The translation of the word Millefiori literally means ‘A Thousand Flowers’ in Italian. It’s easy to see why. Millefiori is a style of ornamental lampwork glass in which glass rods of various colors and thicknesses are fused together to form a shape—typically that of a flower. The finished shape is then sliced into thin pieces that are embedded into clear glass. I’m a big fan of Millefiori. The bold, poppy floral patterns are modern and earthy all in the same breath. These pendants will look great with metal and other lampwork beads. However, simplicity is just as beautiful. Dangle these pendants on a leather cord and you’re good to go.

Millefiori is moving beyond the beading world, as more people fall in the love with the design. I came across the fab quilting fabric above from Fabric and Art.com, featuring Millefiori prints in a variety of patterns and colors. I also found these swanky Millefiori Martini glasses by Debenhams.com. How cool is that? Cheers!

Check out our new Millefiori pendants and see what blossoms in your designs.
 

Happy Beading!
*Miss Pearl*

In my kitchen, there is a drawer that contains approximately six pairs of sunglasses. I kid you, not. Six. There are the tried and true brown sunglasses that are neutral enough to match anything, oversized rhinestone-studded diva glasses for when I’m channeling my inner Beyonce, the teal blue splurge glasses that match one shirt in my closet, the fire-engine red glasses with Limousine-grade tinting, Top Gun aviators, and last, but not least, a super chic pair of black sunglasses that make me feel like 007 in the slow lane. I’m constantly changing my accessories to match my wardrobe, my mood, even the seasons. But it doesn’t stop there. I adore large hole beads, the kind with the 4-5mm hole size, yep, just like Pandora™, Chamilia™, and Trollbeads™. I love being able to mix and match, create a new bracelet for every day of week, for every pair of sunglasses. Goody Beads now has more ways to wear these large hole beads. We have a new interchangeable jewelry section featuring a brand new necklace that allows you to stack the beads on top of one another. Also, my favorite, interchangeable earrings! Put your collection of large hole beads to new use with our new jewelry. Plus, they make excellent gifts too. Drop in a couple packs of large hole beads and you’re practically giving two gifts in one.

Go from Pretty In Pink to Marilyn Mod with our NEW Interchangeable Earrings!

Go from casual chic to holiday sweet with our NEW Interchangeable Stack Necklace!

Happy Beading!
*Miss Pearl*

It is estimated that the average American will consume nearly 30 pounds of candy this year, with most of it landing in our bellies within the next three weeks. Wowza! Or maybe it should be more like Wonka! Do your sweet tooth a favor and substitute the Jolly Ranchers with these jolly new lampwork beads in cute candy shapes. They’ll sweeten up any design. Even better, they’re 0 calories and fat-free to boot.

Happy Beading!
*Miss Pearl*

I Heart Italian Resin Beads.
It’s official. I’m going to leave my husband and run off with these fantastic plastic jewelry components. You’ve most certainly come in contact with acrylic before. It’s derivative of the most widely used man-made substance on the planet: plastic. Acrylic and its resin cousins are quite simply plastic compounds. Plastic, unfortunately, tends to get a bad wrap for being cheap, which is such an unforgiving word. Plastic is affordable, yes, but it’s a material that can also be beautiful. Beauty is priceless in the eye of the beholder. With every material, there’s always a breakthrough in innovation and Italian resin happened to be one of those bursts of creativity. Italian resin is just as lightweight and durable as other acrylics/resins but it’s the finish that sets it apart. Italian resin takes on a mother-of-pearl sheen that plays with light. It has a richness and depth to it that makes it a great alternative to pearls and crystals. The beauty of resin is that it can be cast in any shape, and manufactured in a rainbow of colors.

I urge you to give acrylic/resin a chance with these new Italian resin beads. Choose from 27 styles, and 4 color designs, each with 3-4 shapes to choose from. They’re a great way to make a bold statement without spending a lot of money. If being “cheap” is wrong. I don’t want to be right.

Discover NEW Italian Resin Beads!

What fun designs and colors! Reminds me of the artist Keith Haring.  The illustration of the heart, above, is his artwork.

The 12 and 14mm rounds remind me of gumballs.  Yum!

Super chic.  This design is like a boutique hotel, packed into a compact bead.  Love it!

Laffy Taffy anyone?  This design is sweet like candy. Those flower-shaped beads are great for every girly girl.

