Reason #335 to shop ArtBeads.com

When comparing online bead suppliers for that next purchase, consider this:




Thank you for placing an order with Artbeads.com!
For every order placed at Artbeads.com, we will make a donation to Conservation International to protect 25 square feet of tropical forest. With the significant number of orders placed every day, these donations quickly add up, and we are confident that we'll be able to save a significant amount of rainforest land.

So the next time you place an order, remember that you are helping us protect the rainforest, slow down climate change and make the world a better place for generations to come.

On a more local level, we encourage you to get involved with the Artbeads Community and help others who share your interests. See if you can answer a tough beading question in the Artbeads Answer Box or inspire someone by sharing your jewelry designs on the Artbeads Facebook wall. Who knows, you may even find some answers and inspiration for yourself.


I'm sold :)

Listing a new item musts - from Marketing Handmade

Got the Marketing Handmade newsletter, and this was something to share.

5 Things you should do everytime you have a special or post a new item - from Marketing Handmade

Everyone loves a special deal, offer, sale or discounted item. Who doesn’t love to be the first to know about a new and fresh item, so they can be the first to have it before everyone else gets it? I know I love to be among the first to know something!

Every time you have a sale, discount an item or list a new item you should:

Tell your newsletter subscribers
Newsletter subscribers are your most loyal fans and you have gained their trust. So always make sure to alert them 1st. Make sure your newsletter includes a way for them to share with friends. If you use a email service like iContact.com: that is really easy to do.

Tweet about it
Tell your Twitter followers. Depending on how great the special or item they your loyal followers may retweet it to all of their loyal followers.

Post about it on Facebook
Always keep your Facebook fans updated with the newest information about your handmade items, sales and discounts. Make sure to include a nice pretty picture when you post, because everyone knows that a picture is worth a 1000 words.

Blog about it
Make sure to include a picture to represent the special discount or item(s) and just enough detail to get them to click through to your shop. If you give all the information in your blog post then people may not fell the need to click through to your shop.

If you don’t have a craft blog, then you are missing out on free organic traffic. Having a blog that you post to at least two times a week is a great way to get organic traffic from search engines. Each time you post, make sure to include one or two keywords that you think your shoppers will use to find your handmade online.

Create a special banner ad
To increase your chances of getting sales, create an update your advertising banners. Make sure to include words like “Sale”, “Special Offer”, “Discount” “Free” or “New”.

Place as many advertising banners on relating sites as you can.

ProjectWonderful.com is an excellent tool for getting craft banners placed quickly on sites with high traffic.

Pendant Winner Announced!

Ok Kids - Thanks for all of your support and enthusiasm over this post!

The winner of this give away is Barbara P.!!!!

Barbara follows me on Facebook. I'll be getting up with her to get her input on the design. I'll be posting the creation soon!!!

Thanks for playing everyone!!!

Give Away Time! New Design with Copper Pendant from ArtBeads (Closed)

Working up a new piece using this pendant from ArtBeads. Ya want it??

Then lets have a giveaway!!!

What is your favorite summer activity? Is that easy!

I am opening this up to my FaceBook fans as well

Repost it on your FB page, get an extra entry!
Repost it on your blog - get an extra entry!
Tweet it! you guessed it - get an extra entry!

Oh, and to sweeten the pot - I have a $20 GC to Firemountain Gems as well :)

Will draw the winner next Wed - May 18, 2011! Let's Play!

ArtBeads ‘What’s Old is New Again!’ Blogger Challenge

Hey I forgot to show you the other pieces I made with the new beads from ArtBeads.com and my mom's old necklace!

I am slippin' here :)

If you remember back to this post you can see how I got started. (I do so love those earrings!)

Well I didn't stop there!

Not only did I add the bead from my mom's necklace, but I added a few links from an old chain necklace as well and created this bracelet. I added the cute daisy earring drop as an accent. This one is so bright, and so flirty!



Here I did a double strand. I made hammered copper spirals to use as the links to attach the strands to. One of hand wound links on copper, used cone end caps, from ArtBeads.com to accent one of the lamp work beads, it really set it off, and then strung the blue glass with the crystals and seed bead accents. This is a fun mismatch aye-sim-met-rickle design on copper chain.


If you like these beads, and have an idea rolling around - here are the beads I used.

BS-0038 6x8mm Dark Amber and Opaque Sky Blue with Picasso Roundel Bead Strand *

LMP-0146 Yellow and Orange Roundel Beads (7 pcs) *

CR-RL131 5x4mm Opaline Yellow Roundelle Strand *

It is time to bust out the summer clothes and bring some of that old fashion forward!

