Mothers Day is May 13th this year, which means time is ticking away, but you still have time to find something super for that special mom or mom figure. My motto is hand made is the best, and if you are going to shop, keep it local. One of my passions is beading, and we are fortunate in Sioux Falls to have some great options.
Our downtown shopping district is on Phillips Avenue, which hosts a myriad of fun, funky and functional stores and restaurants. One of these gems (ha, ha get it?) is the Bead Co. They may look small from the outside, but inside they have one of the best selections I’ve seen pretty much anywhere outside of a trade show. In my Etsy shop, I feature several beaded necklaces for sale, with some of the beads coming from the Bead Company. I like that I can pop into a store, on my lunch hour, and get the supplies I need from a super helpful staff.
Several Mondays ago, I was looking for a particular charm for a gift for a friend. I had tried the local craft stores, and the other bead store in town, and was ready to give up hope. The cheerful gal who answered the phone told me that yes, they did have this particular charm in several different styles, sizes and options. After I stopped doing my happy dance, I went over the next day, Tuesday. To my extraordinarily pleasant surprise, on Tuesdays most of the store is 10% off. That sealed the deal for me!
The other great thing is the wide variety of classes that they offer. One, they are affordable. Many bead stores back in NJ offered free classes, but you had to buy all the materials there, and it wound up costing a lot more in the long run. However, their classes at the Bead Company are fairly priced, and include the materials (unless otherwise noted). I’ve taken a few classes there, and have never been disappointed by the skill of the instructor and the fun projects I have left with! I have a list of the classes I want to try too-including the mother’s bracelet and the chandelier earrings classes. Both sound like they put the fun into functional.
Another fun fact-they offer beading parties. Just because I am a grown up, it doesn’t mean that I can’t have a birthday party or celebrate something else exciting! The basic class at their store is $60 for 4 people, all supplies included and you leave with a bracelet and a charm. That’s cheaper than dinner out for 4 and you have a party favor! They also offer kids classes at their location, which is $40 for 4 kids, and additional kiddos are another $10 each for a maximum of 8. I actually think this may be a fun activity to do with my children’s church program next year, to make a Mothers Day or Valentine’s Day gift.
Telling a story to me is very important, as is preserving history. The Bead Company offers one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen-fingerprint charms. They are charms featuring the fingerprint of your beloved. Due to the nature of the charm, there is a lead time of several weeks (therefore if you are reading this today, they would not be done in time for Mother’s Day, but you can certainly give an IOU). There are also small art charms that can take a piece of artwork-like your child’s masterpiece-and turn it into jewelery. That is the most awesome, precious, personal gift. Love, love LOVE that idea-and the best part? They start at $25!
In addition, the fingerprint charms may serve as a way to memorialize a lost loved one. The Bead Company will work with hospitals and funeral homes to allow that memory to made. So many times I wished I had something personal like that from my dad or Grama-what a way to remember them! For more information, click the link: http://www.bead-co.com/fingerprints.htm
The down side to the store? Its location. Parking is very hard on Phillips Avenue, so you may have to circle like a vulture-or park elsewhere and walk. They have a limited on line store, but they do offer mail order if you know what you want. However, why would you pass up an opportunity to shop there?
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