We had a fun time visiting Abbi Berta, owner of The Bead Place, during our most recent beading party. Abbi has been a presenter for the Great Bead Extravaganza from the very first show. We have enjoyed her jewelry demonstrations and colorful personality. You never know what she is going to talk about during her presentations - it could be the craft of jewelry making or her stash of fossilized dinosaur poop. You are guaranteed a good time when you sit down with her! Learn more about this talented designer and get inspired to make something unique!
Do you love meeting exciting jewelry designers? We think it is so much fun to get inside their heads and see what makes them tick. Especially when you can apply some of their knowledge to your own jewelry projects. There is no better way to excel than to stand on the shoulders of giants. We have been holding live jewelry making parties on Zoom. You can find these fun beading shows on the video section of the Soft Flex Company Facebook page and our YouTube Channel. In the past, we have featured Just Bead It owner, Joyce Trowbridge. We have discussed owning a business as a young millennial, with Sam Siegel. We discussed the ways we have adapted our businesses to COVID, with Kay Goss. We have learned a new knotting technique from Danielle Wickes of John Bead. We have learned a lot about these wonderful jewelry designers. And we have learned a lot about ourselves. Join our beading parties for deep dives into the jewelry industry, travel, and how making jewelry can be beneficial for mental health and clarity.
Live Beading Party! Meet Jewelry Designer Abbi Berta, Owner Of The Bead Place
We love a beading party! Abbi has been a presenter with the Great Bead Extravaganza since the first show debuted. We love her creative designs and vibrant parade of colorful jewelry. Her work is infectiously happy and gorgeous. You definitely don't want to miss out if you love joyful jewelry! Make sure you check out her video presentations at the Great Bead Extravaganza and DIY jewelry videos at The Bead Place. If you live nearby, you definitely want to check out her classes!
If you purchased our Supernova Design Kit (Sold Out), you may have come across something you had never used before. We like to present a challenge with our design kits. We think it stimulates creativity when you have to think outside your comfort zone. In this kit, we included Abbi's Luna Bracelets. Have you used Luna Bracelet's in your jewelry designs? You can make stunning bracelets - and rings, that are super simple to string and finish. If you have not checked them out, this video is a great introduction. We didn't need a reason to enjoy bead stringing with a friend, but it was great to have a theme and learn how to work with Luna Bracelets.
Abbi is the owner of an exciting brick and mortar bead store in Illinois. Her shop, The Bead Place, is a crafter's utopia. She carries beads, yarn, tools, and more. You can find classes and live events if you visit. If travel is not in the cards, check out her website and see what she has to offer! When you support your local bead store, you are supporting people that are passionate about the inventory they carry. Small business owners and staff are usually educated and very knowledgeable about the products they offer. They can help you master tricks and techniques that employees at department stores may not know.
From The Bead Place:
We moved to a larger location! We're now located at 8 Plaza Drive, Fairview Heights, IL 62208!
Our shop is 15 minutes from downtown St. Louis in Fairview Heights, IL. We're located within the Marketplace Shopping Center with Best Buy and Burlington. We're right in between Dollar Tree and Jenny Craig. We hope to see you soon!
Look at Abbi's Luna Bracelets. They are so easy to work with and the finished jewelry design looks so elegant.
From The Bead Place:
Luna Bracelets are ultra soft and ultra secure Stainless Steel bracelets that stretch! They open and close seamlessly and easily, allowing you to design and redesign your own stack of trendy embellished bracelets! They're fine enough to fit through most beads yet strong enough to support their weight. To operate, backspin the ends, then insert the tapered side into the opposite end. While still holding the ends together, release the backspin and allow the tapered side to screw itself into the open side, locking itself in place. To open and redesign your Luna Bracelet, simply twist the ends back while gently pulling on either side of the nearly invisible seam. Once you've finished designing, gently roll them over your hand to put them on and make more!
Luna Bracelets are comfortable enough to wear while sleeping and don't pull arm hairs! They're beautiful worn alone or in an armful. Add beads and/or charms, or wear a stack of them plain! However you decide to design your Luna, we're sure you'll love them.
Luna Bracelets measure approximately 1.3mm and approximately 7" in length while open. Adding multiple large beads will affect the fit of your bracelet but remember, they're super stretchy so they're a comfortable fit on most wrists!
