Written by Mary Newsham

Photos of Katie Means and Sarah Harbaugh taken by Nia Harrison

When hearing the term “junk drawer,” a lot of random things may come to mind, whether that be a pair of scissors, old pieces of candy, or even a few rusty nails. However, for Katie Means, the randomness of a junk drawer is partially what inspired her to start creating jewelry.  

Katie Means is a freshman at Missouri State University majoring in Elementary Education and is also the owner and designer of Means Beads, a handmade beaded jewelry shop. Means Beads, created in June 2021, is an online shop that carries custom beaded necklaces, phone charms, bracelets and earrings. 

“Me and my friend were searching for necklaces on Depop looking for ‘junk-drawer’ style necklaces and they were so expensive, and I wanted to do my own thing,” said Means. “So our art teacher, as a graduation gift, got us Michael’s gift cards and we went to Michael’s and got a bunch of stuff to make them.”

Katie realized she had a true passion for jewelry making which led her to create something bigger.   

“The first thing I made was a really cute pink pearl necklace with a little kitten charm hanging on it. Then, I made these matching necklaces for a couple with their initials on them, and people kept asking them where they got them.”  

At first, Katie started out small and sold on Depop. Then, she created an Instagram page, and before she knew it, she started to gain a following. Means transitioned to selling her work independently and named her shop Means Beads, a creative culmination of her last name and her craft.  

“When I started, I was doing it 24/7. This is something I need to dedicate all my afternoons to just so I have a product to put out there.” 

Now, she creates an array of pieces from necklaces, phone charms, bracelets and more.  

“I do a lot of custom orders. I did four customs last week which is nice because I get to work one on one with people. I really like working with other people and inviting other people over to look at them.”  

Katie’s easygoing and welcoming personality can be seen in her creations which are incredibly original and cater to people of any gender or identity. The inclusion of everyone is a huge part of what makes her shop so special. 

“I don’t think I have a target audience,” says Katie. “Definitely towards people who just want to put something on and make their outfit pop or match it to a color or something. It’s my favorite thing to do.”  

She remarked, “Sometimes people tell me they love my jewelry but say they could never pull it off. But I’m wearing a white t-shirt right now and put a necklace on, and it makes your outfit go from 0-100!” 

Katie describes her necklaces as “fun, kitschy, and energetic” which is seen in the plethora of funky beads and charms she uses including: green-zebra striped hearts, fruit beads, and letter charms to construct her “camp-esque” necklaces. She takes a lot of inspiration from her childhood and her style is  reminiscent of her middle school slumber parties.  

“I really like the vibe of nothing matching. I like random things that remind me of my childhood. I like matching the childish Y2K stuff with pearls. It’s a fusion of sophistication with fun and childhood.” 

However, since growing her shop, Katie has changed her jewelry-making routine and encourages other creatives to do what is best for them and their mental health.  

“You can’t force yourself to pop out product,” Katie recommends. “I stopped focusing on a post consistency. I’m not going to post everyday or every other day.  I post when I feel like I have my creativity. I wait for myself to want to do it and when I have the energy to make them quality.”  

To start creating your own jewelry or artwork, Katie recommends garnering inspiration from other people and creating Pinterest boards and collages, but always adding your own style and ideas to it.  

“This could look terrible, or this could look weird, but I’ve never started something and then taken it apart. Sometimes I have a palette where I lay everything out but other times, I’m like screw it! Let’s just start it!”  

Go support Katie Means and her fun and refreshing “junk-drawer” jewelry brand! You can find her on Instagram @meansbeads!