparkle, detail and color. Once you start collecting it is hard to stop. I'll never use all my beads, I have to accept that, just like I will never use all my fabric, if I live to be 200. But it is a palette of choices, to have a variety on hand, when you need just the right touch to make your quilt spark!