BEADHoliday

09/03/2026

Use a small bead in center of a flower by looping back through to make your flower lay flat🌻🙌 Fun and simple stretchy bracelet technique. Come try it today BEADHoliday

09/03/2026

The right beads are waiting for you at BEADHoliday! Open 7 days a week! First and Ft. Lowell

09/01/2026

Our next selection of rapid fire questions getting to know David and all things Bead Holiday! Whether you’ve been beading for decades or you’re just discovering the hobby, we hope these little conversations help you get to know the person- and the passion- behind the shop!

💬 Do you have any burning questions you’re looking to have answered by David???

08/31/2026

08/30/2026

I am writing feature stories for a new magazine! Arizona Gem 365 will combine our love of the state and gems and minerals, subscribe for one year for free! Click below

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08/29/2026

We have a few of these in the shop!!

08/29/2026

You can’t tell the history of beads without
Africa. Africa is not one place, one culture, or one bead tradition, so this post isn’t going to
attempt to summarize an entire continent. Instead, it’s an invitation to look at a few stories that show just how central Africa is to
bead history.

First- Among the world’s oldest known beads, ostrich eggshell beads have been crafted and worn in Africa for thousands of years. Carefully cut, shaped, and polished by hand, they remain a beautiful symbol of craftsmanship,
trade, and cultural tradition.

Tuareg Craftsmanship & European Trade Beads:

The Tuareg people of the Sahara are renowned for their exceptional silversmithing and metalwork. For generations, Tuareg artisans incorporated European glass trade beads into their jewelry, combining imported Venetian and Bohemian beads with hand- forged silver to create striking necklaces, amulets, and ceremonial adornments.

Krobo Beads AKA Sandcast Beads made by the Krobo people in Ghana, West Africa.

The history of beads in Africa stretches back tens of thousands of years- far beyond the glass trade beads many collectors are most familiar with today.

Krobo Beads AKA Sandcast Beads made by the Krobo people in Ghana, West Africa.

These tiny objects give us an extraordinary glimpse into some of humanity’s earliest traditions of personal adornment, identity, and connection.

Recycled Glass Beads: Handcrafted in West Africa from recycled glass, these colorful beads celebrate generations of artistry, ingenuity, and sustainable craftsmanship. Every bead is unique, carrying a story of transformation and
tradition.

The term “trade bead” can sometimes make the story sound one-directional- as though Europeans made the beads and Africa simply received them. In reality, the relationship was far more complex. African buyers, traders, rulers, craftspeople, and communities had their own tastes, systems of value, and long-established bead traditions. A bead that was highly desirable in one place might have little value somewhere else, and successful traders had to understand those differences.

Once beads entered African trade networks, their stories continued to evolve. They could be e

08/26/2026

Loads of new old stuff!!

08/25/2026

New amazing beads going out!