May 2020 - The Bead Shop Nottingham Ltd

Needle felting for the mind

November 10, 2022May 27, 2020 by Alex Defina

Hi, Alex here!
For a while now we’ve been wanting to produce a new needle felting kit to add to our ever growing collection of crafting kits here at The Bead Shop. Steph and Emma are our needle felting experts but we wanted to aim this kit at complete beginners. So for the production of this kit I thought I’d have a go! Needle felting is something I’ve always wanted to try. Inspired by seeing Emma’s adorable needle felted bunny Ralph, I was keen to get involved and I also had a slight ulterior motive…

How to make your own Mala Beads

May 12, 2020 by emma

Buddhist prayer beads or malas are a traditional tool used to count the number of times a mantra is recited. They are similar to Catholic rosary beads used in prayer though they tend to have 59 beads and finish in a cross or crucifix. Misbahah are muslim prayer beads, usually in strings of 99 beads.

Mala necklaces consist of 108 beads plus a 109^th Guru bead and are used to count the number of times a mantra or breaths are repeated.

The history of 7 Market Street Nottingham

October 26, 2022May 7, 2020 by Hana

7 Market Street Nottingham is a beautiful Victorian shop and has been The Bead Shop’s home for the last 14 years. I fell in love with it when we first looked around it in 2005 and have been fascinated by its history ever since. I knew it had always been in the care of various independent shops but had never quite been able to piece together all of its history.

What you need to know about healing crystals

May 2, 2020May 1, 2020 by Steph

Have you ever wondered about the benefits of healing crystals or which birthstone is associated with each month? Semi-precious gemstones have been used in jewellery and accessories for Millenia. But some people believe semi precious stones and gemstones have specific meanings and uses. Recently there has been a renewed interest in natural crystals and their potential healing qualities. They are thought to help balance energy and enhance wellbeing. Semi-precious gemstone beads can not only be used to make beautiful jewellery, but the stones themselves may have many benefits and properties.