Bead Up -- the journey of handmade jewelry

Commissioned work with new materials

2011-11-08T09:18:00.001-06:00

I heart figuring out a new jewelry method by mistake or chance encounter. Actually, no - fewer things make me happier than when people ask me to make custom jewelry to celebrate a loved one. Wait - no, I am happiest when I have returning customers asking for more. Scratch that - I am happiest when a returning customer asks me to make jewelry for their loved one and I learn a new technique in the making!

Recently, my friend Nilsa's husband Sweets contacted me with a simple request: leather. Apparently this is the traditional third wedding anniversary gift and Sweets wanted to go traditional and romantic, yet stick within his wife's tastes and aesthetic, which he knew I knew. I was up-front with him: as a vegetarian, I will admit that I have never really worked with leather before. Oh, and did I mention that the necklace was needed in less than 4 days? :) He asked me to go for it and see what happens.

After doing some "research" (i.e. browsing around the internet for inspiration) I had an idea of the type of necklace I wanted to do (i.e. no hammering or welding required - heck, I prefer to stay away from glue, too) though knew that leather string is thicker than your average beading wire and would thus require beads with very large holes. The only beads I had on hand with large-ish holes happened to be some beautiful gemstones and crystals I purchased from Arizona and LA. So, after some playing around, we had this:

The little white beads are especially cool... my mom purchased them for me from a Native American craft vendor in South Dakota. Apparently they are hand-cut glass beads that are over 100-years old. When she gave them to me, I thought to myself, "Where the heck am I going to use these?" It makes sense that I used them with leather! I also avoided having to use glue thanks to some gold crimp beads.

But then came the real challenge - closure. How dost one secure leather strings with a clasp? After tying the strands in two large knots, I played with all kinds of methods of getting a clasp on there. I even gave in and used glue to make sure that the leather wasn't going anywhere. Then it dawned on me - duh - free-style wire. Thanks to that pesky glue, I know this closure is there to stay.

Nilsa was tickled when she received the necklace: "You are so sneaky! I cannot believe you worked with Sweets to make such a GORGEOUS necklace for me! I absolutely love it and hope that your first go with leather wasn't too painful. =) We went to a concert last night and I picked an outfit that ensured I could wear the necklace. LOVE IT!!! Thank you so much for turning it around so quickly!" See, this is why I love working with returning customers who want to make something for their loved one while I learn a new method in the process...!

Meanwhile, I was sitting on another piece that was quite overdue. At one of my shows, a client noticed that I had a porcelain Chinese bracelet on display. She bought it, then handed it back to me: "I would like a necklace to match a pair of earrings that I own which feature the same beads." Her earrings seemed simple:

But then I realized - though I have wrapped beads before, I have not necessarily wrapped rounded beads, let alone such smooth and glossy beads! I sat down at my work table and just stared at my material: a bracelet that I made which I will have to cut apart, and some wire. I played and played with the beads and wire with no luck - that wire was movin' everywhere and would not stay in one place. Then I noticed a Sharpie marker nearby and LIGHTBULB! I first wrapped the wire about the Sharpie to create a coil, then popped the bead inside the coil to get it to stay in place - rather than trying to make the coil around the bead itself. After some working, I finally had this:

Not quite what I had envisioned, but it worked and resembled the inspiration earrings. Now that I know how to work it, I think I will play with this method more often!

What are some new materials that you have worked with and ended up loving?

(Metalless) Bling for a Wedding Fling

2011-10-10T19:36:00.001-05:00

Few things ignite my creative urge more than being asked to help a bride create some memorable wedding jewelry for her bridesmaids. Crystals, pearls, rhinestones, and shimmer are standard for most lineups. My pal Cheryl of Cupcakinitup' asked Bead Up to custom create some necklaces for her bridesmaids which focused on the plunge neckline of their pink dresses and incorporated black and silver. One little glitch, though - one had to be metal free! At first I thought nothing of this... but then the more and more I thought of how to indeed incorporate crystals and findings and clasps and closures, all of which are often metal based, the more I realized how much I rely on metal in my creations - from as large as metal beads to metal string to metal clasps to even metal crimp beads.

Though Cheryl said that I could make the metal-less in a whole separate style, I wanted to take the challenge to make something that looked like crystals and glitz and glam, but that all the women could wear. After tearing apart some plastic-based jewelry I found at a local accessory store and investing in some silk string, we had this (the metal version):

Bet-cha can't tell which one is metal and which is metal-free? :)

Thanks for letting me glitz-up your gals, Cheryl!

Long time no blog!

2011-10-08T12:00:00.005-05:00

I always thought it suspicious when bloggers disappeared from their online life with no indication as to why. Did they die? Did something horrible happen to them? Were they mugged and their laptop taken? Or, most likely, did the aliens win?

I am sad to admit that I have been that kind of blogger over the past year. I won't make up excuses because I know I have been spending my time well and fully, though sadly at the expense of my jewelry business :( Over the past year, we moved from Los Angeles to Kansas City, I enrolled in a hospital residency program, we bought a house, adopted another dog, and on and on and on. Just as the past year has been busy with a ton of random things, I too have managed to get myself fully involved in a tom of random projects - all of which has compromised Bead Up's time yet have led to another super fun hobby/business. That's right, I've picked up another craft... Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you... Batter Up:

Yup, watching Cake Boss and Ace of Cakes has left me thinking, "Hey, I bet I could make something fun and delicious, too!" So I took it upon myself to learn. After making a big ole' raspberry lemonade cake rolled in fondant and polka dots, I took it into work to get rid of it. Instead of coming home with just an empty cake platter, I came home with orders from people who wanted more! Though I never had the intention of selling my experiments, I have had a blast being ::paid:: essentially to get to know my cake making tools and techniques. It's a win-win!

After a lot of thinking, I have decided to expand Bead Up to include it's sister project, Batter Up! Bead Up, Batter Up, and a link to this blog can be found at my newest website, christynk.com.

As soon as I fully move into my new craft room and unpack a bunch of new Bead Up supplies I picked up while in LA a few weeks ago, Bead Up will be back in the swing of things! Stay tuned, and thanks for staying loyal!

Maternity Jewelry

2011-02-13T22:11:00.000-06:00

A few months ago I blogged about a custom, commissioned necklace I made for my dear friend Nilsa. Nilsa asked for a funky, bold statement necklace to coordinate with the orange, teal, and lime colors of her nursery:

After discussing our options, we came up with this:

Nilsa not only wore the necklace to her maternity shots, she also wore a "vintage" Bead Up lime green cluster bracelet (one of my first creations - you can read about it's anatomy here!):

So, what am I waiting for? Here are the best of the best!

Thanks for including Bead Up in your very special photo session, friend!

Oh, and be on the lookout within the next few weeks for a very special Blog update! Craft on!

Lots of Love :: SALE!

2011-02-07T20:57:00.000-06:00

Valentine's Day is near, which means one thing -- buying jewelry for the one you love! Let Bead Up help you! Enter "2142011" upon checkout for an 14% everything in the shop!

Here are a few hints, gentlemen ;) Click on any image for a link to the corresponding Etsy listing...

Winter Weddings!

2011-02-01T14:03:00.001-06:00

There is nothing cold about winter weddings when their brides ask for Bead Up jewelry!
First up, my high-school classmate, Liz, a veterinarian living in Georgia. Liz has a heart for all things animals and was planning a winter wedding. She first ordered a Birds Nest necklace for herself to wear for her engagement photo session!

Liz reported that the necklace received so many compliments from her friends that she decided to custom order them for all the gals included in her wedding (including a lime green egg)!

Not only that, but she also commissioned Bead Up to create her wedding jewelry! The instructions were simple: a necklace and bracelet set for herself and necklaces for her bridesmaids in gold, champagne, and taupe colors to match her champagne-colored dress. Working together, we agreed on pearls and crystals on gold wire for both the bride and her maids. After ordering the supplies, we finally had these (I especially love the filigree clasps!):

(click on the photo for a better close up)

And not only that, but Liz's mom wanted some jewelry for herself, too! She commissioned me to make a broach, which I admittedly had never done before, but since I am always up for a good challenge, I tried it out and made this set (a sewn combination of Swarovski crystals under taupe-colored pearls with matching earrings on brass findings):

Put it all together and you have one lovely bride and M-ot-B

(with her broach worn on her collarbone)!

Liz was kind enough to share some of the professional shots from the big day:

Thanks again for being such a great customer, Liz!

Second winter wedding belonged to my sorority sister, Alwynn. This crazy lady and I have many stories from our college days which, well, let's just say that they are confidential ;) Alwynn was planning a January wedding in blues and silver and wanted some bridesmaids jewelry to match. She literally said: "Christyn, just go for it. I trust your judgment." Sweet! Her invitation was beautiful and a great source of inspiration:

Hoping to incorporate the swirls, navy and light blue, creamy white and silver, I used Swarovski, gemstones, and pearls to come up with these:

(top bracelet is a little something something I threw in for the bride herself!)

Each bracelet and earring set were unique, and of course finished with a little heart clasp. Photos from Alwynn's big day to follow!

Congrats again, Liz and Alwynn :)

Weddings: Fall, Y'all!

2011-01-11T20:32:00.000-06:00

Though Bead Up has been MIA on the blog scene, she's been making up for it by being equally and steadily busy making custom creations! (And I do apologize for being blog MIA - it's not you, it's me)! I hope to fill you in little by little with recaps of some custom pieces and wedding ensembles -- here's the first of hopefully many!
You know how in Project Runway the contestants are often given a client-based challenge, but afterwards chastised for not incorporating enough of their own "voice" into the final design? I will admit, this is often the case when I create wedding jewelry - I do what the bride asks and often tone down the Bead Up flair so as to keep it wedding respectable.
But when my dear friend and sorority sister Regan asked that I not only make her wedding jewelry, but also consulted for my Bead Up design itself, I knew this would be a different kind of wedding job :) Regan started with the basics: she planned to wear a white wedding dress but wanted to accessorize with dark greys and charcoals with a bracelet, earrings, and a broach. After a few more series of questions, we agreed that making a dangly charm-crystal bracelet of sorts would be great, but an exaggerated one would be even better! Though as for the broach - she was leading that all up to me! Lastly, she asked for some matching dangle earrings - but not dainty bridal... funky bridal! LOVE IT. So, after showing Regan some hues of crystals and findings, we agreed on these:

I have never purchased so many crystals for one piece of jewelry in my life! You can also see the materials I bought for the broach at the 3 o'clock of the photo. I am not going to lie - I had never made a broach before, but I love a good challenge. So I finally found a random pin holder thing, and along with some unique oversized Swarovski crystals and floral wire, I twisted and tied up this:

And when I applied the base to the form, we had this:

Next was making the charm dangle bracelet. I wire wrapped over 200 Swarovski crystals and, one-by-one, bound them to a gun-metal chain. I loved how the crystals reflected the sunlight!

