Ocean Sky Beads is a unique jewelry, bead, and dichroic glass shop in Carlsbad, California. They have gained a reputation for having one of the best wire-wrap teachers in San Diego County. They specialize in fused glass jewelry, wire, leather, seed beads, charms, and findings of all metals.
Ocean Sky Beads is so full of a variety of inventory that it seems like the owners, Rod and Dee Layden, must have been beading for their whole lives. In actuality, Dee was a school teacher and a stained glass artist back in Minnesota. Rod was a theatre technician and a woodworker.
In May 2000 they vacationed here in San Diego County, fell in love with Oceanside, and bought a home. Three years later, on a whim and with very little cash, they opened Ocean Sky Beads in Oceanside, just 6 blocks from the ocean.
Before long, Dee’s stained glass sun catchers were replaced by strands of semi-precious stones, glass and wood beads, and displays of dichroic glass jewelry. Rod put away his woodcarving tools for a hammer and anvil and became adept at wirework.
In 2012 they opened Ocean Sky Beads Carlsbad. In 2014 they consolidated both stores into the picturesque Old World Center at the corner of Roosevelt and Grand. They run the store, update the inventory, do simple jewelry repair, and teach one-on-one classes.
“We’re not small..we’re concentrated!”