Where Have All the Good Pearls Gone?

Have you noticed that searching for Pearls today feels very much like Johnny Depp’s quest for the Black Pearl

and leaves you asking the same question he wanted to know about the rum, “Where have all the pearls gone?” We certainly noticed, so we went on a quest to find the answer. Turns out is not as simple as we were originally led to believe.
According to one of our vendors, the Japanese pearl beds were hard hit by the tsunamis and subsequent radiation leaks, and it destroyed Japan’s oysters. While there were a couple of initial reports that this “could” be a problem, most reports coming from Japan say that the oyster beds were in the south & west of Japan where the tsunami didn’t have a primary impact. So that still leaves us asking, “Where have all the pearls gone?”

Perhaps the answers lay less in environmental factors and more in economic factors. It takes 18-36 months to grow a decent quality pearl. Even the lowest quality pearls (some would be hard-put to use the word “quality” at all) take a minimum of 8 months to grow. China is the number one producer of freshwater pearls in the world. As the US bead market grew, Chinese growers produced like crazy, shortening the growing times and flooding the bead market with low quality freshwater pearls. Pearls were everywhere! And prices were low, low, low as vendors practically beat each other up vying for our business. And like the tide, where there is a flow, there must be an ebb. Where there is low profitability, a slowdown or cease in production will inevitably follow.

And the Chinese bead producers found a new love – crystal! Crystal – faster to produce than pearls – you don’t have to GROW them – has the sparkle of money. And there are always rocks – they are already there. They just have to be dug out, shaped and polished. And that leaves us with what we saw at the Gem & Jewelry Show this past weekend – nearly every vendor was Chinese and most of them had only low quality “semi-precious” and crystal beads. The pearls that were there appeared to be leftovers from years gone by – very large, weird colors, or extremely rough quality.

So will the inexpensive freshwater pearls we had become accustomed to be back? It’s anyone’s guess. (We could start a pool and see who turns out right in 3 years or so.) If pearl beds were allowed to die, the mollusks will have to be re-cultivated, and pearl growing resumed. Our vendor predicted at least 3 years (the ideal time to grow a pearl) before we see pearls back on the market. Even if easy-to-find pearls do reenter the market, it is likely that we will never again see the rock bottom prices and easy pickin’s of the past.

Bottom line, enjoy the pearls you have, and expect to pay higher prices for pearls for the foreseeable future, as we all wait to see whether pearls will make a rebound in a few years or not.

1 Stop Bead Shop has a small supply of reasonably priced ($6-$12 strands) ivory freshwater pearls still in stock… while supply lasts.

1 Stop Bead Shop Gives You Lots of Ways to Show Off Your Talents

At 1 Stop Bead Shop, one of our goals is to support and expand the beading community. We do that by offering classes, and also by supporting, sponsoring, and designing contests in which you can participate. There are currently 2 contests running with upcoming deadlines for entry, and we just increased our sponsorship of the Ohio State Fair Jewelry competition. Here's what you need to know to participate:

1 Stop Bead Shop Ugly Necklace Contest

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

We want your ugliest creations! We are so used to making gorgeous things and we want you to try to do the opposite. Use your choice of colors, bead types, design styles and whatever else you think of to create the ugliest necklace possible.

Rules & Information:
1. Must submit finished piece on or before Thursday March 22, 6:00 p.m.
2. Finished piece must be a necklace.
3. In-store voting will take place Saturday March 24 through Saturday March 31.
4. Winners will be announced via phone Monday April 2. Winners will also be announced in the weekly newsletter Thursday April 5.

Prizes:
Grand Prize: $25 Gift Card
1st Runner Up: $15 Gift Card
2nd Runner Up: Bead Prize (Valued at $10)
Staff Honorable Mention: $15 Gift Card

2012 Treasures of TOHO Competition

4/6/2012 Last Day to Submit Artwork to Stores
Even though this date is only a month away, don't let that intimidate you.
Many of you already have finished designs that qualify.
If you bought your seed beads at 1 Stop Bead Shop, they are Toho!

Competition Divisions
Beginning Beader: 1-2 Years Experience
Intermediate Beader: 3-4 Years Experience
Advanced Beader: 5+ Years Experience

Competition Categories
Wearable Art: necklaces, bracelets, gloves, clothing, purses, adornments
Sculptural Art: free standing work, wall hangings
AIKO Beads: wearable or sculptural

Competition Rules
• All Work must be original.
• Designs must be at least 80% TOHO beads. Embellishing w/ crystals, stones, silver, etc. must be only 20% of the design.
• No submissions that have been published or in another compeition
• Registration forms and a complete list of rules can be found at sponsoring store.
• Entries must be turned in to 1 Stop Bead Shop by April 6, 2012 at 6:00pm.
• Store will select 1 design from entries submitted to forward to Toho to be entered in the national competition. Designers will be contacted to announce selection. Selected design will be returned after the Bead & Button Show in early June.

