The Best Bead Stores in NYC!

As promised, today I am going to write reviews of my four favorite bead and jewelry supply stores here in NYC. There are plenty of stores around that don't make my list (and a few that I think should be on a DO NOT SHOP list somewhere!), but I have shopped just about everywhere over the course of the past year, and these are the four that I think are the best. Illustrated, of course, with pictures of the jewelry I have made from each store's supplies. Ok, here we go! In alphabetical order...

Fun 2 Bead
1028 6th Avenue (b/w 38th & 39th St.)
This is one of the first bead stores I ever went to when I first opened my business last year, and I still go here all the time. The first thing that impressed me about them is that they stock jewelry soldering supplies--solder, flux, copper tape, and soldering irons. It can be really hard to find all of these components in one place. Actually, I can't think of another place that does! So that is awesome. Also, they have an excellent selection of sterling silver and gold filled chain. They have the best style options as well as the best prices (trust me, I've looked). They also have a great--and overwhelming--selection of beads. They have a huge wall of crystals, which is impressive, but I am more into gemstones. Which they have a huge wall of too! Sometimes the beads are a little bit pricey, but they run two major sales (at least!) every year where you get 50% off all strands of beads. When that sale happens, the prices are the best in the city. Otherwise, if you're a regular, they always give you little discounts, which really add up. The staff at this store is also seriously awesome, which really makes a difference in the way you think of the store. They never, ever rush you out the door--even if it's after they're supposed to be closed, they will stay open as long as customers are looking.

Genuine Ten Ten
1012 Ave of the Americas
(b/w 37th & 38th St.)
A big part of the reason that I love this store is because of the huge wholesale discount that I get. The more you buy, the bigger your discount is. Often, I get 30% off (or slightly more). So if you have a Tax ID, definitely bring it to this store! I have to also admit that the first time I went here, I did not have a good experience. I felt like they rushed me out the door--it was near closing time, and they nearly refused to sell me the beads I was trying to buy. I didn't go back in for months, but when I did (and every time since), I have had a really good experience. A lot of the beads here do not come cheap, but don't be intimidated by the high price tags. You have to look around a little bit to find the good deals, but they are there! They always have a sale selection towards the back right, and there are always some great finds in that. Also, don't be afraid to ask the staff for help--they are very nice and always willing to help. Just, ahem, don't go close to closing time! (which is 7:30, I think?) They also have some really unusual gemstone beads that are really worth buying, if you're into that sort of thing (like me!) And, of course--they have the most extensive and best selection of geode and druzy stone components in the city (not always necessarily the cheapest, but the best selection nonetheless). You can see the earrings I made from a pair of their sparkly druzy stones (quartz crystals that grow over another stone naturally). They have a huge range of geode and druzy pendants and components in glass cases in the center of the store. They are not cheap but they are AWESOME. You have to ask them to pull out the trays so you can look, and I highly recommend doing so! A trick I learned is to ask for the extra trays in the back--they might only display 15 of one kind of pendant, but in the back they (usually) have lots of extra stock that they are always happy to pull out for you, so you can choose your perfect stone(s).

Lavaliere Sterling & Stones
1006 6th Avenue (b/w 37th & 38th St.)
Lavaliere is a store I discovered when I was desperate to find unique and interesting charms in either sterling silver or vermeil / gold filled. I had no idea how difficult that can be! Seriously, if you need precious metal charms, you have got to go here. The selection is the absolute best, and the prices are good. You can spend a lot of time looking in those cases, trying to find the perfect charm(s). Which you always do! The prices are also excellent if you're looking for other gold filled or sterling silver components. There's a lot of choice, so be sure to look around! They also have good deals if you want to buy in bulk--you can get 50 sterling silver jump rings for about $10. The beads are not cheap, and some are downright expensive. The selection, however, is great and it includes some things that you really can't find anywhere else (like the gorgeous green onyx I used for the earrings you see here). And they always do have some sale stuff, some of which is great. They also have a selection of geode, druzy, and gemstone pendants in the section at the center of the store. The selection isn't as wide as it is at Genuine Ten Ten, but the prices here are always better (at least $3 better, if not more). The staff at Lavaliere is also always super friendly and helpful, which really makes a difference. The staff members always remember me too, which means a lot and means that I always want to go back!

Leekan Designs
4 Rivington St. (just East of Bowery)
This is the only store on this list that isn't located in Midtown West. It's in the Lower East Side, and even though it's really not close to any other supply stores, you have got to go check it out. This store has a lot more to offer than just jewelry supplies--they stock unique finds from all over Asia and beyond. They have antiques, an impressively large selection of gongs, beautiful Buddhist statues, lamps, home decor, fabric purses, and more. In the back of the store are all the beads, and there are endless options to choose from. Again, if you have a Tax ID, you should definitely bring it here. They have great wholesale prices--I usually get 50% off most of the things I buy (but in fairness, I always buy a ton of stuff). This place is all about exotic, unique, and amazing beads and gemstones. I buy a range of metal beads here that I use in my line of memory wire bracelets (like the one in the picture!). The beads all come from as far away as India, Kenya and Ethiopia, among many other places. I also buy lots and lots of gemstone beads here--you can see the combination of two strands of beautiful ocean jasper beads in the bracelet pictured above. They sell everything from $6 strands of hematite to $200 strands of fine silver beads, and everything in between. If you're looking for something but can't seem to find it, make sure to ask the staff. Somebody knowledgeable is always there to help and they will often make suggestions. It is easy to spend an entire afternoon poking around this store, and I highly recommend it!

