Everyone artisan who works with bead jewelry is always looking for something new and exciting to build into his or her pieces. Instead of looking for something new, why not try something old?

I’ve found that hitting garage sales, yard sales and flea markets is often a great way to find some great older bead jewelry that may be past it’s prime, but can be taken apart and used to liven up a different piece I’m working on. I like to mix the old and new beads together, sometimes producing interesting results which grab the eye more than a string of similar beads might.

And don’t think that I’m just hunting down precious gems! I’m a bargain hunter and I usually find that most people don’t give “costume” bead jewelry any real value at yard sales. More than once I’ve been picking through a box of costume jewelry and someone will walk over and just say, “You can take the whole thing for $5.00…”

An even greater finder at some of these sales is costume pieces that really don’t need much work to make them interesting and exciting again. I’ve found matching bead jewelry necklaces and bracelets where all I had to do was change out the clasps and clip on a charm to breathe new life into an old design.

Be adventurous with your beading!