The Penny Hoarder’s Hallo(Wii)n Giveaway
The Penny Hoarder is giving away a Wii, with Mario kart game...along with
a $25 gift card to Amazon.com and a $10 gift card to Best Buy! Check out their Blog for how to enter!

Win a Copy of '30 Minute Rings' by Martha Le Van

Rings have been making a comeback in a huge way - and the more unique the ring, the better. This season designers offered a lot of statement jewelry: big, colorful and unusual – pieces that will be remembered, stand out rather than just complement clothing.

One of my favorite blogs, Beadwright, is offering another cool DIY book! '30 Minute Rings' by Martha Le Van has 60 amazing projects, and can be done in no time at all! From classic looks to chunky and cool, the styles seem easily adaptable to your own tastes. I would love to try some of these projects myself!
Go to Beadwright and enter to win!

Win a $50 Wal-Mart Gift Card for your Holiday Shopping!

 I know how hard it can be to get all the little things for the holidays, and I swear, the list grows every year. So, to celebrate reaching 600 Facebook fans, I am giving away a $50 gift card to Wal-Mart! Head on over to my Facebook page, and click the link on the left (under the profile picture) that says 'Giveaways'. Enter to win, and stay tuned for the winner, chosen at random on Oct. 27th!

The winner of last week's giveaway, 2pc Set of Autumn Harvest Hand Beaded Ornaments, is Cherish Norman!



Enter to win the $50 gift card to Wal-Mart, and get your holiday season off to the right start.

Remember, Facebook Fans also get free shipping on all items in our Etsy shop until Dec. 1st!

What are you waiting for, go enter our giveaway and go get yourself some ornaments with free shipping!

Seed Beads - A Quick Guide

I get emailed many questions on Facebook, asking me bead questions, and while I do not mind at all answering you individually, I figured it would be easier for everyone if I put up a quick reference guide.   :)

FAQ:
1. What is a seed bead?
"Seed Bead" is a generic term for any small bead. They can range in size from under a millimeter to several millimeters. There are many shapes and styles of seed beads - such as Round, Cylinder (also known as Delica), Hexagon, and Bugle, just to name a few! They can be used in many crafts, suck as loom bead weaving, or beaded wire sculptures.

Here is an easy to reference chart of seed bead sizes, illustrated. I have a copy printed out and up on my project board.





2. How many beads do I get if I buy per loose package? How many beads are in a tube?
A typical package of seed beads can range from 5 to 40 grams, depending on the size of bead.Check the bead seller's catalog or sample card for the gram weight of their packages.

Here is an easy to reference chart of bead sizes (approximate).

Here is an easy to reference chart of beads per gram (approximate).

3. What the heck is a hank?
Hanks are loops of beads temporarily strung on thin cotton strands.

4. How many strings in a hank?
Hanks usually come in 12 strands, or 6 (half hank). Some other cut-beads may have fewer strands. Check the bead seller's catalog or sample card for the quantities they represent.

Win a Copy of 'The Art of Jewelry Polymer Clay' By Katherine Duncan Aimone

One of my new favorite blogs, Beadwright, is giving away a book a week for 9 weeks. This is week 2 of 9, and she is giving away a copy of The Art of Jewelry Polymer Clay  By Katherine Duncan Aimone.
"This book is definitely for the polymer artist who wants to go further, push boundaries and create with more passion." says Beadwright. Check out her blog for more details, pictures of the book, and how to enter! Drawing is Oct. 12th.

Enter Artbeads DeCoRé Clay Giveaway!

How would you like to win one of the hottest new items in jewelry design? Enter Artbeads DeCoRé Clay Giveaway! The best part is DeCoRé clay is so simple to use!  No baking, mixing or fumes, AND it’s non-toxic! It will adhere most any kind of material - including metal, wood and glass. So enter the giveaway for your chance at a $50 DeCoRé Prize Package. Must be 18 or over to enter and a US or Canadian resident (excluding Quebec). Click here to enter the giveaway!