After 200 rounds of measuring, clipping, wire wrapping, applying, and arranging, we had this bracelet!

I sent Regan a photo of the earrings as seen above, though we both agreed that they needed a little "umph!" So...!

Regan's was the first wedding I was able to physically attend this year (that whole moving across the country thing got in the way of traveling across the country again)... and best of all - she got married in the exact same Garden Court where my hubs and I married nearly three years ago! It was a great "homecoming!" As for the jewelry, the trio was the perfect finishing touch to the already perfectly beautiful bride!

http://www.angiewilsonphotography.com/

She and Matt looked so chic and modernly romantic!

And though I had a hard time initially conceptualizing the dark grey accents to this wedding outfit...

That not only did it match the men's color pallet...

But it even matched Regan's shoes! PERFECT combo!

http://www.angiewilsonphotography.com/

Oh, and let's not forget the Bridesmaids (and many of my other sorority sisters)!

...which were a combination of some gold leaf charms from LA's jewelry district and small orange crystals (which included a clip-on version, too!).

...which, I must say, went very well with the orange fall leaf theme. Who would have known it would have gone so well with the dark grey?

And when I wasn't helping with the jewelry at the wedding, I was busy taking photos of the guests at the photo booth! Regan's wedding was so well planned and Bead Up is still thrilled to have been a part of it. Thank you for including me, Matt and Regan - you are loved!

Thanksgiving SALE!

2010-11-25T08:07:00.007-06:00

Hello my beautiful Bead Up lovies! Lots has been going on in the Bead Up world -- new job, new house, and most recently, a trip to Israel. I have tons of pictures to share with you, both of the Holy Land and also of all the things Bead Up has been working on, but in the meantime, the most exciting news:

That's right! The whole Bead Up shop is having a sale! FREE SHIPPING STOREWIDE!

And that's not all! Etsy has added a new "coupon" feature - which means that Bead Up can offer discounts through special codes! So for you, Bead Up buddies, enter the code "THANKSGIVING10" to any order, you get free shipping AND 10% off your order! Wow-wee! Good through Cyber Monday - so get it while it's hot!

Here's a sneak peek at the new items in the shop:

Pink, Blue, and Black Chrysanthemum Bobby Pins

Emerald Crystal Duo Bracelets

Abstract Rose Gemstone Wire Wrapped Necklace

Purple Pearl Heart Bracelet

Large Turquoise Beaded Bracelet

Chrysanthemum Cabochon Ring Trio Set

Golden Crystal Glamour Bracelet

Tri-Layered Turquoise Beaded Bracelet

Don't forget to add coupon code "Thanksgiving10" to your oder for an extra discount!

Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!

Giveaway!

2010-09-26T17:11:00.000-05:00

It seems like every time I have a jewelry party I totally crash afterwards. After 3 months of non-stop jewelry making, and weeks of building up for the party, a large sigh of relief often takes shape in not opening my craft room door for several days. Unfortunately, add to that starting a new job where I work 30-hour shifts weekly (hospital chaplain = love it, hate the hours) and suddenly making jewelry isn't so relieving anymore. So I inquire of you, friends: How do you balance your personal and your work life? How do you find energy when you come home from a draining day? As of late all I can do on the weekends is nap and maybe watch TV to decompress. Not fun! So, Bead Up buddies, my apologies for being so MIA lately. I have lots of new items to add to Etsy and custom pieces I have made here and there to share with you - which will happen - as soon as I can figure this balancing act out!

Meanwhile, Bead Up is co-sponsoring a GIVEAWAY! My sorority sister Kari of 2DogsAndABlog is giving away one of my dainty necklaces!

Click here to enter -- but hurry! The giveaway ends on the 27th!

Cupcakes, Cocktails, and Creations Party Photo Recap

2010-08-29T18:19:00.000-05:00

Well, another Cupcakes, Cocktails, and Creations party has come and gone. It's kind of weird reflecting that it's already behind me when for so long I have been looking forward to it. Overall, the party was a very fun and energetic time. Between myself, my friend Kay who sold her fabric creations, my friend Janice who sold embroidery items, my friend Sherri who offered $5 massages and paraffin hand waxing, my cupcake server Lennea and my husband and friend Darryl who served as our in-house bartenders, we delivered a larger than life party to over 60 people! Here is a photo-recap!

Lurking deep in our basement was a party ready to happen!

There was much to do with an unfinished basement that looked like this:

But after awhile we managed to make it look like this:

Getting everything organized was harder than it may look, as it included placing items in terms of genre or price and then adding price tags to each one. Thankfully I had a great husband who was willing to loop each annoying little tag onto each piece of jewelry, my least favorite part!

The husband and I made this pink screen display thing by hand. More on that in an upcoming blog post!

This was a re-furbished Salvation Army find. More on that in the same upcoming blog post, too :)

I sold-out of these super fun Tiffany's inspired bracelets :)

I put my mom to work while she was in town and had her paint this sign from Vistaprint - got it for free but didn't like how small the fonts they offered appeared - so decided to paint it on by hand!

This was the earring rack that I bought for less than a dollar at Salvation Army and spiced up!

Another Salvation Army find -- more on this creation in a following post!

A Bead Up first - DIY earrings kits!

Bead Up Check out ;)

And once Kay's "Kreative Musings" table was up, and Janice's embroidery table was set (which I didn't get a chance to photograph - oops!), we were ready for business!

And what is a Cupcake party without... cupcakes?! Right before the party started, I iced the Oreo cupcakes with whipped topping, white icing, and crushed Oreo's!

And did the same for the Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes -- whipped topping, white frosting, lemon peels, lemon flavoring and yellow food coloring!

And Kay brought Red Velvet cupcakes:

And Lemon Drop cupcakes!

And of course there were drinks, too!

...And massages!...

...And hand-waxing!...

...And my lovely bartenders - my hubs on the left and our doggie-sitting friend Darrel.

The key to a successful party is in the details:

Haha - I couldn't' resist using this hilarious ribbon! Too random!

Though I start my new job tomorrow, I am going to do my best to list as many products as I can to Etsy within the next week or so. And am scheduled to show in a church fair and also a charity event next month - game on! Wouldn't want it any other way! Thanks again for everyone for another successful party!

Party Time and Giveaway Winner!

2010-08-27T10:08:00.000-05:00

My Second Annual Cupcakes, Cocktails, and Creations Party is TOMORROW! Yee-haw! We have been preparing for the better part of 2 months now (literally) and there is lots to do around the house today -- you can tell a party is about to happen because I have all kinds of signs on the walls and the house is actually clean ;) Here is a sneak peak:

(the party is in the basement, so there are signs all over the house directing people to the bathroom, the kitchen, and the massage room!)

Flavors will be according to their wrapper (or lack thereof) - 4 kids and lots of toppings from which to choose!

My mom painted this while she was in town - it will go in front of the house with balloons!

Love my gift wrapping a' la Chinese to-go boxes! Thanks to the hubby for putting them all together!

The craft room is a mess.

And of course...

... the house smells like cupcakes!

So here's to another great party! Hopefully I will be able to blog about it shortly after it happens - I start my new job as a hospital chaplain on Monday and have no clue what "free time" will look like thereafter!

Also, thanks to everyone who entered my 2nd Etsy Anniversary giveaway! The post generated my highest turnout yet - over 160 entries! After using Random Number Generator, the winner is #87 - Sherry! Congrats Sherry and thanks to everyone who entered and shared your thoughts on my shop - they are much appreciated!

2 years on Etsy = GIVEAWAY!!

2010-08-19T19:04:00.000-05:00

Today marks Bead Up's 2-year anniversary of selling on Etsy! Though is may sound cliche, it is REALLY hard to believe that I have been selling jewelry for 2 years now. I can only imagine the crazy huge amounts of free-time I had before embarking in this very full-time hobby!

The journey hasn't always been metal roses and birds nests, however. Though I technically opened my shop for business on August 19, 2008, I initially only put up a measly 2 items for sale: a glasses lanyard and these green earrings, made of pearls I bought in China. And though I posted them for sale in August, it took me over 2 months to make my first sale (of said green earrings)! I was SO thrilled that the earrings finally sold that I still have the little "thank you" note the buyer sent with her payment (before the days of Paypal)! And come to think of it, my mom is the only one who has ever "bought" the glasses lanyard. Figures!

Now, 2 years and 200 sales later, I am thrilled to say that I consider my work on Etsy both fulfilling and successful, if you will. Though my sales aren't in the thousands, my ratings are a unanimous 100% satisfaction, which is one of the few things I take great pride in :) Add that to the hundreds (literally, hundreds) of sales I have made in person and off of Etsy, plus that one order of 200 custom necklaces from earlier this summer, and you have an average of about an item sold a day. I like those odds.

So with that, my faithful Bead Up readers, I can only thank you for all the support you have provided me -- whether it is through actual sales or your comments here on this blog. There are few things in life that make me feel like I am using my talents wisely, and with your help, this happens to be one of them :)

And what is a proper "thank you" without a GIVEAWAY? Bead Up is offering her most valuable - and most popular - giveaway yet: A Wire-Wrapped Birds Nest Necklace! Choose from the classic:

Or the twist:

Or the yet-to-be-released, twist on a classic!

To enter: just leave a comment on this blog post listing your favorite item in Bead Up's shop - the Fall Line is growing in numbers and I would love to hear what you do (or don't!) like!
For additional entries: "like" Bead Up on Facebook, "favorite" Bead Up on Etsy, or follow this blog (please leave an additional comment for each extra entry you make)!
Oh, and don't forget to include your e-mail address too so I can tell you when you have won! Giveaway will end on August 26th :)

Here's to another 2x200 years of Etsy-ing!

DIY::Salvaged Finds Turned To Jewelry Displays::PART 1

2010-08-18T07:52:00.001-05:00

I have always been a Goodwill Stores kind of a gal. Even when I find something there that I don't need but see the $.49 price tag attached, I always seem to be able to justify the purchase. This was no exception when trying to think up new and useful ways to display my jewelry for my upcoming party.

I have spent some of my recent free time getting to know my new neighborhood, which includes the local stores and dives. While rummaging around a Salvation Army store in town, I shopped this little guy:

I immediately knew what I could do with it, and $.98 later it was mine! So after adding some black paper to it's back to give it less of a meshy look, I looked around my craft room to get some ideas of how to spruce the thing up. I knew just the remedy: paper flowers and brads!

So a few floral arrangements later...

And after adding some earrings, too...

We have this:

So, for less than $1 or so, I have a perfectly lovely earring holder. The paper holder also came with a magnet, which I think I will use to label the price for the earrings during the jewelry party. What do you think?

Next on my list was to find a means to hang some longer necklaces I recently made for the jewelry party. I remembered that I had some old cork boards we were saving to put up next to our dart board in the basement. Who needs darts when you have lots of jewelry to display? So I pulled them, and some old gift wrap, out of storage...

