Bella Beads Turns Ideas Into Wearable Art

Marquette, MI – For years I have been taken with anything shiny, pretty and glittery.  Not much of a girl’s girl growing up, though, I haven’t made any jewelry in quite a long period of time. I do believe I may have been a teenager & I’m pretty sure that my sisters and I may have been using super glue and copper. 

Karen Klobucher of Marquette, works on a jewelry piece during a beading class at the Bella Beads store in downtown Marquette, MI. (photo by Ron Caspi)

I walked into the adorable building and found a real treasure-actually, I found many.  As you look  around you are surrounded by different stones, different chains, and different materials all used for making jewelry.  It is fascinating, really.

A student attaches beads to a jewelry piece during a weekend class at Bella Beads in Marquette, MI. (photo by Ron Caspi)

I met with Leila Martin today, owner of Bella Beads, and she gave me a great lesson in what I needed to know about beads:  nothing.  I can come in to her business, tell her what I’m looking for, and she-or any of her 5 capable staff members-will show me how to create something out of nothing; how to create a ‘look’ out of an idea.  If I come in with friends, I can go in knowing that she’ll be able to help us. If I want to take a class, or have a party, Bella Beads offers those, too.

“We’re not just a craft store,” said Martin. “It is not just a huge selection of beads; we have a highly trained staff here that can help guide the customer to creating a complete look,” she said.  Unlike other stores that simply carry beads, her staff can show you what you can create with them.  Bella Beads caters to gemstones, seed beads and metal-smithing, and if you don’t know what any of that means, ask her!  She said that a lot of tourists will come in, looking for a wearable memento, signifying their trip to Marquette, in the Upper Peninsula, and that’s great! “We’re more of an activity center than a store,” said Martin.  She adds that beading is a great thing to do while enduring some of these long, winter months…“beading is a great indoor activity,” she said, “but I like to bead outside, too.”

Debrah Wissler (right) and sister Mary Moratti (left) attend a beading class together at Bella Beads in Marquette, MI. Mary says she enrolled in the class after seeing the beautiful beaded jewelry gifts her sister Debrah was making for family members.

Bella Beads can also repair your existing jewelry, from replacing a stone to knowing how to correctly fasten a tricky clasp.  They cater to larger groups with their classes, and also offer group rates that work great for bridal showers, etc.  They can create matching sets for all of the attendants, or have each of the attendants come in with the bride and create their individual looks, perhaps with similar colors or types of stones.

Kelly Franzman works on a piece of beaded jewelry during a class she teaches at Bella Beads in Marquette, Mi. In the foreground a necklace made by Kelly sits on display. (photo by Ron Caspi)

The hours of operation for Bella Beads will be changing in May, to include being open on Sundays, but for right now they are open

Monday, Tuesday, Friday- from 10-6 p.m..

Wednesday-from 10-5:30

Thursday-from 10-7

Saturday-from 10-5

Sunday-CLOSED until May

For a great activity to try, stop in or call Bella Beads today. Remember to keep supporting this and every other local small business, it is what helps to keep our wonderful community alive. 325 West Washington St. Marquette, MI.    Tel 906.228.8282

by Maggie J Shepeard

Maggie J. Shepeard lives, works and plays in Marquette, Michigan with her husband and four amazing children, ages 10-18. She’s been an avid writer since the moment she first picked up a writing utensil. Non-fiction novels are her specialty, but she can see a storyline in everything and everywhere that she looks. Often working under the pen name, “Kathryn Lee,” she’s had one book published and is under contract to complete two more before year’s end. She’s a full- time student at Northern Michigan University, in Marquette, with a Major in Multimedia Journalism and a Minor in Writing. She’s taken every English and Writing class that she can, but still learns something new with every new subject. Maggie enjoys traveling and camping with her family and looks at everything is life as an adventure. She’s a die-hard Green Bay Packer fan, and she can be found every Sunday (during the season) rooting for her team. Maggie is a “Yooper” all the way, and is originally from Powers, Michigan, although she’s also lived in both Cadillac and Escanaba, Michigan before finding her permanent home on the pristine shores of Lake Superior, right here in Marquette. To see more of Maggie’s work, or to reach her via email, please click the link below.

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