A Bead Ordering Fool!

I usually try and stock up on new items at the beginning of the year just to kind of spice things up.  Well this year I have found some really good sources for beads.  I have ordered a lot from several different Etsy stores and gotten some really cute beads that have sparked my imagination (I hope).

I thought i'd share some of the sources i've found.

One supplier is one I spoke about in a previous post.  It's Aunties Beads and I have to say they are fast and the beads are excellent.  You can find them here.

A source from Etsy is a really nice and talented lady whose store is Maya-Honey Lampwork Beads .  Her name is Katarina and whenever i've ordered from her she always includes some freebies as a thank you.  I may have to try that if I ever have enough orders!

 You can find her store here.  I just received the package in the mail today and I love them.  Here are some of them.  I must be into green and blues cause the colors look oceany.  But there are plenty more.



                                I love these beads texture and color.  I'm thinking earrings??

 These shells are really rustic looking.  Can't think of anything at the moment with these.  Hmmmm?

 These beige beads are really cute but they're kind of small so probably in a bracelet maybe.

 These turquoise colored draggonfly beads are really rough and aged looking.  And the turquoise 3 dot beads are really nice.     Love them! No real ideas yet.

Another source i've used this year is a company called Bead Trust.  I found this source on a jewelry designer's blog.  This lady makes the most stunning pieces.  I think it's the way she puts colors and textures together.  She is phenominal!  You can find her blog here.

 You can find Bead Trust's site here.  They have great sales and the things i've  received on sale were of good quality.

And for really vintage looking and patina'd (is that a word??##@!!) items -- anyway this is another Etsy seller and it's called Dimestore Emporium.  I have ordered quite a few trinkets and chain and charms and pendants and i've really loved them all.  You can check them out here.  Their prices are good also.  Speaking as a working person.

So those are some of the sellers and company's i've used.  Hope you find something useful here.  Check them out!

  

Some New Jewelry!

Just as promised I just got done listing 2 new pieces in my etsy store.  I'm proud of these items.  A bracelet and a necklace.  They can be worn together.  Okay, here they are:






This sweet bracelet is really pretty and unique.  It is all wired together with steel wire.  The clasp is an s hook style with purple seed beed round.  There is a vintage button also used.  The gold beads are also vintage.  They are a pretty gold color and go well with the purple raw amethyst beads.  Don't cha love it!!!

It will fit up to about a 7-1/2 inch wrist.  The steel wire has been sealed with wax. I also attached a religious metal to a squiggly charm hanging from the clasp along with a gold bead.

Would make a lovely Valentine's gift.  Hence the paper background of little hearts.

This really pretty necklace is made with a brass pendant and citrine nuggets on one side.  The other side is raw amethyst beads.  They are rough textured and a beautiful purple color.  This necklace is really asymetrical which I love.

This is just a close up of the pendant with the gold bead hanging.  This necklace is approximately 18 inches long.  

So that's all for now.  You should really check these out in the store.  Thanks for reading if you are.

Just A Note

To say that I photographed some new items last night and I will be listing them here on my blog and then in my etsy store here this evening.  Stay tuned!

Some New Items

I decided that I need a lot of new inventory so I've been looking around for some new suppliers and I found one that I have seen but never ordered anything.  Well, I took a chance and i'm very pleased with them.  The shipping was lightning fast and everything is really nice and arrived in great condition.  I decided to post some of my haul.  

I absolutely love the striped beads and haven't a clue what i'm going to make with them.  The glass pendant at the bottom is a beautiful golden color and the bead with the red and blue dots is gorgeous.  The larger red beaded beads are beautiful.  One is sparkly and one is matte finished.  

The bottom photo shows some brass findings, a really pretty jade connector which I can't wait to use.  The turquoise colored stone is actually a three strand clasp.  I have an idea of using it for a bracelet made with seed beads.  We'll see.  There's a pretty large beaded that is all kinds of colors.