Final Thoughts
I have to say it again: If you have a Tax ID, you should always bring it with you to any supply store you go to! (Or at least bring it the first time, so they can add you to their system). You should give it to them before they start ringing you up--at the least, you don't pay sales tax, and at the best you get other, awesome discounts and other fun perks. Something I realized recently is that a lot of these stores (here in NYC and in other places too!) also make jewelry for customers--I know for a fact that Lavaliere, Genuine Ten Ten, and Leekan all will create a necklace or bracelet for you with supplies you purchase from their store, often on the spot. They all offer really reasonable prices too, so if you're not a jewelry designer but want to help design your own piece(s), you should check that out! All of these stores are small businesses, and many are family operations. I know a lot of designers who shop mostly online, but I never have. I would really miss the human element that comes with physically going into the stores--I really like getting to know the staff at each store I frequent, and I always feel good about giving them my money, because I know exactly who it is going to! So, go out and support your local small businesses! I know firsthand how much it means :)

So what do you think? Did I miss the best stores? Did you have a bad experience at one of the stores I mentioned?? Let me know what you think in the comments!


(PS-Some of these stores also have websites, but I didn't include them because the way that you will find the best selection at each place is by physically going into the store. If you'd like the website for one of the stores, you can easily google it yourself, or message me and I'll send it over! Happy shopping!)

The Best Ring Model Ever

I couldn't resist posting this adorable photo of my boyfriend's nephew wearing one of my rings!! He is the cutest ever.... I hope Jen got her ring back though! :)

I spent today doing some supply shopping in Midtown, as I do several times a month. Today I visited a few of my usual stores and got some fun new things that I can't wait to turn into new designs! I thought maybe this week on my blog it would be fun to write reviews of my favorite bead and jewelry supply stores here in NYC. It has taken me awhile to find the best stores in the area, but now that I have been regularly shopping for almost a year, I feel like I have developed a pretty good sense of knowing which stores stock the best selections and have the best prices. So more to come on that, starting tomorrow. Good night everyone!

My First International Order!

Today was a fun milestone for my business--I shipped my first ever international order! I have offered international shipping on my website for awhile now, but my friend Cindy is the first person to take me up on it.

Cindy is a girl I knew back when we were about 14. We rode the same van together for a year--no, not the bus, it really was a van!--to our small Catholic high school back in North Carolina. Reconnecting with Cindy is the kind of thing that really makes me appreciate Facebook. A few months ago, she saw a post about my jewelry on Facebook, and we reconnected through that. She has since become a regular customer, which is an added bonus. Plus, I haven't seen her since we were 14 and now she's getting married!! Very cool. And so today, I filled out my customs form at the post office and shipped a necklace off to her in Spain. All thanks to Facebook too, I guess!

Hopefully this is just the first of many international orders to come :)
Also, thank you Cindy! I hope she likes it!

Jewelry for Your (and my!) Hands

Can you tell that it's been another slow day at my store??? I have been creating a lot of new pieces lately, and I have been especially interested in thinking up some fun new ideas for hand jewelry. This is partially selfish--I really wanted something cool to wear on my hand today that was more interesting than a usual ring or bracelet, so I made myself something! Well, something for my right hand--on my left hand, I'm wearing one of the cool double rings that I made yesterday. Oh, the perks of being a jewelry designer...

This was also a good project because I have had tons of extra chain laying around for months now, just waiting to be put to good use. Some of that chain finally got used up today in the creation of a few of these ring bracelets. I am currently wearing the one above, that's made of turquoise and brass. It's super comfortable and looks really pretty. Not too delicate, not too high maintenance. I am totally keeping it for myself!

Also, I really wish that there was a better name for these things--"ring bracelet" sounds awkward, but I can't figure out a good alternative. I have seen them sold as "slave bracelets" before, but that is literally the most offensive name for a piece of jewelry I have ever heard. I am always going to err on the side of not using the word "slave" to describe any of my jewelry, EVER. I guess I am stuck with "ring bracelet" until something better comes along..... I'm not sure whether I will add these to either my boutique or online store, but for now I at least have two new pieces for myself!

When I Get Bored...

....I make new things!! It has been a very slow week at my store so far, and I have been feeling pretty darn bored these past few days. The store is open for nine hours every day, and those nine hours pass incredibly slowly when there aren't many customers around to talk to or interact with. I mean, there are some customers, but not nearly enough to fill all of that time! Which leaves me with lots of "free" time--I can't leave, but I can work on whatever I want to.

