Long time, no blog

Though the Bead Up shop is still alive and well, the Bead Up blog has been put on the back burner. Sad, as I have really enjoyed the community and outlet that this blog has provided, but I am happy for the reason behind the vacancy: I am pregnant :) We are so stinkin' thrilled and have been cherishing every moment. That said, though Bead Up is still filling orders and making custom pieces, I have switched my "journaling" focus from this blog to my pregnancy journal (and working a very full time job). I am sure I will be back soon enough, but in the meantime, I miss you all and this venue of creativity and keeping my favorites updates about my jewelry journey. 

That said, I leave you with a parting gift in the meanwhile: GIVEAWAY! One of my bloggin' friends from LA is hosting a Bead Up product giveaway - take a moment to enter to win this fun necklace. Thanks again, Linny! 

Thanks so much for your understanding in my absence. You are loved and missed! 

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

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!

Mustaches are HIP to the STER.

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)!

A blogger's Bead Up review - and another giveaway!

A few weeks ago fellow blogger Leslie contacted me regarding the possibility of a product review and giveaway. I am such a sucker for these. Leslie said she especially loved my wishbone necklace, which seems to be a hot little piece this month! I sent her the item in the mail for a review and here's what she had to say: "I recently was able to review a great necklace from Christyn at Bead Up she has a GREAT Etsy Shop where you can find the cutest pieces of jewelry. This Reach For The Stars necklace is one of my favorites....Along with this simple and fun Strawberry Necklace... Or this Butterfly Necklace as well, but.........The one I instantly fell in love with was the Wishbone Necklace!!!! It is so simple and I really love it!! I was able to review the Wishbone Necklace and I couldn't be happier. I wore it with a nice brown sweater and skirt to church on Sunday and it laid perfectly for all to see. I had a couple ladies ask where I got it--they had never seen one like it!! I would recommend it with a v-neck, lower-neck line blouse or dress, or a turtle neck higher neck line. The chain is shorter and I think it would look best with these types of clothes. Now for the fun part, Christyn is generously offering one of you the WISHBONE NECKLACE that I was able to review!!"

Click here to enter! (You can enter over 2-dozen times...woooooooooah)!

You heard it, chickas. I figured that you could use another way to enter to win this darling little necklace. Not that I am a new dog owner and am getting into the habit of feeding treats to those whom I love to make up for my absence. It's not like that at all...! Speaking of which, have you had the chance to enter my other 2 giveaways?

Enter here, here and here! Seriously - I'm literally giving this stuff away, dolls! (You can read up on all the rules and deadlines here and here).

Custom Christmas Gifts

You won't find me complaining about being very, very busy this time of year - I LOVE Christmas and all that it entails, especially all the custom jewelry orders friends have entrusted to me! Here are 6 pieces I finished this weekend: One of the greatest aspects of making and selling jewelry has been all the AMAZING people I had met along the way. Back in April when I "officially" launched my website, one of my sorority sisters took notice and asked if she could host a Bead Up giveaway (my first!). One of the contestants, Nilsa, not only entered to win but also bought a necklace from my shop and lived to blog about it. I always e-mail my customers after each order to thank them for their business and to let them know when I will put the item(s) in the mail. Nilsa wrote back and asked a few questions, and then I wrote her back and asked a few more, and we've been writing back and forth for 7 months now! She's become one of my dearest "bloggin' friends" and customers and I can't wait to actually meet her one day! That said, Nilsa asked that I make one of her gal pals a necklace/earring set for Christmas. In her own words, her friend: "Loves red and orange, and tends towards natural colors (browns, ambers, forest, and olives. She's more conservative on the outside than on the inside, and tends to wear plain clothes but always complains that she's so boring and wishes she could figure out a way to sass it up a bit (that's where your jewelry comes in!) She's tall and athletic and not particularly girly (though she is feminine)." I showed Nilsa a few earth-toned pearls I had in mind and she loved where the necklace was already going and said, "I love your creativity, so I am going to let you play around!" Sounds like a plan to me! After another trip to the Jewelry District, I got to work this weekend. I had recently seen a (grandma-aged) friend of mine wear a super cute long, wrappable pearl necklace of yellows and oranges that she acquired from Alaska. Using this piece as inspiration, I bought orange, green, and brown naturally round fresh-water pearls, in addition to some white coin disc pearls and some super small white pearl beads. I added a few orange and smokey quartz colored crystals, in addition to come deep red semi-precious gemstones to the mix and strung the beads along a yard-long piece of silver wire to create this piece: I finished it off with a re-adjustable chain and clasp so the length can be further varied, and explained to Nilsa that the necklace is the kind where the wearer gets to play and reinterpret the piece - it can be wrapped around the neck 1-4 times (or could even be worn as a chunky bracelet!) and can go with silver or gold accessories, like these matching earrings I made, too.Nilsa loved the piece, and provided great feedback that makes projects like these super fun and rewarding! Thanks again, friend!! Last Friday a co-worker of mine asked if I had any jewelry in stock that she could buy at the last minute for Christmas gifts. I of course did, but also offered to make her a custom piece if time allowed. Ny not only wanted to buy a brass-ringed necklace (as seen on the right - both are sold out!) and a wish-bone necklace for herself, but wanted something in the same color for her friends. "They are rock-and-roll chicks who love necklaces that look like big chains." I told her that, if materials at the store allowed, I can make her 3 long brass-colored, chain-like necklaces that would fall to the waist and be different from each other. She insisted that she trusted my creativity and that I could make whatever I felt was appropriate - sweet! Thankfully, Michael's had what I needed, in addition to a few pieces I had never with before. Here is what I came up with:I even included a little brass bird charm on each of the necklaces to give it a truly Bead Up edge! Additionally, Ny hoped to customize the wishbone necklace for herself, so I added a little red rose charm and bird so she can match her friends! Ny was pleased with the results, especially the addition of the little birdies! Lastly, I helped my friend Alison make a Christmas gift for herself! She bought several copper pieces from me in the past (they go really well with her skin tone and earth-colored wardrobe) and wanted a necklace to match. She expressed that she really liked lockets of any size and the color Fusion Beads calls "Montana Blue." I found a large, 2-sided antiqued copper locket on Etsy and a long matching chain in the Jewelry District. After adding some orange, green, and brown pearls, in addition to a white pearl coin and a little smokey grey stone, we have this:I purposely used this wider-shaped chain for two reasons: 1.) Alison wanted to be able to wear it long or short, depending on her outfit. Since the chain is large enough to be a spring ring for a clasp, all she has to do it put the clasp along the chain where she would like it to fall and is left with the rest of the chain dangling down her back :) 2.) I have found that when making longer necklaces, thinner chain tends to twist and loop around itself, causing not only mess, but also getting in the way of showing the charm's front! Alison loved the piece and couldn't wait to show off her "custom homemade necklace" it off to friends back in North Carolina! Thanks to all these lovely ladies who have made my weekend of jewelry making that much more exciting!

