Flower Power

I discovered beading shortly after I started college and visited my first bead store on the West Bank of the University of MN campus. There were so many colors, sizes, and shapes of different beads and countless things you could make from them, not to mention the different materials they were made of: metal, wood, resin, glass, stone, clay. I quickly fell in love with seed and glass beads, crystals, modeling clay, precious metal, gemstones, and the plethora of findings the store had to offer. Over the years my love of beading has endured, although it’s had to share time with knitting, crocheting, sewing, embroidery, and other crafts that have piqued my interest. My favorite bead store at the moment is The Bead Monkey.

Whenever I visit the store, I always leave feeling inspired by the items on display that the staff have made. I have purchased numerous kits from them over the years that have taught me how to make different types of beaded earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and pendants. I stopped into the store last week to check out a few things I had seen on their blog. Namely, the resulting products of the employee sprocket challenge and a beautiful necklace adorned with beaded flowers made from briolettes.

Employee-made blossom necklace from The Bead Monkey

While in the store, I noticed that one of the women working there was wearing another beautiful beaded flower necklace. When I asked her if she had made it, she said she had indeed, and was teaching a class in-store on how to make them to boot! She definitely had my attention. I had never taken a class in-store but if I could learn how to make those fabulous flowers, I would definitely sign up! The next day I registered online for the Blossoms class and received a PDF of the materials I would need to purchase for it.

Last night, supplies in hand, I returned to the store for the class, joined by 5 other women and the teacher, Katie. She showed us the basics of assembling and wire-wrapping the beads to make the base of the flower, in addition to different variations that could be made using embellishments. I was surprised at how easy it was! During the class I made three different flowers and added a pin back to one of them.

Beaded flower blossoms

I was eager to show my husband the finished results when I returned home. Needless to say, he will never share my level of excitement and enthusiasm over the by-products of my crafty adventures, but I appreciate his continued support and input nonetheless. I had materials leftover from the supplies I had purchased for the class, so I made a few more flowers last night at home.

Spring has sprung!

Bright-colored flowers

I’m not sure exactly what I’ll do with them at the moment, which is why I left the long wire tails, but I have a feeling that a flower necklace may be blooming in the next few days.

Endless possibilities