Effective 4/1/11, our new business hours on Thurs. and Fri. are 11AM - 6PM.  If you'd like to visit us any time that we are not scheduled to be open, please call 215-540-5585 and ask about making an appointment.

Our new hours are:

Tues. - Sat. 11AM - 6PM

Sun. & Mon. CLOSED

Our Dakota Stones Trunk Show starts tomorrow 3/8/11 and ends Sat., 3/19/11.  Here are new photos of the trunk show inventory.

This show includes 8" and 16" strands.  There are just a few strands of each style of bead, so shop early for the best selection.

When this trunk show ends, the merchandise will be returned to the vendor.  Please remember, there is no discount on trunk show merchandise. 

The stones coming to us for next week's (03/08/11 through 3/19/11) trunk show:

Amazonite
African Jade
African Turquoise
Agate
Amazonite
Aqua Terra Jasper
Aventurine
Black Obsidian
Blue Agate
Blue Apatite
Blue Crazy Lace Agate
Blue Impression jasper
Blue Mosaic JAsper
Botswana Agate
Breciated Jasper
Brioche Agate
Bronze Infused Purple Turquoise
Bronzite
Brown Rhodochrosite
Buffalo Turquoise
Chalcedony
Chrysocolla
Citrine
Crystal Quartz
Dalmatian Jasper
Dragon Blood jasper
Dumortierite
Flower jade
Fluorite
Fossil Coral
Goldstone
Green Crazy Lace Agate
Green Impression Jasper
Hypersthene
Impression Jasper
Labradorite
Mexican Crazy Lace Agate
Mixed Rutilated Quartz
Mixed Stone
Mosaic Turquoise
Multi Tigereye
New Leopardskin Jasper
Onyx
Opalite
Pietersite
Pink Agate
Pink Crazy Lace
Pink Impression Jasper
Pink Opal
Pink Opalite
Poppy Jasper
Porcelain Jasper
Purple Agate
Purple Crazy Lace Agate
Purple Impression Jasper
Pyrite
Rainbow Obsidian
Red Creek Jasper
Red Fossil Coral
Red Tigereye
Rhodonite
Rose Quartz
Ruby Zoisite
Russian Amazonite
Sardonyx
Sky Agate
Sky Quartz
Snakeskin Jasper
Sodalite
Teal Impression jasper
Tibetan Agate
Tigereye
Tourmaline
Variscite
Wildhorse Picture jasper
Yellow Turquoise

We have a LOT of hearts and love-related items at RB for your Valentine!  See below the components for making your own jewelry, as well as our finished jewelry.

Polymer clay pendants and toggles

Raku buttons and pewter

More pewter pendants and beads

Furnace glass and Swarovski

Czech glass and enamel

Metal findings and beads

Venetian foiled and aventurine glass

Porcelain and lampwork

Venetian foiled glass  and sterling silver or gold-filled pendants

Earrings

More earrings

And more earrings

I have to tell you - I love my neighbors at Sweet Bytes Internet Cafe & Bakery.  Not only do they make fantastic food for breakfast and lunch, but they now have added "bakery" to their name.  My personal favorites are the chocolate croissant cup and raspberry butterflies.  So good! 

From Donna and Lorraine at Sweet Bytes:

Check it out! 

We have these great new bead mat rolls in stock.  They're made of machine washable canvas, and lined with a soft fleece that prevents beads from bouncing away from you.  There's a plastic box inside to accomodate small tools, as well as room for tubes of beads, a tie for a spool of fireline or beading wire, etc.  They also have a ruler ribbon sewn inside.  They are perfect for transporting a project with you in style. 

We have some new C-Koop Beads enameled charms and components in stock...  Perfect for bracelets, earrings, pendants, etc.

Here are the new strands of semi-precious stones, freshwater pearls, and Czech fire-polished glass that we put put for sale this week.

