Welcome to Desert Star Creations, handmade jewelry and bead weaving tutorials by Laura Graham. I am 47 yrs old, living in Las Vegas Nevada with my lovable cat. I have always been creative, art, photography, Photoshop and now beading and paper crafts. I was diagnosed with Lupus in 2007 so I have been in a daily fight with my own body. I caused me to quit my job and stop going to school and work is an unimaginable, scary proposition. The beading has really helped, its my therapy. It helps take my mind off of things and slows me to be creative while still having the technical and analytical components that keeps both sides of the brain happy. I now have this site along with selling my finished jewelry, tutorials, beads and kits on Etsy. Running the websites, doing all the photography and editing and playing the social side of e commerce is a full time job but since it is on my terms, I manage it around what I need to keep me healthy. I am honored to be on The BeadSmith Inspiration Squad along with some other very talented designers, I have been published in their adverts in all beading magazines and Beadwork magazine named me Designer of the Year for 2018. I also teach at major conventions and bead retreats. Aside from the beading and my other hobbies (camping and running my toys in the dunes of southern Nevada), I run my home and take care of my cat and I love that even though it is a full time job in its own. I love hockey, GO Knights GO, and I am always hunting for unique and vintage beading supplies! I hope you stop by often, find a piece you love or a kit to advance your skills and please tell your friends!
I am Beadwork magazines Designer of the Year for 2018! I am in all six issues with a new and exciting project! This is the final of the series (bitter sweet) and I got the cover!! 
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I am a proud member of The BeadSmith Inspiration Squad. We are a group of designers and jewelry experts that help develop project exclusively for The BeadSmith.  The BeadSmith is a wholesale beading supply business that has been around for a long time and has a great trusted spot in the jewelry world. I am honored to be a member alongside many talented and inspiring people. To learn more click here http://beadsmith.com/designers.htm
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I was chosen winner of a gold medal in Fire Mountain Gems.com Seed Beads contest. This was a huge honor as there are hundreds of talented people who enter this contest every season. Fire Mountain Gems is one of the largest bead supply companies around and I was excited to be chosen as a finalist and so surprised when I was awarded a gold medal and a gift certificate to their store which I promptly cashed in of course! To see more about them, the contests and my bio, click here http://www.firemountaingems.com/beadingcontests/directory?WT.ac=RES4
Check out Beadwork, Bead & Jewellery and Bead Me magazine for some of my tutorials, features in Adverts and bio info!

Lupus Awareness

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I was diagnosed with Lupus in early 2007. This is a global issue effecting mostly women that is not well known. It effects 2 million Americans and 5 million world wide. Lupus is a chronic (lifelong) autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and tissue damage to virtually every soft tissue and organ system in the body. It affects the skin, joints, blood cells, blood vessels, heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, eyes, gums and nerves.  It is difficult to diagnose due to the many different symptoms from person to person. My Lupus, although common, has a lot of symptoms and side effects that are all my own. If you wish to know more about Lupus or want to help, check out Colors of Lupus Nevada. They are a great organization here in southern Nevada that help people with Lupus in many ways with support, low cost or free health care and referrals to doctors, lawyers and others that help with every day issues people with Lupus face.
Please visit http://www.colorsoflupusnevada.org/ for more information.