Being a redhead, I typically try to stay out of the sun as much as possible. Living in Wisconsin, however, it’s hard to resist the temptation of going outdoors at every possible moment that we’re not trapped under 15 feet of snow. Hence, my summertime evenings and weekends are typically packed with plenty of bicycle riding, jogging, and going on long walks. All those activities require me to make an investment in sunscreen. I’ll bet you’re starting to wonder what this post has to do with beading, aren’t you?

A couple weeks ago, a little news item about UV-sensitive beads caught my attention. Science teacher Patricia Swanson created beads, as a teaching tool, that change color when exposed to UV light. When the beads change colors, you know it’s time to put on sunscreen. Now, I’ve known people to claim that beading has saved their life before, but did you ever think it could really be true?

Tea Benduhn Associate Editor Bead&Button Magazine