Beadwright: LAURA McCABE BOOK GIVEAWAY

Beadwright: LAURA McCABE BOOK GIVEAWAY: If you like sparkle, shine, and shimmer then Laura McCabe’s latest hard bound book should be in your hands. Beadwright, one of my new favorite blogs, is giving a copy away! Check out her post to enter.

Big Girls Don't Cry - Articles on How to Handle Negative Feedback or Comments

“Negative feedback is better that none. I would rather have a man hate me than overlook me. As long as he hates me I make a difference.” - Hugh Prather

I recently posted a non-beaded craft I had made on a how-to site, for a contest. I was amazed and appalled when I was viciously attacked in the comments section! Not only did this individual write unwarranted and mean things, they tried to recruit others to do the same. I was crushed, and even cried...and stopped sharing my work with the world for awhile. Then I read a few of these articles, and they helped me realize that There are mean people in the world, not everyone is going to like me or my work, and I DID put myself out there. The trick is to get back on the horse, and never let someone steal your inspiration. Good luck! 

Put you Big Girl Panties on by crafterminds
Practical Tactics for Dealing with Haters by Fourhourworkweek.com
Deal with Negative Comments by successful-blog.com
Deal with Negative People by Life with Confidence
Negative People by Michele Martin
Negative Comments Online by SimplyZesty.com 

 I hope these articles will help at least some of you. They certainly helped me!

Beads and Wires Everywhere...How to Keep Organized in a Small Space (or On The Go)

Like most crafters, my toolbox came to its completion slowly. It evolved from a disorganization of tools everywhere in our bedroom to a series small, organized boxes that I can move around at will. I do the vast majority of my bead work in the bedroom, which also serves as our office. This means that when bead time is over, the cleanup can be somewhat time consuming and annoying/frustrating. There are a couple things that I've done to reduce the stress (because this is supposed to be fun, darn it!), one of which has been to create boxes devoted solely to my beading tools and supplies. When it's time to clean up, I just put everything back in its box and move it to the closet.

Tool boxes or tackle boxes work GREAT for larger beads, hanks or tubes. The big section underneath the tray is great for tools and spools of wire. I also have a large plastic bin that I keep my tool boxes in, to keep everything centralized and organized. This also makes it easier to divide tool boxes up by projects! It makes it so very easy to take your work on the road, be it for craft shows or holiday traveling.



What I keep in my Tool Boxes:
I like to keep one small tool box to assign to specific projects, and then I have one for my wire tools, my wires and my beads. I have a small tupper-ware with a lid for my threads. I keep them all in a large clear storage bin, in my closet.
Wire tools - If you do any type of wire work, you should have flat nose pliers, needle nose pliers, round tip pliers, wire cutters, bent nose and chain nose pliers. Personally I have invested in high end tools This is not necessary, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE JUST STARTING OUT. If you're serious about your wire work, consider your options for tools. You can learn more about the different types of pliers available here.
Wire Cutters, Spools of wire, scissors and of course, beads.

Types of Wire Working Pliers - A Quick Guide

What kind of wire working pliers do you use? If you're like me, you began your wire-working career (or hobby) with a few basic pliers, and added as your skills became more advanced. Or you may have gotten a starter set at the craft store.Here are the basic types of wire-working pliers, and the uses of each - as well as and how to go about choosing the right tools for what you want to do!

Flat Nose- Broad, flat jaws used for gripping and holding wire and creating angular bends. Also great for opening and closing jump rings.

Needle Nose-Long gripping nose provides excellent control and reach for fine work.

Chain nose- Flat pointed nose pliers, used for gripping and tucking in wire ends, and getting into tight places.

Round Nose- Smooth, round jaws used for making loops and round bends in wire. Also called 'Rosary Pliers'.

Bent Nose- 45 degree bend for getting into tight places. Can also be used for picking up small parts, and opening and closing jump rings.




