Nesting and Crafting and Showing and Selling!

Merry Christmastime! I hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving break and are just as excited about this next month as I am! I had a very productive Thanksgiving weekend. Between eating and sleeping and cooking and cleaning, we also put up our tree and other Christmas decorations, went shopping on Black Friday, washed our cars, cleaned our closets, did laundry, went to the jewelry district, spent most of Sunday at church, had dinner(s) with friends, and even found a few minutes in there for me to nap, knit, and scrapbook! I would have to say it was a very productive weekend! I also finished a necklace that has been on my to-do list for far too long this weekend! A seminary friend of mine asked me to recommend some jewelry from my shop for her to give two new mommy friends of hers. While I showed her a few pieces I though would fit the occasion, I also told her that I was thinking of making an item I have had on my mind for awhile - a hand wrapped wire birds nest with pearls. Holly loved the idea and was kind enough to give me all the time I needed, which came in handy once I figured out how much wire these little guys need! After ordering more 24 gauge wire off of Amazon (a beading first, since my usual online resources only offer expensive sterling options), I finally reserved the time to make these little guys. I am not going to lie - they were a bit challenging, especially since I am not a wire-wrapping goddess! Either way, I think they turned out well... well enough to post in my shop! Speaking of posting in my shop, today is the last day to buy ANYTHING in Bead Up's Etsy shop and get FREE SHIPPING! I think the sale went well this weekend - I even sold a large order to someone in Australia! Lastly, if you didn't make it to the malls on Black Friday or still have some Christmas shopping to do and are in the LA area, let me invite you to come and check out all the Bead Up carries at one of two shows I am doing this weekend! Here is the information:

Friday, December 4th 1-7 pm, Burbank, California Providence High School's 7th Annual Christmas Boutique located in the school's MPR room (click here for directions). In addition to having a Bead Up booth, this show will also feature gift baskets, sterling silver jewelry, brittle and other Christmas sweets, and a raffle. From what I hear, this show is a big deal :) Saturday, December 5th

4-9 pm, Redondo Beach, California (south of Manhattan Beach) Riviera Hall Lutheran School's Who-ville “Christmas Means Something More” Boutique located in the school's Rygh Hall (click here for directions). This one promises good food, sales, and even some live entertainment, too!

I will of course be spending this week making new and re-newed items for the show and also my Etsy site :) The hubs and I scored lots of great deals this weekend in the jewelry district and I am excited to show them to you! It's going to be a crazy busy week - but I wouldn't have it any other way!