Our Dakota Stones Trunk Show has been extended through Sat., 11/06/10.  Here are pictures and a list of the stones we've received.  Once again, we have a bargain bucket of fun closeout strands of beads that are $8.50 each or 3 for $20.  

dragon blood jasper

dumortierite

green impression jasper 

green kyanite

hematite 

herkimer quartz

imperial jasper

impression jasper

iron zebra jasper

jade

kambaba jasper

kyanite

labradorite

lapis lazuli

moukaite jasper

onyx (matte & polished) 

porcelain jasper

pyrite

rainforest agate

red creek jasper

rhyolite

sardonyx

sleeping beauty turquoise  

snakeskin jasper

teal paisley jasper  

turquoise

     

During the past week we have reorganized loads of stuff in the store.  I have moved furniture and stock all around.  The semi-precious, freshwater pearl, nuts /seeds/wood, and shell strands are now all on one wall.  The jewelry displays in the window have been redone, the czech glass racks and Swarovski crystal bicone trays have all been reorganized by size, shape, and color.

We've also been busy adding some new seed bead mixes to our stock.

I cannot believe our sixth anniversary has passed.  It feels like we just opened yesterday.  One of these days I'll have to post then & now pics.  Thank you so much for keeping us in business!  During our sale, you will receive:

• 30% off of all artist beads and strands of beads
• 20% off of all regular priced merchandise
• 50% off of all clearance merchandise (look for the green stickers!)

Please remember that no other discounts will be extended during the sale and that Busy Beader points will not be given on discounted purchases.  Some exclusions may apply, such as any merchandise marked NET.  Discount does not apply to previous sales, classes, gift certificates, labor, or parties.

In the past couple of weeks we've added quite a few new things to our stock.  woo hoo!

Semi-precious strands - just a few

Boulder Opal Pendants & Turquoise Infused Bronze Cabochons

some of our new Freshwater Pearl Strands

Czech Glass Strands

Charlottes and seed beads

Barbells

Pressed and Firepolished Glass Strands

Miyuki Tila beads

Tilas are 2-holed flat squares measuring 5x5x1.9mm.

Bronze and Silver clasps

Etched Shell Pendants

Including new tiny pendants!

We've been busy tying up firepolished glass strands.  Most of what we got is 4mm and 3mm round. See below...  Everything is now out and on the floor.

After several weeks, the new inventory from the Bead & Button Show is out for sale.  I will continue to add more, but most of it is out. See the pretties below.

Polymer Clay Toggles, Pendants, & Beads

Porcelain Cabochons and Pendants

Stained Glass & Sterling Silver Pressed Flower Pendants

Pewter and Bronze Pendants and Toggles

Semi-Precious Stones

Independence Day Sale 2010

Fri., 07/02/10 - Sat., 07/03/10 

20% off of everything 

Classes, labor, clearance items, net-priced merchandise, and gift certificates will not be discounted and discounted sales will not earn Busy Beader points.  If you need further clarification, please ask.

Here are some new stones that are available as of today...

Lapis lazuli

Chrysophase (aka chrysoprase)

Teal impression jasper (dyed)

Purple impression jasper (dyed)

Pink impression jasper (dyed)

Magnesite brown (dyed)

Aqua terra jasper (dyed)

I am currently at the Bead & Button Show (Milwaukee) enjoying classes and the camaraderie of beaders from all over the planet. It's a great time to regroup and invigorate creativity.

I am hot on the trail of artisan-crafted beads and can't wait to show you the goodies when I return.  So far, I've gotten new pewter beads and clasps, fun polymer clay beads and toggles, and some really cool new porcelain pendants and cabochons.  I will let everyone know when the new products are available.

If anyone is looking for something special, please email me at erica@ reeds-beads.com (omit the space after the @ sign, please) and I will try to get your request for you.  Off now to soak my swollen piggies!

Most of our new (and restocked) Bali silver beads and toggles are out and for sale.  Some oldies (but goodies) and some new guys below.

We've added to our inventory of Czech glass in the past week.  The glass includes 3 and 4mm fire-polished rounds, lots of fire-polished rondelles, and loads of pressed glass in several different drops, daggers, and lentils, nautilus shells, etc. 

