Hey There! I'm Randee Brown, Creator of Thunderhorse Descendant, LLC
Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I’m Randee, a North Dakota native who’s now settled in Minnesota, where I live with my partner and our three fur babies: Lilly, Mr. Bunson, and Winter. If you hang out on my YouTube channel, you’ve probably seen those furry faces already!
I’ve been beading since I was six years old, starting out by helping my mom and grandma make dance outfits for my brother’s powwows. We mostly used seed beads, wood, and shell back then. It wasn’t until grad school at Hazelden Betty Ford that I discovered the huge variety of beads that existed. My friend Laura took me to a local bead store, and it was love at first sight. From that day on, I couldn’t stop beading.
I worked as a drug addiction counselor for about nine years, and beading became my creative outlet. I was making so much jewelry that my partner eventually asked, “What are you going to do with all of this?” That question sparked the idea for my Etsy shop, THUNDERHORSE DESCENDANT, which I started in 2015. The name honors my stepfather, Mr. Thunderhorse, reflecting how important names are in Native American culture.
In 2018, I decided to take the plunge into full-time jewelry making. It wasn’t easy—there was no startup money, so I’d make a necklace, sell it, buy more beads, and repeat! I also started participating in craft shows and later, live videos. Eventually, I took a leap and started a YouTube channel, where I share jewelry-making tutorials, bead history, and more. This little venture turned into a whole community, and it’s been growing ever since.
Then 2024 brought some exciting changes—I officially became Thunderhorse Descendant, LLC! We’re expanding, looking to bring on more employees (and, of course, more beads!). Plus, we’re finally planning that dream trip to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show! I’m beyond excited to grow this business and bring even more beading magic to our community.
Here at Thunderhorse Descendant, we’ve got a lot of fun going on:
- Morning Coffee Club: Join me Monday through Friday at 9 am CST on YouTube for some beading fun and chit-chat with our community of jewelry makers.
- #FoundObjectsChallenge: Each month, we get creative by turning random, found items into something beautiful.
- Facebook Community: We’ve got an amazing group of beaders sharing their projects, tips, and support for one another.
What’s next? Well, the dream is to open a brick-and-mortar space where people can come to bead, create, and connect. I picture a studio for YouTube videos, a classroom for in-person beading classes, and, of course, so many beads. One necklace at a time, we’re building something big here!
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a fantastic beading day!
Randee Brown
Thunderhorse Descendant, LLC