Wednesday, April 11, 2012

BTW: Replenishing Supplies

So. Not really a table post, but it does have beads! Lol. Supplies are low so I had to go and buy more. Well. That's my excuse, really. I've just been depressed and needed to do a little retail therapy. Not much... just a little.

This is one of my fave bead stores. It's a tiny little store in Orange, CA called Beads Beads. It's on a busy street and is so small, you'll probably miss it on the first few goes. I always shoot for the Bank of America it's next to but still tend to miss the shop and have to double back.

It's tiny but chock full of beady goodness. A really good selection of Czech glass beads. I usually buy strands here. I have yet to look at their charms or stones, which they keep behind the counter but I make good use of my time and money buying beautiful Czech glass.

And seed beads, of course! For someone who mostly wire wraps them or uses seed beads as spacers, their little tubes are excellent. The white capped tubes are only $0.95! Red is $1.25 and if you need something fancy, black caps are $2.95. There are their size 11s. Size 15s, 8, and 6 are on the other side of the shop and just as well priced (in my opinion).

Here's my haul. Not very big, but it makes me all warm inside. They have some lovely wood beads and I snagged a strand. Their lucite flowers aren't the best priced but they have flowers I haven't seen elsewhere so I snagged some too. Czech glass and seed beads made it into my basket as well as a half-off strand of stone labeled "oyster opal," which I must do research on but for $2, I had to have it. I had a list of beads I wanted to buy on my phone but somehow, managed to forget the amethyst and peacock blue size 8 seed beads! Oh no. Another trip will have to happen again soon... :P

I also needed some buttons and made my way to a craft store. BUT! They didn't have the buttons I needed. Sadness. I'm wondering if they're no longer carrying the design I want and am a little worried I won't be able to replace my used up stock. I finally have a few designs that are popular and the buttons I need feature in one of them. Blah.

My last stop was San Clemente Art Supply. They carry my waxed Irish linen cord. I haven't had the funds to buy all the colors I want in bulk yet so when I get the money, I make my way over to San Clemente and buy 20 yards of a few colors. It lasts me a good while and they're awesome. When I was in art school, I tried to get as much of my supplies from them as possible. I don't do much painting and drawing now but when I do, I still buy from them as often as I can. Support small businesses!!!

Sorry this wasn't a real table post. Tomorrow, I'll try and have something more to show you!

What's on your bead table today?

2 comments:

  1. Hello from Pasadena! Never heard of this bead store before. Thank you for telling about it. I am planning to visit Orange. Mostly because of many nice antique stores. But, I also would love to go to this bead store.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have GOT to make time to go to a bead store. I've been buying tings online and it just isn't the same.

    ReplyDelete