I love you, Wednesdays.

Because, seriously, Friday is still 2 days away. I love you, Wednesdays is my bloggin' attempt at a.) shutting up about my products and sharing the love of others' with others! and b.) sharing sources of inspiration that often stands behind my jewelry and creative process. It's been a great week here at the Bead Up house. For starters, last week's Fashionably Friday post got me some great "press." As usual, I posted the link to the new blog entry on both my personal Facebook and my Bead Up Facebook accounts. Within minutes of posting the entry that features Project Runway's Korto Momolu, I got a status update letting me know that Korto herself "liked" the blog post! I immediately friended her on Facebook (it was the real her) and she accepted. And if it couldn't get cooler, I noticed that some of my blog traffic was coming from HER professional website - turns out she listed my blog entry as the first listing of "PRESS" reviews on her website! Holy moley - the power of Facebook (I still am determined to one day do a blog entry on how Facebook has been vital to my shop's success)! Check out Korto's press section of her website here! And to add to the coolness, I e-mailed her on Facebook thanking her for the feature and asked if she bought beads online and if so, where. Here is what she had to say: "I actually get some cool bead finds on amazon. But I am a touchy feely kinda girl so I stock up everytime I go to nyc. Littlerock has really great bead stores too, that's where I still live. Loved the post and I always show love for my positive bloggers! U will def love my new collection of jewelry since it pays homage to my pr finale pieces so I will let you know when I load them. It'll be right before pr allstars. Thanks again and let's stay in touch I'll keep a lookout for beadsites for ya. ~Korto" Doesn't get any cooler than that, my friends. Ahhhh... Though the good vibes keep rolling in. The giveaway I hosted with Today's Giveaway a few weeks ago went really well, and one of my previous customers won the pair of earrings! Karen even went as far as to write a glowing review about the earrings she won on her own blog - be sure to check it out (thanks, friend!). Since finding Today's Giveaway and other similar sights I have taken a liking to entering every giveaway I can find that offers products I dig. Well, wouldn't you know, I won 2 giveaways this week! The first was from the website in which I held the giveaway just days earlier - turns out I won an oven mit and potholder set from the super cute shop "The Cherry on Top." Sweet! And if that couldn't get any better, I got an e-mail yesterday telling me that I won yet another giveaway, this time on Fabulous Fun Finds' giveaway blog! I am actually thrilled I won this one because I was very tempted to buy the item anyway - it's a camera strap! And not any camera strap - but a Amy Butler fabric camera strap! Great prints + photography + free = LOVE! I am actually in love with Amy Butler's prints. Maybe even in lust. I swear, this women knows both color and the history of floral prints, as she has MASTERED pulling them all together without going the tacky 60's route. I am beyond inspired every time I see her print in use - she forces me to re-think color combination and even manages to make pastel pink HOT! Her website itself is inspirational, as she makes a point to include an INSPIRATION section filled with pictures and photo shoot snapshots. Additionally, her site also includes FREE downloadable sewing and craft patterns to be used with her beautiful printed paper and fabric. It's love.

