Hundreds of Thousands, No, MILLIONS of Beads!

With BreyerFest over, my mind has moved on to The Feast of the Hunters' Moon and preparing for that. Only this year, I have an unexpected new twist as I get ready.

Beads.

Hundreds of thousands of beads. Yes, you read that right and a more accurate number would probably be millions.  

Teeny, tiny, strung on hanks, loose in boxes, enclosed in little bags... Beads, beads, beads, beads, BEADS.

(I most definitely did NOT want to spill any of those trays, bags, and boxes of beads into my carpet. As it is, I have been walking around with beads in my shoes for several days now.)

So, what's the story? Well, years ago, my sister Leslie had a bead business and sold beads at the Feast to living history folks who beaded clothing and other items. No longer into beading, she asked me if I would like to have her beads "for your grands" and I naively said yes before I knew just how many beads she had. A huge shipping box o' beads was dropped off at my house several weeks ago, another one this week, and I have been sorting beads ever since. 

Emily and the Tennessee Pony Pals took some beads back to Nashville. Ian, Lukie, and Mila have twice taken a bunch home. (I check with parents before sending beads home with any grand.)

To give you an idea of the scope of the beads I now have, this is the box of SPARE beads I have packed up to send to Mountain Mama Jessica. It is packed to the top of the box.

I haven't checked with her yet, but Jessica reads my blog so fair warning, Jess! LOL (Seriously, Jessica, I will text you later today and check to be sure you want them.)

Mixed in with the multitudes of seed and bugle beads were some true treasures. (Including shell and glass wampum.)

An unfinished necklace (earmarked for Lukie), a strand of authentic glass wampum, a string of watermelon beads, and two finished necklaces.

And then these treasures:

All made during the 18th century and around 250 years old. Needless to say, I set those aside to save for a special project or two. (There are more, but I didn't get pictures of them.)

There were some beadwork projects that Leslie had made to sell.

She was hoping I could use them for model horse tack, but the scale is too big (although possibly for 1:6 scale pieces?)

Pony Pal Mila has expressed interest in making some bracelets and necklaces and then joining me in my tent at The Feast of the Hunters' Moon to sell them. I am all in for that.

My girls used to attend re-enactments with my mom (Lisa, Granny Slash, and Jessica in the 1990s); wouldn't it be awesome to do the same with Mila?

Mila is quite interested in it and to help her out, Great Uncle Rick and Great Aunt Leslie are going to let her pick out some of his trade silver to embellish the jewelry she makes. (Rick is a silversmith.)

Trade silver was used for trading by the cultures that came to Fort Ouiatenon in the 18th century.

During her beading days, Leslie made this bead necklace with a trade silver Oiuatenon Cross that was made by Rick.

The real Ouiatenon Cross that was discovered in the 1970s when researchers did an archeological dig at the fort. 

The beads are all sorted and now Mila and I need to get to work on her jewelry. I think this is going to be fun and maybe even make my eyes leak as I share living history with Mila just as my mom did with my girls.

Tomorrow I will share some beadwork by Leslie that I think will work with model horses.

Stay 'tooned!