About the artist,
Karen Shaff:

Karen Shaff, research specialist, jewelry designer, water color artist, photographer, veterinary assistant, Vice President of the La Honda Educational Foundation, event coordinator for Aloha in the Redwoods annual LHEF fundraiser, and the proud mother of 9 year old twin girls...and lots more!

I live and work at my home studio in northern California, in a beautiful historic redwood town called La Honda. Before having twins, I commuted over 100 miles a day working for 12 years in the Biotechnology industry while always painting, photographing, and creating something beautiful in my free time. While on bedrest during my twin pregnancy I began doing beadwork and creating beautiful jewelry every day. At a birthday party in my home, I gave the gift of a beautiful pair of beaded earrings I had made to a friend. Everyone loved them and asked if I had any more they could see. I brought out what I had and sold $250 worth of beautiful beaded jewelry right on the spot! Thus, Beads of Light was born.

Then I developed my Optical Options out of necessity! My sunglasses had a stretchy cord, which kept snapping me in the face when my twins were babies grabbing and letting go of the cord all the time. So I made myself a beautiful eyeglass chain with beads, pearls, and crystals, strung on super-strong flexible wire. WOW, no more smacking me in the face AND no "old lady look" here!

My beautiful Eyeglass Chains are versatile, beautiful, and sturdy enough to hold up to young twins tugging from every direction, yet lightweight and comfortable to wear all day. Each one can convert to a necklace, ID Badge carrier, or can carry any pendant, charm, keys, medical alert tag, or whatever you attach to the clasps at both ends. I got so many requests from people who saw me wearing them, they purchased them from me and suggested I make more to sell, as there is nothing else like mine on the market. So I did! My eyeglass chains have been perfected and modified to their current state of "useful elegance", popular and now sold in some of the finest optical shops in the San Francisco Bay Area. My customers love my designs and respect the high quality of my work and happily reorder from me regularly.

In addition, I designed an Eyeglass Necklace style which is worn around the neck as a necklace, but has a ring-style eyeglass or charm holder in front at the center. Several different styles of ring or loop are available for the center. Of course, I also make regular necklaces without anything hanging, or with a special pendant, bead, or charm.

In addition to my superior quality eyewear accessories, I make beaded Feng Shui crystals; decorative beaded rainbow-catching crystals; bracelets, watches, earrings in several styles; elegant wine glass ID wraps; wine bottle bracelets, ornament hooks, keychains, zipperpulls, book thongs, and other lovely beaded items.

I will be happy to answer questions or take requests if you would like to contact me... sales@karenshaff.com

I GUARANTEE ALL OF MY WORK!