There is a little Oui yogurt jar on my desk where I make jewelry. I call it the "not yet" jar. It is about an inch deep with tiny beads, which sounds modest until you realize how many small beads fit in that space.
These beads are from strands that did not meet my quality standards for Auréad Designs. I had selected them online, relying on a stock photo, but when they arrived, they didn’t measure up. Rather than use them anyway, I set them aside.
That jar is one of the most honest things I can show you about how I approach making.
I've been sourcing beads and crystals for years, long before Auréad Designs existed, but I've been sourcing gemstone beads consistently since August 2025. In that time, I've developed strong opinions about when online sourcing works, when in-person is worth the trip, and what the difference actually means for the finished piece.
Shopping for Beads In Person
There is nothing that replaces the experience of holding a strand of Labradorite beads up to the light and watching the flash move. Or finding the moonstone with the glow you were looking for. Or spotting the banding in a piece of Botswana agate that makes it extraordinary rather than ordinary.
Brick-and-mortar shopping gives you something online shopping fundamentally cannot: the ability to assess every bead individually before you commit.
What works best in person
For stones where the quality variation matters, like labradorite, moonstone, or any stone with flash or distinctive patterning, in-person is almost always worth the trip. Two strands from the same supplier can look completely different. Shopping in person lets me choose the flash color and intensity I want, rotate strands, and compare side-by-side, nuances you simply can't assess from a product listing.
Shopping in person also lets you check bead quality directly, such as evaluating drill-hole placement, comparing color consistency across a strand, and inspecting for surface damage before you buy. These details matter enormously in finished jewelry.
The honest limitations
Your closest bead shop may not be very close. Mine is a 25-minute drive, and I consider myself fortunate. For makers in more rural areas, the nearest quality shop could be hours away. And even a well-stocked local shop carries a fraction of what's available online, you're limited to whatever they have in stock that day.
The upside: you're supporting a local business and your local economy, and you walk out with your materials the same day with no shipping charges.
Shopping for Beads Online
The selection online is genuinely extraordinary. You can search for exactly the stone, size, shape, and finish you need and find options from suppliers around the world that no single local shop could match.
What works well online
For certain materials, such as consistent findings, specific sizes, and stones, when quality variation is less of a concern, online sourcing can be efficient and reliable. If you don't have easy access to a local bead shop, or the specific material you need simply isn't available locally, online is often your most practical option.
The honest limitations
When you buy online, someone else selects your strand. You trust a photo, often a stock image, which may not represent what you'll get. Some strands I receive don't meet Auréad Designs’ standards. Those beads go in the jar.
This isn't a reason to avoid online sourcing entirely. It's a reason to go in with clear expectations, confirm sizes before ordering, buy from suppliers with strong reviews and clear return policies, and accept that some variation is part of the process.
What the Jar Actually Means
When I set a bead aside because it doesn't meet my standard, I've already spent money on it. I have it in hand, and the easy thing would be to use it anyway; most customers would never know the difference.
But I would know. And that's not the standard I hold for Auréad Designs.
Every piece I make comes from materials I’ve actively chosen. If something doesn’t meet my standard, whether it’s a drill hole that’s off, surface quality issues, or a color mismatch, it doesn’t go into a piece. It goes in the jar.
That jar is small, but what it represents is the commitment behind every piece that leaves my studio.
The Framework
There isn't a simple answer for every purchase. Instead, I use a framework: Brick-and-mortar shopping is best when I need to assess quality details, while online shopping is ideal when convenience or availability is the priority. Here’s how I approach both:
In person for stones when quality variation matters. Labradorite, moonstone, any stone with flash, fire, or distinctive patterning. The trip is worth it when what you're selecting for can't be conveyed in a photo.
Online, when access, time, or availability make it the right choice. Just have clear expectations about what you can and can't control, and be prepared to set aside what doesn't meet your standards.
And if you end up with a little jar of beads that didn't make the cut, that jar means you care about what you're making.
As for the "not yet" jar itself, I genuinely don't know what I'll do with it yet, but I'm keeping it. It feels important.
The gemstone beads in every Auréad Designs piece are chosen with exactly this in mind. Browse the collection at aureaddesigns.com.
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