Creative Crafter falls for Beads
From a family of crafters, my great-grandmother put tea towels and embroidery thread in my hands before I could read. Throughout my military and public service careers, creating and crafting were my outlets. After trying many crafts, I've discovered the love of beading. When we moved to the little river town of Occoquan, Virginia, it seemed an ideal spot for a bead shop. We were thrilled to open Off the Beading Path in the summer of 2008. The eight years of providing inspiring supplies and classes to jewelry artists was a pleasure. But when grandchildren came, we wanted more time and less distance. We made the difficult decision to close the shop and move closer to family. During the transition of moving and rediscovering my own great bead stash, I took a few classes and remembered how much I love to create. Slowly, but joyfully, designing became my focus.
With 2019, the focus was turned to my jewelry designs. A second etsy shop was added at www.zoamaedesigns.etsy.com to showcase this line. Here, on this etsy page, you'll find a curated supply of jewelry making items such as Kazuri and other Fair Trade beads, vintage crystals and faux pearls. And in 2020, we all learned to pivot. Craft shows were limited and artists looked for new venues. We added a stand-alone website to host my jewelry designs (www.zoamaedesigns). Always seeking, I look forward to finding creative inspiration and hopefully inspiring others along the way. Happy creating!