Turns out the cork boards (which we originally found in a free pile of stuff back in Berkeley) have warped pretty harshly over time, so they needed to be covered STAT!...

After cutting the paper and taping it's edges down...

I added some torn paper around the border to give it some color, as well as a random flower I found laying the craft room. And VOILA!

In fact, I used the rest of the torn pink paper to create it's counterpart:

I especially love the floral details:

Though am not a huge fan of the only interesting push pins I could find in town - where can I get some cute silver matte pins without spending a fortune?

Up next - how I turned a $.48 find into a necklace and earrings holder, plus a new use for an old lamp!

Poke, string, knot, glue = DIY Fabric Beads! PART 2

2010-08-09T08:49:00.000-05:00

Last week I blogged about how I painted and made some of my very own fabric beads (and was thrilled with the response the post got, too!). But painting and glueing was only the half of it! Once I started making the beads, I was unstoppable and kept finding new and different ways to use fabric already on hand and unconventional items from the craft store!

After painting my own beads, I started looking through my fabric vault (aka big ole' tupperware storage bin) to see what else I could come up with. Though I had purchased some super rad polka-dot Amy Butler fabric back in LA in order to make a pillow, I figured I could sacrifice a little bit for the cause. After cutting the fabric down to 1x3" strips, I needed a new venue on which to plaster the fabric (in other words - a cheap form of a bead)! After searching up and down the aisles of Michael's, I think I found the perfect (and cheap!) solution: Styrofoam Balls!

So with my styfoam balls in hand and fabric Mod Podge ready to go, I just now needed a way to make the hole and hold the bead while putting on the fabric. Of course - chopsticks!

I first glued a strip around the bead long ways:

Then finished with two more strips that went diagonally along the holes on either side. And Voila! A bead!

After pairing them with some more fabric-wrapped ugly disco ball beads and some brown wooden beads, I topped the necklace off with some pink ribbon and had this:

Amy Butler Fabric and Wooden Beaded necklace with Pink Ribbon, $20

But what's a necklace without a matching bracelet, no?

Amy Butler "Love" Polka Dot Fabric Bracelet, $10

I might just keep this one.

And of course I didn't stop there (and in fact, I hope to make many more of these items... I love 'em)! I was also determined to make something with this random piece of scarf-like fabric I bought for $.50 in LA awhile back:

After cutting a piece of fabric that measured about 3"x1", I got my styrofoam balls back out and went at it:

And knotted and wrapped the fabric around the balls:

And came up with this thing-a-ma-bobber:

I will admit, the turnout of this necklace is now exactly what I had hoped for. It's quite stiff and down's hang all that nicely at the bust. My fabric was too wide and not long enough - I would have liked to make more knots and added more beads but ran out of length, plus I don't like how much fabric hangs from the sides. It's for all these reasons why this item isn't on Etsy yet - I am not 100% behind it. I do, however, plan to show it as an example at my jewelry party in a few weeks and see what kind of feedback I get on it and go from there. Though I love Etsy, using the internet to sell certain kinds of jewelry takes away the touch and feel dimension that is often so crucial to a good purchase!

Then I figured - if I could use fabric, why not use ribbon, too? After looking through my ribbon stash, I found this rad yarn-like stuff and paired it with some wooden-disc beads that I salvaged from an Anthropologie necklace I bought on sale years ago:

(Needless to say, I totally ruined my manicure with all my glue-use!)

Which resulted in these (the one on the right is actually made of fabric I painted blue):

And then this:

Again, I didn't put this item on Etsy yet because I am not totally settled with it. Maybe I am waiting for a perfect component piece to come my way. Maybe I am waiting for a better idea for their final use. Maybe I am just too stubborn to list them yet! This will be another item that will debut at the jewelry party in hopes of some constructive criticism. Ah, and artist's work is never done.

Next up - how I used random stuff found at Goodwill to create one-of-a-kind jewelry displays for the party! Keep posted :)

Paint, Stamp, Cut, Glue, Wrap = DIY Fabric Beads! PART 1

2010-08-04T10:30:00.000-05:00

I love beads. And I love fashion. Which means I love fabric. I also love painting. And I really love Mod Podge. I am not sure why it took me so long to put it all together. I present to you - FABRIC BEADS!

In attempt to make the most unique, and most Bead Up-worthy beads out there, I figured I would start with painting/stamping my own fabric. I started with very plain, white cotton fabric and used one of my scrapbook stamps with Chinese characters on it and stamped away (I was going for the newspaper print look):

Then I painted half of the white fabric with some very bright lime green fabric paint and stamped away there, too (and let me tell ya, that stamp with all it's individual grooves was a *&^%$ to clean!):

And while I had the fabric and all, I needed somewhere to glue it all on! Though I could technically wrap the fabric around a form (like a straw, for example) and glue the heck out of it, I knew such a method wouldn't produce a big and bold look I was going for. After searching all around Michael's, I finally spotted some big ole' wooden round beads in the wooden doll section. I also found exactly what I hoped would exist but wasn't sure it did: Fabric Mod Podge!

Next, I cut the green fabric in small pieces and glued the back of each strip:

And slowly but surely I came up with this:

Since I only had 4 of the big wooden beads, I needed another form of sorts to wrap the bead around. Rather than running back to the store, I remembered this semi-ugly set of beads from a torn-up plastic necklace I bought at the Studio Sale at Warner Brothers last year (which I have used in a piece before):

And after wrapping and gluing the fabric around the plastic and the wooden beads, I had these:

Which lead to this:

Chinese fabric, Cinnabar, Coral, and Agate Necklace, $25

And this:

Chinese Fabric, Cinnabar, and Agate Necklace, $30

And this:

Chinese Cinnabar and Fabric Hanzi Bracelet, $16

And I totally didn't stop there. In fact, I made all kind of additional fabric necklaces and beads... but you'll just have to wait until the next post to see 'em (or you can check out my Etsy shop and take a peek in the meantime)!

From Kids Earrings to Sophisticated Necklaces to Wedding Jewelry...

2010-07-27T10:30:00.000-05:00

Knowing that I start work in a little over a month (I AM LOVING THIS SUMMER-off STUFF!), I have been spending whatever minute I am not busy at church or with the house on, you guessed it, making jewelry :) Ah, this is the life. Where to being?

A few weeks ago a girl from my church was wearing some super cute earrings. I told her that I liked them... her mom told me that she loves wearing glamorous earrings... but not the price tag. I told them I could teach her how to make them herself for free. Next think you knew, I had two 11-year old gals (the first brought a friend) and her mom at my kitchen table ready to learn! Making dangle earrings really is quite easy (and after this whole teaching lesson I am going to make a tutorial and start selling DIY earrings kits for kids - not sure why I didn't think of that before!), and these kids (and adult) got it with little instruction! Here is what they created in less than 2 hours!:

Needless to say, I was quite proud :)

Next on the list was several sets of bridal jewelry. Someone contacted me on Etsy awhile back and asked if I could make several sets of my pearl ball necklaces with matching earrings, though change up the color a bit to include white pearl ball rather than a salmon one. Consider it done!

After I sent Laura her earrings and necklaces (I threw in a set for the bride, too!), she wrote:
"I just got them- they are beautiful!!!!!! I love how everything turned out- thank you so much!! Thank you for including an extra for myself :) I put it on immediately haha (figure it has to go away till the wedding, but couldn't help myself)- they are so beautiful!!! Thank you so much for working with me on this- was a pleasure!! :) would def recommend to anyone who asks. Thanks again!!!!!!"

I also got a last-minute phone call from a few friends at church stating the need for a mother-of-the-bride necklace for a wedding a few days away! The gals brought the dress that the MOtB planned to wear and we collaborated to make a necklace/earring set of pearls and crystals - my favorite! Best of all, I spotted the MOtB at church the next weekend wearing the pearl and crystal earrings with white jeans and a blue shirt - it was an unexpected match made in heaven! I have since duplicated and posted the earrings on Etsy - thanks for the inspiration, ladies!

Last but most certainly NOT least, one of my most favorite customers turned dear friend (whom we met via this blog, actually!) commissioned me to make a necklace with a rather unique source of inspiration - the colors and art she plans to use for her baby's nursery! Nilsa plans to wear the necklace at her maternity photo shoot in a few weeks, and asked that we focus on turquoise, lime, and orange based on these pieces of art she is loving from Etsy (check out Nilsa's blog for the link to each piece!):

Focusing on the vibrant orange, turquoise, and lime color scheme Nilsa requested, I started by sending her a picture of some beads I had on hand that might work:

From there we agreed on these beads:

Now for the actual layout. I had some lofty ideas for this project, but after a few failed attempts, I knew I could easily do something like this as seen on Michael's.com:

Nilsa and I agreed on making the necklace 3-strands and measuring right above the bust... so I went to work and sent her these pictures along the way to make sure we were on the same page:

After getting her OK, I finished the wire strands off and put it all together on the toggle clasp!

This project was a great way to use some of the more upscale beads I have been collecting but too afraid to use up :) The turquoise, jade, and crystal beads make for one mighty fine statement necklace, if you ask me, and it's not made of plastic! Can't wait to see your maternity shots, Nilsa! Congrats on your pregnancy and thanks for allowing me to be a part of the celebration!

Oh, and I almost forgot. Bead Up has some VERY exciting news! Not only am I now an official business in the State of Missouri (it only took me 2 hours total to get it done - amen for the Midwest!), but I have set a date for the Second Annual Cupcakes, Cocktails, and Creations party! I have been working with local artists and bakers to get some other vendors in on the party, which will be held in my house (again, hooray for Midwest suburban super sizes!). Buckle up, Kansas City, and start saving your spare change!

So save the date for August 28th from 2-5! I couldn't be more excited!

When Fabric gets in the mix...

2010-07-19T10:30:00.000-05:00

Lately I have been a bit obsessed with textiles. First I have been a little more vicious in incorporating fabric in my jewelry, as seen in this week's new products:

Golden Bohemian Wooden and Fabric necklace, $17

White crystal with blue ribbon and silver broach necklace, $19

Green Gemstone, Wooden Beads, and Purple Ribbon necklace, $23

Party in Pink Faux Pearl and Pink Ribbon necklace, $12

Disco brown ball and lime green necklace, $17

Wooden Beads and Purple Ribbon necklace, $20

And my favorite, this little tulle necklace inspired by some random socialite I saw online

(more on that later this month):

Gold netting and purple pearls necklace, $19

In fact, you can count on more fabric jewelry coming your way - I just signed up for a FABRIC BEAD-MAKING class at the Art Institute here in town and can't wait! (In fact, can I just start my life over and be a professional art student - man all the classes that are offered are SO tempting!).
Meanwhile, I have been working with the fabric I bought in the garment district in LA, starting with some much-needed curtains for my craft room. I didn't really go into the project with a plan, but one day I was rummaging through my random fabric collection and was reminded of a very random piece of long remnant fabric I bought at a $1/pound store:

Amy Butler "Woodfern Kakhi," though I found it for a ridiculously cheap $.75, you can also find it here on Etsy :)

The fabric was basically being asked to be transformed into curtains - it was literally 5" long and about a 2" wide! I simply folded the fabric long ways, cut it in half, and skipped the sewing machine all together and just pinned the top over on itself to make a little loop for the curtain rod. Voila!

