Diane North
My Beading Biography

At the end of 1993, I was a newcomer to beaded jewelry-making. I had just learned to string beads and make simple earrings, but was quickly realizing that I wanted more control over my materials. While bead shopping, Mark (my husband) spotted a glass beadmaking class flyer, and suggested that I take the class. Well, I thought it was a bit expensive and I wasn't sure I wanted to bring home a blowtorch to our 4th floor apartment. We went home that day without signing up, but a few days before the class, he convinced me to call and see if it was too late to register. To make a long story short, I took the three-day seminar and brought home a handful of beads, a HotHead torch, and a bunch of glass and tools. That was just the beginning!! Shortly thereafter, I took several advanced classes and upgraded to a professional torch and kiln system. We finally have a house in Ohio, and I have a basement studio. Now, years after my first class, I have done bead and jewelry shows, done custom work including pieces for the Bead Society of Greater Washington, and have beads in stores in Ohio, Maryland and D.C. as well as in the Bead Museum of Arizona.

My hopes for the future are that I will be able to reach people all over the world with my beads and beaded jewelry by showing it here on the Web.