Happy Valentine's Day Coupons!

In honor of one of my favorite holidays, Valentine's Day, I am offering a 10% off coupon on my Etsy website and all you need to do is type in "VDay10" in the coupon code section. My husband proposed to me 21 years ago this Valentine's Day, so share the love and get your sweetheart something unique and beautiful. Or buy something for yourself- because you are so special! So go to queenbeadgifts.etsy.com and shop now!

Queen Bead New Designs

Expanding my Etsy Collection

I have spent the last month getting new things photographed and listed on Etsy. SO much easier now they have a copy feature! My new Canon EOS with a macro lens helps a lot! I got a light box from this place I found on Facebook and I have 99 items listed. queenbeadgifts.etsy.com! Go check it out! I am trying to list many new things every week. Stay tuned for copper and gun metal pieces coming soon.

Custom Sports themed Wine Charms- Great gifts!

The holidays were fruitful on Etsy as well as my craft shows for me, I sold many custom sets of wine charms- horse themes, football teams, even rival teams together. See the Oregon/Oregon State set I made for a split house! Just $16.50 and below for great unique gifts! If you every entertain, you need some for your wine glasses, so people remember which glass is theirs and you save washing extra stemware and the wine doesn't go to waste when someone misplaces their glass. Not that you all don't already know that, but one nondrinker once asked me "Why in the world do you need earrings for wine glasses?" If you don't drink, now you know!

The Queen Bead had its first international sale on Etsy for Christmas! One of my favorite creations with a mixture of  beads, coin pearls and big link sterling chain went all the way to Ireland for a gift to a special sister-in-law. Made with love and given with love, I am sure she adored it!

Hard to work inside when it's Summer!

Lately it's been a challenge to get things going on the design front, loading the Etsy site with new listings is work enough, taking pictures, measuring etc. Jewelry design has taken a backseat to sales- but I have got tremendous new pearls and crystal to use for gorgeous stuff- wedding or just elegant earrings and necklaces.

I designed some anklets- sparkly and comfortable, always a challenge to make them pretty, elegant and cheap enough for anyone to afford- 9 inches of beads that are mostly round or rounded is expensive! Here's one for example- tell me what you think- $27 for average ankle- just what you need for the summer legs! Order yours today!

Mother's gifts- special custom bracelets

Wedding season is coming- don't forget the mothers of the bride and groom presents- how about a custom name bracelet? or birthstone bracelet, depending on the birth months of the children- I can make a stunning bracelet- like no other! here are some examples of bracelets I have made below.

Flower girl bracelets

Great gifts for your attendents and flower girls- custom made to the wedding theme colors and styles.

Christening Bracelets- baby to girl sized!

Just back from the Bahamas in time for spring to have arrived! Weddings are starting in force, flowers are blooming and so many opportunities to get jewelry as a special gift for the special someone on a special day! First communions, Mother's day, Confirmations, Dance recitals, Graduations, not to mention birthdays, anniversaries and weddings! Over the years I have made many mother's name bracelets and first communion bracelets- unique beautiful things for the special people that it is hard to find something uniquely special for!

Recently, I have started making baby christening bracelets with the baby's initials, cross and extension chains to grow with the baby girl! This leaves many opportunities to customize to the taste or personality of the mom and make it a gift the child can use for years! Here's just a sample of one I made a couple of weeks ago. The mom loved it and I got orders for 2 more from a grandma who just had to have some for her new grandbabies.

Anyone interested in having one made can email me at queenbeadgifts@comcast.net, starting at around $20 and comprised of Swarovski crystals, pearls and all sterling findings and beads, it's a much better gift than a frame or a spit up blanket which doesn't have any sentimental value. Do you have anything left from your christening gifts as a child? I have only one and it was a strange one- a man who knew my parents and lived in Mexico at the time bought me a brass scale- It is not super accurate, but it is still in my dining room almost 50 years later! So you never know- I still have the lockets my grandma received as a child around 100 years ago- that is so cool to have something that is unique and valuable that lasts!!

Bridal Show!

Dangling Hearts Lariat on queenbeadgifts.etsy.com

Did my first bridal show- what fun! wishing I was still a young bride-to-be! such fun stuff, pretty dresses and cool gifts! I made some awesome jewelry everyone got excited about the crystal lariats- awesome for a low back dress! The chandeliers were a hit too- pics coming too.

Got my beautiful daughter Tori to model them for me- pulled out my old wedding dress from 1990 and got lots of crap about the puffed sleeves- how styles change! everything is strapless and low these days! Let me know what you think!!

Christmas is coming- well it's a ways off for most people, but getting things made to sell at shows for the holidays takes a lot of time... and then pictures, uploading and advertising. Lots to do..

Websites converting to Etsy!

I am convinced that Etsy is catching on- I have noticed that so many of the shops I would browse on the web are converting Etsy! It's amazing- must be so much cheaper that it's worth packing it all up and switching storefronts- Guess I made the right move too!