We've added some new semi-precious strands to our stock, including red and black banded agates, amazonite, amethyst, apatite, aquamarine, carnelian, chrysocolla, chryophase, citrine, garnet, iolite, labradorite, magnesite, moukaite, onyx, peridot, rhodochrosite, rhodolite garnet, rose quartz, ruby, sapphire, smoky quartz, sodalite, sunstone, tourmaline, and tourmilated quartz in various shapes and sizes.  See the photo below, although it really doesn't do them justice. 

With Mother's Day, prom and wedding season, and summer all screaming towards me I hadn't noticed that we needed more pearls.  Then I got the Pearls special edition of BeadStyle magazine for the store a couple of weeks ago and realized that we MUST HAVE MORE.  I love the special editions of these magazines. Giving me excuses to get MORE stuff. 

So anyway, I bought a whole lot of interesting shapes of cultured freshwater pearls including coin, keshi, faceted, potatoes, rice, etc., in amazing colors.  See below.  Ahhhhh.....  Now to make something with them.  When is that going to happen?  Have to tag the new stones, glass, silver, etc.  Hopefully soon.

The trunk show is going really well!  We've gotten a lot of compliments on the variety of stones available, especially the new bronze-infused purple turquoise.  We originally received about 2 strands of 6 different shapes, but have since received an another shipment including 8 new styles of the purple turquoise.  They are all 8" strands, so you can get more shapes and spend the same amount of money as before.

I love this weather.  Time to bust out the flip-flops.  For 2 days, right?  We will be celebrating the weather and turning the clocks ahead starting tomorrow by having our Spring Forward Sale.  Next week our Lillypilly Designs Trunk Show starts.  Ahhhh... things to look forward to...

I hope everyone is enjoying the weather and making a bit of time for themselves to be outside.  Maybe we'll see you soon!

Tomorrow is our fundraiser for Haiti.  I hope it doesn't snow!!!  I will be donating 10% of our regular merchandise sales to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. 

I am also looking forward to helping out next door tomorrow at Sweet Bytes.  They're also hosting a fundraiser for Haiti tomorrow from 9-3.  They inspired me to host our fundraiser.  Their event is breakfast ($8) and a tax-deductible donation to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund in your name ($5) for a total $13.  I get to run the cash register!!  Woo hoo!  You can be glad I'm not cooking.  Just ask my husband. 

Hopefully we'll see you tomorrow!  It's also the last day for all of us to ogle and drool over Nancy Tobey's beautiful beads.  Boo hiss.  Have a great weekend everyone.

I hope everyone had a great holiday.  We've had a busy 2 weeks.  Between giving thanks, preparing for Black Friday, putting out new stock, and making custom order jewelry - my head has been spinning.

We got in a bunch of new and restocked pearls, semi-precious, and glass strands.  The pictures below show the semi-precious and pearls.

The jewelry I have been making was a custom order for two 48" wirewrapped 3mm rondelle necklaces.  The stones' holes selected were so small that 26 gauge and 28 gauge wire were needed to get through the stones.   The necklace on the left is sterling silver wire with apatite, smoky

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Okay - so now you know the new website is up, so, what do you think?  It has taken awhile and I'm not nearly done, but I am happy with how it's coming along.  Did you ever clean a window, and the more you clean it, the more smears you see?  This whole process was sort of like that...  Yikes.

We have gotten some new inventory recently.  Some new stones, some new and restocked seed beads, sticky bead mats, the new Step by Step Wire Jewelry, and a few Thai silver restocks.

I've had a few people ask me about ordering or re-ordering some things for them for the holidays.  If I can do it, I will.  Send me an email of what you're interested in, and I'll see what I can do.  Or you can call.  Truthfully, it's easier to get me via email right now.

It has been months in the making, so I am relieved to announce that the new site is up!  Expect many new additions in the coming weeks. 

If you haven't been in lately, we've marked all clearance items down to 40% off of the marked retail price.  We've partnered with several other Ambler businesses to offer coupons good through the holidays at www.amblercoupons.com.

I am in the midst of scheduling a lot of things right now.  I would recommend checking the Events link frequently!  We have a couple of trunk shows through the end of the year - any updated info will appear on the Events link. 

Thanks again for checking in with us and stay warm!

Erica