Hello Suzie Q Friends!...

... And a big WELCOME to all NEW Suzie Q Studio VIP Subscribers! 💖✨

How ARE you??? I hope you're doing as well as possible. And, if you're in the northern hemisphere, hopefully you're getting the chance to enjoy some of your favourite summer activities!

Perhaps you've noticed that I've been a fairly quiet the last while?

Soooo, WHAT HAVE I BEEN UP TO???...

WELL, I've been wrestling with some nasty, and incredibly time-consuming, website-tech issues (yuk!), shipping orders, and other busy-biz activities.

PLUS, I've been navigating some general "Life-ing" stuff, including helping my elderly Aunt – she'll be 88 this December 22nd! 💗

ALSO...

As a "wanna-bee" gardener, I've been trying to keep up with the "weed-wrangling" in my fledgling garden. So far the weeds are winning, but I'm slowly making some headway!

AND, to be perfectly HONEST, with the world in such chaos, I've been feeling a bit "out-of-sorts", at times, as well as, on occasion, in a state of major "overwhelm", so being outside in my garden, working with my hands, has certainly helped to smooth the rough edges, and focus on more positive stuff.

If you been having these types of feelings too, or even when things are going smoothly, please remember to

take a little creative time to decompress and reconnect, for some moments of PUREJOY.

As I've always said: 

"Being creative feels GOOD!" 

And it's true...

DO YOU LOVE 💝

TROLLBEADS?...

HEY!... Trollbeads FANS:

I've got a "bit" of a story to tell in this eNewsletter, so if you're in a hurry for the LATEST Suzie Q TROLL NEWS, feel free to "Skip & Scroll" ahead, to near the bottom, for a $UPER- DUPER-$AVINGS announcement!!!

~ xo Suzie 🧌

REFLECTIONS

& REALIZATIONS...

Over the last few months, I've also been spending lots of time pondering and REFLECTING... thinking about what truly brings me joy in my biz, and what doesn't. That soul-searching inspired the REALIZATION that it was time to REFOCUS the "online only" version of Suzie Q Studio, around what I love most!

THEY SAY IT'S

WRITTEN

IN THE STARS...

If you enjoy following astrology like I do, you may have heard about the recent, rare, and long-lasting, planetary alignment known as BARBAULT'S BASKET, which many astrologers see as a symbolic time of positive change, fresh beginnings, and embracing new possibilities.

Whether or not you follow the stars, for me, it feels like the planets and stars have lined up to make this THE perfect time to announce some major changes that I'm making here at Suzie Q Studio!💖✨

But first, a Bit of my

Beady Back-Story...

ONCE A BEAD GAL,

ALWAYS A BEAD GAL!

From an early age, I was a total "craft girl," dabbling in all kinds of creative projects... including BEADS, of course!

Growing up in Altadore here in Calgary, our weekly family trip to Woodward's at Chinook Centre always included a stop in the craft department on the second floor. While my Mom grocery shopped and Dad headed to the "European Health Spa" (as some European Dads did, back then 😄), I'd happily spend my allowance on precious seed beads in vials and glass tubes with tiny cork stoppers.

I'd also get my "bead fix" at Don's Hobby Shop downtown, after swimming lessons at the YWCA.

Then, in my early teens, after my family moved to an acreage in Springbank (back when it wasn't part of Calgary!), my quest for unusual beady treasures got more "adventuresome", so I even ordered special beads by mail from the USA!

Soooo... who knew that those tiny tubes of seed beads would eventually grow into Suzie Q Beads? Certainly not ME!... 😄

For those of you who've been a Suzie Q "Bead Gal" since the early days, you may already know some (or all) of the Suzie Q history. However, for those of you who came along at some point along the way, BELOW in this eNewsletter is a "brief-as-possible", 19 year story of the SIX versions of Suzie Q's:

1. The "Little House"
2. The "Middle Store"
3. The "Big Store"
4. The "Manchester Store"
5. "Jewel Box Store #1" • Crossroads Market
6. "Jewel Box Store #2" • Crossroads Market

Which version was YOUR favourite? 

