Elizabeth McCubbin of Missoula remembers making a shell bracelet for her mom at camp when she was 12 years old.

That triggered a lifelong passion for beads and today she owns and operates Blue Dragon Beads, a full-service traveling bead shop.

On Sunday, McCubbin hosted a bead show at the Wingate Inn, attracting jewelry makers from all walks of life.

“Beads come in and out fashion,” she said.

McCubbin says she’s seen an increase in rural areas of people interested in making jewelry.

“There’s more value in something that you put creative effort into.”

The part of bead work that many people like is crafting jewelry to fit a specific individual, she said.

“You can really customize them when you start from scratch.”

It’s not about padding her pocketbook, McCubbin is conscientious about her business practices. One of her missions is to use her business to contribute to society and the communities where she hosts bead shows. The philosophy incorporates both a worldwide view of fair trade as well as a local view of improving the community.

She offers products that are both lead-and nickel-free, for example, and sells fair trade pendants from a family in Peru that makes a living selling them.

Her show next month in Bozeman is also a food drive for the Gallatin Community Food Bank. Her Kalispell show in May serves a fundraiser for the Flathead Community Food Bank. She is still looking for an opportunity in Helena to give back to the community.

It doesn’t take a lot to get started in jewelry making, McCubbin said.

It should cost an interested person about $5 for supplies to take a beginning beading class.

Reporter Alana Listoe: 447-4081 or alana.listoe@helenair.com