Meet Abbi Berta
From The Bead Place:
Abbi Berta is a bead store owner, full-time store fixture, instructor, and oddball. She loves to work with wire, metals, and seed beads. She has taught at Interweave's Bead Fest Philadelphia, The Bead Q Jewelry Exploration, and on cruises and at other craft events. Her work has been featured in/on the cover of numerous jewelry making/beading publications such as Easy Wire Magazine, Step by Step Wire Jewelry and Jewelry Stringing. She has appeared as a guest on the PBS show, Beads Baubles & Jewels, and live on Great Day St. Louis several times. She also loves to experiment with colors in knitting and crochet. In her spare time, she enjoys pumping iron and punk rock shows. Gross, right? She also spends way too much time on YouTube. Contact her at abbi@beadplace.net.
About The Bead Place
Rhonda Berta and her daughter, Abbi were bitten by the bead bug years ago while vacationing with their family in West Palm Beach, FL. Abbi, (then 8 years old) noticed that a woman was wearing a very intricate and beautifully beaded necklace. This woman, pleased that her hand-beaded design was appreciated, was kind enough to take them to her favorite bead shop and the rest is history...
We opened our doors on March 25, 2005 and within one week, held our first bead stringing class. Soon after opening, Rhonda's sister Hanna Bertulis joined the business. As the business began to grow, so did our love for fine yarns and fibers. Years later, we are pleased to offer over 150 classes, including basic bead stringing and knitting, original bead weaving designs, felting classes, wire sculpting, loom weaving, silver-smithing, metal works, spinning, crochet, and peyote instruction. We are certified in precious metal clay, and schedule workshops by appointment. In 2012, The Bead Place took 2nd place for Favorite Bead Store Worldwide, by a Lark Craft reader's poll.
The Bead Place carries a great selection of exceptional local and imported, hand-dyed, hand-spun fibers. We are unpacking shipments of these luxurious yarns every week. Yarn Club members receive yarn and needle discounts!
The Association of Crafts & Creative industries states that individuals craft for a variety of reasons, including the satisfaction of being able to say, "I made it myself," to save money, and to make creative and personalized gifts. Let us help you save money by teaching you how to make it yourself. Join the Bead Club for perks and extra savings.
The Bead Place is dedicated to providing outstanding customer service as the "Best" Bead Shop in Southern Illinois.
We are located at 8 Plaza Drive in Fairview Heights, IL 62208 inside of the Marketplace Shopping Center between Dollar Tree and Jenny Craig. Look for Best Buy, Goodwill, or Burlington and you won't miss us!
Take A Class At The Bead Place
You can find an assortment of fun classes at The Bead Place. Basic Bead Stringing Class will show you the fundamentals on how to string and finish your first project. Bead Weaving Class will teach you how to weave beautiful beaded designs. Learn how to work with metals in their Metals Classes. Master techniques to create stunning textiles and jewelry in the Fiber Arts Classes. Learn how to wire wrap and make chain designs in their Wire and Chain Maille Classes. Finally, check out their Mixed Media Classes and really learn how to branch out and become a better jewelry designer.
If you do not live near the store, you can still participate with the community by joining the fun, live on Facebook. Facebook is a great way to connect and learn from your favorite artisan designers. If you are not a fan of Facebook - make sure you visit their YouTube channel and take a free beading class there! There are almost one hundred videos to choose from. You are sure to master a new and exciting technique!
We are pleased to offer over 150 classes that we are well known for! Because of the vast number of classes we offer, please understand that we do not set a time for every class each month. Although you may not see a class listed on the current schedule, it IS always available! Please ask if you are interested in taking a class that you do not see listed in the gallery or on the calendar. We have many talented instructors that would be happy to help you through your desired projects. Classes that are scheduled by appointment are no extra charge!
We are pleased to offer a very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Each and every staff member is both a beader and a knitter and are always available to answer questions!
We also offer an expert staff of very accommodating instructors. We schedule back-to-back classes regularly for out of town guests at their convenience. Please call the store as early as possible in order to ensure your desired classes are available at times that are convenient to you and your party.
Visit Abbi Berta's Links
Join our Facebook group – VIB. Stay in the know. Stay up to date. From our bead shows to our video shows and sales, you can stay in touch with us. The community is full of artistic and helpful beaders and crafty people. Inspire and be inspired. Share your pictures and get the beading bug from others!
Visit the Soft Flex Company YouTube Channel!
Blog contributor Thomas Soles loves Jazz Age writers and crunchy french fries. His favorite gemstones are Lapis and Pietersite. His favorite hobby is day dreaming. And his favorite mustache is Freddie Mercury's. As you can see, he has a healthy (or possibly unhealthy) sense of humor. You can write to him at Thomas@SoftFlexCompany.com