 I hope this helps you decide what you need to start out, or if you are already a wire-worker it can assist in upgrading/expanding your tool box. There are many other important tools in the world of beads and wire, so stay tuned for more quick guides!

You'r Selling WHAT? - Articles on How to Write Item Titles and Descriptions

"I always do the first line well, but I have trouble doing the others." - Molière

Do you have writer’s block when it comes to crafting your Etsy item listings? Having trouble conveying what your item is, or drawing attention? There is no “perfect” item description...but there are more than a few articles about how to write a stunning item description, and I am linking to my favorites, for your reading pleasure. Browse the articles and tips, and write down the ones that make sense to you. Enjoy, and I hope they help! Feel free to let me know which ones were most helpful to you, in the comment section.

Sinclair the Squirrel is ready to scamper into your heart, and your home! Hand beaded onto a wire wrapped frame, this little guy consists of hundreds of glimmering seed beads. Perfect for the Autumn lover, or whimsical as a wedding table centerpiece, this little fella is approx. 5 inches tall, 2.5 inches wide and weight approx. 0.625 lbs (10 oz). Use him as a paperweight, or a cuddly greeter near your door!

5 Tips for Item Descriptions from the Etsy Blog
5 Step Formula For Writing Handmade Product Descriptions That SELL by handmadeology
Writing Item Headlines and Descriptions for Best Impact by Payvment Blog
How to Write Ebay Descriptions  by Foundvalue
Writing Long Descriptions
by Sell Handmade Online
Writing Online Auction Descriptions
by Internet based Moms
How to Write Product Descriptions that Seal the Deal by Meylah
Using 'Ideal' Words for Item Descriptions
by Robin Nobles

If you want more resources like these, look for part two next month!

Autumn's hottest Color Trends in Handmade fashion and Decor, 2011

Ahhh, autumn is near. I love the crisp leaves, apple-based desserts and the smell in the air...I also love the colors! No fall season would be complete without dark chocolate and mocha browns, but this year I am also seeing a lot of khaki,and off white - especially in snuggly knits and fun accessories.

Fall seems to be a time for dramatics, must be the Halloween influence! Or our stubborn resistance to dreary winter months ahead? At least it inspires beautiful colors! Deep blues and purples, sagey greens and a dash of defiant yellow or pink...




I, for one, love how fashion colors can inspire the handmade crafter set. Not only do you see these trends in clothing, but in what we choose to place in our homes. Rich colors can bring life to a room, any time of year!

 I see a lot of daring and romantic color combinations in jewelry: rich brassy tones with pumpkin oranges, amazon greens and brick reds. Add a dash of plum tone purples and you have yourself a well rounded palette for almost anything...room colors, clothing/accessories, even artwork or holiday decor!

Check out the Crafter Round Ups I have put together! These are unsolicited, merely items I have seen on Etsy that I love! No one has paid me to post their item here.

I love the thick cable knits and the smokey grays! I love the dashing reds and the soothing greens,the vibrant oranges and the flirty purples!

Beautiful examples of some of this autumn season's hottest color trends!

Fr33na $12.99	OliveandFern $99.00	HelloVioleta $15.00	fodenandmckenz... $30.00
cutrag $65.43	janellehaskin $38.00	ElainaLouiseSt... $12.00	TickledPinkKni... $125.00
katrinshine $9.00	p1xie $135.00	mcclouddesigns $16.00	minusOne $28.00
momosoho $650.00	femaleknitter $50.00	nbtd1 $27.00	wickedruby $22.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio. 

Beautiful examples of some of this Autumn's hottest color trends in home decor!

TimelessPaper $150.00	JaneeLookerse $6.00	VeeDubz $40.00	deboraBstudio $22.00
Easy123 $10.00	AidansAttic $20.00	Eastvillageart... $14.99	Balanced $24.00
Fairyfolk $12.00	NorthbyEast $6.00	stephmel $18.00	RecycleBuyVint... $16.20
AlacartCreatio... $10.00	fabriq $8.50	hopejohnson $28.00	MyraMelinda $50.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.