Blue Dog Beads started up three years ago in my basement (and we are still there) with just me, Shirley. I’ve been “playing with clay” since 1993 and have gone thru more than a few phases… First there was wall art, then onto ornaments, and then to sculpting. All the while saying I could never, ever make a cane, let alone go into jewelry. Guess what? I am now utterly and passionately in the jewelry business. AND I am no longer alone!
Since then my daughter, Melanie and daughter-in-law, Laura, have joined me, making my business, a family business!
Today, without Melanie’s drive, smarts and creativity, I would still be just “playing with clay” in my studio, taking the occasional orders. She is my IT and Web person and does a great job of jewelry design, which means I can still “play” and create with clay!
Laura also has drive, smarts and creativity! She doesn’t meet a person who is a stranger and that trait makes her our ideal salesperson! She also likes to design jewelry and loves getting her hands on the clay!
I am so lucky to have this combination come into the business. Since they have come onboard, the company has stepped up to the next level.

After my Father passed away, I was looking for someway to give my mother a lasting Keepsake. I knew that there were busineses who made items from the flowers from the services, so I researched and decided to make a rosary for my mother from her flowers. What began as making a keepsake for my Mom, has blossomed into the main body of our work, creating keepsake items from flower petals incorporated into low fire clay. We do rosaries and jewelry. Not only from Funeral flowers, but for other occassions as well.