But I had this little lowly piece left:

Which I of course didn't want to go to waste. I had just the solution - a wrist pincushion! Thing was, I had no clue how to make such a thing. Here goes nothing...!

I knew I needed a base so as to prevent the pins from hitting my wrist when worn. The base would also function as the shape for the thing. So I started glue-sticking the fabric on the cardboard...

Then sewed it on to double reinforce it...

And then crammed some stuffing that was left over from my previous pillow project and sewed it shut...

Next was the wrist strap... I used some trim from some other Amy Butler fabric that will be used in a future pillow project (as seen here). First I turned it inside out and sewed it down the side...

Turning it back inside out was the hardest part since it was so thin, and once I figured it out, sewing the fabric together with a stretched elastic piece inside was even harder. Man, I have a WHOLE new respect for those scrunchies that were OH SO popular in the 80's!

Next I sewed the wrist band to the stuffed topper thing...

And had me a brand new pincushion wristlet!

On that note, if you dig fabric crafts, do check out my friend Linsday's new Etsy shop and her GIVEAWAY with Etsy It Up! Let's wish her well, y'all!

Earring :: Ideas :: Inspiration

2010-07-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

Poet and feminist Audre Loude once said: "There are no new ideas. There are only new ways of making them felt." I have heard this said before of any art form, that there is no "new" art, only reinterpretations of ideas already established. Think about going to a museum, be it modern or antiquity. Have you ever left feeling a deep impulse to just create? Something, anything -- so long as you get your say in the process of making something out of something else. I guess it's the same for those who watch sports and then feel motivated to go to the gym (said activity does not have an effect on me, unfortunately).

That said, one of my main source of jewelry ideas is spending time in the jewelry department of stores such as Target and Macy's or browsing them online. I have been known to get lost in the sea of Etsy products and sketch some ideas from there, too. This past week I found some super cute earrings at Target and, with the new stash of jewels from LA's jewelry district, one pair lead to two pairs lead to seven new pairs of earrings:

This is the original from Target, priced at $40:

And here is the Bead Up version, priced at $19:

Amethyst, Agate, Pearl, and Crystal earrings, $19

But then I figured, why stop at gold? Silver rocks, too!

Pink and Pearl Earrings, $18

Then I saw these earrings, originally from Anthropology but no longer on their site:

Which turned into my interpretation (based on the materials I had on hand, of course):

Pink Crystal Drop earrings, $19

And these Anthropology earrings:

Turned into these Bead Up earrings:

Pink Briolette Earrings, $20

Then I just kept going!

Gold and Leaf Gemstone Earrings, $20

Cerulean Blue and Gold Hammered Hoop Earrings, $16

Bridal Pearl and Crystal Earrings, $17

And while I was at it, I remembered a sketch I had drawn last week based on a design I saw in a bead magazine:

Which turned into this -- a new spin on an old classic!

Brass Birdie Goes to its Nest Necklace - Turquoise

I think this is the most productive jewelry makin' day I have had in awhile!

Here's to another one!

Beads+Pillows=Love

2010-07-09T10:30:00.000-05:00

The function of a bead can be limited to a small decoration on a bracelet or as vast as a MacGyver vessel of escape (come one, why not?). Locking yourself in a craft room with jewelry, scrapbook, sewing, and photography supplies can be, well, an interesting combination!

When the Hubs and I moved into our new house I was dead set on figuring one thing out first: our color schemes. While most of our house is black, white, and red (homage and continuation of our wedding celebration), I was ready to re-vamp our bedroom colors from bold magenta and gold to a more inviting and sedate color combination. While reading a magazine provided by my gal Cheryl on the drive from Los Angeles to Missouri, I spotted this:

Though pastel-type of colors usually aren't my thing, I for some reason fell in love with this pallet. We started with painting one of our bedroom walls a beautiful light purple to match the scheme (well, I actually never lifted a brush -- I threw a Paint Party and a dozen people from church did all the work before I even got a chance to leave the kitchen!). Next was the accents... I knew that I wanted to make a headboard out of a lime/mint greenish fabric (more on that once it's actually done), and that I wanted to also coordinate with some beige colored Chinese lampshades and a dark purple of sorts. I shopped all around for some kind of dark purple/floral/bold accent pillow with no luck. So what's a girl to do? Make one herself, of course!

When shopping in the jewelry/garment district when we were back in LA for the Hub's ordination, I looked everywhere for some kind of tweed/thick deep purple fabric. When I couldn't find any, the $2.50/yard plain cotton won simply due to it's color. And that fact that I have next-to-zero sewing skills and I figured such fabric would be gentle on this beginner!

In my mind, I had envisioned a 3-D floral pillow, with a swirl of ruffles revolving across the whole front of a 16x16" or so throw pillow. Other than that, I had NO set measurements/instructions/etc. Just me, my scissors, and my sewing machine! Needless to say, I used less than sophisticated tools:

I knew I wanted to add ruffled-petals of sorts in a circular pattern to the pillow, but I didn't really have much of a game-plan other than just playing with the fabric and going from there! I first used the "schrunchie" method of loosely sewing thread into one side of panels of fabric then pulling the thread to bunch the fabric together...

Then, and most time-consuming, came pinning on the ruffled fabric to the pillow case front panel, using the bowl-drawn circles as a guide:

Then I sewed on layer-upon-layer of the stuff...

Until the ruffles were done... but with to do with the middle?

I searched all over my house for a flower broach I had purchased a few years back for the wedding to no avail. Then it hit me - and it should have hit me sooner - BEADS!

After sewing seven light purple crystal beads in the center, we had our pillow front. Now was the most interesting part - watching me try to measure and figure out how to most strategically sew on the back panel while also leaving room (an exact amount of room, actually) for the pillow stuffer (16x16") I bought for the inside. I am sure there is science to this, but my organic method left me literally staring at my deconstructed pillow for a solid 30 minutes before I just went for it... after sewing 3 sides of the pillow on the machine, turning it right side out, stuffing the stuffer inside, then hand sewing the bottom side (all while watching The Office on my computer), I got this:

Totally not what I had originally envisioned, and in all honesty it is a bit frillier than I prefer... but dag-namit, I made it with no instructions, no forms, and literally no experience on a sewing machine! I love it! AND - it looks great with the colors I already have going on in the bedroom!

When I showed it my Hubs, he said "Oh cool! You made a pillow that looks like the top of a cupcake!" Wow - didn't see that one coming. If we are going with cupcake analogies, I think it looks more like the paper wrapping once it is off of a cupcake. Whatever you want to call it - cupcake, flower, beaded pillow - I dig how it seems to POP in our newly painted bedroom! (Oh, and that fabric hanging on the wall is the fabric I hope to use for a headboard... eventually!).

I figured that while I was at it, I might as well keep on sewing - I was on a roll (even though this purple pillow took me the better half of a whole non-stop day)! When I was at Michael Levine's in Los Angeles searching for this purple fabric, I also spotted this:

Now, I am not typically a fantasy/comic/children's art kind of a connoisseur, but I have some dear friends to whom I owed a huge thank you gift and with whom we have a running gnome joke... so this fabric was just begging to be purchased! With a few cuts, snips, and another intimate getting-to-know-you session with my sewing machine, I came up with this:

And even used the left-over fabric to make a coordinating card!

Whew! So I guess this is what happens when you have sewing, scrapbooking, beading, and photography supplies all in the same craft room! But I better get back to it -- I have to make jewelry for three weddings, enough jewelry for my annual fall show, and a whole house to decorate before the summer is over! More next week!

Stocking up at the LA Jewelry District!

2010-07-02T12:52:00.000-05:00

Knowing it would be one of my last times in LA for awhile, I made SEVERAL trips to the jewelry district to stock up for my Fall Line and whatever is to follow thereafter! I went a month before we moved and stocked up... but then went back a few weeks later and stocked up again... and after making the 200 necklaces sale, I went back when I was in town one last time and fully stocked up - again! That makes 3 full stock up trips - which resulted in these:

::ah!::

::pearls!::

::and gemstones!::

::and turquoise!::

::and crystals!::

::and findings - oh my!::

In addition to stocking up on jewelry for my fall line, moving cross country, planning my hub's ordination, and making those 200 necklaces I mentioned last week, I made sure I didn't forget one of the most important tasks on my list -- an outfit (and coordination jewelry!) for myself to wear to the ordination event! I found a chic pink dress with a high collar early long before the event and the move (on sale at Macy's!), and topped it off with my hub's black tie as a sash and some CUTE Steve Madden shoes! I knew I needed to make a fun and bold necklace to coordinate. During one of my many re-stocking trips downtown, I spotted some pearls and immediately knew what to do... here is the final outfit! (Sorry that picture to the right is ghetto-tastic, it's the only one I have of the whole outfit)!

Sue's necklace looks like mine - because I custom made it for her last year!

And on a final note, I finally got a job here in KC! I will be serving as a chaplain at a large Trauma Level 1 hospital downtown - and the best part is that it doesn't start until September! Which means I have between now and then to totally tackle all these supplies I have accumulated and make a killer Fall Line! Yeehaw! Here are a few previews of the line, in a semi-4th of July fashion!

Yee-haw Cowgirl It Up necklace on Etsy

The Chuck: All-Star necklace on Etsy

Happy 4th of July!

200 custom made-to-order necklaces in 5 days!

2010-06-24T10:30:00.000-05:00

It goes without saying that, by the looks of my blog, I have been quite MIA. Ask my craft room and new home in Kansas city if I have been MIA and they would give you a quite different answer! A few days before my husband and I packed up the car to move from Los Angeles to Kansas City, I got an e-mail from someone on Etsy asking if I could create 30 copies of my "Hope" necklace for a graduation her institution was hosting. Wow - 30! That was perhaps my largest order to date! Though I knew I wouldn't be able to make 30 of the exact same necklace, I searched around a found some comparable components and offered a wholesale price to the buyer. 30 soon turned into 50, and not only that, but the buyer wanted to substitute the pink bead for a purple trumpet bead. After adding trumpet beads to my to-buy list for the project, the buyer asked that we up the number of necklaces again to 100! WOWZA! I frantically tried to find the chain and charms that I needed, and as I was on the road to my new home, the buyer asked for 200 necklaces! HOLY JUNK! Sign me up - I think?!