Want to see more creations inspired by the What's Old is New Again challenge? Check out ArtBeads Facebook page!!

*FTC compliance disclosure: the '*' items mentioned in this post credited to Art Beads were provided as a promotional gift as part of the Blogging for Beaders Program. These items are for review or design purposes.

Little something for Mama :)

While at the gem show, I had a few items on a custom order list that I had to look for, so you know I had to do a quick run thru of the beads, just to see what was out there. While on the hunt for the custom order pieces, I ran across these......



I couldn't pass them up!!!

I love the faceted citrine, the multi color resin beads, and the beautiful faceted rutilated quartz. There was so much more I wanted to get, but I did practice restraint - for the first time in my life.

I wish I would have taken my camera, there is so much I would love to have shared with you, but then again, all of the pictures would have come out blurry and it would only have been frustrating.

If you went to a bead show, what would you not be able to pass up?

Geode Crackers!

James and I went to the GL&W gemshow in Franklin yesterday and had a blast. Too much to see and so much to buy :) I went to ad inventory for my stone/gem business and also to take advantage of the beadshow as well :)

I can't believe how much the prices have gone up. I went about 3 years ago, and silver was .65/gram - now - $1.45/gram - WOW!! But I still got some great deals.

The 'find' of the day were these trancas geodes from Mexico. I got them from El Paso Rock Shop.
I wanted to get the whole bag (150 lbs) but I had to stop myself. James is not good to take along to these shows, he says - Buy it all! Did you know the word geode comes from the Greek word, earthlink? Did you know that geodes are lava bubbles? (Sorry bout the crappy picture, squint it may come into focus)



James has made his choice!



Safety glasses were worn :) Another way to do this, is put the geode in a sock, then hit it.




Allies broke right open. Quartz and some silica dust.



Here second one was beautiful! The fun thing about these, is they glow under a black light :)


James' was nearly solid, so it was a bit tuffer to break open. It is BEAUTIFUL! I am trying to find out what the pink layer is. James sez, it is petrified bubble gum.............



I am doing the Maker Faire in June, and can't wait to show off these geodes. James is building me a plexi glass box, so the kids can break them open and see what is inside and be safe. Gonna see how they slice as well, the 'shell' on these are a bit brittle, so they may just crumble, but still sometimes you just have to know!

I'll show more of my new 'goodies' later in the week! Have a great one!

ArtBeads ‘What’s Old is New Again!’ Blogger Challenge

Hey, remember this?



BS-0038 6x8mm Dark Amber and Opaque Sky Blue with Picasso Roundel Bead Strand *

SW-BD245 Stoneware Brown with Light Blue Daisies Tube Bead *

LMP-0146 Yellow and Orange Roundel Beads (7 pcs) *

CR-RL131 5x4mm Opaline Yellow Roundelle Strand *

I got a great selection of fun items from ArtBeads for their 'What's Old is New Again' challenge. I got the new beads from Artbeads and am using an blue glass necklace of my mom's as the old.

I found these earrings that I had picked up last year when I was in St. Louis visiting my daughter from a thrift store and added them to the mix last minute.


I was really aprehensive about popping that necklace apart, but I finally did it! Here is the 'mess' of inspiration!



Let me tell you how much fun I had with this challenge. All of these colors are so bright and cheery, I didn't want to stop this morning!

Are these adorable or what!!!!! I can't help but smile when I see them.



Fun and bright, simply knotted hemp necklace. This is casual, but with an attitude :) It flirts with a tshirt and says "I dare you" with a plunged neck sundress - can you wear it?


and to complete the perfect summer ensemble, a bold and chunky bracelet.



I am not done!! I have more coming tomorrow!


What would you have made?


Want to see more creations inspired by the What's Old is New Again challenge? Check out ArtBeads Facebook page!!

*FTC compliance disclosure: the '*' items mentioned in this post credited to Art Beads were provided as a promotional gift as part of the Blogging for Beaders Program. These items are for review or design purposes.

Have lost my umph

What do you do when you are loosing creative ground?
When there is not enuff time in the day to get everything done?

My blog is the first to suffer at these times. I have the 'I'll get around to it' mentality, and never do find the time.

I try to be a daily poster - in fact - a lot of times, I will write my blog posts for the week all in one day. Makes it easier, and I have the rest of the week to do what I need to do.

Lately - I can't find anything to write about, no new news, no new projects, no new ideas. Frankly kids, I am spent.

Now because I am a daily poster, will my blog suffer if I drop back to posting 2x a week? They say consistency is the key to blogging. So if I drop back to 2x a week, say, Tues and Fridays will I still be satisfying my followers?

Have you run into this? Have you ever run out of steam? What do you do to get back on track?