5th Bead Soup Blog Party!

Today is the day! 200 of us jewelry designers have traded bead soups with partners from all over the world, and today we are posting the creations we designed with the soups we received. My partner this time is Jennifer Justman of Souls Fire Designs.

This is the soup I sent Jennifer (her post here)

This is the soup she sent me (my post here)

 

Here is what I created out of the fabulous goodies Jennifer sent.

 

 

 I took one of my Lampwork focals, paired it with some PMC bead caps I had made with the tiny bead caps Jennifer sent. I then put it on some gunmetal chain and the beautiful silk ribbon she sent. I love this necklace!

I took the Amthyst chips she sent, paired it with some boro lampwork beads, sterling silver and 

Czech crystal, and gunmetal chain which I finished off with the handmade clasp she sent. :)

 a close up of the clasp

 This necklace had me stumped for awhile. I kept trying to add more, but it wanted to be simple. Now that I listened, I think it turned out great! It will be the perfect piece for one of my many red tops. :)

Here is where you can see what Jennifer did with the soup I sent her. Also be sure to check out all of the other participant, it is sure to be fun and have you wanting to run to your studio and create!

I also want to do a give-away as well. After all every good party has a favor!

How To Enter (give away is open to everyone, not just Bead Soup Blog Party participants:

• Leave me a comment here and/or become a follower of my blog (one entry)
• "Like" Wee Gems Designs Facebook page (one entry)
• "Like" Charmed Pennies Facebook page (one entry)
• Spread the word about this giveaway on your blog, facebook or twitter (one entry)
• What is your favorite bead splurge? We all have them - share with us for another entry! :)

So there you have it, five different ways to enter:) Leave me a comment letting me know how you entered.**I will announce the winner in a month on March 31st, giving us all plenty of time to visit all of these fabulous blogs.**  Please check back to see if you have won or with a way to contact you if you win!. 

Here is what you are playing for: a pair of purple enameled earrings and a Charmed Penny!

Bead Soup!!!

It was so awesome to come home to from Texas to find my Bead Soup waiting for me. I tore right into it, and love what Jennifer sent me. There is Amethyst chips, Cape Amethyst, crystal, pink Jade, a cool handmade clasp, and a cool focal and findings from Fallen Angel Brass. Oh, and I can't forget the awesome silk ribbon from KAS Beads. :) Here is my soup, and I can't wait to play with it, I have pulled several strands of my lampwork beads out to see what I can create!

Look what else Jennifer sent, this great lampwork dangle necklace!

I love it and it is so fun to wear!

Thank you Jennifer!

To see what Jennifer said about the soup I sent her, click here!

Jewelry for me...

Many of my glass and jewelry friends will understand this. We have a ton of beads and jewelry around, and most of it is for sale. Well, I have to admit that I don't have lots of jewelry. I have  a few great pieces that go with the majority of my wardrobe, and that is that. So today I have to say that I am feeling pretty lucky. After we got home from church, I changed into jeans and a great new shirt that I received for Christmas. Well, I didn't have any jewelry for it, and you know... sometimes it really does come in handy being a jewelry designer and glass artisan. I knew exactly what I wanted to make. I ran downstairs, and grabbed my favorite heart that I have made. (I have brought the heart to shows, but it never has seemed to make it actually to the table to be for sale.) I really wanted to keep it, but didn't have anything to wear with it. Well, now I do. I turned it into a quick necklace and paired it with some crystal earrings, and a fused silver bracelet that I made before, voila! My outfit is complete!

What are the different ways you diversify your business?

This is the topic of the week at Flaming Hot. Most of us sell our beads and jewelry online, however that isn't always enough. I have a wholesale Children's line of jewelry that doesn't include lampworking at all, but it is what lead me to start lampworking in the first place, so I am forever grateful to that line. I also have a wholesale line of knitting markers that is a lot of fun as well. I also look forward to the selling at different shows in my area. I love getting to meet my customers face to face and enjoy the reactions of them as they say, "You make the beads?" I always carry some glass and examples of beads in the stages of making a bead so that I have a tangible example of how I create the beads. This helps them understand the process of lampworking better and they can appreciate and understand why my items are more expensive than a lot of the other jewelry at the shows. My other favorite way of selling is to do home shows. It is a win win situation for all involved. The hostess earns a pair of free earrings, a discount on her purchases, as well as earning free money based on the sales at her party. Her friends get to come and visit, shop, and snack on good food. I get out of the house, and once again, get to meet my customers face to face, and create new friends. I always have a wonderful time at these parties. In the end, the best way to diversify my business is to keep an open mind, to look for new and different ways to market my products. I only wish I had enough time to implement all of my ideas. Time does get short in a house with 4 kids after all!

Hearts, flowers and more

I had so much fun at the torch yesterday! I made hearts with tiny rosebuds, raised florals, and even played with a little bit of Kronos (a super silver saturated glass color) from Double Helix Glass I love their glass! Today I will get all of these wrapped up into stitch markers for The Yarn Deli. They have such a great store. My Mom introduced them to me a few years ago. I don't knit, but love visiting their store.