So in addition to trying to move into my new home and prepare for a return trip to LA for the husband's ordination, I searched far and wide for the materials I needed to make these bad boys. In the past when I have made custom jewelry I have had little problem finding the amount of components I need. That was before I was looking for 200-800 of certain pieces. When I went to order 200 of the HOPE charms from one of my favorite sites, FusionBeads, turns out they only had 14 in stock. Ooooh. Next, when I went to order the heart charms I had offered to include on the necklaces, Artbeads only had 25 in stock. Hmmm. Next when I went to Michael's to buy 50 (yes, 50) packets of chain, they of course only had 3. So what's a girl to do? Whine to her husband and have him help! While I searched frantically online for other distributors of the Hope charms, the hubs called EVERY Michael's store in 3 counties and 2 states in and around Kansas City to see who had them in stock. I then spent a whole day driving around my new city and visited 5 Michael's stores within 3 hours - whew. Thankfully I found the bulk of what I needed, though had to settle on a few packets of chains in a slightly different style. AND my VistaPrint order of new business cards was not going to arrive before I needed them because, oh, did I mention that the buyer needed these all within 5 days?

The factory worker in me got to work with whatever I had in stock as I waited for the supplies I ordered online arrived. I first cut 200 18" strands from 50 packets of 4' chain and attached them each to spring rings from Artbeads (click on the link to read my review of the product).

Anxiously waiting daily for my supplies to arrive in the mail, I went to work on the purple trumpet beads that I bought on Etsy from Allthingsbeaded:

Each one needed special attention, so I lined them up and put a head pin in each. Of course they each needed to be trimmed,

And then curled...

The next day the Hope charms I ordered on from Fusion Beads and HipChickBeads came in the mail (thanks to a nudging call to the distributor by the hubs!)...

And finally, the day before I needed to mail the finished products (and the day before I was to fly back to California), the heart beads I ordered from Etsy seller CLBeads in Canada arrived - whew! That was close!

The buyer wanted 160 of the necklaces partially packaged so she could easily put them around the necks of the graduates at the ceremony. The hubs painstakingly punched, prepared, taped, and packaged each kit while I finished the necklaces until 2am that night. That's love, I guess!

So, 4 roles of tape,

5 internet orders,

5 Michael's store visits,

50 packets of chain,

200 spring rings,

200 Hope charms,

200 head pins,

200 business cards,

200 trumpet beads,

200 heart charms,

400 hole punches,

410 ziploc bags, and

800 jump rings later, we had these:

We rushed to the nearest Post Office (I had to google map it since I had yet to search out my local post office!) to mail the finished box of necklaces off to the buyer in Colorado. While in LA, I was thrilled to get an e-mail from her stating that she not only received them in time, but also loved them. Whew! I can sleep now!

So, there you have it folks - how Bead Up (and her husband!) made 200 necklaces in less than 5 days. Hope to do it again soon - no lyin!

I exist - I promise!

2010-06-10T10:30:00.000-05:00

It's been far too long since I have blogged, and I hate it :( I knew that moving cross-country was going to get in the way of my schedule and, more importantly, my Etsy-ing. Now that we have landed safely in Kansas City, things are starting to get back to normal... sort of! I have been super busy unpacking boxes, trying to find a job, and make this very new place feel like home. Furthermore, I am still working on details for my husband's ordination, which includes the programs for the service and also my necklace for my outfit!

But most interestingly, I have been working like crazy on my most massive Etsy order yet -- 200 custom necklaces! A few weeks ago, a gal messaged me on Etsy and asked if I could make 30 of my "Hope" necklace. I told her that I don't have 30 of any of the components in stock, though I could find something comparable. Well, 30 turned into 50, which turned into 100, which turned into 200! So I have spent the last week trying to find all the supplies on the internet and get them shipped promptly, since these are due next week! Good thing I am unemployed!

I will be back in touch soon - and with pictures of my 200 creations! Here we go!

Mystery Invitation Element: REVEALED!

2010-05-26T10:30:00.000-05:00

Last week I mentioned that although my jewelry making is slightly slurred now since we are packing up everything we own to move to Kansas City, I am still craftin' away. My husband is a pastor and will be getting ordained next month... which basically means a bunch of bishops will put their hands on his head and deem him a pastor. While that part doesn't necessarily thrill me, the task of making invitations to the event is what gets my blood pumpin! I am the kind of gal who likes to get elemental with my cards/invitations... our wedding invitations had brads, ribbons, and stamps! For this round of paper goods, I immediately knew what I wanted to use: can you guess what is it (hint: it smells)?

The answers I received from y'all were great and made me smile: braided hemp; lavender/dried flower; seaweed; and even old boot straps! I can see how this random item could be any of the above items... here is what it actually it:

FISHNET!

I searched and searched online to find some sort of small/thin net that I could use on these fishy invitations (made in such a way because many parables and events of Jesus' time involved fish/fishing, etc). I was totally overwhelmed with the choices online (you try looking for fishnet online and see what you come up with!), but also the limited large quantities in which I would have to purchase it! I finally looked at Michael's on a whim and voila! They had it -- and even better, I got to use a 50% off coupon, so I bought over 5 yards of this stuff for less than $5!

Next was figuring how out to get the fishnet on the actual card stock. I tried sewing it. Too time consuming and messy. So I tried gluesticks. Yeah right, too soft. I bought a stitching bug little thing and didn't even open the packing and admitted defeat preemptively. Finally someone mentioned a glue gun, and thankfully I hadn't yet packed up my long lost gluing friend and she and I went to work! Cutting the net was the most time consuming, as I had to form it to fit each card and trim it over and over again. This stuff not only comes with an authentic smell (not sure if that's a good thing...?), but it is also very dirty and really browned up a new pair of rubber-gripped scissors I just bought. Oh, the things a girl will do for her husband.

While the husband cut the fish (which I designed and printed using my Mac, 120lb cardstock, and a color printer), I cut the net and glued it on. But we weren't done there -- we needed corresponding envelopes and return address labels! I found the brilliant blue envelopes at Action Envelope and accidentally ordered a size too small for the invitations, but figured I would just fold the invites in half and not make it any more complicated than it needed to be. After searching Etsy over and over for some kind of cute fish stamps/stickers for the return address sticker, I finally came across this super cute little stamp. I asked the seller, Butterflystamps, if I could possibly order the stamp in a 1/2" size and also in a 3" size. She was super great in getting back to me and custom making the stamps for me and within my timeline. I highly recommend her! (I will be using the 3" for the Ordination programs, which I will of course blog about when the time comes!). I bought some small blank return address labels from Staples and printed our new Kansas City address up on our printer and added a little accent of the fishy stamp to each one:

After buying some silver Sharpies, I went to town and labeled over 200 of these things!

Even my dog Ping wanted to join in. At first I thought it was cute:

Then I realized that she gave me no use of my arms and I couldn't get any work done!

But I wouldn't have it any other way!

So, there you have it! Mystery revealed! That said, I might be a little MIA over the next week -- we are moving in a few days and are driving to the midwest, so who knows when I will have internet access again! See you on the other side - ah!

Fashionably Friday: Sex and the City

2010-05-21T10:30:00.000-05:00

The highly anticipated Sex and the City 2 comes out next week. Though I am not necessarily a huge fan of the show (explaining why would require a whole blog in and of itself), I am going to see the movie on opening night with my gal pals from when I worked at Warner Brothers. I helped work on the music for the movie and will give you a bit of a teaser: a Hollywood legendary singer/actress makes a guest appearance at a wedding in the movie (though I am not telling you whose wedding - but there will be a wedding or two)!

Surely you haven't watched an episode of the show without thinking, "What the crap are they wearing?" Or, "Woah, where did they get that?" Though the clothing usually invokes such remarks, the jewelry always does it for me. Here are a few examples:

(Images are from the super cool website, emitations!)

Carrie is known for her over-the-top fashion statements. To me, it's usually hit-or-miss. Though I love the bracelet at bottom - how on earth would you type/write/do anything with your arm with that thing on? :)

Samantha loves to flaunt her, well... goods. Her jewelry is often exotic, like the above earrings, or very large, like her infamous flower ring.

Miranda is a little more modest when it comes to the extremist fashion of her gal pals, though I think the earring at bottom look a bit painful! Love both of the pieces at top, though!

Charlotte is my kind of girl when it comes to both wardrobe and jewelry. Look at Bead Up's similarities:

Pearl Balls, like the earrings at top.

Dainty necklaces, like the gold heart example.

Cluster bracelets, like my own wedding bracelet!

So, which Sex and the City character's jewelry speaks most to you?

I love you, Wednesdays: Kansas City

2010-05-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

So I can finally let the cat out of the bag as to why I have been SO MIA over the last few months. Long story short - I lost my job and my husband got a new job -- in Kansas City, Missouri. Which means that I can't argue that we stay in LA for my job since I don't currently have one... so I have to bite the bullet and move back to the midwest. Not going to lie, I am not too thrilled - not because it's the midwest (I grew up in Ohio/Kentucky), but because I really love living in Los Angeles. Especially because of all the amazing jewelry resources here in LA (which means I have several more trips to make to the jewelry district before we blow this popsicle stand in 2 weeks)!

That said, the hubs and I visited Kansas City a few weeks ago met the people at his job, found a house, and had some of the local fare (BBQ, mostly, which doesn't really do it for this vegetarian but I appreciate the sentiment!). Overall I am happy with the neighborhood in which we are moving and the people we met. I left thinking that Bead Up could do well in the area, and actually have some great changes in mind of what Bead Up will become with the move. We have actually been packing for several weeks now, though I of course have left my craft table out and am still making custom orders. I have not had the time nor energy to make new orders, however, and kind of grieve the fact that I never got to reveal a Spring/Summer line, though promise that I have TONS of stuff for an upcoming early Fall Line :)

So in honor of my upcoming, and random, move across the country, I dedicate this I Love You, Wednesday to the city of Kansas City!

SimplySeaJay, lovecalifornia

gallery32, crochetpatternsetc

TripleNerdScore, ChristopherBoswell

Oh, and as a side, I have been doing more than packing and doing custom orders... my husband is a pastor and is getting ordained next month (which is the ceremony where people become pastors -- much like a wedding for one, if you will). I have of course taking the task of making the invitations very seriously... can you guess what random element I am using on the invites? One hint: IT SMELLS!

Comment with your guess :)

Orphaned Earrings

2010-05-13T10:30:00.000-05:00

Over dinner in Berkeley with one of my bridesmaids a few weeks ago I was caught off guard. "Christyn," my gal Quinn said. "I have a Bead Up project for you." Quinn pulled out an old school jewelry bag and placed on the table 4 earrings. Not 2 pairs of earrings, but 4 separate, orphaned earrings. "So each of these has their own story. Each of them needs a reincarnation!" I was thrilled to take on the challenge, and saw it as a great venue for a new blog entry!

So here is what Quinn gave me:

And here is what came up with:

For this first necklace, Quinn said that the brass heart charm meant a lot to her as she bought it while living in Mexico. She asked that I add a red charm of sorts. I figured, why add one when you can add two?! How I love red coral.

