Playing with the Beads....

Got some time to "play with the beads" today as yes, another snow day here PLUS Hannah was still recovering from the stomach flu (yuck!)...nice day for settling inside, and yes, "playing with the beads" - and as Laurie's lovely creations had arrived for our CGGE/etsyBEAD project, I was more than ready to play! Now, remember, this is a work in progress ~ who knows what twists and turns "Spring Reflections" may take before it is completed, but here is a pic of how my mind was working today with it. Stay tuned...

Hitting the "Boards"....and We've Picked Our Beads!

The "Morning Zoo" continues to "hit the boards" (indoor soccer amazes me with its fast-pace and the way the ball not only richochets off the players' feet, but also off the sides of the wall at such force -- and as a goalie mom....aagh! so many places for that ball to "boomerang" from! But, that's why our goalie loves the game so much, so I have to get used to it, I guess!)....here are some favorite pics from the last couple of games...great job, ladies!!

Laura, of Isinglass Design, and I have decided on the focal lampwork beads she has created which I will be using in our Creative Minds for Charity (CGGE/etsyBEAD Challenge). They are the gorgeous blues which I featured earlier when I introduced Laura to you, and I am so looking forward to designing something wonderful around them.

Meet Isinglass Design!

Meet my partner in the CGGE/etsyBEAD Challenge (“Creative Minds for Charity”) ~ the talented Laura of Isinglass Design! A self-taught lampwork glass bead maker, Laura has been at the art for about eight years and has taught glass beadmaking at the Arkansas Arts Center, Chameleon Art Glass,and a high school in Little Rock. She has demonstrated her work at The Meadows Museum in Shreveport, The Historic Arkansas Museum, local schools, and her local farmer's market. You can see Laura’s beautiful work in her Etsy shop: glassbead.etsy.com ~ at an online gallery: glassartists.org ~ and in the Dallas area at Kittrell-Riffkind art glass.

Check in here to see what Laura and I decide on as the inspiration for this challenge’s design. More to come as our project progresses! Complete details on the CGGE/etsyBEAD Challenge/Collaboration and how YOU can be a part of it are available at “Creative Minds for Charity.”

MAKE ROOM FOR SPRING!

It's time to "MAKE ROOM FOR SPRING" in the shop so be sure to check out the special sale section for great savings! All items in this section are now available at 30% off LIST price ~ just be sure to put "SPRING" in "Notes to Seller" at checkout and WAIT for a revised invoice before making payment. One discount code per transaction, BUT you may purchase more than one "Spring item" and receive 30% off each item - whatta deal! This great offer is going on NOW until ??? so don't wait for best selection!

Creative Minds for Charity Begins!

So what do you get when you put 16 creative glass makers with 22 talented jewelry designers? The beginnings of an incredible creative charity collaboration event sponsored by The Creative Glass Guild of Etsy (CGGE) and the etsyBEAD Street Team. Participating artists from each group will pair up, donating their creations, designs, supplies, and time, to create beautiful finished pieces of jewelry ~ all for charity! The finished pieces will be donated to the Helping Others Street Team (HOST) of ETSY which raises money for those fellow Etsyians in need.

You'll be able to follow each step of the process at Creative Minds for Charity where we will be posting pictures along the way, as well as at a special Flickr Group set up for the project. Finally, we will need your input, when the pieces are complete, as you will be asked to vote on your favorite (one vote per person, please!) and have a chance to win a basket of wonderful goodies!

I know I'm very excited about this project and look forward to sharing with you here as I "progress" along, but remember, the main site for complete information is Creative Minds for Charity (thanks, Brandi!).

Last Minute Valentines???? No Worries!

Yes, it IS February 13th.....do you have YOUR Valentine's gifts ready? No need to panic! No need to "hit the mall" in a mad rush....or tackle the florist as he/she makes a delivery next door! A few suggestions and links to get you through the day ~

First, most beauty/spa/salons now offer great deals and certificates which often can be printed right from your computer! And yes, we would love a "day of beauty" -- massage, new haircut, manicure, pedicure, -- aah! Pair that with a promise of a romantic dinner out afterwards and you 've got a winning combination!

Really like the idea of flowers? Ok....Valentine's Day Shop 2008: Last-Minute Flowers - lots of choices! Knock yourself out!! And it's not too late!

Chocolate....Godiva.....hurry....you have until 3pm today.....I said, hurry!

Now here's an interesting idea....how about sending your "Valentine" out for the day this coming weekend (Saturday) -- say, to go shopping - or to spend some time with friends - while you, give the house, apartment, condo, etc. a GOOD "Valentine" loving cleaning ~ especially if this is something that your Valentine usually handles. Believe me, this gift will be greatly appreciated....this gift works even better if combined with a romantic dinner at the end. :-)

My final recommendation, naturally, would be jewelry ~ and, this year, why not let your Valentine pick the perfect gift for herself and gift her with a SignatureSterling gift certificate, available in various amounts. These are in the Valentine section of the shop and once purchased can be printed right from your computer or emailed to your Valentine.

