An Abundance of Beads
for the perfect mini adventure. plus mobile saunas, sleigh rides and more.
🌟 Last night I was interviewed on News Center Maine to chat about my book, Just Up The Road! You can check out the interview here! 🌟
Tis the season for parent-teacher conferences, mysterious illnesses and holiday breaks. For school closures, long weekends and lots of time to fill.
I had previously visited The Museum of Beadwork in Portland this past September before they opened to the public and before any displays were fully set. I was there to interview Kristina Skillin (Director/Head Curator) and Heather Kahn (Founder) for an article for Down East Magazine - but upon entering Caravan Beads for the first time (the Museum’s entrance is tucked inside the bead store) all I could think about was my daughter. This place would be her idea of heaven.
Between the storefront and the warehouse, there are over 2.9 billion beads. Japanese seed beads, Miyuki Delica beads, Swarovski crystals, semi-precious strands - endless (and I mean endless) rows of stunning beads. How did I not know this place existed?!
So, with my little crafter now in tow (on a random Friday school was closed), we completed what I consider the most perfect one-two-punch of an adventure: a museum visit + an organized craft all in one location. A little culture, a little fun.
We started with a visit to The Museum of Beadwork for some inspiration. The Museum is filled with intricate displays of incredible beadwork ranging from Jan Huling’s Infinity Gown (which took the artist 1 year to complete) to funky masks, elaborate jewelry, tapestries, rabbits and grasshoppers. My favorite collection of work, however, is the Beaded Square Project. It features over five hundred six-by-six-inch squares that were submitted during the height of the pandemic depicting individual emotions that accompanied lockdown. It takes up an entire wall in the museum and we spent the most time there admiring each and every square.
Inspo absorbed, we ventured back into Caravan Beads to begin our search for the perfect beads for some bracelet making. At the store entrance, you can secure a cupcake tin + notepad to keep track of your finds. We winded (and winded and winded) throughout the endless rows of beads, finding it incredibly tough to narrow down our top picks.
Once we were certain on our selections, we purchased some simple bracelet kits that come with everything you need to complete your project: gold clasps, wire, etc. In the back of the store, there is a designated set of work tables and tools, free for customers to use to assemble their creations. We plunked down next to a sweet set of grandparents, patiently helping two of their grandkids string together some dragon-themed necklaces. Members of the staff popped around, happily helping folks as needed.
The store is filled with the perfect blend of hobbyists, accomplished beaders, and kids making magical crystal bracelets. The Museum is also filled with a vast array of abilities - seasoned beaders to emerging artists looking to showcase their work for the first time. The Caravan Beads building in total is massive - measuring approximately 21,830 square feet (which includes The Museum space at 1,500 square feet and the storefront at 3,045 square feet.)
Talk about a lot of room for inspiration. An endless remedy of fun for those what-should-we-do-today days.
As promised, here are five things from Maine Makers that you should become equally obsessed with! I’ll continue to do this straight through to the holidays:
5 Things I’m Currently Obsessed With
from local Maine Makers
1. Bixby Chocolate Maine Themed Advent Calendar
From lobsters to mountaintops, this advent calendar (filled with delicious, assorted chocolate) celebrates all things Maine for 24 days. Yes, please!
2. The Oyster Starter Kit from Glidden Point Oyster Farms
This kit has everything one needs for some oyster shucking. It includes: 3 dozen premium Maine Oysters, a shucking knife, shucking towel, plus a how-to-shuck postcard. The perfect gift for the oyster lover in your life - or someone missing Maine!