I try to use slow time in productive ways--today, I've been playing around with new ring designs all day. I had been working on some new ring ideas throughout the week, and today I finally created a few pieces that I really like. You can see two of the new rings on this page--well, each "ring" is actually two rings that are worn stacked on one finger, with lengths of silver chain connecting them. So I guess they are more like "ring sets," actually...

I have been wearing both sets for a few hours now, one on each hand, and I must report that I am feeling very much like a warrior princess. There's something very fierce and fun about feeling all that metal on your hands.... So far they are super comfortable and easy to wear, and I think I might be making a few more of these for my store sometime soon! Or maybe they will go straight to my online shop--for them to be sold in my boutique, I would need to come up with a way to display them nicely, which could be tricky. We will see! For now, these two are my prototypes and I'll be wearing them all week so I can make any necessary tweaks to the designs. I think I will be doing a little bit of shopping early next week for a few materials so I can make some more.... And maybe ones made only out of chain?? Updates to come!

My First Jewelry Party

It's funny--I was feeling a little bit depressed about sales lately and going to write about that today. That and the fact that I keep accidentally drinking sour milk--there was a bad shipment in my neighborhood recently that still lingers on in many area delis. I am so sick of drinking spoiled milk!!!

But anyway! Something exciting happened last night--I was invited to a customer's staff dinner to give my jewelry out as gifts (that he paid for, of course!) to his many female employees.

It was pretty last minute, which means I spent all day yesterday frantically making a nice selection of earrings to take with me to the restaurant. There were about 20 staff members, but I wanted to have enough variety that each person could pick from an assortment of styles and choose a pair that they really loved. So I made 35 pairs just to be safe. Which is a TON of earrings to try to make in one day! Well, I made a solid 30...a few were taken directly off my displays at the store. I worked right up until 8 o'clock too, at which point I got in a cab and headed to the dinner. I was a little bit worried about going--I was feeling anxious for all sorts of irrational reasons. I was worried that people wouldn't like the jewelry, that the selection wouldn't be good enough, that it would be awkward, etc., etc., blah blah blah.

In the end, of course, everything went really well, as I secretly suspected it would. All of the ladies seemed genuinely happy with their jewelry, which is what I wanted most of all. It was a nice evening, and I'm so glad that my customer and his wife invited me to be part of their celebration. It was a great initiation into the world of jewelry events...maybe I will feel less afraid to host a jewelry party sometime in the future. It's something I've been wanting to do for awhile, but the inherent awkwardness of a "buying" party makes me hesitant. I have always hated anything that feels like the equivalent of a Tupperware party--when you feel not only the pressure to attend, but the pressure to open your wallet. Awkward. But maybe I'll do it--a few friends keep offering to help me host a party, so maybe I should take them up on it. For now, I'll just stick to my store (and online)! What do you think of a jewelry party--yea or nay??

Wedding Pictures!

Here are some pictures from the beautiful Hindu wedding I attended over the weekend! Well, not so much pictures of the actual wedding so much as pictures of me and the outfits that I wore...

The ceremony took place in the morning, and I wore a fancy Indian blouse (courtesy of the lovely Juli Raja--see my previous post!) and scarf, both of which were absolutely beautiful. I had headed out to the wedding the night before still feeling a little bit unsure about wearing a top that exposed my belly to a formal event. But after a brief conversation with the sister of the bride (which included the showing of my proposed wedding outfit), I was assured that it would be perfect. I was really glad that I wore it too--at the ceremony, a solid 95% of the wedding guests were not wearing Western clothing. Most women wore saris, and I felt right at home in my outfit.

It was also about 100 degrees outside during the buffet lunch afterwards, so my stomach was happy not to be trapped under clothing. The lunch was really, really amazingly good. It was also amazingly spicy, because I insisted on trying every dish that was served, which means I ended up with a pile of mouth-numbingly spicy rice and an assortment of equally spicy dishes. I ate most of the meal with sweat dripping down my face and back--from the weather as much as from the spice. But--totally worth it! As I was wisely advised towards the end of the meal, next time I will know to put more yogurt rice on my plate to help my taste buds recover....

There was a nice long break between events in the afternoon, which Nick and I happily spent in the hotel pool. Then there was an outfit change, followed by cocktail hour and later, dinner (in which I served myself lots of yogurt just in case, but was not at all overwhelmed by too much spice! Although I was a little overwhelmed by too much deliciousness...).

As you can see, I ended up dressing Western for the evening portion of the program, but enough other women did too that I didn't feel out of place. I had a pretty, delicately embroidered yellow scarf on courtesy of my friend Dana, and I wore it over a simple black dress, along with a large gemstone necklace that I designed for myself a few weeks ago (one of the main and most convenient perks of being a jewelry designer!). The whole weekend was so much fun. Pretty much NOTHING got sold at my store over the weekend while I was away (a disappointing thing for another blog post), but I'm still grateful that I was able to take a few days off from my store to see two wonderful, talented people get married in style! I'm so happy for them and so glad that I got to be part of their celebration. Big congratulations to Trina and Arun!! (and big thanks to Stephanie Brago for taking all these awesome photos!)