Spring Collection: Inspiration and Preview

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?

Another Fabulous GIVEAWAY!

It's been a crazy busy week in the Bead Up world. With the jewelry party 8 days away (ak!), I have been spending most of my evenings hunched over the card table in the living room trying to pump out as many creations as possible. I have managed to hit a bit of a dilemma, though, in terms of creating "new" items - is it better to have more items at the party, some of which I am not 100% proud of, or to have fewer items, though all of which I totally love? I am really hoping I can get "rid" of some beads and materials I have accumulated over the past year and still produce items that I really represent me as an artist and that are worth putting a price tag on! Anyway, this weekend the hubs and I are going to work on one more display venue and hopefully I can start to get gift bags, price tags, and packaging ready enough so I don't stress during the week! Here's hoping! That said, I am thus postponing today's Fashionably Friday with an even more interactive post - A GIVEAWAY! I know what you might be thinking: "Christyn, are you going to have any products left after all these giveaways you are sporting?" I just have so many new and renewed items available now that I have been making things in semi-bulk, I can't help but share! So let me introduce you to my sorority sister Lindsay. She lives in South Carolina with her Hubs and almost 1-year old baby boy, Charlie (perhaps one of the most photogenic kids around). She has a lovely blog (you may have noticed that I have had her button on my blog here for awhile) where she features a "Cowboy's Excellenet Adventure" post every Friday, in which she takes a picture of her babe and leave you having to guess where it was taken. For today's entry, she has offered a Bead Up "Faith Ring" necklace for the winner. What a great way to start the weekend! And even better, if you buy something from Bead Up between now and next Friday and mention Lindsay's blog, I will reimburse your shipping! So what are you waiting for? Go to Lindsay's blog now to enter :)

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. As announced yesterday, I've teamed up with Danielle of DesignGirl for a giveaway this week! I allowed Danielle to chose which item she would like to give away, and she chose one of my Silver Ring word necklaces. Danielle had this to say about the product: I love these necklaces. They are so simple, pretty, and affordable. I think they'd make such a perfect gift! I also love that you can choose the word for your necklace. So, if you haven't had the chance to enter yet, make your way over to DesignGirl's blog and try your chances out! Also, if you purchase anything from my Etsy shop this week and mention DesignGirl's blog, I will throw in a free pair of earrings! That said, today's I love you, Wednesdays has to do with my love for one-worded inspirations, much like the necklace in the giveaway! However, I need to warn you, I don't mean to get preachy with this post, but if talking about faith and religion offends you, I suggest you go right to the giveaway and skip my commentary below! Last week I got the super awful news that my grandma died. She was the last of my remaining grandparents and raised my brother and me growing up so both my parents could work. Though I have mentally been preparing myself for her death since my grandpa died 8 years ago, she was in very good health and had just visited me here in LA 3 weeks ago to see the life my husband and I have recently created for ourselves. As soon as I heard the news, I took the first plane to Kentucky to be with my family, help clean up her apartment, and prepare for her memorial service (and ignored my blog, sadly!). Though I was totally heartbroken that she died so unexpectedly (in her sleep), at the same time I took such comfort in all the support we received from friends of hers and our own, both near and far (even some blogging buddies!). Throughout the whole thing I kept thinking: "What would Grandma think of this?" or "What would Grandma say to comfort us?" She was a hilarious woman from Jersey with a great sense of faith and joy. Though there were so many reasons to cry and be angry at her passing, there were and are more reasons to rejoice in the life she shared with us and how she changed my life forever. Both my husband and dad are pastors. I went to seminary. I've only ever known being part of a solid, caring Christian community (though I have lived and studied in Asia and have a fondness for Buddhism). I could not imagine what my last week (and these still somber weeks that follow) without the support I get from not only caring people (both Christian and non-Christian), but also from scriptures. 1 Corinthians 13 (the chapter that includes the wedding-friendly "Love is patient, love is kind...") says,

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

I think this is something my Grandma would remind me of if she saw my grief. Though she is "gone," her greatest aspects are imprinted on my life forever and remain such a part of me - faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these, love, makes it worth the ride. It's amazing how such little words can have such big meanings:

typetypetype, NumericDesign, artsharkdesigns, elenagrace Uturn385, hazelnutcottage, mortiedoodles, PianoBenchDesigns pinkpalmstudio, tiffysart, circlelinestudio, agraceunlimited Don't hesitate to click on the links to the corresponding Etsy shops to see the items in close up - they are all inspiring!

So, what inspires, or even comforts, you today?