Happy Beading!
*Miss Pearl*

To us beaders, a charm is a delightful little ornament, worn on a necklace or bracelet. But this time of year, my vocabulary is reminded that to some, charms are an object, act, or saying believed to have magical power. (Cue the eerie music.) If I were a green-skinned witch, plucked from the pages of the Wizard of Oz, I’d cast a spell to make every idol hand, one that would constantly bead, bead, and bead some more. Wicked? Depends on whom you ask. Whether you’re making jewelry with charms, or crafting charms of the fantastic kind, you’ll love these new silver pewter Halloween charms from Goody Beads. These fun Halloween charms are delightful little ornaments indeed. Choose from a spooky spider, scary scarecrow, a laughing witch who’s jolly is not exactly on the lines of St. Nick, and several spellbinding others. It’s not too late to get in on the Halloween fun, and if you’re (mummy) wrapped for the season, pick some up for next year’s haunting.

New Pewter Halloween Charms!

Happy Beading!
*The Ghost of Miss Pearl*

If anyone asks you your sign, they’re A: Baffled by your personality traits, B: Using the oldest line in the book to pick you up, or C: making a beautiful bracelet in your honor. Let’s hope “C” is the answer every time. We just got in these elegant new Sterling Silver and Swarovski® Crystal Birthstone Drops. They're large hole, luxurious, and fabulous! And, they’re perfect for interchangeable bead bracelets and more. So, the next time someone asks you: “Hey baby, what’s your sign?” Just flash them your new birthstone bead on your way to the nearest exit.

Shop our New Sterling Silver & Swarovski Crystal Large Hole Bead Birthstone Drops!

Happy Beading!
*Miss Pearl*

The Seed Bead.
Adored by many.
Feared by some.
The only bead I’ve ever known with a Napoleon complex.

Rightly so.

Seed beads are one of the most versatile beads round. Alone, they can be a great support to featured jewelry components by adding depth and detail to the overall design. In mass, the seed bead can be a feast for the eyes: thousands of beads united to make an amazing piece. The gold standard of seed beads is Miyuki Japanese seed beads. From fashion designers to beadwork artists, Miyuki Delica seed beads are the preferred seed beads of choice. Their uniform look and variety of finishes truly gives you creative freedom.

Now, I’m not a seasoned pro when it comes to the seed bead, and frankly, I was a bit intimidated at first. All those tiny beads to wrangle and make into something organized and pretty. Take it from me; seed beads are no more challenging to work with than any other bead. Find some inspiration, learn the techniques that help you work the most effectively, and you’ll be stringing seed beads in your sleep.

I couldn’t possibly do justice to the craft of working with seed beads in one seed bead size blog post. Which is why I’m going to do more in the future. But for now, I have some great stuff to give you a jump-start on this small world. Plus, Goody Beads has a great selection of Miyuki Delica Seed Beads to choose from to get you started today.

READ:
From embroidery to stringing as-is, there are ton of uses for the humble seed bead. Beth Stone’s Seed Bead Stitching: Creative Variations On Traditional Techniques is an excellent book that showcases the many applications of the seed bead.

OGLE, GUSH, GET TO KNOW:
Independent artists are doing innovative and beautiful things with seed beads everyday. Etsy is a great resource for handmade jewelry shopping and inspiration. TQB Designs does absolutely gorgeous work with seed beads. For more on this talented artist and studio, click here. And to buy the jewelry featured in these photos, click here.

SHOP GOODY BEADS:
Inspiration can be found everywhere. I like to start with a color palette and go from there. My Thomas Paul rug was the start of a fun seed bead project. If you’re ready to dive right into the world of seed beads, Goody Beads has everything you need to get started. Check out our new selection of Miyuki seed beads today!

Happy Beading!
*Miss Pearl*

NEW Large Hole Faceted Crystal Beads

There truly is a scale when it comes to components that offer sparkle and shine. When I want to add “Va-Va-Voom” to my jewelry, I know a few Rhinestone beads will do the trick. But, if I only want the “Va-Va,” and not necessarily the “Voom,” I head straight for the crystals. Whether you choose Swarovski® or Chinese crystal beads, you’ll get that elegant sparkle you’re going for. We just added two new faceted crystal colors to our Large Hole Beads section. If you don’t already know, Large Hole Beads have a larger hole size of about 4mm to 5mm. (larger than the standard bead) And they’re perfect for interchangeable bead bracelets. (Like Pandora™, Trollbeads™, and Chamilia™.) But you can do a lot more than that with large hole beads. They’re great for Bead Pens, Key chains, necklaces, and more. Hop on over to our Large Hole Beads section today, and see all the beads we have to offer.

New 14mm Faceted Crystal Beads in Emerald and Ruby

Happy Beading!
*Miss Pearl*

There’s always something surprising and new in our Lampwork Glass Beads section. We just got in these new Spiral Core Beads that bring an artisan look to an affordable glass bead. Choose from six shapes, including two sizes of rounds, two sizes of oval, and the all important heart-shaped bead. Plus, each shape comes in a variety of colors, from lemon yellow to twisted green and blue hues. So artistic. So twisted. So much fun!

New Spiral Core Lampwork Beads!
 

Happy Beading!
*Miss Pearl*