I found a seat at the bar with a decent view of the band. A space opened up next to me and a woman, her partner, and another friend decided to slide in for a few drinks. We began talking, she liked my cool ass jumpsuit, and the earrings I had made. We had a few drinks together, took cute selfies, her all gold sequin jacket was visually appealing and therefore we became IG friends. Shelley and I exchanged messages on IG, I said I would make her a pair, she requested some hoops.
Fast forward to six months later, we are all stuck at home cleaning out closets filled with treasure troves of past memories. Shelley asked for my mailing address and wrote that she had some items she found to send me. We had never shared correspondence through the mail, but I am a sucker for a good care package.
The package arrives weeks later, and she sent me this quick note:
“Anyhoo what I have sent you is a mixed bag of vintage beads. My Great Grandma used to travel in a van across the US and making beaded ornaments and magnets and when my Great Grandpa was around (she outlived him) she would accent his wood working with beads and they would sell these at markets and the side of road.
I inherited her beads and used them for awhile for a beaded toque line I had called PMS (Products Made by Shelley) but I have been sitting on tonnes of these vintage beads spanning from the 70's to the 90's and when all of this virus shit went down I was most saddened by how it impacted New York. I want you to use these beads to either help support you, friends, strangers financially in sales or to just give a gift to someone in need of a smile. It's a 4 lb box of a variety of colors and styles of old school plastic beads but I hope it adds to your creativity.”
Sending hugs and love from Vancouver!
Stay Awesome.”
There is a lot you can learn by asking questions of others and taking the time to listen. Shelley emailed me a few adorable pictures of her grandparents and I was immediately inspired to blend the three people together. I could imagine traveling across the country in the 70s, being creative, and selling their goods together. Great Grandma beads to cascade, little wooden beads to represent the woodwork of her Great Grandpa, and beaded hoops, because that is all Shelley wears. I have always enjoyed talking with complete strangers, and thankful that seat opened up at the Rose Bar.