About Funky Pretty Beads

Our Mission

We hunt for the most unusual beads from around the world and curate them in a gorgeous selection to inspire your creative soul. Our beads are carefully selected from master craftsmen and enable you to create unique pieces of jewelry.

Designing jewelry is not an easy task. It’s like gardening. It always brings new challenges that trigger creativity in the quest for solutions. Those are the moments when you are forced to think “outside the box”. That’s when creativity begins - so be patient when dealing with a problem. It’s really an opportunity.

My Journey

Deb Panish

owner & bead nerd

Beads have been a part of my life from a very young age. The only place I knew to get beads was the local sewing store that my mom would take me to. They carried only very basic seed beads and I loved the colors. I remember sitting on the floor in my room on my round flowered rug designing flower necklaces. I didn’t have any instruction but I just figured it out. Using my hands came very naturally.

I later received a Bachelor of Arts in Art and a Masters degree in Art Therapy. I started designing jewelry in 1996. I sold in galleries across the USA. It was a lot of fun and a lot of work. Kudos to all of you jewelry designers.

In 2009 I started selling beads. I had a huge stockpile of gorgeous mother of pearl that I had been designing with so I started to sell them with great success. I LOVED beads so I started buying more. And it's really hard to stop. I have now travelled to Czechia (The Czech Republic) to meet the people who make the beads. Most bead factories in Czechia are small family run businesses. I get most of my beads from these hard working and creative artisans.

Beads have been a constant guide in my lifelong exploration of creativity. I invite you to join us on this journey.

Meet the Team

Brian

supreme bead counter

Emma

photographer, web designer & artistic director

Natalie

customer service & order fulfillment extraordinaire

About our Beads

Although we source beads and findings from around the world, the majority of our beads come from the Czech Republic, home to the most amazing glass bead factories. A long history of craftsmanship and skill passed down through generations stands behind the creation of these wondrous little objects!