Next was this super cute little gold squirrel and nut charm duo. I cut the nut part off of the bottom of the squirrel charm and filed it smooth, and came up with a cute little pairing. I didn't need to add anything else - it was already precious as-is!

Then was this rad brass octopus. What should go with an underwater creature? Well, a pearl of course!

Lastly was this precious little gold bird. This was actually from a pair of super cute earrings that Quinn had bought in Kansas... the little bird hung in between a gold ring as if it was in a cage or something. I have actually been playing with some of my own materials since I first saw these earrings to make something similar. Anyway, here is it's recreation!

Oh, and Quinn also gave me what was left of a plastic, yet totally realistic looking, amber necklace she bought abroad. Done and done!

So, do you have any orphaned earrings that need a second chance? Let me know and I would love to reincarnate them for you! Holla!

Made-to-Order Monday

2010-05-03T10:30:00.000-05:00

I promise I still exist. I hate that I have only had time to blog once a week. The Hubs and I have been traveling... and traveling... and traveling! But I have had some time to fill some custom orders!

The first is a continuation of my last post of custom graduation gifts for my sorority big, Katie :) In addition to making a coordinating necklace and bracelet set which I blogged about last week, Katie also asked me to make a necklace and bracelet for another cousin of hers who is also graduating soon. Katie instructed that her other cousin has strawberry blonde hair and enjoys wearing earth tones with gold and does like chunky, though not necessarily funky (though not necessarily chunky - opposite of the other necklace set!). I told Katie that I had just purchased some new gemstones in Arizona that I thought would do the trick - some of which were definitely chunky - as they were the shape and near size of a Milano cookie! Here was my layout:

Which, after some wire wrapping, lead to this:

Along with a bracelet to coordinate (NOT match!):

Katie was thrilled: "Oh, Christyn!! I LOVE THEM!!! Wow, they turned out nothing like I envisioned, and everything like I wanted, LOL!" Katie is happy = I am happy :)

Next I was asked by a high school classmate to make another necklace as a gift. Lindsay said: "After scouring Etsy for some sort of Confirmation necklace I thought you might be able to help me! My niece is getting confirmed soon and I am her Confirmation sponsor. I want to get her some sort of necklace and was thinking about engraving, but not sure if she would wear that all the time. I was hoping for some sort of silver cross/charm with maybe like a pearl and an initial T charm for "Taylor" -- possibly a dove if it's not too cluttered? I am thinking the simpler the better... because I would like for her to wear it often, but still have some meaning."

Lindsay and I exchanged several e-mails and I ideas before we decided to order a "T" charm from Artbeads and experiment with the necklace. I first added a cross, dove, pearl, and the T-shaped charm and on sterling silver chain and came up with this:

Lindsay and I both agreed that it was a little too much (how I love the word EDIT!) and we narrowed it down to this:

She said Taylor loved it, and was nice enough to send a picture of Taylor wearing her new necklace:

So, that's the latest! I will (hopefully) be back soon with more items from my Summer Line and maybe even more custom orders! Craft on!

Pearls a Plenty!

2010-04-26T10:00:00.000-05:00

I love me some pearls. Not only do I love wearing them, but I love creating with them because they are an affordable luxury. A few weeks ago when I was in Quartzsite, AZ I bought more pearls that I usually buy in China (in fact, I bought the kinds of pearls that up until then I had only ever found IN China)!
This first necklace in particular is inspired by the FIRST pearl necklace I ever made for myself. I bought these green pearls at "The Dirt Market" in Beijing in 2004 and, not knowing any better, strung them on fishing wire and a lame-o twist-it clasp. I love wearing it with another similar green necklace in layers (as seen here in a picture of me back in 2007 right before seeing Phantom on Broadway) :)

So here is the new and improved version, available on Etsy:

Purple Pearl Princess Necklace

I also bought some pearl balls, which I used to make necklaces back when I first opened my Etsy shop in 2008 - they sold so fast but I couldn't get more charms to re-stock them! Should have known I would find them in Quartzsite -- and in different colors!

Cream and Silver Pearl Cluster Necklace

Gold and Salmon Pearl Cluster Necklace

I also had some fun creating custom jewelry with pearls this week. My sorority Big, Katie, e-mailed awhile back asking for some custom jewelry as a gift for her cousin at her graduation. Katie said: "She likes purple and funky, though not really chunky... plus she has dark skin and dark hair, so a deep purple would really flatter her features." I suggested to Katie that I play with some of the deep purple pearls I bought last week, in addition to a stash of purple seed beads I have had sitting around the house. She and I agreed on a long necklace that could be wrapped around the neck and be worn long or short, in addition to a coordinating (not matching!) bracelet (aiming for funky but not chunky). Here is what I came up with:

(bracelet pays homage to one of my favorite bracelets to sell, though most time consuming to make, from when I first opened my shop)

And here is what Katie had to say:
"*MOUTH WIDE OPEN* Man, I love them!!! You have done an amazing job, Christyn. Seriously, these are sooooo gorgeous!!! I am thrilled with them-- I can't wait to give them to my high-style cousin. I think she is going to love them! I have to show these to my husband. They are awesome! Thank you soooooooo much!"

::pats self on back...!::

Katie also asked for a somewhat simple, single pearl necklace to go with the pearl earrings she wearing everyday. She said, "I really want a simple necklace that has a twist to it -- possibly a single pearl with wire wrapped around the top in a cone formation?" I thought and thought about how to go about making this, and finally sat myself down and went to town -- and on the first try came up with this...!

Katie liked it: "Ah! Score again.... geez, Christyn, you're good! I really like it a lot!!! Perfect for what I want-- everyday wear, with something a little special. I love that it's made by you and not something generic I picked up on sale at Kohls!"

I will be posting more custom creations later this week... in the meantime, I better get back to creating my Summer Line!

Fashionably Friday: Jewelry Holders

2010-04-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

Awhile back I asked readers to submit pictures or descriptions of how they store their jewelry (I mean, who can forget this amazing Barbie example?). The most basic answer, I found, was that some of you just kind of "throw" some of your jewelry in boxes or bowls. And while jewelry boxes are common, looks like they are more of a wish-list item than a reality, which has left some of your necklaces in a tangle :) Here is what you all had to say:

Linny said: "I keep my jewelry in a plain jane jewlery box. The hubs has been wanting to buy me one of those cool little double door closet like long jewerly boxes but I dont even think I have enough to put in there. Not gonna lie, I have been known to have to untangle a neclace or two for about an hour."

While Nilsa said: "Someday I'll be all grown up and get a real jewelry box. For now, I hang my necklaces on the back "bar" of a low bookshelf, throw earrings in a fancy bowl and throw my wedding rings in a different bowl (they get my very own version of special treatment)."

Karen admitted: "Well, my jewelry organization and storage would bore you to tears.....its all in little boxes, in a drawer. I haven't been wearing a ton of jewelry since having kidlets, but with my daughter big enough to not accidentally rip a piece off of me, I should start digging through there again!"

As a jewelry designer, Jewel Divas goes to great lengths to keep her collection neat and organized: "Currently I have each set in ziplock bags all lined up in two draws of my tallboy. It keeps them away from hairspray etc and stops them discolouring faster than they need to. I also have them colour coded and single bits like all spare bracelets in a bag, or earrings or necklaces."

My sorority sister Lindsay recently blogged about how her jewelry drawer had turned into a bit of a war zone. Here is the before:

And after utilizing ice cube trays (brilliant!), here is the after!

Though Linsday confesses she is OCD when it comes to her jewelry collection and drawer, I would like to introduce you to her contender: Rachel Zoe. InStyle magazine recently did a magazine feature on the Bravo star and how she organizes her own jewelry creations (which she features on QVC). In one word: excessive. At least she admits to being loud in her style: "I'm definitely not a minimalist and definitely over-the-top. In my mind, being overdressed is not a bad thing at all. What's the worst case scenario? That you are the best-dressed person in the room? Who cares!" Um, sure, if that's what you want to call it! Here are a few pictures:

Ok, so I think it's darling that you use vintage LV suitcases and a part of your closet to store your jewels. But really? Why do you have enough necklaces, bracelets, and earrings to take up that much space? She reports that she wears "probably - at least - 12 pieces" of jewelry per day. Man, at that rate, Bead Up would be rollin' in the dough if everyone lived like that!

Looks like her collection, and sketching, take over her living room table. I can relate! Zoe says she has been collection jewelry since she was 11. Haven't we all? ;)

Quote: "You know that rule, 'When in doubt, take something off'? For me, I just put on more!"

::smacks hand in forehead::

Moving back to reality... As for me, I am partially embarrassed by my means of storing my jewelry. Don't get me wrong, when it comes to my Etsy inventory, I carefully put each item in a small plastic bag and organize them by genre. But when it comes to how I store my own jewelry, well, sometimes it's hit or miss:

Ok, this example is not that bad. I bought this cool wire bodice thing from Ross before my first jewelry show and have been putting it to good use :) I hang my dainty necklaces and dangly earrings from here, though they end up on the dresser or in a dish more often than not ;)

For example:

Other earrings (and dust) ends up here, along with lose hair ties and random bracelets. Or they end up here:

along with bobby pins and stray buttons!

But my chunky necklaces end up here:

(all but three of those are Bead Up made).

And though I know technically you shouldn't hang things made from thin wire or string, I figure I use them all often enough to justify displaying them on the tree (except my pearls - I do lay those down flat, though unprotected, on the dresser itself).

So there you have it! Thanks to everyone who participated! Those of you whose answers and pictures I featured (except you, Rachel Zoe) get FREE shipping from Bead Up's Etsy site, in addition to a free gift with any purchase made between now and May 1st! Thanks for your contributions!

MIA Monday: Quartzsite, Arizona

2010-04-12T11:00:00.000-05:00

I wish thoughtfully posting to my blog was as easy as it is to upload a photo to Facebook. That way I would be much more regular in my Bead Up postings and not feel like I have to cram in everything once I do get a chance to blog it up! In other words, so sorry for seeming MIA!

For what I have lacked in posts I have made up in preparing for my Summer Collection ("Huh?" you may ask, "What happened to your Spring Collection?" Good question, o' faithful reader. Due to crazy life changing events going on this spring, I am going to put everything I had planned to make this spring into a Summer Collection - and now that I bought tons of new supplies I have my work cut out for me!).

This week the hubs, the dogS (we adopted ANOTHER one!), and I drove to Tucson, Arizona to visit family. I forgot how much I loved suburbia when a HUGE Jo-Ann Etc. and Michael's greeted me in Arizona. The hubs and I went out of our way to schedule in a good chunk of time visiting Jo-Ann on our way out of town, so already I felt like the otherwise obligatory visit was advantageous to this beader.

