Donna Nordlund, owner, and Chris Nordlund
Bead It!
How long have you been in the craft business? How did you get started in the field?
Donna: It's been almost nine years with the store. This was my first venture into retail, ever. I was getting laid off in the corporate world, so I did some research and decided this could be a successful business. And this is way more fun.
Define a bead.
Chris: Anything with a hole in it.
Donna: And we have anything from under 2 millimeters up to much larger ones. We have some that are about 2 inches wide. They look like pool balls.
Your website makes mention of high-end beads. What constitutes a high-end bead?
Donna: Semi-precious stones like amethyst, ruby, sapphire, those types of things are what we consider to be high-end beads.
We've also heard about “bead therapy.” What's that?
Donna: When you're working with your hands, like when you're beading or knitting, you can't think about your problems. It's stress-free. So, for a guy, it could be like working on a car.
Chris: Or for a guy it could be beading.
Donna: We're cheaper than therapy. And when you come in and make something, you have something to show for it.
Do you ever get into bedazzling, or is that not considered true bead work?
Donna: That hasn't really been popular in this area. I think it's popular in places like Florida, but here it doesn't really seem to be a trend.
What is your favorite beaded creation that you've made?
Donna: I love bead embroidery, and I made a bead embroidery necklace that I love. It probably took me over 100 hours.
Can you make a garment entirely out of beads?
Donna: Of course. It could just be made of woven beads, which feels a lot like fabric.
What are some unorthodox bead uses?
Chris: Dreadlocks in hair is one.
Donna: And there's some gourd work where you apply wax and then attach little seed beads one at a time to make a design in the gourd.
Is there anything you shouldn't use beads for or on?
Chris: We bead dog collars and other things. You can pretty much put beads anywhere.
Donna: Just not in your 2-year-old's mouth.
You seek out unique beads from anywhere you can find them. What are some of the most unique beads you've found? And are there any bead hotbeds that you make bead trips to?
Chris: The biggest bead show in the country is in Tucson, Ariz. It's a two-week show at the beginning of February every year. That's where I found some Thai beads that are really unique. They're made of copal, which is baby amber that hasn't quite hardened to amber.
Donna: Bead shows are usually where you find the really unique stuff. We're always looking for something unique our customers haven't seen before.
Speaking of bead trips, what is “freeform peyote,” another item mentioned on your website? Sounds far out, man.
Donna: It just means you're not following a specific pattern. It's more like painting with beads. And peyote is the name of the stitch. It's all needle-and-thread work, stitching beads to beads.
If you weren't a bead artist, what would you be?
Donna: I used to be an executive assistant, and I really enjoyed that work. And if Chris could do anything in the world, she'd be a full-time painter.
Hidden talent?
Donna: Quilting. I've been doing it for about 40 years, and I've been sewing forever.
Guilty pleasure?
Donna: Books and dark chocolate.
