As we all know, the day after Thanksgiving is called "Black Friday". With every store having sales, I figured I better get in on the action. For Black Friday, Green Bead Expressions will be having a sale going on from 12am-11:59pm (central time). Enter promo code BLACKFRIDAY upon checkout, and you will receive 25% off your purchase.
We will also be having a sale the following Monday, Nov. 28th (known as "Cyber Monday"). From 12am-11:59pm, enter code CYBERMONDAY to receive free shipping on your order.
New products are in the making just in time for holiday shopping. Winter jewelry, such as snowflake earrings, and personalized puzzle piece jewelry will be added over the next several weeks. And don't forget, we accept custom orders!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Consignment opportunity
I recently found a business looking for consignment items for their craft store. I've been looking into getting my jewelry into a brick & mortar store, so I thought this would be a good opportunity. I contacted them, and they sent me a contract to look over. I spent the last couple days cranking out some hand-made packaging, and doing all the bookwork involved on my end.
Today I dropped off my jewelry, which, unfortunately will have to just sit flat on the shelf until Monday when I can bring in some displays (since they don't provide them). I am in the process of making my displays right now. I bought a couple nice black melanine shelves from the local hardware store, and some L-shaped hooks. I'm going to cut off the end 1/3 of the shelf, and attach that to the other part of the shelf, forming a 'T' shape. Put it upside down, and this will be my display stand. Then I just need to add the hooks, and it's ready to display my jewelry! I think I'll have my husband cut the shelves, since I'm not too skilled with a skill saw (pun intended).
Today I dropped off my jewelry, which, unfortunately will have to just sit flat on the shelf until Monday when I can bring in some displays (since they don't provide them). I am in the process of making my displays right now. I bought a couple nice black melanine shelves from the local hardware store, and some L-shaped hooks. I'm going to cut off the end 1/3 of the shelf, and attach that to the other part of the shelf, forming a 'T' shape. Put it upside down, and this will be my display stand. Then I just need to add the hooks, and it's ready to display my jewelry! I think I'll have my husband cut the shelves, since I'm not too skilled with a skill saw (pun intended).
Monday, October 3, 2011
Beets and Beads
I have recently starting pulling my beets from the garden, as they are ready, and soon will be frozen. While cutting up some of the beets to cook, I couldn't help but notice how they stained my fingers a bright pink color. I realized beet juice would make a good natural paint for paper beads. Recycled paper beads colored with 100% natural beet juice? Sounds good to me!
I decided the best way to extract the juice was to boil the excess beet parts in a small bit of water. It worked like a charm, creating a nice pink color when painted on white paper. I may have to experiment more with this, possibly getting different shades of pink from the beets. I really like how these turned out.
I decided the best way to extract the juice was to boil the excess beet parts in a small bit of water. It worked like a charm, creating a nice pink color when painted on white paper. I may have to experiment more with this, possibly getting different shades of pink from the beets. I really like how these turned out.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Butterflies in the fall
A few weeks ago, my kids found a pretty green caterpillar on a bunch of carrots we purchased from a market. We put him in an empty fish tank, and in less than a week, he turned into a chrysalis. The kids were exited that in a few weeks, they would see a pretty butterfly emerge. One morning, around 9am, I checked on it. Nothing. A few hours later, I checked again. It was a butterfly... yet somehow, in those few hours, it managed to emerge, dry it's wings, and die.
Needless to say, the kids were disappointed. So I bought a shadow box at the dollar store and glued the butterfly on a piece of card stock. They were happy to come home from school and see their pretty butterfly framed on a shelf.
This inspired me to try and figure out how to incorporate butterflies in jewelry. I thought a butterfly covered in epoxy would be a good idea on a necklace. But where would I find another butterfly? Once in a while, you see a dead butterfly on the ground, but I have yet to see one this year. Then I realized you can buy anything online. After some searching, I did find a few sites that sell unframed, whole dead butterflies. They weren't horribly expensive per se, with some butterflies being only two or three dollars each. Some, however, were heinously expensive (in the $700 range). They also had minimum purchase requirements.
So, now what can I do? I then realized a photo could be almost as realistic as the real thing, but much easier to come across. That's when I decided to use some great photos, a good printer, and a little Photoshop. I printed the images on card stock, put two together for two sided imagery, and went at it very carefully with a crafting scissors (that part was tough). I then covered it with two heavy coats of Mod Podge, purposely creating dimension, and a good lacquer varnish. I put it on a necklace with glass and paper beads to match, and it somewhat looks like a real glossy butterfly to wear around your neck.
I think I'll be making a few more, in different colors. And definitely one for myself!
Needless to say, the kids were disappointed. So I bought a shadow box at the dollar store and glued the butterfly on a piece of card stock. They were happy to come home from school and see their pretty butterfly framed on a shelf.
This inspired me to try and figure out how to incorporate butterflies in jewelry. I thought a butterfly covered in epoxy would be a good idea on a necklace. But where would I find another butterfly? Once in a while, you see a dead butterfly on the ground, but I have yet to see one this year. Then I realized you can buy anything online. After some searching, I did find a few sites that sell unframed, whole dead butterflies. They weren't horribly expensive per se, with some butterflies being only two or three dollars each. Some, however, were heinously expensive (in the $700 range). They also had minimum purchase requirements.
So, now what can I do? I then realized a photo could be almost as realistic as the real thing, but much easier to come across. That's when I decided to use some great photos, a good printer, and a little Photoshop. I printed the images on card stock, put two together for two sided imagery, and went at it very carefully with a crafting scissors (that part was tough). I then covered it with two heavy coats of Mod Podge, purposely creating dimension, and a good lacquer varnish. I put it on a necklace with glass and paper beads to match, and it somewhat looks like a real glossy butterfly to wear around your neck.
I think I'll be making a few more, in different colors. And definitely one for myself!
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