The Bead Society of Los Angeles ::: BEAD BAZAARS

News

L. A. Bead Society 30th Anniversary Celebration
Story & photos by Lillian Todaro

It is hard to believe that it has been five years since our 25th anniversary Tea at the Beverly Hills Hotel. There have been many exciting developments within our Society including the “World on a String” movie and its première, which was truly a gala event, and the launch of our beautiful new web site, which we will continue to expand.

Our 30th Anniversary Celebration was held at our monthly meeting place, the United Methodist Church in West Los Angeles, on April 6th 2005. It was a “Pot Luck” dinner party with our passion for beads as a theme. Everybody made an edible dish with a bead theme. Our President, Adele Boehm-Mabe, made beautiful beaded flower table arrangements from her collection of vintage beaded flowers. And everybody was decked out in their beads. Pictured (L to R): Adele Boehm-Mabe, Ricki Pecker, Joan Eppen, Suzanne Miller, Dorothea Casady, and Ellen Grim.

Three of our esteemed founding members served as judges for the best-beaded food entrées: Dorothea Casady, Ellen Grim, and Suzanne Miller. There were so many fun and imaginative concoctions that the judges had a tough task.

The judges prevailed and awarded Judith Harris first prize for her “Okuso Beads” made of marzipan, surrounded by a large Copal necklace made of various exotic fruits. Second prize went to Nikki Donahue for her very colorful, “Bowl of Beads” salad, made of food color dyed cheeses that looked like different colored mili-fiori cane beads. Third prize went to Lillian Todaro for her stuffed olive “Chevron Beads on a Pâté Neck”; they looked like real Chevron Beads with many different colored layers, and were so tasty, too!

There were three honorable mentions: Judie Davis for her Chevron Bead hard boiled eggs, Amy Niwa for her Bead Kabobs, and Lisa Shatts for her Blue Eye Bead deviled eggs.

The selections were spread over three tables with many colorful, tasty, and exotic dishes, including: Spice Drop memory wire bracelets, a necklace of marzipan beads strung on red licorice, mili-fiori olive hors d’oeuvres, olive necklaces, salmon and rice bead balls, and a flan covered with bead looking fruits, to name a few.

During dinner, we listened to the most charming stories about the history of the L. A. Bead Society. Suzanne Miller told us how she first invited five people to meet at her Macramé Mania store to talk about beads, and named it simply the Bead Society. She explained how they shared coffee, cookies, and their knowledge of beads. Her stories of the early internal struggles were funny and enjoyable.

Then Dorothea Casady told about the first gathering of members to sell their beads at her home in Pacific Palisades, which has grown into our bi-annual Bead Bazaars. Ellen Grim and founding members Dorothea Casady talked about their first meeting and sharing their common interest – beads. Ricki Pecker told about the first bead conference in 1985 held on the Queen Mary and what a smashing success it was.

There were many more stories told about the dedication and hard work of our founding members that brought us together and gave us the world of beads. As the very first in the country, the L. A. Bead Society was proud to have become the model for bead groups and other societies throughout the country and the world.

It was a great and inspirational party and we all look forward to many more Anniversary Celebrations.