My Story

Charm Haul: A Different Kind of Focal

Charm Haul: A Different Kind of Focal

By Kelly Mamabug Jul 12, 2026

I was unpacking a bin of charms the other day — the kind of task that starts as organizing and ends as an hour of just looking. And it hit...

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The Temptation of AliExpress: Why I Changed How I Source My Beads

The Temptation of AliExpress: Why I Changed How I Source My Beads

By Kelly Mamabug Jun 28, 2026

I've seen the prices. I understand the appeal. When you're a very small business watching every dollar, a strand of beads for $1.50 is not easy to scroll past. What...

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How to Read the Bead

How to Read the Bead

By Kelly Mamabug May 31, 2026

Every bead has something to tell you before it ever touches a wire. Color, texture, shape, size, weight — and then something beyond all of those, something that lives in...

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Let the Bead Sing: Understanding the Focal

Let the Bead Sing: Understanding the Focal

By Kelly Mamabug May 17, 2026

You know it when you pick it up. That's the honest answer. But there's more to it than that — and six of my own pieces are about to show...

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