Treefrog Beads

04/01/2025

Okay, her work is *always* amazing ... but these earrings have an extra special spot in my heart

Frog and Toad 🐸🍄‍🟫📖

03/28/2025

Look at the exquisite workmanship and color choices in this piece!

Signs of spring, like the buzzing of dragonflies and blossoming flowers, are popping up in the Northern hemisphere. What signals the changing season in your community? 🌷

Dyanni Youngbear Smith is a Diné (Navajo) artist and powwow dancer who lives in Oklahoma with her children. While attending a powwow, a dragonfly landed on her purse. Its translucent wings looked like stained glass, and this colorfully beaded purse was inspired by that moment.

Smith's multi award-winning artwork may have been inspired by a singular moment, but its design and materials were very much a family affair. Even though the purse was not meant to be functional, the antique brass clasp on the purse was a gift from the artist's aunt. Smith had been saving the deerhide, a gift from her uncle, for a special project. The artist's children are Sauk and Meskwaki, and their heritage inspired the tassels, often seen in the regalia of Woodlands tribes.

Visitors to our Washington, DC museum can see Smith's beaded purse on Level 4 alongside purses from three other artists: Sandra Okuma (Payómkawichum [Luiseño]/Bannock), Elias Jade Not Afraid (Apsáalooke [Crow/Absaroke]), and Rodslen Brown (Black/Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma).
__
Dyanni Youngbear Smith, (Diné [Navajo], b. 1977), "Dragonfly Spring," 2011. Deerhide, cotton cloth, glass beads, metal, thread. Museum purchase from the artist, 2015. 26/9612

12/13/2024

Here's another collection of vintage/antique size 12/0 French glass seed beads, this time in shades of purple(and one blue)! It includes transparent, translucent, and opal hues in gorgeous and rare shades of purple, lavender, orchid, and plum.

These colors are available individually, or bundled together in a lovely little collection that would make a sweet present for your favorite beader. Follow the l!nk in my bio, or find them in my 3tsy.

12/10/2024

Just added a stunning selection of vintage/antique size 12/0 French glass seed beads in shades of pink! These include transparent, translucent, and opal hues in gorgeous and rare shades of pink, rose, and mauve.

They're available individually, or bundled together in a sweet little collection that would make a lovely gift for your favorite beader. Follow the l!nk in my bio, or find them in my 3tsy.

11/30/2024

I hope today finds you happy, healthy, and well!

Please check my sites (link in bio + E*tsy shop) for holiday bargains through Monday December 2nd.

11/08/2024

Cut beads are the theme for this week! I've just added some vintage mini hanks of old 3 cut seed beads in shades of blue and brown, plus some elegant old hex cut beads in jet black.

If you got dark sapphire tri-cuts from me in the past, the ones I have in stock now are slightly different. Still stunning, but a half a shade apart (thought I'd mention that in case you're trying to match dye lots).

Find them on my site (link in bio) or in my 3tsy shop.

Have a great weekend, and happy beading!

11/01/2024

Life got busy and I needed a break, but I'm back with new beads to share. This week's additions include a gorgeous selection of sparkling 13/0 charlotte cuts, vintage pony beads, and some stunning contemporary hanks of 12/0 cheyenne pink seed beads!

10/09/2024

This week's new additions include antique seed beads in beautiful shades of opaque turquoise-y blue. The sizes range from 11/0 - 14/0. The fourth photo shows an 11/0 blue that was recently restocked :)

10/02/2024

Added four new colors of vintage & antique seed beads this week, ranging from 13/0 - 16/0. There's a lovely opaque green, a vibrant orange coral, a beautiful transparent orange, and (my personal favorite) a gorgeous greasy rose pink!

I think I'm almost done photographing my 14/0 & 16/0 colors. There are a few 15/0 stragglers that I still need to get pictures of, but not too many. Do you have any preferences for colors, sizes, or styles that you'd like me to add next?

09/26/2024

I'm slowly working my way through my stash, trying to get it all photographed and listed. It's slow going, but if I can just add a few colors/styles a week, I'll make steady progress.

That said, this week I added antique seed beads ranging from 14/0 - 16/0 in shades of red. They include 14/0 opaque scarlet red, 14/0 transparent ruby red, 14/0 transparent red orange, and 14/0 - 16/0 transparent cayenne pepper red 🌶️

Also, a friendly reminder that I rarely ever check my DM's here! Too much unsolicited weirdness. Best way to reach me is always, always, via email (just follow the link in my bio).

09/18/2024

Added a few more shades of those amazing antique variegated seed beads. These beads range in size from about 14/0 down to 16/0. These mottled opaque hues have beautiful color variation. Beautiful in backgrounds, and also great for shading!