However, on our way home I spotted a huge billboards that simply stated "GEM WORLD: Beads and Findings, this exit." I TOLD the Hubs that we would be making an unexpected pit stop at this promising place in the hopes that I will leave with a good story or two, especially considering that we were literally in the middle of the Arizonan desert near the California border (as evident in this picture). I figured I would find either some great trucker-stop-type souvenirs or a cool selection of over-priced turquoise. What I found in the fittingly titled town, Quartzsite, however, was MIND BLOWING.

After accidentally passing by the store on "Main Street" (the only street in this otherwise truck stop), I parked on a dirt lot behind "Hardes Bead and Jewelry." The store featured Native American-esk jewelry in the front of the store and lots of beading supplies and products in the back. At first glance I figured that I buy everything that I saw at the store just as well in the Los Angeles Jewelry District, until I saw a sign that said "Everything 50% off marked price!" Suddenly everything was a total deal! I walked away with a bunch of Swarovski and glass crystals that would have cost me at least $40 elsewhere and paid only $13! Score!

Walking past souvenir merchants and locals who have set up shop out of the back of their trucks, I came across the store I was waiting for: GEM WORLD. I walked in and couldn't believe my eyes: aisles and aisles of gems and findings and coral and turquoise and necklaces and earrings and on and on and on! Not only was there a vast selection, but ALL THE BEADS WERE ON SALE! We are talking 75%-off turquoise and coral; $1 pearls by the strand, crystals for less than a dollar... in other words, it was like I was in China again!

I quickly grabbed a basket and went to town as quickly as I could since the Hubs and dogs were in the car. I managed to buy all kinds of gemstones and pearls and findings within 10-minutes and rushed out to the car to show my family. The Hubs was so impressed that he encouraged me to go back in the store and do it again. NO problem! I went back in and did it again, and this time didn't hold anything back. Overall, I bought what would have been over $500 here in LA yet only spent a 1/5th of that. I asked the guy at the counter where he got most of his beads -- turns out China, so he and I had a good little chat of all that's available in Shanghai. He also said that they are moving to a 2-story location later this Spring, which will include several big-screen TV's for all the unfortunate husbands who have to come and wait for their ladies to get their beading on! Um, who wants to make a trip to the middle-of-nowhere, Arizona?

Here's a look at what I bought:

I also bought something pre-made for myself. I can't remember the last time I bought a necklace for myself, but when I saw this one, I looked and looked over it for a good 5-minutes thinking of ways I could take it apart and re-string it. I could think of no ways I would want to change it! And best of all, it was only $5! I think I am going to take notes from this bold piece and make some similar pieces for Bead Up!

Whew! What a trip! I literally had an adrenaline rush to last for the rest of the trip thanks to the amazing deals in the middle of nowhere, Arizona! Now I have LOTS of work ahead! New pieces to come soon!

Custom Lock and Key Necklace

2010-04-02T23:07:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I blogged about making a series of custom Mustache necklaces for my high school buddy and Mustache connoisseur John. At the end of the post, I asked:

"Do you have a concept/idea that you would like to see Bead Up carry? I really dig these kinds of requests -- though to be fair, it may take a few months for me to find the parts! If you have a request and I successfully am able to carry it on my Etsy site, you will get a copy for FREE (unless it's one-of-a-kind, then I will include free shipping instead)!! So... leave a comment on this post or e-mail me! The next featured item could be yours (and could even be free)!"

My blogging buddy Linny wrote soon after with a really cool request: "For the past 4 years I've been shopping around for a necklace/charm that has something to do with a lock or locks. Lock is my married name and I have been wanting a necklace that I can wear proudly, so if you happen to be shopping and see an awesome lock type charm or something similar and are able to make a necklace out of it let me know and I'll buy it off of you. I totally trust your judgment in jewelry making."

I found it TOTALLY ironic that Linny asked about a lock necklace because I had JUST purchased a bunch of lock and key charms based on this design I saw in InStyle magazine. I told Linny about the charm and asked if she would like any color added to the necklace and in what color: aquamarine and silver were my answers. And here is the result:

Linny loved it. She wrote: "OMG, I love it! It's simple but not too simple :) The 'hope' charm does even it out. I really really like it."

Though Linny wanted to pay for it, I told her that it was on me since I had advertised to carry such a necklace for free on Etsy :) So here are the corresponding Etsy products:

Lock and Dream Silver Turquoise Necklace

Gold Lock and Key Gemstone Necklace

Silver Lock and Key Gemstone Necklace

So, what do you think? And do you have any ideas for a piece for yourself or someone else that Bead Up could tackle?

Meanwhile, HAPPY EASTER! He is Risen!

Spring Collection: Inspiration and Preview

2010-03-30T10:30:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago the Hubs and I were at Crate and Barrel and I literally GASPED when I saw the color combination of these chopping boards:I of course had to buy the green one and couldn't get the color combination out of my head. Apparently, I went a little nuts later that day at Target:And Nordstrom Rack: And when I got home I realized that my garden was on the same page: Heck, even Ping's Frisbee was in my new color scheme of dreams! I of course looked through my bead collection to see what I could find. I came up with this little number: And have been busy buying beads and components in those colors ever since! More to come as I continue to work on my Spring 2010 Collection - coming to a blog and Etsy site near you soon! Meanwhile, here are a few other teasers from the collection that are currently on the Etsy site:

So, what inspires YOU this spring?

Fashionably Friday: Man Jewelry

2010-03-19T10:30:00.000-05:00

So most times I think of "Man Jewelry" I think of really crap-tastic piercings or over-sized tacky gold watches. Or ugly leader-corded pendants and silver rings. ::shiver:: Runways don't usually help the cause. Often accessories take place of clothing all together. Men walk around wearing next to nothing yet carrying around over-sized man-bags. Or wearing heels and a scarf. Only wearing heels and a scarf. I can't imagine it adds to the concept of masculinity. (see image on right for reference). The guys over a ProjectRungay come from a very specific viewpoint and I usually agree with their judgments of said runway trends (which usually end in "E-Gad!"). They recently featured an editorial from Vogue Hommes Japan that not only featured some interesting looking men, but some RAD jewelry. I LOVE the jewelry featured in this spread. And, though I am not usually prone to men in skin-tight beach outfit concoctions, somehow the jewelry takes all else away and all I can focus on is the use of beads and colors! So, if the fact that it's "Man Jewelry" bothers you, take T&L's advice: "Darlings, it's fashion, color and genetically gifted men. What could we possibly add to that? If a picture's worth a thousand words, this should keep you busy for a while." In other words, focus on the jewelry, and, well, ya know. The models ;) But especially the jewelry - LOVE IT! (all images from Project Rungay). My take? I could of course do without the bindi-jewel things on their foreheads. I could do without the stupidly colored hair (though I do enjoy the color composition of all the shots - very spring!). And, since of course most men wouldn't really wear jewelry with a wet suit or a see-through sweater thing (or whatever these "outfits" are), I could do without the weird clothing (though that's what makes it "high fashion," no?). I love the texture contrasts and the vibrant colors. And the beads are GORG. E. OUS. I tired to find the jewelry's source (Rungay only attributes the jewelry to "Passage to India," which of course lead to a thousand unrelated travel sites and what not) and wish I could figure out the story behind the collection. Though I usually find myself in the Less-Is-More camp, I love the layering and stacking of these pieces. If you look closely, several pieces are combined and added with other shots, showing the versatility of the collection (of course any collection that consists of over a few dozen pieces can lead to many options of use!). In other words, I wish that I could not only own these pieces, but that I could make them. Well, I am sure I could if I wanted to invest several thousand dollars in genuine gemstones and hours hunched over my crafty card table. Any takers? Now it's your turn! Time to duke it out! Spill your thoughts (and have a joyous weekend)!

WANTED: Pictures of your Jewelry Stash

2010-03-17T10:30:00.000-05:00

Last year I blogged about several jewelry holders/trees that my hubs and I made for my Christmas jewelry shows and party. I have since been keeping my eye out for ways that people display/store their jewelry and have always wanted to blog about how I stash my jewelry (my method may surprise you)! So, I am calling for submission of what your jewelry stash looks like! Are you organized, or anything but? Do you hang your necklaces up or lay them down neatly in a antique jewelry box? Do you spend most of your time re-hanging your necklaces carefully or carefully untangling them? (This interesting little earring holder was found on Amazon - oh the places you can go on that website!!). I want to hear from you! Drop me a comment on this entry or e-mail me (christyn.beadup@gmail.com) with your method and a picture or two if you want to really make me smile! Everyone who submits will get FREE SHIPPING on anything in the Bead Up shop! Here are some interesting jewelry holders I found on Etsy:

Wall Mounted Asymmetrical Jewelry Tree, $85 Frame your bling, upcycled re-purposed hand-painted aqua blue jewelry holder, $16.95 Pink Sparkle Flower Earring Holder/Wall Display, $16.50 Attic Treasure Trinket Box, $50 Kiwi Green and Red Jewelry Tree, $32

And last but not least... Barbie Jewelry Holder, $20 There are no words, ladies and gentlemen!

Mustaches are HIP to the STER.

2010-03-15T10:30:00.000-05:00

Several months ago my high school buddy turned entrepreneur John admitted something. He was obsessed with mustaches. His own, his brothers', his dog's. It didn't matter. John asked when Bead Up would be making mustache jewelry. Bead Up thus looked EVERYWHERE for mustache-related jewelry components to help make John's mustache wish come true. Along the way I found some pretty rad mustache paraphernalia, including bags, headbands, coffee mugs, etc (not made of mustache hair, of course, but rather featuring mustache silhouettes)! After each find I would tease John by posting the items on his Facebook page, which only led him to ask, "Where is the Bead Up mustache necklace?" John has even gone as far as to send me postcards that simply say "Bead Up needs to make mustache jewelry." When John visited us in LA a few months ago, he came sporting this fine, um.... thing. Which I of course had to model for the camera... Well, John's day has finally come. After months of searching, I finally found a mustache charm that I thought was Bead Up worthy: Of course John bought a few already ;) Can you blame him? John already blogged about it: "ok, this is the coolest thing to happen to me in this lifetime. my friend christyn has an etsy store. she makes a bunch of great jewelry and even does custom orders. somehow, we started this game where we’d pass on links of mustache jewelry and other mustache related goodness. i’ve always told her that the day she makes a piece of mustache jewelry, i would be the first to buy it. today, the 15th of mustache march, i did just that (if there’s a bigger creep out there who bought it before me i’m a little scared). since i don’t have anyone to give this to, i guess it’s time to start wearing jewelry." Click here to see the Etsy listing - and note that they are available in both gunmetal/antique silver and bright silver! (While you are at, you should really take a look at John's online store of college-related clothing and accessories. The dude in your life will thank you for it!). John even has a doggie blog and did an entry about Ping, my new doggie, a few weeks back :) Do you have a concept/idea that you would like to see Bead Up carry? I really dig these kinds of requests -- though to be fair, it may take a few months for me to find the parts! If you have a request and I successfully am able to carry it on my Etsy site, you will get a copy for FREE (unless it's one-of-a-kind, then I will include free shipping instead)!! So... leave a comment on this post or e-mail me at christyn.beadup@gmail.com ! The next featured item could be yours (and could even be free)!

