De-stashing a 25 year collection of beads, buttons and all things related.
Redux: adjective 1. brought back; revived. 2. presented in a new way.
In 1992 I discovered the joy of beading when I met a gentleman who had recently returned from Thailand with an impressive collection of beads. Our unlikely conversation led to an unexpected offer. He was looking for someone to help him start up and run a bead store. He asked if I would be interested. Without hesitation, I said "YES!" I had seen that bead collection. I knew next to nothing about beads at the time, but I was about to embark on a crash course. Beads & Tribal Imports opened in Salem, Oregon, a few months later, with yours truly as it's new manager.
Less than a year later Beads & Tribal relocated to Portland and I declined the offer to go with them. However, in that short time working with beads it was obvious to me that I was hooked, and the seed of an idea, to own my own business, had been planted. That seed grew to become The Bead Garden, which opened for business in July 1993.
The next 5 years myself and a merry band of wonderfully talented women, we called ourselves The Beadles, sold beads, gave advice, and taught classes on every imaginable form of bead-work. It was a wonderfully creative time for us all, but like all good things, it came to an end sooner than any of us would have liked.
After closing the store in 1998, I planned to take the remaining inventory and create an on-line store just as web-based businesses were taking off. Best laid plans...... A couple of college degrees, a second language, a new career, another business, and loads of "life stuff" in between, time just kind of gets away from you. So, 25 plus years after starting my bead journey I have finally made good on my online business plan and t feels like coming full circle.
The Bead Garden has been "brought back, revived, and presented in a new way," as an Etsy based store, BGRedux. It exists primarily to allow me to part with my very large collection but also as a way of revisiting a passion that has been put on the sidelines for much too long. I hope you will look around the "store" and contact me with any questions. Visit often as I continue to add items.
Outside of running this Etsy business, I plan to participate in the occasional bead event, trunk show, fill custom jewelry orders, and perhaps even give a private class from time to time.
To keep track of our comings, goings, and creating be sure to follow us on Facebook, where I will post updates when I am not playing with my beads. I do have priorities after all.
Happy Creating,
Lorie
