Have you ever thought about beads and how they connect us with other cultures, countries, and our own history? I had not until 1988, when a new and fascinating world opened up to me. The beads that first captured my attention were the African Trade Beads, and they remain my favorites. They are, for the most part, European handcrafted glass beads made for the African trade. They were used as currency, and for bartering, as well as adornment. Adornment is how most of us relate to beads, as have our ancestors over thousands of ss. I love sharing my enthusiasm, and I love sharing the beads so they can continue their journey.

After meeting the challenges of raising three sons, community volunteering, and employment I took on a new challenge - my own business - Beads by Jo Ann. I do custom designing, original work for museum shops, catalogs, and display works in other specialty stores in Muscatine, Iowa. To gain a better understanding of the beads, and to have opportunities to meet other bead lovers, I attend as many conferences, workshops, and seminars as possible. My husband is my foremost advocate, and together we have traveled the United States from coast to coast looking for interesting beads and meeting interesting people.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to make this introduction. It would be wonderful to have the beads continue their journeys to you. It seems to be contagious, and you too can catch the excitement of seeing, touching, and wearing beads that have many wonderful stories to tell. Please contact me if you have questions. I look forward to hearing from you.