Survey Says: ... What is your favourite kind of bead

Each month, we have a little contest where we give away a prize or gift certificate, and while you are entering, we ask a question - just a little something to help us understand you and remind us of what else you might want (back in the early days - we had to be careful that we didn't stock only blue beads - based on personal bias ... ).

Thought you might be interested in the answers from March. It fun to read what you say - and really fun when someone says exactly what you are thinking!

The question was: What is your favourite kind of bead. What makes your heart go pitter-pat?

And survey sez:

The flat out winner was Crystal - and most of you are knowledgeable and particular enough to specify Swarovski Crystal! Here's some of your comments!

• Nothing beats a handful of Swarovski crystals!!! A lot of bling, for something that is not the real thing!!!! Works for me!!
  

• crystal hearts (you must be in heaven right about now, with all the new crystal hearts from Swarovski that just came out!)

• I actually have two, I love pearls and crystals, crystals being the ultimate!

• pearls and crystal and antique ox-blood red coral (sounds yummy!)
  

• It's a hard call but I have a serious love affair with crystal. (me too!)
  

• I love any Swarovski.... love the sparkle. I am also very attracted to jasper... all kinds of jasper. Lately I have been hooked on unique findings. Guess I just love it all!

• Right now I am in love with Swarovski rondelles.  Actually anything that is glittery is wonderful. (Yeah - ain't it the truth!)

• Swarovski all the way!!

• Crystal.  Love the colours, the sparkle, the size variations in the same shape.  They never tarnish, rarely chip, and a light polishing keeps them gorgeous. (Hire that gal and put her in marketing!)

• swarovski and anything with an AB in the description!

• Swarovski....anything and eveything Swarovski.....

• i love shiny and sparkly! I spell that Swarovski :-)  (Awww - I bet you just make someone at Swarovski cry!)

Next up - seems to be the stone and gemstone beads - although - it's clear that you have many different reasons for loving them!

• fire agate, iridescent gemstones

• Natural stones! I love the colours and the inclusions!
  

• any gemstones  kyanite  and morganite

• Powerful gemstone beads get me all a-flutter.
  

• goldstone any shape/size (boy - is she in luck! Wait till she sees April's stone of the month!)

• Natural stones. I am rock crazy!

• Abalone, opal, and emerald.
  

• I love the rough stone beads!
  

• I gravitate to many semi-precious stones.  Right now I love turquoise.  Such a simple stone that\'s beautiful with sterling silver, leather, cord, etc.  Heishi beads are my new fave.

• Lately I can't get enough Turquoise, bronze and copper beads/findings. I really enjoy working with stone and wire wrapping, it is one of my favorite methods of crafting my handmade jewelry. I was floored when I got an eyeful of all your luscious beads :)
  

• Hematite! I love the coolness of it and the shine!!

• I love expensive stone beads ... (Yeah. Me too!)
  

• pyrite beads(all sorts!) and agate rounds!

• color change garnet  :-)  (I don't think we've ever had any of that - oh Marg! .... )
  

• agates and jaspers remind me of finding pretty stones as a child (What a lovely insight - is the joy of beading connected to the joy of childhood discovery?)

• I love semi-precious gemstones, especially labradorite, moonstone, and citrine.
  

• I like natural beads (semi-precious stone, shell, wood...those kinds of things) and simple jewelry that is easy to wear with anything.

Pearls too, are way popular! Especially in combination ...

• natural materials like pearls and semi-precious beads

• pearls - every shape, color and size.  Reminds me of a more elegant time. (Well said!)

• I have a soft spot for pearls, but I especially love using found objects in jewelry. I enjoy taking something that is pretty much junk and trying to figure out how to incorporate it into a piece of jewelry.

• ACK!!!  So hard to choose!!  Gemstones in general, I guess, but it depends on what kind of style I am hooked on at the time.  Vintaj is one biggie....so pearls and firepolish look the best with that.  Hmmm, change that to PEARLS!!  We Geminis love pearls!! (Geminis are in two minds about everything?  ;-)    )

• Generally speaking, pearls, pearls, pearls and Swarovski, Swarovski, Swarovski. For semi-precious gemstones, my favourite is probably Red Creek or Picasso Jasper. Sigh. Oh the colours, the colours!
  

Lampwork beads are obviously very popular too!

• I can only choose one kind?  I suppose lampwork beads are the ones that really turn my crank!  Like the string of Chili pepper ones I saw (and left behind *sniff*) the other day.

• I have recently fallen in love with handmade lampwork beads, especially those with metallics flakes or swirled inside. They look so mysterious!

• Hand made lampworked beads, definitely.  I've tried a short course on lampworking, so I understand how much practice and skill are involved in creating such lovely things.
  

• I like a large lampwork bead in just the right colours that I can use as a focal bead.
  

• I'm totally addicted to all sorts of lampwork and boro beads but can't stop buying little round ones to support my right angle obsession
  
  

Seedbeads, tiny beads, Delicas - big contingent of fans out there!

• I love seed beads. So tiny, and so versatile! (Sums it up, doesn't it?)

• all size 15 beads the smaller the better, and of course fun semi precious!!!

• Seed Beads and Ravoli's (Pretty sure that rivoli's - not pasta!)
  

