When I started this blogging I called it Journey with Zee. It sure is a Journey for me in so many ways.

I am going to talk just about Keishi or keshi …however you spell it… pearls.

If your serious about beading and plan to make a business from this here are a few tidbits.

You want to become a bead hoarder. Just Kidding.  Anything is possible  🙂

Keishi pearls come in all colors and sizes. Most are dyed. Not to worry, the color does not come off even if you sweat…I mean feel moist, perspire..

These pearls are sold in a bunch. Possibly 30 strand to a bunch.

You buy a few strings. You sold your piece and want to make another.

You try to buy more of the same color pearls and now they are all  gone.  New Keishi’s have replaced them, unfortunately the color is a different dye lot.

People into yarn understand this.  Same thing happens with dye lots.

Case in point: Look at Fool’s Gold necklace blog. I made a few of these.  As fate would have it, the newest edition of Fool’s Gold was sold immediately after blogging about it and putting a photo on facebook.

Someone else also wanted it 10 minutes later.

I have no more Keishi’s in that color. I didnt buy the entire bunch. Where is my crystal ball when I need it?

What do you do?  Hope if you invest in an entire bunch, your pieces will sell?  The other side of the coin is you can always sell the extra strands.

I am like a lot of jewelry designers out there trying to make it. It’s so important to figure out what to buy in bulk.

I use a lot of pearls. For me it pays.

I will make another Fools gold in different color pearls. Most of what I make are limited editions. From one of a kind to 5 at the most.

I am a peanut company. I can only produce so much.

Hope this helps any beader looking to have a business. Pearls can be tricky.

I am now bonafide in Keishi.