Alouette employee Whitney Wagner restrings a necklace for a friend on a working table Monday. Wagner said that customers as well as employees used the table to bead. Merrill Jones/The Daily

Nestled in the heart of Campus Corner, Alouette Beadery has offered people a place to experience art in a personal way since the 1960s.

The quaint shop, 319 White Street, is home to hundreds of strands of beads made from a variety of elements. The store offers instruction on how to bead, a quiet place to stop and bead between classes and a great place to throw parties.

“Beading is a great stress reliever,” said owner Loretta Nelson. “It is soothing to be touching the natural stones and it is an economical way to express your style and taste.”

Nelson said she worked for the government before she purchased the Norman beadery, therefore she understands what a heavy workload is all about. She said she wanted to get into an artistic environment after retiring and found beading to be the perfect outlet.

She said she didn’t know she had artistic abilities until she started trying her hand in beading, but said it is an art form that almost anyone can learn and one that is very satisfying because it results in a wearable product.

“It’s kind of nice to put all the pieces together and have them blend,” Nelson said. “It’s fun to touch the beads and be creative.”

Emily Ball, studio arts junior, said she had been making jewelry for a while before she dropped by Alouette Beadery for the first time. Now, Ball visits the beadery weekly.

“I came in [Alouette] the first time looking for beads to incorporating into my hemp jewelry,” Ball said. “Now I bead often.”

Ball said when she beads she likes to incorporate unlikely pieces into her work. She has no limits when making jewelry, which makes her finished products unique.

She said Alouette is the perfect supplier for beading because many of the pieces are eco-friendly.

“I like to make jewelry out of found objects like cable wire,” Ball said. “I like to do a little less of beads than most people here, but I do like to incorporate them into my jewelry.”

Ball said she would suggest beading to anyone, but especially college students. She said it is a good stress reliever and way to express creativity.

Whitney Wagner, Alouette employee, said she fell in love with beading because it is a way to make unique pieces of jewelry, which no one else will ever have, for an economical price.

Wagner said the store offers several classes on beading and wire-wrapping. She said if customers need a watchful eye to help them bead, they can also bring their own supplies in and bead at the store.

“It’s exciting to have a new piece of jewelry that costs you a fraction of what you would buy it for,” Wagner said. “And it’s relaxing. There’s not very many things that you can sit down and do and have a finished product to show for it.”