New bead store in White Plains thrills jewelry hobbyists

By RICHARD LIEBSON
THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: June 5, 2007)

WHITE PLAINS - There are African beads made from bone, ostrich egg and coconut, handmade Bohemian glass beads, fresh water pearls from Hong Kong and crystal beads from Austria.

There are cinnabar beads, plastic beads, wooden beads, jade beads and ceramic beads. They come in all shapes and sizes and seemingly every color of the rainbow.

When it comes to beading, the new Beadworks store at 96 Westchester Ave. is a jewel, customers say.

"I found out about it online and I think it's great,'' said Doreen Palm of Yorktown Heights, who visited the store for the first time on Friday and was already making plans to visit again. "I'll absolutely be back - I might even ask them for a job.''

Palm said she's been making jewelry out of beads since October, having taught herself. She was shopping for materials to make her daughter a necklace as a wedding gift, but picked up beads for other projects too. "It's just a relaxing, creative hobby,'' she said. "There are so many things you can do with just a little imagination. It's not that hard, and you can make gifts for people that have a personal touch to them. I could spend hours doing it."

Owner Nancy Nygreen, who owns a Beadworks in Providence, R.I., decided to open the store in April because "White Plains is an area that attracts people from all over."

With more than 3,000 kinds of beads to choose from, beaders are encouraged to take their time and ask questions.

The staff is eager to help beginners get started with simple stringing and can teach more advanced jewelry making techniques to experienced beaders.

"It's so relaxing,'' said Nicole Hunter, a beader for about four years who was learning to put together clusters of beads that dangle, using needle-nosed pliers and silver wire.

The Bronx resident works at a nearby store and said she was "thrilled when I found out a Beadworks was opening here."

"It's so convenient," she said. "I like making gifts and things for myself. I'd encourage anyone to give it a try. It brings out your creativity and it's just a lot of fun.''

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