Melissa Shippee
Les Fleurs Anciennes — A Garden of Timeless Elegance
Step into a world of vintage charm and botanical beauty with Les Fleurs Anciennes, a breathtaking beaded necklace that captures the delicate romance of an antique flower garden.
Each bloom is meticulously handwoven using elegant variations of Peyote stitch, forming fanciful floral shapes that delicately encase shimmering crystals like dewdrops in the morning sun.
This stunning piece is more than a necklace—it's a wearable garden. The intricate design is fully adjustable, allowing it to sit perfectly on every neckline, while multiple rich and sophisticated colorways offer a personalized expression of timeless style. Whether you choose soft pastels or deep jewel tones, Les Fleurs Anciennes is a celebration of graceful craftsmanship, sparkling detail, and floral fantasy. Let your style blossom.
Kits $88
Unusual objects and shapes become part of a new story as Sherry stitches beads and gemstones, one at a time, to a felt like base. Most pieces are born spontaneously as the beads and Sherry’s imagination dictate the design. She seldom works from sketches. Sherry finds this meditative form of art to be a rich counterpoint to a society full of instant gratification. Some pieces take a year to complete. Each is unique.
Sherry was raised in a military family, moving every few years. She credits that nomadic lifestyle with giving her an adventurous and uninhibited approach to her work.
Sherry was voted one of the top 10 instructors in the United States by Bead & Button magazine. She lectures and teaches throughout the U.S. and has won numerous awards for excellence in design, including Saul Bell Outstanding Jewelry Design Award, Bead International 2006, Kennedy Best of Pennsylvania and Kennedy Best of Nationally. She has been published and has written articles for several well-known magazines. Her work has been featured on the covers of trade magazines and catalogs and is the co-author of the Art of Bead Embroidery with artist and dear friend Heidi Kummli and Sensational Bead Embroidery by Sherry Serafini
Sherry’s beaded art is known internationally and is owned and worn by Grammy winner Melissa Etheridge, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Lenny Kravitz, and singer Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas. Her beadwork has been seen at fashion week in Milan.
Instragram: sherryserafini@instagram
Email: sherryserafini@gmail.com
Website: www.serafinibeadedjewelry.com
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/sherryserafini
Beki Haley has been in love with beads for over 50 years now. She was introduced to the amazing art form of seed bead weaving by her grandmother when she was a child. That early start in exploring the intricacy and fine detail that can be attained with seed beads has stayed with Beki throughout her life. Even as a young teen, Beki loved teaching others all the beautiful things that can be created with beads. She has over 30 years of teaching experience in several different venues from large auditorium settings to intimate one-on-one classes and everything in between.
Training as a classic silversmith at a young age gave Beki an appreciation and understanding of the art and beauty of jewelry design. Beki uses those formal skills to teach the technical aspects of jewelry design. In her classes, the students learn the importance of attention to detail and craftsmanship while exploring their natural creativity. Her love of beads led Beki to open her own bead store, Out On A Whim, in 1986. With her husband, four children, several animals, and days filled with beads, Beki’s life is complete. During any stressful time in her life, Beki turns to her beads for comfort and calm. The meditative action of beading is the perfect tool to bring peace and joy to her otherwise busy and chaotic life. Sharing that joy by teaching others how to create with beads is a blessing beyond measure.
Learn more about Beki from her Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/beki.haley
Contact me at: info@BeadersDreamRetreat.com
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Your 2025 Beaders Dream Retreat
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Beki Haley
Isis - A Beadwoven Tribute to Feminine Power
This intricate beadwoven piece is a beautiful tribute to the Egyptian goddess Isis, embodying divine femininity, mystery, and strength. Crafted with Japanese seed beads and Delicas, the design flows with elegant curves and soft, organic shapes that echo the sacred forms of ancient Egyptian art.
Sparkling crystals catch the light with every movement, representing the celestial glow of the goddess, while delicately placed embellishments of pearls, firepolish, druks, and a twinkle of iridescence add sparkle and opulence. The interplay of textures and colors evokes the mystique of moonlight on the Nile, capturing the essence of both power and grace.
Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Kit Cost: $92
Sherry Serafini
Eye of the Beholder
Inspired by the stunning cabochon created by Bridgett Nicholson of Firespell, Eye of the Beholder invites you on a creative journey filled with endless possibilities! This design offers the unique flexibility of incorporating an eye cabochon—or chose from additional options I'll be bringing with me—to craft a piece that truly reflects your vision.
As I explored this design, I played with an exciting mix of materials, including Nibits, Rivolis, Crystals, Ceramic Discs, Wood Rings, and an array of uniquely shaped beads. Along the way, some unexpected characters helped shape this piece, making it a dynamic and ever-evolving creation. Many of the components are designed separately, allowing you to customize and rearrange your design to suit your personal style.
My classes are all about creative freedom—so bring your imagination, and let’s make something extraordinary together!
Additional colorways coming soon.
Kit Cost: $165
We're looking forward to Beading with you!
Melissa G Shippee started her adult life with an education starting with biology, then pivoting to a bachelor’s degree in physics, and another bachelor’s degree in fine arts with a painting concentration and art history minor. When motherhood then changed the direction of her life, she turned her attention to beads and quickly fell in love with developing unique beading projects.
Melissa's beadwork consists of a combination of bead embroidery and bead weaving. She aims to explore various techniques in new ways, combining beads in exciting and unprecedented ways to develop interesting and fun beading projects. Her work is highly influenced by nature, particularly by the patterns and shapes of plant life.
Her publications and contributions include two full-length instructional beading books called Beautiful Beadwork from Nature and I Can Herringbone, as well as projects in Beadwork Magazine, Bead & Button Magazine, Bead Star Magazine, Perlen Poesie, and Beading All Stars. Melissa has been a Beadwork Magazine Designer of the Year and a Starman Trendsetter, and also won numerous awards for her bead artistry.
To view more of Melissa's designs, visit www.mgsdesigns.net