About

Youngest Child came out of nowhere. I have always had restless little hands, most likely from my Northern Irish mother who never sits still. I have tried my hands at many things, some stick and some don’t. Photography stuck, bread making stuck, and somewhere along the way my hands met a small bag of colorful Japanese glass beads. I love the reward of a slow and meditative task, and stringing beads is really very similar to climbing mountains, a favorite pastime. One step at a time gets you to the summit, one small bead at a time slowly forms a beautiful little prize to wear or share. 

I named the project Youngest Child to celebrate the fortuitousness of an unexpected passion that becomes all consuming. I am the youngest of three sisters and in my family, being the youngest gave me the freedom to be utterly random, and to prioritize experience over all the traditional ducks in a row. Encouraged by the process of sharing this project, it is now Youngest Child Studio, to indulge art in many forms.

excerpt from a feature on Studio Bear, check out the fill article here.

Where to find Youngest Child Beåds?

Shop Hoste - West Seattle

Hey Jude - Beacon Hill

Petit Boutique - Wallingford

The Ladies Room - Greenwood

Editor - Ballard / Crown Hill

Good Luck Shop - Tacoma

 FAQs

  • You bettcha! I am happy to repair any Youngest Child product. Eventually I will have a more stream line process for repairs, but for now, get in touch via our contact page.

    Repairs cost between $10-20 depending on the issue, materials involved and shipping.

    If a repair is not possible, we will figure out another solution for you.

  • As a new smol biz I don’t yet have the capacity to process returns. That said, if you have any issues please get in touch via our contact page and i will try and help you out.

    For right now, all sales are final.

  • This is a one woman show, with a day job, and it takes on average 2 weeks for order processing, manufacturing, quality control, packaging and shipping. If you need something expedited, for a gift or special occasion, get in touch via the contact page and I will try to accommodate ya.

  • For Pearls: someone once told me that all pearls should be stored in a plastic bag to maintain their luster. There are lots of tips and tricks out there, but this is one I practice and can recommend.

    For Sterling Silver: I don’t love a plastic bag but I have found that they will keep silver from tarnishing. So if you take off your beads and plan to take a break from them, store them in a small plastic bag and it will keep the sterling silver clasp crisp and shiny.

    Showers and swimming: I never take my everyday beads off, I shower, swim and surf in them. However, keeping them from getting wet increases their lifetime and helps prevent discoloration. Does that mean you shouldn’t jump in a lake this summer, I don’t think so.

    For Silk String: Anything strung on silk string should not get wet, silk string will stretch if exposed to water. I try to pre-stretch silk string but there is always potential for more stretchin’ to happen with increased exposure.

    If you have questions or concerns not addressed here, feel free to reach out!