• seed beads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ANY COLOR, ANY SIZE WELL MORE THE 11's
  

• I just love the sheer variety of your store, I haven't been beading very long.  I mostly buy Size 11 Tohos because I love beadweaving and it suits my budget.
  

• Delicas.  and toho size 15s. and the madagascar chrysicola.  I'm rather fond of bead-weaving, so I like the little ones over-all.
  

• bugles, squares, seedbeads.
  

• Oh my goodness! All of them! lol. But if I could just choose one it would have to be 11/0 seed beads.  I could just look at them all day.
  

• I don't really have a favorite - I love so many different kinds, but seed beads certainly are high on the list!
  

• Daggers and magatamas!

Some of you are colour-oriented - you don't care what type the bead is, if it's the right colour ... .

• Pretty much anything orange.

• crystal-especially purple :-)

• i like black gittery beads

• Turquoise/teal color

• amethyst, at least in colour
  

• bright or intense colors

• bright opaque solid colors......

• The shinier, the more glittery, the better! Jewel colors, bright gold, shimmering crystal -- if there's color and translucency, I'm happy!

For some of you - it all about the shape!

• teardrops

• two hole beads.

• rondelles

• triangles

For some, your favourites cover a large selection,

• anything shiny, sparkly and colourful

• pretty, sparkly

• Anything with a hole in it!!

• Czech pressed glass flowers, leaves, fruit, critters, etc.

• Anything new.

• I love mostly everything I see!  So excited about all the possibilities!!
  

• wayyyy toooo many!!!

• Every type of bead

• sterling silver

• glass

• shiny beads and wire that doesn't tarnish

• I love czech beads (fp, flowers, leaves) in unusual colours and finishes. Makes me drool! Also, I love the colours in boro glass beads.
  

And for some of you - your choice is really, really specific

• Right now, I'm really liking the colour-changing coffee bean beads. Very cool.

• pink flower

• I love double-drilled beads like the flower jade ovals.  They remind me of a bracelet my mom had in the 40s.  They truly are beautiful.

• Hmmm... Currently in love with drop beads under a centimeter long.
  

• Those mood beads are just divine!
  

• size 8 seed beads in metallics (Now there's someone who knows what she wants!)

• Heliotrope Swarovski Elements Crystal Heart Pendant
  

• brushed copper, beads with 2 holes (well technically 4)and lampwork

  
  

Some of you are even making your own ...

• Ceramic bead and pendants.  This is what I'm into now.  Making my own. Just love the feeling when I open my kiln and see my treasures. (It's a great feeling, isn't it? Makes every day like Christmas!)

Some of you are all about a look or feel to the bead ...

• I really love beads that look ancient or ethnic...unique! I also like Kazuri beads, especially the 2 or 3-colour ones in gorgeous colours. And then, of course, I love almost everything copper! And...and...and...........

• I like beads that are unsual and bold in colour.

• My favourite kind of bead is the irregular form. Be it an angular and edgy faceted creation or a 'naturally' curvy nugget; gemstone, rock, metal, glass, or pearl, it will draw me in and be my source of creative inspiration. Those on the site most exciting to me right now are the copper and sterling carved boulders, the sterling hammered nuggets and the semiprecious stone rough chunks, faceted trapezoids and irregular nuggets.(Those are way cool, aren't they? I love those too!)

• Lately I've fallen in love with Stoney looking glass beads with Picasso finishes and Jasper stones.  They have such gorgeous textures in them.  I'm really fickle - show me a bead and I'll fall in love - us addicts are like that!!

Some of you are in flux ...

• I love Swarovski, and generally work showcasing bicones, however I've just started playing with a Kumihimo disk, and can't wait to see what I can create with it.
  

• I am more of a metal person (chainmail, wirework), but I must confess a strong liking for Swarosvki crystallized elements, especially the complex shapes like leaves.

• I think it's a tie between faceted, somewhat clear crystals and cloisonne. The details in both are fascinating, and it just makes me think of how much effort and time both must have taken to be created. I'm a sucker for them!
  

• Seedbeads at the moment. But I am still learning and experimenting so that may change.

And an awful lot of you thought it was just a ridiculous question. Whaddya mean "choose one?"

• It is too difficult to decide a favourite bead.

• ALL

• You mean there are things people DON'T like? I guess I'd have to saw Swarovski crystals are my favs.

• It's a tie between Swarovski crystals and semi-precious stones.  I love the sparkle of the crystals, but I also love the smoothness and unique combinations of colors you can find in a lot of the semi-precious stones.

• I change my mind every MONTH, DAY or WEEK. That's why I spend TOO much money on beads and have a studio full of them. I could just roll in them all day!

• All beads make my heart go pitter-pat which my growing bead stash will attest to.

• That is a very hard question to answer. My choice and favorite bead would depend upon what I was making. There are some beads I would never mix with another. (Hmmm- wonder what those are? That would make an interesting question some month ... . )

• whose kidding who?  I love them all!!

For me personally - it's a 3-way tie between lampwork, Swarovski Crystals and stone/gemstone beads. With a side order of sterling and copper. Oh what the heck - what this answer just sums it up.

• That is an impossible question  to answer.

;-)