Clove Valley Creations

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When people think of beaded jewelry, they usually picture a string of beads on a wire. They rarely picture tiny seed beads, some only 1mm in size, sewn together into beautiful intricate patterns. Bead weaving is done with a (very skinny) needle and special beading thread. There are a variety of classic techniques—right angle weave, peyote, and brick stitch, to name a few. Each piece that I make is carefully and lovingly handstitched one bead at a time. I pay special attention to color choice—it is the combination of colors and how they interact and complement each other that makes my work sing. I have also found a way to incorporate my love of origami in making my jewelry—I have a flock of adorable origami bird and butterfly earrings as well as elegant origami leaves that turn wearable art into a conversation piece.

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I started beading by happenstance in 2010. Since I have busy hands, I’ve tried lots of different crafts. I enjoy them all, but beading is the one that speaks to my heart. It’s a meditative process and at the end you’ve assembled a little work of art from innumerable tiny pieces. My bead mat filled with beads along with a great audiobook in the background is how I would describe a perfect day!