So that's my haul from Auntie's Beads.  You can find them here.  Happy shopping!

So Here Goes!!

I finally decided to do a give away to see if I can drum up some readers.  I know that means I would have to keep it interesting and post regularly so that is why the procrastination.

Anyway enough about my sometimes pathetic state.  The bracelet below is going to be my first ever give-away.

This pretty little bracelet is wired together with steel wire ( so don't go near water with it!).  Anyway it should fit up to a 7 and 1/2 inch wrist.  The bright pink beads are acrylic and the blue stone is a dyed blue faceted agate.  The lighter pink bead is a vintage bead from a 1960's necklace.   A religious charm and a clear acrylic charm hang from it.  I really like the square jump rings as a contrast to all the roundness.


So here's what imma gonna do.  Everyone who leaves a comment or comments about what they think of my jewelry pieces, my blog, what I can improve will have a chance to have this bracelet for their very own.   I also hope people would check out my etsy shop here.


This will take place from January 13th, 2013 through January 31st, 2013.  On February 1st I will pick a name out of a jar filled with all those who have left comments (and hopefully decide to stay with me for awhile) and that person will get the bracelet.

Be sure and include a way to send the bracelet to you!!

So those are the only rules.  Now, off to try and drum up some blog business.

Something New!

I decided to set myself some goals in this new year.  Some goals that I can't ignore.  I set one goal low

so I won't disappoint myself and that is to complete at least 2 pieces every week and to list in my etsy

shop 1-2 times per week.  Hopefully I can do this.  I don't want to put a lot of pressure on cause then I

get down right angry about it and do nothing.  I know---I need help.


Anyway while i'm thinking about what item to do for a blog give away I thought i'd show some new

earrings that I made.  I'm obsessed with all the new paint for metals.  I decided to try it out and made the

 earrings below.  They still need some work but hopefully by this evening i'll have finished and will list

them in my etsy shop this week.  I apologize for the poor pics but it was spur of the moment.

I painted these with Vintaj patina for all metals.  The stampings themselves were painted with a color

called verdigris and then I put on some victorian gold for the tops and for some little bumps in the

metal.  The paint dries fast but you really need to let it set overnight to be sure.  I plan on doing another

coat of the paints today and then will bring down the color with a generous coating of wax to seal the

finish.  I used red glass crystals strung on waxed linen.  They hang from hand made steel ear wires

which were also sealed with wax to prevent rust.  I really love them!  What do you think?

That's all for now.  I will be deciding what jewelry piece to give away on the blog later today.  So please stay tuned.

Finally!

I have had a really busy week just like everybody else.  But i finally got around to taking my vacay pics off my cam.

So, we went to Jamaica for a glorious 10 days and boy did we have fun!  I actually feel relaxed and ready for life.  Hope it lasts awhile.  We have been to this resort numerous times and taken other couples.  The place is called Couples Negril.   We have only been to that particular Couples but there are 4:  Couples Negril, Couples Swept Away, Couples Sans Souci and Couples Ocho Rios.  I think people tend to get attached to their favorite resort.  You can see their website here.

Any way here are some pics of the Couples Negril:

Determined But Slow Going

Since 2013 started I have done nothing that I planned on doing.  My creative mojo left and i'm trying to get it back.  No depressed but not in the mood to create.  Why does this happen?? I'm puzzled by it.  I want to create but just don't do it for whatever reason.

I've decided to continue blogging but no to put pressure on myself to make entries each and every day.  I've gotten views to my blog but no comments. 

So i'm going to try and see just how many people have been perusing but not leaving comments.  I'm going to take a cue from some of my fav bloggers and do a giveaway.  Why a pice of handmade jewelry of course.  Just have to pick out something really pretty and see if I can draw in some folks to take a look at what I have to offer. 

I will pick something out this evening and post later in the week.  If I get any commenters then I will set a specific date for the giveaway.