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?

Fashionably Friday: Korto Momolu

Shows like Project Runway, Fashion Show, and even America's Next Top Model have proved to me that just because someone knows how (or claims they know how) to dress others doesn't mean they know how to dress themselves (we addressed this topic a bit last week, but no worries, there is plenty more where that came from later!). Some designers, on the other hand, not only know how to dress themselves and others, but they also know how accessorize with mad style. Today's subject: Korto Momolu from Project Runway's Season 5 (PR returns in 2 weeks! AHHH!). From the start, I found myself digging Korto's style, both on and off the runway. Having lived in Liberia, Korto definitely has an African influenced wardrobe and design sense (ie: bold, chunky, colorful, etc). She also has an amazing comprehension for fit and flattery when it comes to her clothing - and somehow manages to make her jewelry only flatter the figure even more! Love, love, love her style (click on all the pictures in this post for their sources!)

Let's look at some of Korto's jewelry from Fashion Week in Bryant Park last fall:

Holy mother that is one hot necklace. The dress is of course beautiful, but I must say, the necklace MAKES IT. I am a bit in love with teal/emerald this summer, and wish I had a reason to indulge in a dress like this (anyone else think it would make a FAB bridesmaids dress?)!

This necklace totally steals the show of this outfit (which is a bit too eclectic for my personal wardrobe, but totally within my taste. Although, I am thinking it could look a bit 80's prom dress if you take away the necklace...?). I am spotting Thai silver and genuine gemstones on this beautifully and culturally styled piece. And who else recognized the model from America's Next Top Model, Cycle 9 contestant, Biannca Golden?

This one isn't just some necklace on top of a dress - it's part of the dress! I will admit, I have been collecting big, bold wooden beads in hopes that one day I will have the time and courage to attempt to make a halter with the beads as the straps. I'll get to it, ya know, when I have 36 hours in a day and endless energy and creative gusto (right, one of THOSE projects!). It's no surprise that Korto's jewelry was as big of a hit on the runway as her clothing itself. Of the experience, she says, "I get a lot compliments on my jewelry and handbags and it's actually something that started as a hobby. I took this jewelry class here and I started making earrings for myself and so many people asked about them, so I decided to start making them to sell and that kind of took off like that. I didn't want jewelry in my collection that looked generic. I wanted to use African beads, I also used Thai silver... I felt it really represented who I was as a designer. The judges weren't all the way impressed with it but I stood by my jewelry and I put them on those models and I figured somebody out there would love it. You just have to do what you want in the final, that's your one chance to do and if you hold back you will always regret it. I spent a lot of time making that jewelry so I wasn't going to not put it in just because the judges didn't like it and I'm glad a lot of people took to it so that tells me that the people who matter will buy it." (see the full interview here). Korto has thus added jewelry design to her collection, and is selling lots of it online. But, I am finding myself torn on her online collection. On one hand, I am super proud that she is insightful enough to see that her jewelry collection was a big enough hit to warrant it's own line, but the stuff for sale on her website isn't really as amazing as her jewelry as featured on her final runway show, or even my favorite Project Runway source, ProjectRungay. (The one on the right is one of the better pieces from her collection that actually resembles what she made before, but I feel that the rest of them miss the mark. Check them out here). The following pieces, however, were showcased in an interview with Korto. One word: breathless. Of her work, Korto told Zimbio: Inspiration: "I tried to do a follow-up on the few pieces that I got to show at Fashion Week. They’re very much Asian and African inspired and it’s a fusion between these two ethnic cultural backgrounds that I really love. I found myself always doing things that are Asian inspired." Colors: "I used a lot of the bright colors that I love to use. The ocean greens, really beautiful yellows, purples, and hot fuchsia pinks. Very vivid colors, fun colors, happy colors…those are the colors I really love." Materials: "I use a lot of African beads as well as a lot of things made out of resin because my necklaces tend to be chunky and bulky, so I try to use materials that are not as heavy as using the actual stones and metals. A lot of glass beads. Some of the beads are from Ghana, Kenya, and Tanzania. I love texture, there’s a lot of texture, my variation of textures, in all the pieces. I love turquoise. I also used feathers in some of the designs, I’ve always loved feathers and there are many different variations of feather earrings, so I thought “How can I make mine different?” I like the chains and the feathers. It has a soft and a hard feel to it. They’re made out of silver." So, who wants to go on a trip to Kenya with yours truely to buy some African beads? Anyone, anyone?

Have a great weekend, lovies!