The Beadman - Redding, California

Location: Redding, California
Shop:       The Beadman
Owner:    Sandra
Website:  nope

Redding is in the northern Sacramento Valley, just before you start trekking up the Cascade Mountains. The day we were there, it was a cool low 60's, but still warm enough that all I needed was a sweater, and this is the first of March, still winter. Not the warm sunny weather of southern California, but not the drizzly miserableness of Seattle either.

One look at the sign on the door and you know this isn't your average bead shop. This sign was obviously put up before California's gun laws changed, because now it's against the law to carry a loaded weapon in California, unless your in the military, police or FBI. But this is a crafting blog, enough about laws and guns.

This shop has a foster puppy, Rusty. He's definitely a pit bull mix, what the other part is is unknown, I personally thought of a Queensland Heeler, since that's what my dogs are, and he reminded me of my dogs, but the gals at the shop thought he might be part pointer, since he tends to point. I still think heeler. If you're interested in adopting Rusty, Sandra's asking $100, she's spent 10x that in the vet bills to fix his leg, he's got a metal rod in there, which is why he has the cone on.

Not only does this place have beads, they've got clothes, jewelry, knick knacks, dragons, fairies, wind chimes, magnets, etc... This is a great place to get someone a gift, whether you're getting for a crafty person or not, there's a lot of stuff in this place.

I've been beading for over 20 years and I've shopped at a lot of bead shops (and worked at one awesome one), one thing I liked about this shop is the way they displayed their Czech seed beads. Seead beads come from two places, either Japan or the Czech Republic. The Japanese bag their seed beads, then it's up to retail stores to either tube them, or sell them in smaller bags. The Czech strand their beads, which can get messy when displaying. But The Beadman was smart (I think), they have a sample strand on the wall of each color/size/shape they carry, instead of pulling your selection off the wall, you pick from the bins under the display. Very smart & very tidy.

This was our last California stop. Now it's time to hit the grocery store and get everything triple bagged. Oregon doesn't allow plastic bags, and that's what we use in the camper for our garbage bags so we don't have to purchase any. We will also need to pick up my drink of choice: Vodka. It's at least $5 cheaper per bottler here in California. Washington state will soon be that low, but not until all the state run liquor stores close which will be by June 2012, and I'll be in Montana then. Happy and sad are weird emotions to have regarding the same subject, I'm sad I'm leaving my friends and family in Seattle, but happy about finally being in Montana.

Next stop: Medford, Oregon