They come in all sizes and shapes, and colors, but all are beautiful, and whether made from glass, wood, plastic or semi-precious stones the variety of things you can make with craft beads is virtually unlimited! The choices are all up to you! Go crazy with making colorful strings of Mardi Gras or love beads, or create classy earrings, bracelets and necklaces, for every occasion. Choose materials and supplies according to your budget, skills and imagination, and you're in for hours of fun and enjoyment.

Throughout history, beads have been an important part of almost every culture in the world. They have been used as trade goods and currency, household d'cor, and to adorn the most resplendent clothing, from the wedding dresses of Native American Princesses to Princess Diana's wedding gown. Today, we use craft beads in similar ways. For instance, it's almost impossible to not see teens sporting beaded jackets and jeans at malls. Delicately beaded trinket and music boxes make lovely birthday and wedding gifts. Beaded home d'cor items, such as macram? planters and wall hangings, Native American Dream Catchers, Medicine Wheels and pottery are perfect for Southwestern and other d'cor themes.

Novice beaders will need a few essential tools to get started. You need beads, of course, string or wire, pliers, tweezers, wire cutters and crimping tools. While some people prefer to string with jeweler's wire or another type of wire, some prefer to use the colorful silk threads, or string made of nylon or synthetic materials. You can get by with just a pair of round-nosed pliers, but it's best to have flat-nosed pliers on hand, too. Jeweler's tweezers are available in several sizes; you need these to pick up and hold beads as you work with them. A crimping tool is used to close the crimping beads that attach clasps to beaded strings or wires. These are just the basics, but there are many more helpful tools you can add to your beading tool kit, that you will need when you start creating more complicated items.

Shopping online or by catalog at a crafts or beading supplies wholesale warehouse can be a great deal of fun! You can shop anytime you like, take all the time you want, shop as often as you want, and it doesn't matter that you're wearing your pajamas and fuzzy slippers! It's also time- and cost efficient because you don't have to run out to the crafts store, fighting traffic all the way, and you're more likely to find great sales and discounts at a warehouse supplier than at a shop. Whether you purchase from a crafts store or a wholesale supplier, be sure to buy all the materials you need for you project at one time, especially beads and needles. Having to set aside a project because you need more beads can be quite frustrating, especially when you can't wait to see the finished piece!

For your workspace, you need a flat surface that is large enough to give you plenty of room to work and hold your supplies. Good lighting is especially important to ease eyestrain. Use sealable, labeled trays, containers or drawers for bead and supplies storage; this keeps them organized and within easy reach. Choose a chair that is comfortable, yet provides the support you need to avoid muscle strain. A beading board anchors your bead strands and has rulers for easy measuring. Some even have small trays in which to keep the beads you're using right at your fingertips!