Your 2026 Beaders Dream Retreat
San Francisco Class Lineup......
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Beki Haley
Beki Haley has been in love with beads for more than 50 years. She was introduced to the enchanting art of seed bead weaving by her grandmother as a child. That early introduction to the intricacy and fine detail achievable with seed beads has remained a lifelong passion. Even as a young teen, Beki delighted in sharing her knowledge, teaching others to create beautiful things with beads. She now brings more than 30 years of teaching experience to students in a wide range of venues — from large auditorium settings to intimate one-on-one sessions and everything in between.
Trained as a classic silversmith at a young age, Beki developed a deep appreciation for the artistry and craftsmanship behind fine jewelry design. She incorporates those formal skills into her classes, where students learn the importance of precision, detail, and structure while exploring their own natural creativity. Her technical insight and patient teaching style have inspired countless beaders over the decades.
Beki’s lifelong love of beads led her to open her own bead store, Out On A Whim, in 1986. With her husband, four children, and a household full of beloved animals, Beki’s life is filled with creativity and purpose. During stressful times, she turns to her beads for comfort and calm — finding peace and joy in the meditative rhythm of beading. Sharing that joy by teaching others to create is, for her, a blessing beyond measure.
Connect with Beki:
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Vicky Roberts
Vicky Roberts is a UK-based bead artist who has been creating exquisite beaded jewellery for nearly 15 years. With a deep love for all things sparkly, Vicky’s designs often feature a dazzling variety of crystal shapes and sizes, woven together into intricate, multi-layered works of wearable art. She thrives on discovering innovative construction techniques that give her pieces depth, movement, and dimension.
Over the years, Vicky has taught countless classes and participated in both national and international beadwork competitions. Her creative energy, patience, and technical expertise make her an inspiring teacher who enjoys sharing her passion for the art of beadwork with others.
Recently, Vicky launched her YouTube channel, where she shares projects designed for beaders of all skill levels — from beginners to advanced. Her videos highlight the same warmth and enthusiasm she brings to her live classes, always encouraging others to pick up a needle, embrace the sparkle, and conquer the world one bead at a time.
Kinga Bledsoe
Kinga Bledsoe was born in 1980 in Hungary. At 19, she packed up her life into a backpack and moved to the United States, where she has lived ever since — though never in just one place. She currently resides in Boulder, Colorado, with her boyfriend and her beloved furbabies, Samantha Regina Nichols and Marley. Samantha Regina isn’t only her muse but also her model — many of Kinga’s best-known pieces were popularized by her charming canine co-star.
Creativity has always been part of Kinga’s life. Before discovering beads, she painted murals while living in New York. Although mural work was enjoyable, painting didn’t feel like her true calling. That changed in 2007 when she picked up a Bead & Button magazine, discovered bead embroidery, and — slowly but surely — a lifelong obsession took hold.
After that first project, Kinga began developing her own designs and quickly found a distinctive artistic voice that allowed her to translate imagination into beadwork. Her mind is always buzzing with new concepts, and her whimsical perspective fuels a continuous flow of fanciful bead embroidery creations.
Kinga’s work first gained international attention during the inaugural Battle of the Beadsmith. She went on to become a BeadDreams finalist (2013), earn 3rd place in 2014 in the Swarovski category, and be featured in Marcia DeCoster Presents (2014). The following year, she won 1st place in the Crystal Category of BeadDreams (2015). Kinga has also produced instructional bead-embroidery videos for Interweave Publishing (2016–2017) and been featured in numerous U.S. and European publications.
Since 2013, Kinga has been teaching bead embroidery worldwide and hopes to continue for many years to come — sharing not only her technical expertise but also her belief that the world is a magical place filled with endless possibilities.
Vicky Roberts
Projects coming January 1, 2026
We're looking forward to beading with you!
Beki Haley
Projects coming January 1, 2026
We're looking forward to beading with you!
Kinga Bledsoe
Projects coming January 1, 2026