Competition Prizes
First Place: $300 Gift Certificate
Second Place: $200 Gift Certificate
Third Place: $100 Gift Certificate
There will be a First, Second & Third chosen in each Division and Category. Prizes will be supplied by TOHO and issued through the sponsoring store.
Please visit your local participating bead store for more information and the complete rules.

Past Winners can be seen here. Great for oogling & for inspiration.

1 Stop Bead Shop is again Exclusive Sponsor of Jewelry Division Competition at Ohio State Fair!

And, we've raised the prize levels by $200 for a total of $600 in Prizes to be given away! (Please note: Link to Jewelry Divison is from 2011 and has not yet been updated with category changes or prize amounts for 2012.)

Deadline for REGISTRATION is not until Mid-June. Watch the 1 Stop Bead Shop Website and the Ohio State Fair Website for announcement of dates.

Categories & Prizes are:
Class: Awards
1. Bead Making - defined as the art of making beads from glass, Metal Clay, paper,
textiles/fibers, polymer clay, ceramics, Lapidary, wood carving, etc
2. Bead Stringing - defined as one bead after another strung in a linear fashion
on flexible beading wire
3. Bead Embroidery – NEW - defined as any bead project using needle to sew beads onto a fabric surface
4. Bead Weaving - defined as any bead project which uses a needle, where beads are sewn to each other, including any bead weaving stitch and loom weaving
5. Knotting - defined as bead crochet, knitting, Kumihimo, pearl knotting, macramé, micro macramé, tatting, etc
6. Metal Smithing - defined as made of hand forged, textured, shaped, riveted, soldered or otherwise worked metal, wax casting, metal enameling etc
7. Wire Working - defined as wire wrapping, coiling, chain maille, wire knitting
and crochet
8. Other - defined as textiles/fibers, mixed media, resin, non-metal enameling, paper, lapidary, polymer clay, wood or anything not fitting in above categories
9. Youth - Any piece from above classes (youth ages 6-12)
10. Best of Show - judge’s pick for single best entry from all categories
Prizes:
1st Prize Ribbon & $30
2nd Prize Ribbon & $20
3rd Prize Ribbon & $10
Best of Show Rosette & $60

You can submit 1 piece in each category if you like. Don't know what to submit? Take a class at 1 Stop Bead Shop and learn something new!

(Note: If it shows up in Red or a different color from the rest of the script, click on it to be taken to that page.)

1 Stop Bead Shop Vision and Mission

As a follow-up to my January 4, 2012 Blog article on Goal Setting, I got some feedback from a couple of you that the ideas I shared had value to you, so it occurred to me that you might enjoy it if I shared occassional insights I have received from working with my business coach - Rick Crossland. Currently we are preparing for a team function and Rick asked me to take a look at my Mission and Vision statements for 1 Stop Bead Shop to see if there was anything I wanted to improve or change. Here is what I learned that you might be able to apply to your own life:

I found 3 different helpful definitions for the difference between a Vision statement and a Mission Statement - all of which have valuable nuances: 1) My Vision is WHO I am. My Mission is WHAT I do. 2) Our Vision is WHY we exist. Our Mission is WHERE we are going. 3) A Mission statement focuses on your present state. A Vision statement focuses on your future.

So, why would you care? When Franklin Covey teaches goal setting, they don't have you START with goals - they have you start with your vision & mission in life - the REASONS why you set the goals in the first place. While the idea of answering the question, "WHO am I, and WHY am I here" sounds duanting at first, Franklin Covey breaks it down into managable steps:
1) Start with your titles - the hats you wear. For instance, I am a mother, a wife, a Christian, a business owner, etc.
2) Define those titles - what do they mean to you? For instance, cooking is not where I find my value as a mother. However, Marie on "Everybody Loves Raymond" (Rays mom) completely defines her value as a mother in how she nutures her flock w/ her wonderful cooking.

Those 2 steps answer the "WHO am I?" question. Finding your Mission can be more challenging, and for those who truly seek to answer it, can become the most worthwhile pursuit of their lives - "WHAT am I here for? WHAT is my purpose? WHAT will be my legacy? WHAT do I wish to leave behind when I am no longer here?"

