My story is unique because my husband, Harald W. Eberhart, is a master glassblower. His late father, Wolfgang Eberhart, was also a master glassblower from Austria. In fact, my mother-in-law did glassblowing in Germany for a brief period, which is how she met Wolfgang whom she later married, but that's an additional family story. I have two children, who have grown up to be fine adults, my son Matt and my daughter Monika. I almost forgot to mention that my son also was trained in lampworking. So you see, my family tree is made of glass.

I have always been the artsy sort since childhood. My self-expression even as a child was to create something beautiful and give it away to someone I loved or to one more in need. Most folks adore handcrafted things for various reasons. As a third generation Mexican American, I've always had a passion for color, a trait I must have inherited from both my mother and grandparents. They could create works of art out of everything!

For instance, a meal, as simple as it sounds, was an artistic creation. The colorful food was presented in coordinating ornate Mexican pottery. Such preparations made mealtime cozy and inviting, like a tradition of times past (not to mention aesthetically pleasing). My grandmother would make vibrant quilt designs. She crocheted and sewed clothing while my grandfather worked at his leather crafts. Grandpa would make belts, wallets, purses … just about anything he set his mind to. His pieces would have intricate designs and he was adept at using colorful dyes to detail his work.

My mother, on the other hand, had many inner strengths which I am fortunate enough to have learned (or inherited). She was a woman who knew how to accessorize! I don't just mean fashion-wise, though she excelled in that area, too, but also throughout her home where everything complemented one another and gave a tranquil, ambient quality to the rooms. She did this only having a modest income and having to provide for six children and their clothing … yes, she was a remarkable woman.

Having learned from my grandparents and mother, as well as having a good deal of natural ability on my own merit, I found that when it came to dressing up and accessorizing others, I had a gift. In the mid-eighties I worked at an upscale fashion store for women for about three years. Since I could tell what fashions women desired and what they would need to achieve the look they wanted, I soon had my own clientele and within the first week I was the store's top seller.

What's exciting about bead making is that the color combinations and designs are endless. Hopefully, with the variety of styles that I will offer, there will be something for everyone. Although I have my favorites, no matter what I am making I enjoy creating wearable art. I wish to mention that I am trying to please a wide range of women with my jewelry. I am also focusing on the very petite person. When I conducted a survey of women in the Ann Arbor area, I found that there are many who fall into this very category. They may find jewelry that appeals to them but it is just too big. For example, the average women's bracelet size is 7", but a petite woman's wrist may be 5". My wish is that you will come to appreciate the quality and respect that I try to convey in my beadwork, so that my loyal customers will always be able to say proudly, "I purchased these beads from BeadSparkle.com".

For those of you who may still be interested in knowing a bit more about me personally:

I love to travel - I've been to almost every state in the U.S., and I have seen parts of Canada, Europe and Mexico. But as funny as this may sound, every few years regardless of where else I may go I simply must return to Disney World. It's wonderful to escape the realities of life now and then. My hobby is to collect Disney watches (mostly Mickey but some of the other characters too).

I enjoy researching family ancestry (involving photo-restoration, preservation, scrapbooking, gathering and protecting old family writings, music, poetry and accurately assembling the information).

I love to watch cartoons (I have all the Disney cartoons that have been released thus far). I said to myself they would be for my grandchildren (hint-hint) but, truth be known, I'm just a big kid at heart. There are, of course, some movies I have to watch over every now and then, like Casa Blanca, Chocolat, Young Frankenstein, The Parent Trap (original version), Sense and Sensibility.

I am a small collector of glass beads made by Corina Tettinger, Lavana Shurlift, Larry Scott, and Kim Fields to name just a few.

Lastly, I want to thank you for taking the time to view my website and become acquainted with me. Together we are united in the common love of glass jewelry, which is my endless passion. May my website bring more sparkle into your life!

Very kindly,

Ruth Eberhart
President, BeadSparkle.com