The Best Places that You Can Buy Beads and Supplies

Helpful Hints for the Beginning Jewelry Maker

After looking through bead books, craft magazines, the internet, and even at your local craft shows, you’ve decided to start making handmade jewelry.  Congratulations!  You’re about to join the world of gemstones, crystals, glass beads, and colors among colors you might have never heard of.  It’s an exciting and fun little world, but where do you buy all of these beads and intricate little supplies?    Hopefully this article will help answer your questions.

When you are a beginner at making handcrafted jewelry, you want to find the least expensive supplies to begin with.  As you develop your talent and craft, you then can start purchasing the more expensive materials to design your creations.  It’s almost like drawing your idea on paper first, then moving to the poster board when you have your idea completed. The bargain beads are your rough sketch when you start your  jewelry design.

So you ask, where are these places that you can buy affordable beads? One place to visit is your local superstore: Wal-mart. Wal-mart  carries a variety of craft supplies.  They also carry many types of beads: plastic, glass, wooden, and even some of those artistic lamp work designs. All of the beads can be found in the craft section at very wal-mart no matter which one you are shopping in.  You can also purchase stringing materials, jewelry pliers, and even bead storage cases.  It’s definitely a hot spot for any bead lover on a budget.  Wal-mart also has a collection of bead magazines which have many designs for your own personal inspiration as well.

Another place you can visit is your local craft stores such as Hobby Lobby or Michaels.  Some of their prices may be more expensive, but you can buy better quality beads and can even buy them in bigger bulk sometimes. They also carry more of the familiar brands that are known to the professional jewelry maker too.  Every once in awhile, you can find free handouts that have patterns or designs that you can make in the aisles too.