We’re a mother-in-law (Kathy) and daughter-in-law (Leah) team, committed to eco-friendly, sustainable style with hand-crafted paper beads. Our story is still forming but I (Leah) am delighted to share with you how it all began!
Essentially, EarthBead started with three deep loves, firmly planted in Kathy’s heart:
Creativity, travel and people.
Luckily for Kathy, EarthBead combines all three! For as long as I’ve known her - and before - she has been involved in one crafty project or another. She’s always learning and teaching something new, creatively. She has always been immersed in other cultures, and she has a huge passion for helping people wherever she goes. On a 2013 trip with my husband, Matt, to visit my in-laws in Morocco, Kathy shared with us a craft she had learned over there: rolling paper beads. We were INSTANTLY smitten and eager to learn. Each piece of recycled paper, carefully measured, created stunning results for each bead. Like giddy kids, we were excited to play with different color combos and patterns and see how they’d turn out once we rolled them up.
Before we had even arrived, Kathy had already rolled enough beads to fill a small warehouse it seemed, and had already dabbled in making beautiful jewelry from them. When she learns a new artform, she learns it fast and she learns it well. We were amazed with her creativity. “It’s just a hobby,” she humbly said. But seeing the beads coming out of her ears and all over her living room...well, we knew it all deserved a little more attention.
Following that trip, EarthBead was born. I came up with the name and logo to reflect the eco-friendly, handmade nature of our new brand. I thought about the stories printed on all the paper used for the beads, and how those stories can now be repurposed into a new lifeform. It seemed to be a great way to connect everyone’s stories from across the world, together in a fun, unique way.
“Life’s an adventure. Roll with it!” Yup. It all felt pretty perfect.
Matt and I started selling Kathy’s jewelry at craft shows and other local events around the Fraser Valley. We even added some of our own new creations to the mix. The response was great - not very many people had seen such careful quality and precision put into the craft. We were unique in the Canadian marketplace.
The next few years involved more market events and a couple retail opportunities in Canada. Matt and I became parents in 2016 and EarthBead slowed down quite a bit, locally. Meanwhile, Kathy continued making beads and jewelry daily in Morocco. She sold EarthBead jewelry there and even held classes to teach the locals how to make their own paper beads. She is the creative powerhouse to 99% of the unique jewelry you buy from EarthBead. She uses no special tools other than a toothpick; her hands are always busy! That said, Matt and I can’t keep up - we need her! Still, I manage to make some jewelry here and there because, let’s face it, it IS very fun to do when time allows. Creativity is good for the soul. :)
When Kathy moved back to Canada just this year, 2018, we finally had the opportunity to do our first few market shows together and put jewelry into a store in Yarrow. We’re excited to welcome more opportunities to share EarthBead, heading into 2019.
Whether we’re operating locally or internationally, profits from EarthBead have been benefitting, and will continue to benefit, various families and projects dear to our hearts in Africa. We have so so so SO many different styles available, that we simply cannot keep up with posting them all online. But we want you to see them! If you have a color/style in mind for yourself or someone else, please let us know! Message us here on Facebook and we will let you know what we have in stock, or can custom-make one to suit your needs.
