Meet Cathy

Everyone needs a bit of bling to “shine and sparkle!” to make every day feel like a special occasion. I’ve had the gift to do what I love—designing my jewelry collections for The Elegant Bead-for the past 30 years! I start by creating pieces that I love as I find a need for them in my own wardrobe and lifestyle, and I am delighted to share my creations with my customers to suit their desires. I love working with my customers to help them find jewelry for their everyday wear and special occasions! I take great pride in my work and I love seeking out beautiful beads and unique finds that reflect The Elegant Bead’s high workmanship standards.

Meet Cathy Begun of The Elegant Bead in Centennial       Click here to read this exciting interview. Opens in new browser window

A few fun facts about me: I credit my grandmother and mother for their style genes, as well as their fashion influences on me growing up. I am a fraternal twin and my sister is one of my muses, as well as my BFF. I am lucky to be married for 37 years with two wonderful kids, in sunny/ snowy Centennial, Colorado. My favorite foods include Brie, shrimp cocktail, Marcona almonds, chocolate, and green mint ice cream! Sounds like a great meal, doesn’t it?

I guess you can say I have an adventure/ travel bug, that started at a young age. As a teen, I rode my bicycle 500 miles throughout Eastern Canada {Prince Edward island, Magdalene Islands, Nova Scotia} when I was fifteen as part of a student hosteling program trip with ten people I didn’t know ahead of time. It was amazing, scary, fun, tiresome, but a fantastic opportunity! I went to Girl Scout camp for six years, all summer long and paddled a canoe for 88 miles on the Susquehanna River with dear high school friends creating a truly special adventure.

Many years ago, I left the dismal gray skies of Scranton, PA and headed west to Tucson to the University of Arizona, literally sight unseen! The blue skies of AZ had me at hello. When we moved to Centennial, CO for my husband’s work; I came kicking and screaming but have learned to bloom where I’m planted. Luckily, the same blue skies are just as abundant in Colorado and the winters are mild.

Whether it’s CO, AZ, or the beaches of Hawaii and California, I soak in my surroundings for inspiration. I’ve been fortunate to be able to visit some stunning locales with amazing color and art. In Rome at the Vatican, I was so entranced by a lapis fleur-dis-lis on the floor that I lost my husband and tour group. Besides Italy, we traveled to Croatia, Malta, Israel, Turkey, to name a few. All of these excursions have been colorful, exciting, and added unique layers to my collections.

I hope others will enjoy the jewelry I create as much as I do, as I want to create wearable works of art via semi-precious stones, sparkling Swarovski crystals, and unique findings, all designed to enhance your individual style.