Lucie Beader's
Carlos Little Bead Store
22km North of Leslieville
I have always had a passion for shoes. It does not matter what shape, size or colour, I just love shoes! For me, shoes are like chocolate to certain people—pure joy! Until the day I took my first jewellery class and discovered a new obsession.
In August 2007, I received a call from my sister-in-law to assist at a retreat at Bittern Lake (southeast of Edmonton by Camrose). Most of the ladies attending were quilters but there were also a few scrapbookers. I had been taking a few jewellery classes at Michaels and enjoyed working with all kinds of medium. So I packed all my beads and went.
The organizer, Rhonda, had put a placecard on each table with our first name and our craft. Such as Cheryl, Quilter; mine said Lucie Beader. Everyone thought my last name was Beader! Rhonda said if I ever started a jewellery business I should use the name Lucie Beader, which I did — L.B. Creations.
I have made over 1,800 pieces under the L.B. Creations label, and am very thankful for all the encouragement from Peggy of Imagine Vintage Wear in Camrose who was the first to put my jewellery on consignment in her store; my very good friend Monica from Beautacious in Rocky Mountain House; and Chelsea Stang of Chel Photography for believing in me and taking all the beautiful photographs.
In April 2009, I attended the Canadian Bead Oasis Show in Calgary. I was in heaven with all the ladies that were taking classes and talking about beads, tools, findings, etc. On the last day of classes, I started feeling deprived as we did not have any bead or jewellery classes in my area. Also lacking was a bead society to bring people together once a month to talk, bead and exchange information. Now the Central Alberta Bead Society is active and we have 10 members.
The store was my next project. I had so many beads and thought, why not? The Carlos Little Bead Store opened August 8, 2009, and all my dreams have come true. I am literally bead happy!