Whatever you give for Valentine's, may your day be filled with love and joy! Peace...

Featured Artist ~ Purrfectly Devine’s Jewelry Designs

It’s always such fun to feature a fellow street team member, and today I’m pleased to share with you from etsyBEAD ~ Purrfectlydevine’s Jewelry Designs. Although “Purrfectlydevine” explains that she is relatively new to beading, she has many lovely and creative designs waiting for you! The first beautiful necklace pictured is titled "Spring Is in the Air," a wonderful piece for this week's etsyBEAD's Theme of the Week. "Purrfectly" loves taking classes so she can keep learning new techniques – so important for all of us! And because this creative artist also crochets, look for some crochet pieces to be added to the shop in the future!

There’s no doubt that you’ll find a visit to Purrfectly Devine’s Jewelry Designs perfectly divine!

You can find Purrfectlydevine at:

Etsy: purrfectlydevine.etsy.com
Blog: purrfectlydevine.blogspot.com

LAST DAY - Hunt for Hearts AND 20% off Valentine Sale!

7:02PM, EST, THIS JUST IN ~ It's not TOO late to enter today's hunt and WIN! There have only been a few entries so far today which means the chances of being the second chance "random drawing winner" are incredibly good!! You just need to hunt and enter BEFORE 11PM, EST!! The image you are looking for is posted below along with the participating shops - and complete details on how to hunt/play/win are posted at etsybead and the forum promo thread - also linked below -- don't miss out on this awesome chance to win a great FREE prize package from etsyBEAD!!

Well, today's the LAST day of etsyBEAD's "HUNT for ONE'S DESIRE" (beginning at 10am and ending at 11pm EST).....the image you are HUNTING for today is....

To see the list of participating shops AND get all the details on how to play (remember, previous successful hunters/winners are no longer eligible), check in at etsybead and the Etsy forum promo thread.

Participating shops:

http://crystalimpressions.etsy.com/
http://beadologyus.etsy.com
http://3sistersbeads.etsy.com
http://purrfectlydevine.etsy.com
http://cassowaryjewelry.etsy.com
http://Mae2075.etsy.com
http://NomolosDesigns.etsy.com
http://Dorsethillbeads.etsy.com
http://Glamorosi.etsy.com
http://brenda45.etsy.com
http://designsbybari.etsy.com
http://CrysallisCreations.etsy.com
http://Jadedmind.etsy.com
http://designsbyjenean.etsy.com
http://npbeads.etsy.com
http://dlpom.etsy.com
http://merigreenleaf.etsy.com
http://valeriebeads.etsy.com
http://signaturesterling.etsy.com
http://thumbelinacreations.etsy.com
http://MKPjewelry.etsy.com
http://Downtoearthcreations.etsy.com
http://abbey753.etsy.com
http://StudioMarcy.etsy.com
http://Figments.etsy.com

Happy hunting!

It's also the LAST day of the 20% off Valentine Sale in the shop - be sure to check it out!

Featured Artist ~ Katrin Lerman Jewelry

Katrin Lerman, of Katrin Lerman Jewelry, brings you “woven treasures – intricate jewelry using sterling silver and gemstone.”

Katrin has been making jewelry since a young child in Germany. Now, settled in the US and a graduate of the New England School of Art and Design with a Degree of Fine Arts in Interior Design, Katrin integrates color, form and texture in her jewelry designs.

Katrin explains the process of creating a piece as such:
“First, I create the desired shape/shell for a piece out of thick sterling silver wire. Then I string on the gemstones and wrap the entire piece with feet upon feet of thin sterling silver wire to give it a finished look. I add tiny sterling silver beads to the frame during wrapping to give it more dimension.”

Katrin’s works are woven treasures, indeed!

You can find KatrinLermanJewelry at:

Etsy: KatrinLermanJewelry.etsy.com
Blog: KatrinLermanJewelry.blogspot.com

Hunting for Hearts - Day 2!

Day 2 of the hunt AND the BIG news is if you're NOT the first, you can STILL be a winner! Keep on hunting and turn in your list because at the end of the day, a second winner will be selected at random from the submissions!! AND....just to keep things fair - previous winners are not eligible - you can see the lucky winners from yesterday's hunt at etsybead.

