The Ministry of Funny Beads Maintained by:   beadminister( 644) Purveyors of the grandest assortment of beautiful and odd vintage beads and components on the planet: affordable filigrees, stampings, sequins, cabochons, chain, rhinestones, findings, feathers, fabric trims, nailheads ... all in every conceivable size, shape and material; and artisan jewelry, too.

Back to previous page  THE ACCIDENTAL BEADER Thea - Minister (Without Portfolio) of Funny Beads The catalogue company wasn't supposed to send me the child's beading kit. I didn't order it; I have no reason to, for I've no children, only two dogs, two cats, and one husband. I tried to send the kit back, but the folk at the catalogue company said, 'Oops, our mistake. Keep it with our compliments. We'll give you your money back regardless.' To argue seemed churlish, so the kit went into a drawer until one rainy day, when -- on a whim -- I broke it open and began to play with the bits of glass and wire therein contained. In such innocent ways are truly monumental obsessions born. That was ten years ago. If you care to see where that single fateful day has led me, you might take a gander at www.sparkleplentyfinebeadedjewellery.com Tell them Thea sent you. Since 'them' is me, they'll treat you right. For those of you who are not yet Vintage, let me tell you that Sparkle Plenty was a character in the old Dick Tracy comic strip; and The Ministry of Funny Walks was a skit performed on the Monty Python Flying Circus television show. But I digress. My shocking addiction to all things bead progressed rapidly. Sad to say, my darling husband, Ron, quickly became codependent, attending bead shows with me, and EVEN CARRYING MY PARCELS! When we took driving holidays together, with each new town we encountered, the first thing we do is look in telephone directories for used book stores (for him), and bead stores (for me). On one occasion what we thought was a bead store turned out to be a warehouse full of beads and bead-related items. After a few years of buying a few items at a time for my own use, I bought the contents of the warehouse outright. Most of what you see here in The Ministry of Funny Beads is from that purchase. What is in the Ministry now (and this will be true for several more years, I greatly fear) is only a tiny portion of what the warehouse has yielded. The process of sorting, organising, cleaning, storing, (often re-organising), and then presenting the items to you is a slow one. I beg your indulgence, and urge you to visit often, to sign up for our newsletter, and to NOT HESITATE AN INSTANT to contact me with suggestions or questions. I look forward to being of service to you.

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