For some, like my mother, they know the answer early. She knew by the 1st grade that she was going to be a teacher and change the lives of young people. She did it formally in the public school system for over 30 years and has continued to do that in her local church. For others the journey of discovery can take years.

What I discovered in reviewing 1 Stop Bead Shop's Vision & Mission was that they were really rolled up in one. I broke them apart, and added some value words and here's what I came up with:

Our Vision: 1 Stop Bead Shop is the recognized leader in our community as the go-to source for all aspects of jewelry making. We are passionate about creating a rewarding customer experience that stimulates creativity and provides opportunities for growth & community.

Our Mission: At 1 Stop Bead Shop we provide our shoppers with superior customer service, the broadest product selection, and the most innovative classes embracing the beginner to advanced student in an upbeat, friendly community environment that feeds the individual and promotes the art and craft of jewelry making.

At my 1 Stop Bead Shop Blog, I love your feedback, which is why our comments section is open to all. I would sincerely value your feedback on our Vision & Mission statements:
Do we live up to them?
Are there other things you value about 1 Stop Bead Shop that are not encapsulated in our vision or mission?

I would also love to hear from any of you who take my challenge to create your personal Vision & Mission statement - What is your personal Vision & Mission statement? And, what did you discover while working on it?

Here's to sharing our lives & growing together.

(Click on picture to enlarge.)

1 Stop Club Bead Members Give Back

Our 1 Stop Bead Shop Club Bead Members have been busy over the past several months, giving up some of their own beading time, to make bracelets for the Beading to Beat Autism cause. Michala started this movement at age 10 to help her little brother Evan who has Autism. Her story is an inspiration to all people who have a dream. You can read more about it here.

The effort was spearheaded by Jen Mackan, 1 Stop Bead Shop customer and Club Bead Member, who worked with Beading to Beat Autism organization to obtain the beads and supplies.

Each Club Bead Friday night for several months, nearly a dozen different individuals have contributed their time to string and tie these simple little stetchy seed bead bracelets in a host of color ways.

The bracelets make great gifts for friends & family, and are a simple reminder of life's blessings and challenges. The bracelets are now "on sale" at 1 Stop Bead Shop for a suggested donation of $3. Their goal is to raise $300,000,000! All of our efforts working together can help make this happen. Won't you help this great cause and pick up a few the next time you're in?!

Collect them all, and start a trend!

1 Stop Bead Shop Receives Community Award Reconition

For Immediate Release
January 25, 2012

“Living the Irish Attitude Award” Winners Announced
Dublin CVB honors three local businesses

DUBLIN, OHIO – The Dublin Convention and Visitors Bureau announced today its 2011 “Living the Irish Attitude” award winners, recognizing those local businesses that are embracing Dublin’s destination brand and slogan: “Dublin, Ohio -- Irish is an Attitude.”

The following were selected as recipients of the 2011 “Living the Irish Attitude Award:”

• Sunny Street Café (Hospital Drive location)– For creating customizable Irish themed dinner menus and events to appeal to the group tour and meetings markets
• 1 Stop Bead Shop – For creating Irish jewelry making classes for groups and a special section in the store dedicated to Irish-themed beads

• The Emerald City Half & Quarter Marathon – For creating an Irish themed event in Dublin that draws visitors, participants, media attention and benefits local charities

Businesses were selected for the awards based on the following criteria: Business/organization must be located in Dublin, Ohio; business/organization must endeavor to attract and welcome visitors; business/organization must promote the Dublin destination brand to its customers; business/organization must integrate the brand into its daily operations.

The Bureau launched Dublin’s new destination brand in January, 2007 in an effort to raise awareness with the traveling public by positioning the city as a unique and desirable destination for leisure, business, athletic and group travel. The DCVB logo and positioning line, Irish is an Attitude, makes use of the “Irish” equity that exists in the Dublin name and promotes the idea that you don’t have to be Irish to enjoy Irish fun.

“Dublin’s Destination Brand is not simply a campaign theme or positioning line,” said Scott Dring, executive director at the Dublin Convention & Visitors Bureau. “It is an expression of a compelling, unique experience that Dublin offers potential visitors and will help set a roadmap of success for the Bureau for years to come.”

Award winners will be highlighted in the Dublin Visitors Center and materials promoting Dublin’s destination brand. The Bureau honors a few select local businesses annually with the “Living the Irish Attitude” award. For more information or to nominate a business for an award, call the Dublin Convention & Visitors Bureau at (614) 792-7666.
Contact: Scott Dring, Executive Director
(614) 792-7666 sdring@IrishisanAttitude.com