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Welcome to Bead in Hand.  Bead in Hand is a retail bead shop in Oak Park, Illinois, just outside of Chicago.  We’re  easy to get to by car or by public transportation. Please come visit us! If you are a beader, you won’t be disappointed – we have an extraordinary selection of all kinds of beads and beading supplies.
Click on the menu bar at the top for details about our classes, parties, location, or to contact us.  The calendar gives you a quick visual look at our upcoming schedule of classes.  To the side are links that will give you more information about our repair services, additional activities and Oak Park Arts District events.

Bead In Hand is celebrating new ownership!

We're having a party during the Oak Park Arts District's annual event, What's Blooming on Harrison Street, May 25 & 26.  

Picture
6 to 10 pm Friday, May 25
12 to 5 pm Saturday, May 26
All ages butterfly choker project.  Create your own butterfly choker with beads and a  butterfly charm.  $5 per choker.
Don't miss our new owner celebration during What's Blooming. Some of the fun will include:
  • HUGE Chinese Crystal Trunk Show
  • One free grab bag gift with every purchase
  • An all ages butterfly choker project
  • Lots of sale items throughout the shop

Take Wing with Bead In Hand

This year's What's Blooming includes an exhibition of Highland Park's hand-painted butterflies. These butterflies are over 3 feet wide and will be on display in the parkway.

Customer Butterfly Display 
Help us create our own butterfly-themed display by sharing your own beaded butterfly creations to flutter in our window. No real rules -- use wire, seed beads, glue -- small or large -- no reasonable butterfly will be turned away! Drop off your butterflies between now and May 24. When you bring your creation in we'll ask if we can take a photo to display on our website, but there's no obligation.

What's Blooming on Harrison Street
Friday, May 25, 6 - 10 pm
Saturday, May 26, 12 - 8 pm

Harrison street kick's off the weekend with special events planned at the galleries.  On Saturday, we will be closing off a portion of Harrison street, allowing  artists and vendors to set up their booths in a localized space. As always, we will have fun, fantastic and free live entertainment all day long, with special activities scheduled throughout the day.

What’s in store?

  • An art show featuring over 50 artists
  • Entertainers/musicians will be performing all day
  • Delicious food from Oak Park & Forest Park eateries.  
  • A beekeeper demonstrates in Bee World.  
  • The Wizard of Oz will be mingling with the crowd.


This year’s What’s Blooming also includes an exhibition of Highland Park’s hand-painted butterflies.  These butterflies are over 3 feet wide and will be on display in the parkway.

The Oak Park Arts District is located on Harrison Street between Ridgeland and Austin Avenue in Oak Park, IL.
An extraordinary selection of beads and beading supplies.  Classes.  Parties.  Repairs.

Come Bead with Us

2012 OPAD Kids' Camps

Beader's Night Out

Oak Park Arts District Events

Repairs and Jewelry Design

Bead Challenges

History

LINKS

Oak Park Arts District
See a list of all the shops and activities in the Oak Park Arts District.
Visit Oak Park
Find out all there is to do during your visit to Oak Park!
Oak Leaves article about Beader's Night Out  January 9, 2009
Be sure to watch the video--you might see someone you know!
Alison Carter's Bead Blog 
Alison was our first employee, and is currently working toward her PhD by doing a study of Early Historic (500 BC-500 AD) trade networks in Cambodia through a study of stone and glass beads.