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Walking into The Artful Bead can be a bit overwhelming for a first time jewelry maker. Thousands of beads are neatly displayed throughout the store along with some magazines to help the jewelry maker who may be experiencing designer’s block.
“The first time someone comes in they might spend an hour picking and a half-hour making it,” said Valarie Leland, co-owner.
Leland was one of the first customers when The Artful Bead opened in Fort Worth five years ago. Now, she’s a co-owner and runs the store’s brand new Carrollton location, which just celebrated its one-month anniversary.
“Valarie lives in Carrollton and knows the market. One of the great things (about) having a store like this is we know our market,” said Mary Harrison, co-owner. “She was one of my very first customers and taught (classes). It was a natural next step for us to go into business together to open the next store.”
Besides the fact that Leland is a resident of Carrollton, she said the location at Josey Lane and Trinity Mills Road was ideal for other reasons.
“We wanted something close to the Tollway, George Bush (Turnpike) and 635,” Leland said.
At The Artful Bead, customers can hand select beads and stones to make their own jewelry, including bracelets, earrings, pendants and necklaces.
“What we hope to be known for is being able to help people make jewelry,” Harrison said. “In this day and age, our major competitor is the Internet. What we have that the Internet doesn’t is warm, friendly people. You can sell, but we also have to teach people.”
That’s why The Artful Bead hosts jewelry-making classes two to three times per week. The first class in Carrollton, Jewelry Making Techniques, will take place from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Friday.
“Everyone who works here knows how to make jewelry,” Leland said. “We wanted to make it possible for people to make high quality jewelry for themselves, as a gift or to sell.”
The Artful Bead does not have a set inventory list, so the stock frequently changes. The stones come from all over the world. The selection includes Czech glass beads in a huge variety of colors and shapes; Chinese glass novelty beads, lucite and acrylic beads; pearls in all shapes, sizes, and colors; semi-precious stones, turquoise, coral, agate, jasper, tourmaline, emerald, ruby and sapphire; and wood, shell, bone and horn beads.
Leland said business has been “really good” with several customers coming in two or three times a week. Although women are the store’s main demographic, Leland said recently a group of boys came in and bought beads to make presents for their mother and grandmother.
Making your own jewelry has appeal for various reasons.
“You’re not going to see your necklace anywhere else. It’s going to say something about you,” Leland said. “A lot of people also find jewelry making very calming. They do it instead of needlepoint or crochet.”
Harrison is excited to continue to reap the rewards of being a business owner with a second store.
“The reward is the same anywhere with any store. You see people come in and you know their names,” she said. “We have people who come here and say this is my happy place I come here and forget about jobs. It’s very therapeutic.
Whether or not The Artful Bead will continue to expand is unknown.
“Ask us that in three more years once the scars have healed,” Harrison said with a laugh. “We might. Everything is always a possibility.”
For information on The Artful Bead, call 972-242-8949.