Here's the image you are looking for today:

Here's the list of Monday's participating shops that you need to be searching:

http://3sistersbeads.etsy.com
http://npbeads.etsy.com
http://Jadedmind.etsy.com
http://MKPjewelry.etsy.com
http://dlpom.etsy.com
http://Chicbeadsbygermaine.etsy.com
http://Figments.etsy.com
http://StudioMarcy.etsy.com
http://simplysmithstudio.etsy.com
http://designsbybari.etsy.com
http://Merigreenleaf.etsy.com
http://SignatureSterling.etsy.com
http://Mae2075.etsy.com
http://BrokenTeepeeDesigns.etsy.com
http://abbey753.etsy.com
http://beadologyus.etsy.com
http://Valeriebeads.etsy.com
http://mamadivine.etsy.com
http://tlsexton0913.etsy.com
http://ZestyB.etsy.com
http://brenda45.etsy.com
http://Lorelei1141.etsy.com
http://intrepidsoulmate.etsy.com

Remember, all the details about the "HUNT" are available at etsybead and the daily promo thread: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5451449.

Good luck and happy hunting ~ and don't forget - terrific Valentine Special right now in the shop!!

Featured Artist ~ Citrus Tree Designs

It is always a delight for me to discover a new favorite photography and print shop on Etsy, so I was thrilled to find Citrus Tree Designs!

This talented photographer explains that she “play(s) with photography” and it’s easy to see she clearly is enjoying her work. You will find beautiful fine art photography, wonderful photomontages (my favorites!), illustrated greeting cards, and blank photo cards.

Citrus Tree Designs has been exhibited in several gallerys and museums, but you don’t have to search high and low for her terrific work! It’s waiting for you on Etsy!

You can find CitrusTree at:

Etsy: citrustree.etsy.com
Blog: citrustreedesigns.blogspot.com

Let the Hunt Begin!

Here we go...hunters take your mark! The image you are searching for today is this:

Now, where to search? Here's the list of participating shops for today:

Glamorosi

beadifulworld

Mamadivine

ZestyB

cserpent

tlsexton0913

Lorelei1141

designsbyjenean

BrokenTeepeeDesigns

valeriebeads

CrysallisCreations

simplysmithstudio

merigreenleaf

vanillalotus

StudioMarcy

purrfectlydevine

Chicbeadsbygermaine

thumbelinacreations

cassowaryjewelry

SignatureSterling

intrepidsoulmate

NomolosDesigns

And...here's the daily Etsy promo thread that has information on this day's hunt as well:

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5450216&page=1

Remember, some shops are carrying a "decoy" image - so hunt carefully! More details about the hunt are posted below and COMPLETE details are available at etsybead. Happy hunting!

"HUNT FOR ONE'S DESIRE" ~ etsyBEAD'S Hunt for Hearts!

Are you ready to hunt for some FREE jewelry? How fun will that be! The etsyBEAD "Hunt for One's Desire" begins tomorrow, Sunday, February 3rd, and continues through Tuesday, February 5th, with a different Valentine Themed Scavenger Hunt each day. Complete details are available at etsybead, but here are the basics:

"Hunters" are required to find specific Valentine’s themed images hidden within participating etsyBEAD shops. Be careful, though! Some shops will have decoy images which will not count. The first hunter to find all the correct images for each day will be awarded a Valentine prize pack.

On each morning of the hunt, the image of the day will be linked to in the Etsy promotional thread (and possibly on the etsybead blog, as well AND I will be posting the image here on my blog, too, if you'd like to check-in - I'll also post the Etsy promotional thread so that you can follow that link easily) so that you will know what to look for, and you will be given a list of shops to search in that day. The image will be in a random 10 shops from the list (and the shops will change each day) and the image will be somewhere in one of the listings on the front page of each shop. The images also switch each day, so the previous day’s image won’t count!

When you think you’ve found all 10 images, email Meri at merigreenleaf@gmail.com with a list of each listing the images are in (just copy the address and paste it into an email). The first person to get all the correct listings will win that day’s prize pack!

The event will start at 10am EST (Etsy time) and run until 11pm. Winners will be announced the next day.

If you have any questions, convo the event leaders MeriGreenleaf and Mamadivine on Etsy.

What's New?

New beads arrived the last week or so and I've been trying to get some "creative time" in ~ between my rehab. time from the surgery!! :-) Here's what's new in the shop and check back (hopefully later this weekend!) as I HOPE to do some more creating...

~Blue Skies ........ ~ Just Beachy......~ Rose Red

~Your Island or Mine............... ~Acadia Sunset

Featured Artist ~ Berry Beads

Berry Beads is a wonderful shop where Etsy artist Rosi has found her creative outlet. Rosi has had a life-long passion for crafts, explaining that as a child she was encouraged to create handmade gifts – crochet, embroidery, drawing.

Rosi’s latest passion, and available at Berry Beads, is designing and making jewelry. She especially enjoys creating items that are practical as well as pretty and you will find some lovely ID badge lanyards in her collection. The lanyards are fun, functional and while each one is a OOAK, these items are made to last.

Whether you’re in need of a lanyard yourself or for a gift or ready to look at some of Rosi’s other wonderful pieces, stop by Berry Beads soon!

You can find Berrybeads at:

Etsy: berrybeads.etsy.com
Blog: blog.berrybeady.com