I dedicate this I Love You, Wednesday to you, Ms. Butler, for your rad sense of style and for gracing the world with your visions! (Above is an example of some of her prints - I ordered the camera strap in pink... also as a way to irritate my husband when I ask him to hold my camera - which happens a lot!). It of course comes to no surprise that Amy Butler's fabrics are all over Etsy, and sometimes in the most unusual ways...HazelnutDesigns, sweetirie, theprinttree, PersnicketyHome KatiebugBoutique, downstairsDesigns, ImogensGarden, BeanPickleSprout jrene, littleellie, littleellie, JiJis girlbyAileen, ByJudianne, littleellie, BeanPickleSprout

Let's see - Eye Spy a baby blanket, a crayon rollup, a kitchen towel, and iPod holder, and a pot holder! Make sure you visit their Etsy shops for Amy Butler amazing-ness!

So, what inspires you today?

Goodness comes in 3's!

I've said before how much I am fan of what I call "Blog Lovin,'" i.e. when blogs give shout-outs to other blogs with awards, links, comments, give-aways, etc. Well, wouldn't you know, today I was surprised to see not one, not two, but three blog awards bestowed upon this lil' ole' blog o' mine! So awesome! The first is by my buddy and co-worker Cheryl, who just started her own CUPCAKE blog (insert salvation here)! I was honored to help her in the graphic formatting of the blog and have already had some of my own cupcake work featured - sweet! Cheryl took the initiative to create the "Golden Cupcake" award ... and gave it to me :) I am going to bestow it, in turn, to my other cupcake sister, Chrissy, who is working on creating her own cupcake catering business! The next is from a customer I met through this blog, actually - which is the best kind of connection! Karen lives in wine country, Nor Cal and we have recently discovered we have a lot in common (ie love for So You Think You Can Dance, which I saw in person last week and will be blogging about very soon!). The award is called "The Lemonade Stand," and it's rules of acceptance are to "Choose seven ladies who according to this award show an attitude of gratitude." Awesome! Here's my list of seven lovely ladies!

• My first bloggin' buddy, who gives invaluable encouragement and is ever so patient with me, Nilsa of SoMi Speaks
• My first give-away winner who blogged about her love for the necklace she won, Regina of Creative Kismet
• Sara, who posted pictures of the necklace she bought from Bead Up that she wore to a wedding! NoTeaForYou
• A high school classmate, Lindsay, who is embracing her creative urges and starting her own Etsy shop! Krafty.Kolby
• Fellow Knitter who makes the most precious cozies and has provided a lot of positive feedback, On A Roll
• And two Sorority Sisters, Rachel and Lindsey, whose blogs about their babies truly reflect an attitude of gratitude! When A Duet Becomes a Trio and Baby Webb Site

Lastly, another gal who I met through Bloggin, RedRubyonFire, (who did an interview about me on her website a few weeks ago) bestowed upon me the "Honest Scrap Award." I have seen this award floating around the bloggin' hemisphere and am glad it finally found it's way to my site, as it's rules are awesomely interactive!: - I must thank the person who gave me the award and list their blog and link it - I must list 10 honest things about myself - I must put a copy of The Honest Scrap Logo on my blog. - I must select at least 7 other worthy bloggers & list their links (see above) - I must notify the bloggers of the award and hopefully they will follow the above requirements. Which means, Bloggers who I listed above, feel free to embrace this award for yourself, too! Ok, 10 honest things about myself. Here go's: 1.) I feel quite guilty that I have turned my obsession of scrapbooking over to jewelry making. I sometimes just sit there looking at all the supplies I have accumulated over the years and sigh with remorse. Will I ever get my outstanding scrapbooks done? 2.) I majored in Chinese language and Philosophy in college. I got my Masters in Christianity and Chinese religions. Now I work at a movie studio. Your guess is as good as mine! (picture is of me climbing the Great Wall in 2004). 3.) My favorite two musicians are the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Mozart. I literally listen to them all day long (in random order)! 4.) Though the hubs and I have made our second guest room into my craft room, I hate working in there. I feel secluded and away from the action that is usually happening in the living room. For that reason, I make most of my jewelry on a card table in the corner of the living room or on the ottoman. 5.) On that note, I am afraid to admit that I can't even contain all my supplies in the craft room (especially when we have house guests living in that room!). Here is a picture of all my Etsy mailing supplies and products stuffed into our linen closet! 6.) In light of #4 and #5, I am quite OCD about clutter and tidiness. Ask my poor husband. (Example: I can't leave the house without first cleaning out the sink of it's dirty dishes. Seriously.) 7.) I have had over 500 stitches in my body. And I hate needles. 8.) I've been a vegetarian for 11 years. Though I would gladly make a series of Arby's Roast Beef Sandwiches part of my maternity diet if totally necessary. 9.) Guilty pleasures: Kathy Griffin's My Life on the D-List and N'Sync. Along with spending large amounts of money on unnecessary items at Target and Forever XXI. 10.) This blog makes me happier than you will ever know!

Whew! There you have it! Thanks again to Cheryl, Karen, and Yini for the awards! Made my day!