Gemstones and Seed Beads and More, Oh My!

I’ve been a bead fanatic since the 80s, when I used to create really lame versions of classic Native American designs. Despite not being particularly good at it, I enjoyed the craft, and managed to acquire a nice supply of glass seed beads, purchased from a nifty little store in downtown Tulsa called Lyon’s Indian Store. Lyon’s closed some years back, and I miss it. But I still have a huge stash of beads left over from those days, and I’ve combined them with some of my newer gemstone beads in a way I find pleasing.

Of course, every time I find a new idea, I come up with new ways of making it happen, and usually that means acquring more stuff. So now I have a whole new stash of seed beads in new colors, some of which I’ll probably hold on to for the next 30 years.

I’ve created several, two-strand beaded bracelets combining gemstones and seed beads in many colors of the rainbow, with more to come. Currently in the works are bracelets with serpentine, also known as yellow turquoise, and lapis lazuli, which may top the list of favorite blue gemstones. Right now I’m offering red jasper with wood beads and shell; orange aventurine with quartzite and carnelian; yellow quartzite with quartz, blue amazonite with quartz; purple amethyst and fluorite; and pink rhodonite with black lava. See the collection of two-strand, gemstone and seed bead bracelets here!