More Than You Wanted To Know!

Thank you for visiting my part of the World Wide Web! As most of you might know from talking with me, I am not an artist by trade. Before I began jewelry making and lampworking, I was a radio news reporter living and working in Houston, TX. I spent almost ten years "on air" covering city, state and national politics for the local NPR station.

After I married, I became a stay-at-home mom. And as all you moms know, there's more to life than changing diapers and cleaning bottles! So I looked around for a hobby that would allow me to use my sense of design and creativity. I accidentally discovered the fun and beauty of beads and jewelry design. I also discovered that jewelry doesn't have to be expensive!

When my neighbors, friends, and friends of friends began buying my jewelry pieces, I decided to "open shop" online. I first began by making Mother's bracelets; those wonderful bracelets that spell the names of children, grandkids or loved ones. One of my personal favorites was my Cancer Awareness Bracelet. My friend asked me to make her a breast cancer survivor bracelet and that's how the idea was born. When I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in the fall of 2002, I was shocked, but I am truly grateful for cancer research and the advancements that have taken place during the last decade. I donated the proceeds from each Awareness Bracelet to cancer research and to organizations that provide programs for children with cancer. I lost my father to lung cancer in 2007, so cancer research is a very important charitable organization to me.

I am currently focusing on my own "lampwork" or glass beads. I have a studio in my house and I'm usually at the torch creating little pieces of art glass. I sell those beads mainly on my website and on ebay under my ID LeahBeads.

A proud moment for me came in the summer of 2005 when I was elected South Regional Director of the International Society of Glass Beadmakers (ISGB). Members in five states elected me to represent them. I was also one of the founding members of the Houston Glass Bead Society, locally known as the Houston Hotties.

So, please, if you have any questions, email me at leah@leahbeads.com . You can also contact me on Facebook.

Thanks again for your interest and business!

Leah