About Us

Hello,

As a passionate vintage bead collector and lover, let me introduce myself—I'm Bettina. My journey into the world of online beading began in 1998 when I sold my first beads on the BoxLot auction site. Back then, as I got the hang of this new thing called the Internet, I started selling more and more of my beloved vintage bead collection. I’ll never forget the thrill I felt when someone placed a bid on one of my auctions. It was a new and exciting experience for buyers and sellers alike. But despite the excitement, something about those large auction platforms felt impersonal. I found myself thinking, wouldn’t it be amazing if there was an auction site dedicated solely to beads?

That dream led to the creation of JustBeads.com—a labor of love that became a reality. From the start, my vision was to build more than just another multi-category auction site like the bigger ones that already existed. I wanted to create a virtual community, a space where bead lovers, both buyers and sellers, could not only buy and sell beads but also have fun, share their passion, and get to know each other.

On May 26, 1999, JustBeads.com officially launched, and it quickly became home to an incredible community of bead artists and enthusiasts. Over time, we introduced features like a list of upcoming Bead Shows and Events, a national directory of local Bead Societies, and a "Featured Artist of the Month" page to spotlight and celebrate talented bead artists in our community.

Happy Beading!