Fashionably Friday: The Academy Awards

2010-03-12T10:30:00.000-06:00

Not that I have been counting down for the past few months for Hollywood's biggest night. No, not me. Nor did I watch the show nearly two times AND watch all the pre and post-shows in order to get a full dosage. Why would I ever do such a thing? On with the awards! (all images from Project Rungay) THE GOOD:

This was the winning look of the night, in my opinion. That dress is like a walking Monet. Discussion has been made about the earrings possibly being a little too-much, though I think they work since they are not competing with any other jewelry or embellishments on the garment (and her hair and makeup are in full sync). You win, Ms. McAdams.

Penelope Cruz always bring a little bit of Spanish flair to the red carpet. This outfit is of course no exception. Since the garment is simple in terms of color and texture, most people would think it could use balance with over-the-top jewelry. Thankfully our Spanish princess knows better. The understated diamond bracelets, big-ole' ring, and nicely sized earrings are like a petite four. Love it.

Kate Winslet always looks good. Not just good, but great. She's inspiring because she's totally glamorous in an understated way and is NOT a size 2. Though I am not a fan of metallic fabric, I think she not only wears it well, but she also really rocked yellow-colored diamond earrings and coordinating silver necklace. The bracelet and purse somehow aren't overkill, either. Her hair color helps bring it all together, too.

I go back and forth on this outfit. The dress' print is more like a swimsuit wrap you wear at Sandals. The granny-looking bracelet is SO not my style. The rings seems boring. However, for whatever reason, I think it works for Ms. Maggie. I like how the bracelet matches her wedding and engagement rings. It works with the dress. Heck, it even matches Mr. Oscar in the background!

Helen Mirren, I bow down to you! This woman (or at least her stylist) KNOWS how to dress her. The diamond necklace and earrings work well with the crystal embellishments on the dress and arm things (heck, even her hair is coordinated)! And do you see that spider tattoo on her hand? Bad-ass, grandma! The purse, however, is EXACTLY like the purse I used to play with as a kid when I dressed up in my grandma's old clothes. Even then I knew it was a bit too busy for my taste! Not sure what that means to see it on the red carpet...!

Christyn's reaction when she saw this on the stage at the Oscars: "Gasp! That's amazing!" 90's movie star Molly Ringwald rocked a brass-looking broach/belt with an arm bracelet by the late American artist Alexander Calder (1898-1976). This is the kind of thing you see at the MOMA, people. And she's wearing it to the Oscars -- take that Gucci presumption! According to this site, "Every one of these pieces started out as a piece of wire and Calder hammered them into shapes. There is no mass production, no multiples." LOVE. IT.

THE BAD:

Dear Miley: if I can afford to visit a chiropractor, so can you. Please stand up straight. Also, it seems that your dress is starting to eat your wrist.

Oh, Mariah. Even when you try to go classy you end up, well, looking like yourself. As Coco Chanel put it: “Take one thing off before you leave the house.” Repeat that to your self 3-4 times and I then we can talk. But don't take off your dress. That's not what a meant.

AND THE UGLY:

Excuse me, Carey? Hugh Hefner's landlord called. The would like their curtain tassles back.

Both Sarah Jessica Parker and Carrie Bradshaw are known for their daring fashion attempts. Some people turn them into law, others, like myself, laugh and thank the Lord I have better taste. This outfit - and jewelry - are no exception. Though attempt well-noted.

Trading Jewelry for Makeup

2010-03-08T10:30:00.000-06:00

It's Monday, which means time to share more Bead Up projects with y'all! I have been so blessed with a great community at church that has really taken a liking to Bead Up. When I look around the women in my congregation, I smile because I have made jewelry for a good 50% of them! One of my favorite customers from church bought one of my favorite little sterling silver necklaces at my jewelry show last October: A few weeks ago she told me that she wears the necklace often, though would love a matching set of earrings to accompany the coral, pearl, and turquoise beads of the necklace. She also requested earring that were about 1.5" long and that I use ear hoops that clasp in the back so she doesn't lose them. Done and done! One of the unexpected joys of making jewelry is that I have been able to use what I have created as gifts, payment, or items to trade for others! A gal pal of mine from high school is a Bare Escentuals consultant and has been proving me with at-cost make up since I switched to the line last summer. This shipment around, she asked if I could pay her back in Bead Up goods! She was hoping that I could make her future mother-in-law a birthday gift of wine charms. My pal said that her F-M-I-L was super girlie, likes glitz and sparkle, and loves wine! I rushed to Michael's to buy some sterling silver "girlie" charms and came up with these: The charms include a stiletto heel, decorated heart, purse, and Eiffel tower ('cause what can get more feminine that that?!). I also added several different colors and sized of pink crystal beads on the little silver ear-hoops. Here is what my gal pal had to say about them: "Omg love the charms...... They are perfect. The Eiffel tower couldn't be more on target, there whole house is decorated 'country French' and has a couple rooms with Eiffel tower stuff in them!" Glad that worked out - I thought I was taking a gamble on the Eiffel tower charm! Finally, thanks to everyone who participated in Nilsa and my GIVEAWAY last week! We had 52 entries! The winner was actually a Bead Up client who originally found my Etsy shop through Nilsa's blog a few months ago! Now I must get to work - there were many outfits on the red carpet and I have much to discuss on this week's Fashionably Friday: Oscar Style post! Have a great week! In the meantime, if you are the Bible Devotional type, check out my contribution to my friend's blog as she aims to study the whole Bible through blog posts in a year!

100th post!

2010-03-05T10:30:00.000-06:00

That's right - this is my 100th post! I started this wee-little blog last May with the intention to expand my Etsy shop through blog lovin' and interaction! Since then, Bead Up's blog has ranked in 227 Google followers, 33 Networked Blog readers and another 176 fans on Facebook, readers from every continent, and over 10,000 hits! Wahoo! Thanks for being one of those faithful followers :) This past February also marks the anniversary of my first Etsy sale (now which ranks over 150 on the website with 105 feedbacks of 100%, and over 300 custom and in-person sales)! It's been a great year - especially since I never thought that Bead Up would grow at such an encouraging rate! Though most people do big-ole' giveaways when they hit milestones such as these, I don't want to over-do it since I just had a series of giveaways and am still co-hosting one that ends on Sunday (click here to enter if you haven't already)! Instead, I am pleased to announce the winner of the Lovely Clusters giveaway. In case you forgot, Bead Up was in the running to be announces a user favorite Blog or Etsy shop. Thanks to all of you who voted, I came in 3rd for Favorite Jewelry Shop (only losing by 2 votes - dag nabbit)! After numbering your entries and using the Random Number Generator, I am pleased to announce that the winner is my buddy John (who actually blogged about our recent doggie adoption on his own doggie blog)! John asked that I either raffle or donate the necklace's price to Used Pets, the organization in which I found my new doggie. I love this idea, and am going to put alot of thought into how best to raise funds for them through Bead Up'in! Lastly, I finished a custom wedding set of jewelry for a friend of mine here in LA. Adrienne asked if I could make her some statement necklaces to match her brown and sage colored themed wedding, and if she could provide the beads herself? Not only do I LOVE making statement necklaces, but I really love when the client provides some of the materials - it makes the process that much more reflective of their own style! I recommended some of my favorite locations in LA's jewelry district to Adrienne, and a week later she presented to me some really cool looking wooden disc beads and some round sage gemstone beads. After showing her some ways that I could string and arrange the beads, we agreed on using brass colored findings for the 2 bridesmaids's necklaces, one junior bridesmaid's necklace, and a flower girl bracelet (which Adrienne requested be made with crystals).I even had enough beads remaining to make a necklace for Adrienne, too! I hope she likes them!

New Items and A FABULOUS Giveaway!

2010-03-03T10:30:00.000-06:00

Sometimes you just need a little ::umph:: to get motivated to get a daunting task done. Take for example posting new items on Etsy. This used to be one of my favorite aspects of selling on Etsy. Well, let me rephrase that -- SEEING my product finished and listed on Etsy is one of my favorite parts, actually photographing, measuring, and describing the items can be a little tedious. That said, I have had quite the pile of "new" items that I made before my Christmas jewelry shows. At the time, I figured I would show them and then post on Etsy that which didn't sell. Needless to say, this task has been hanging over my head for 3 months! So yesterday when I found myself with a whole day with nothing on the calendar, as I was staying home sick from work so as not to infect my colleagues with a head cold that's building, I FINALLY got around to listing some of said new items! Click on each image to see it's Etsy listing! The other main ::umph:: reason to get back on the ball was because Bead Up got alot of online visits yesterday! My dear friend Nilsa wrote the most lovely blog entry on the necklace I made for her a few weeks ago. Not only did she say some flattering things about Bead Up, but she and I also collaborated for a GREAT GIVEAWAY, featuring the following products! Also - anyone who mentions Nilsa's blog during checkout when buying a product from Bead Up will get FREE SHIPPING! It doesn't get any better than that, lovelies! Click here to enter the giveaway now :)

I love you Wednesdays: Doggie Jewelry

2010-02-24T10:30:00.000-06:00

One of the first things people who knew me especially well asked after I adopted our new dog, Ping, was "Well, are you going to make her jewelry?!" Though I appreciate the question, I am pretty sure I won't be making jewelry for Ping for three reasons: 1.) I can't even think of what I would make for a dog who hates having her collar on her, let alone a piece of jewelry! 2.) I know my heart would break a little when Ping manages to get said piece of jewelry off of her body and into the toilet, trash, mud, etc (see #1). 3.) There are so many people on Etsy who can do it better! I did some investigative research on Etsy and found a few pieces that were especially inspiring, and others that were just plain interesting! Let's see how Etsy sellers are spicing up your otherwise typical dog products:

Why have a boring black rope-like collar when your pup can have this stylish, hand beaded creation!

Sunset by collars4chloe; $45

Actually, why have a typical collar at all when you can just sport a cute little doggie necklace?

Boys Wear Necklaces Too - Pet Jewelry by nikkimcl; $16

And no collar is complete without a tag, but why get a standard silver bone when your can tell the boys what's really on your mind?

Bite Me Valentine's Day Dog tag by BowWowzerZ; $10

Just like those "My Child Is An Honor Role Student" bumper stickers, pets deserve a little affirmation, too!

Obedience School Drop Out Pet Tag by UrbanPuppy; $18

Or you can just skip the fancy tag and sport your dog's gemstone?

Birthstones Bone charm by BirthBones; $10

And don't forget the icing on the cake!

Ocean Blue Summer Dot Bitty Bow by BOWWOWMeOverBows; $3

And last but not least...

Pugs N Pearls Girls Necklace from FromStewartsKitchen; $15

Yeeeeah, I'll keep to human jewelry for now!