Since I was a little girl, I’ve liked flashy things. When I was young, I mooned over trinkets at Pier One decorated with bits of cut mirror. I also love a mix of “mismatched” items. I’m intrigued by a surprise grab bag of things. I remember going through Christmas ornaments with my sisters, and I loved the hot pink one with glitter (that they were shunning.) So Kashmiri beads, also called Bollywood beads, are perfect for me. I had never heard the name until recently. They are clay mixed with resin and decorated with seed beads, metal, mirrors, etc.
Here is how my Kashmiri bead journey started. Someone put a package of the black beads with silver, blue and red (on the far right of this picture) in my mailbox at work. I asked around to the people I thought were likely suspects, those who know I love beads and make jewelry, but no one fessed up. A mystery! So I just put them in my bead stash knowing they would come in handy some day.
Then the other day when I was in Kandu Beads‘ etsy store I saw their Kashmiri Beads Lucky Dip item. They scoop out a certain amount of beads from a mix, and that’s what you get. I loved their picture of the variety of beads and thought it would be fun to get a surprise batch. I also knew I could add my mystery beads from work!
I love that little one in the picture above with the glitter! Truth be told, I love them all. At first, I just put them on some cotton cord and let them speak for themselves.
But I found myself feeling like I should have put a heavier bead toward the front. (I had actually laid it out that way, and somehow that bead rolled to the side and didn’t get included.) The day after I made the necklace as I was still contemplating what it did or didn’t need, I got an order from Sam’s Bead Shop, which included an elephant pendant. I had no idea what I’d do with it when I ordered it, but I have a weakness for elephants. Then I looked at the Kashmiri bead necklace and realized the elephant was the perfect finishing touch!
I had so much fun with this necklace. It doesn’t contain any art beads, but I just find it so charming. I have some of the Kashmiri beads left, but I’ll probably end up buying another dip at some point to have a good variety for a bracelet.
Bead Love 
This is beautiful! I have a few of those beads that I have had gifted to me but I don’t do a lot of flash so they are sitting there loved but unused.
I love the story of your mystery beads and how it all came into this delightful necklace. The elephant finishing touch is perfect! I would wear it every day!
what a sweet, fun piece! my local bead store has a big bowl of ‘singles’ … beads left from odd lots, or where someone didn’t buy the pair. It is mostly lampworks in all kinds of crazy colors. My girls always get a scoop… they let them use a wood ladle and whatever they get, they get. I have ‘borrowed’ many a bead from their scoops!
This is a beautiful combination – it reminds me of the “orphan bead” necklaces I make about once a year ….all beautiful beads whether alone or grouped! The elephant pendant fits perfectly with these beads!
Those beads are amazing!!
Ann,
Enjoyed your post! I think that Sam’s focal piece was the perfect ending to a perfect piece! I never have tried one of those beads before, now you are tempting me. Being a buyer from Sam, He will probably be bringing those beads to us in the future! BTW, I found your posting through Sam.
~ Kim G.~