Did you visit all SIX?

Do you have a special story or memory of spending time at Suzie Q's?

If so, I'd love to her from YOU! 💖✨✨

Please let me know by sending a quick email to:

[email protected]

AND SO THE

STORY BEGINS...

I think back to the early days, when I launched my bead and jewellery boutique on June 13th, 2002, in an adorable orange and chartreuse house on 10th Ave. SE, located in the eclectic Inglewood neighbourhood of Inglewood, in Calgary, AB -- as shown ABOVE  ⬆️ 

ORIGINALLY, my biz was all about unique, out-of-the-ordinary beads, along with jewellery-making supplies. With the help of incredibly talented, local jewellery-creators,  my cozy little shop became a hub  of oodles of "bead-a-licious” classes, and a vibrant, creative community of makers!

Those days still give me "heaps-o-happy"! I'm especially grateful for my bead-lovin', creative customers -- so many of whom became  good friends over the years. I truly miss you all!  💖

(SHOWN ABOVE ⬆️  SQB "The Middle Store")

In 2003, I added inter-changeable, "ready-to-wear"  jewellery to my product mix, and became one of the first Canadian retailers to carry Trollbeads!

FYI...Trollbeads is the original "add-a-bead" jewellery brand, which was created in 1976, by a family of Danish artisans, and it quickly became a favourite with both makers and non-makers alike at SUZIE Q BEADS. 

By 2007, with even more beady treasures, classes, and jewellery brands, my little orange and chartreuse house was bursting at the seams, sparking the FIRST of several moves into what we later called, "The Middle Store"... Take-A-Look ABOVE ⬆️

THE MANY FACES

OF SUZIE Q's...

Over the 19+ years of changing retail spaces, Suzie Q's had some logo and brand re-imaginings too!

SEE ABOVE ⬆️  (for most of the variations)

I truly loved every version of my colourful, unique stores, but #3 of SIX, and the largest — shown ABOVE ⬆️ — is tied with the "Little House" version, as my absolute FAVS!

FYI... Sadly, the historic Inglewood building that housed what we called, “The Big Store”, was torn down last fall in 2025.

As my business grew — starting at only 333 sq. feet, to 800, and then to over 2000 sq. feet of space — Along with TROLLBEADS, I added more collectible jewellery lines (Kameleon, Thomas Sabo, Chamilia, Ring Ding and more), each with multiple seasonal releases, along with the addition of more beads, supplies, classes -- in a dedicated classroom -- and even giftware for non-jewellery lovers who'd visit!

It was an exciting, creative whirlwind, but also A LOT to keep up with… even with an amazing team by my side over the many years!

Since the fall of 2015, after downsizing and moving my store to various smaller spaces, I transitioned to the current "online only" version of my biz in 2019. Who knew that running a website could be just as complex as operating a "physical" location?! Certainly not tech-challenged me!

It’s STILL been a lot to JUGGLE, which has inspired me to announce...YET ANOTHER TIME FOR CHANGE! 🎉

I’ve realized my attention (and maybe my energy, too!) is still stretched across too many areas—handcrafted jewellery, Retired Trollbeads, DIY Bead Stew kits and supplies, and more.

Simply put, there aren’t near enough hours in the day to do it all justice—especially as a one-woman show!

Plus -- this is super-important -- I absolutely want to stop "dropping the ball" when it comes to following through on promised product releases to my Suzie Q friends. This means I REALLY DO NEED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.

BUT BEFORE I

"SPILL THE BEADS"...

Thank YOU so very much for following along with my story... I really appreciate your time and interest! 💖

The main reason why I feel compelled to share what I'm up to is: ACCOUNTABILITY.

Sharing my new plan with you will help keep me on my path, and I'm truly grateful and excited to have you along for the ride! 🎉

DEADLINE:

JUNE 13, 2027

So, WHY the far away date?

To make my PLAN a reality, LOTS of STUFF needs TO GET DONE, so this is why I've set the realistic, and meaningful, deadline: The 25TH BIRTHDAY  of my store/biz, JUNE 13, 2027!🎉

HERE'S

THE PLAN:

As I mentioned earlier in this eNewsletter, I really miss the early days of my bead and jewellery boutique in that charming little orange & chartreuse house! 💖

Going back to my roots and focusing solely on offering unique beads, jewellery-making supplies, and sharing some creative inspiration with project ideas and classes for Suzie Q creative friends, would make me giddy-happy -- I've got heaps of  fab and inspiring "maker stuff " to release!

IN A NUTSHELL 🥜

SIMPLIFY: 

Sell, eliminate, and get rid of the stuff that is distracting me, sucking up precious time, and keeping me bogged down and stretched in too many directions, both biz-wise AND personally!...

... Any exotic car-lovers in Alberta, looking for a fabulous 1972 Citroën DS21/ID19??? Please get in touch!

REFOCUS: 

Return to my roots of what I love the most... Offering my Suzie Q friends unique beads and jewellery-making DIY stuff, especially from my "Suzie's Secret Stash", as well as, providing some creative project inspiration, and eventually, pop-up jewellery-making classes, and parties too! 🎉

READY?... SET?... 

UPCOMING

eNEWSLETTERS:

• Will be dramatically SHORTER! (I promise)
• Will be sent out WEEKLY
• Will have the COUNTDOWN graphic, as shown above ⬆️ (to keep me on track!)
• THE SIMPLIFY REPORT: You'll hear about what's ON SALE!
• THE REFOCUS REPORT: You'll hear about "beady stuff" that'll be AVAILABLE SOON!

TAKING THE

FIRST STEP:

I've loved 💖 TROLLBEADS 🧌 since I started offering them in 2003 at the Suzie Q Beads shop in the "Little House", so this was a TOUGH DECISION!

FYI... Creating a product listing for my website takes a whole ton of time, which is OK if you have higher quantity of the same item, but NOT VERY EFFICIENT for one-of-a-kind items, like most of the rare and retired Trollbeads at Suzie Q Studio.com

Therefore, I've decided that ALL TROLLBEADS MUST GO to fabulous, Troll-loving collectors, with an EXTRA 25% OFF! the existing "UP TO 60% OFF SALE"!!!

WOW-za, RIGHT???

PLEASE REMEMBER:

To get the

EXTRA 25% OFF

Use Code:

PLUS25

at checkout!

With the EXTRA 25% OFF the Sale Prices of Trollbeads at Suzie Q's, they'll be snapped up quite quickly, so don't miss out on the TROLL TREASURES meant for YOU! 

PLEASE REMEMBER...

To get the

EXTRA 25% OFF

Use Code:

PLUS25

at checkout!

🎶 DOLLY 🎶

LOVE is like a

BUTTERFLY!

FYI... MORE Rare & Retired Trollbeads will be added whenever possible, and not always announced, so VISIT Suzie Q's Troll Collection OFTEN!

PLEASE REMEMBER...

To get the

EXTRA 25% OFF

Use Code:

PLUS25

at checkout!

🎶 Suzie's Summer Sounds 🎶

🎶 WHEN YOU WERE MINE 🎶

By Joy Crooks

Not only is this tune fun and catchy, TAKE-A-LOOK at the FAB JEWELS, British musician, Joy Crooks, is wearing throughout the video, not to mention the gorgeous "flower" dress and hat!

(CLICK ABOVE to VIEW, LISTEN & ENJOY) ⬆️

Stay tuned for more selections from "Suzie's Studio Sounds" 🎶 in upcoming SQS eNewsletters!

~ xo SQ 😘💕💖✨