ETSY - Wonderful Place, Wonderful People

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Esty it is without a doubt the best place on the web for creative crafters to market their wares and that is just what they do. Everything from Wooden Apples to Stuffed Zebra's can be found in the thousands of stores you can shop in. But what makes Etsy truly amazing is the people.



Through one of the miriad of groups I belong to on the web I met Marichris Guadagna, the creative artist who sells on Etsy as Golden Flower Creations. On her blog Zen Ventures yesterday she offered fellow shop owners the opportunity to advertise with her in a creative blog post called Siesta Saturday. Check out her blog and her shop here. Etsy really is all about the people.



Zen Ventures: Siesta Saturday - Nothing but Etsy#comments



And in that light, being all about the people, don't forget to stop by my team's store Esmarts where we donate fine art to help someone less fortunate. Newley listed today, two new items from Jill at Jewlery Elegance.



A Beaded Affair

Stu Stu Studio618

Showing my total lack of knowledge of modern music, if a 1985 song by Phil Collins can be called "modern music", when I first met the talented Theresa Kwong, the brains and talent behind Studio 618, I couldn't for the life of me remember her real name. Every time I saw her the adulterated lyrics of Phil's pop hit were all I could bring to mind and Theresa became Stu Stu Studio to me. With apologies to Theresa, Phil Collins in a 1997 interview with VH1 said, "So I set up this drum-machine pad, and I got some chords, and I started to sing into the microphone, and this word came out, which was "sus-sussudio." The world of course thought it was Stu Stu Studio, me included, and that is the name I dubbed Theresa.

I've gotten to know Theresa a little better and still secretly think of her as Stu, but there is much more to Theresa Kwong than an out of date pop ditty. One look at her Etsy Store Studio 618 will reveal the depth of artistic talent and vision that continues to reveal itself with each new addition. Structure and flow identify her style which makes sense when you know that Theresa is a practicing architect by day and a jewelry designer by night.

A Silversmith, Theresa uses only the best gemstones, sterling and copper to create a wide variety of one of a kind treasures. One of my current favorites is this hand engraved sterling cuff with the following scripture from Numbers 6:24-26 "May the Lord bless you and keep you;May the Lord make his face shine upon you;and be gracious to you;May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace." See more historical information on hand engraving on Theresa's blog aptly titled Studio 618.

Theresa says, "My inspiration comes from my past experiences in life, my cultures, my environment, or a specific moment in time. Sometimes interesting techniques will challenge me to come up with different designs too. My work keeps evolving, with fresh ideas all the time."

I think Stu says it best, "After many years of practicing as an architect, I craved to create with my own two hands instead of just sitting behind the computer or drawing board and have other people carry out my designs. From mega-scale projects to micro-sized adornments, I execute my jewelry designs/fabrication with an artful eye, precision hands, and human comfort in mind. I hope my jewelry collections will bring you as much meaning and enjoyment as the passion I pour onto each piece."

A visit to Studio 618 will grab the imagination, satisfy your senses, engage your heart and provide you with your favorite gifts to give or keep for yourself. Thanks Theresa!

While visiting Studio 618 check out her favorites Sellers, team mates on the eSMArts Team for a wide variety of fine art, craft and collectibles. New this month is our eSMArts Team Store with a variety of donated items from generous team members the proceeds of which will all go to good causes.

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think of this article.

Pay It Forward

eSMArts Team Shop
A Beaded Affair

An Affair with Beads

Christmas is coming sooner than we think and it's time to stock up for those Christmas gifts. New beads at A Beaded Affair are just the ticket. Only $6.95 per strand and FREE SHIPPING when you buy any 3 items in the shop.


Copper beads and findings at great prices. High end focal beads too?



What are you waiting for......A Beaded Affair!

Copper wire - 1/2 Round 18 & 20 Gauge, Square in 18, 20, 22 and 24 Gauge


Hand made Artisan Jewelry too!


A Beaded Affair

http://www.abeadedaffair.com/

http://www.abeadedaffair.etsy.com/

Whimsical Wilma - Good Enough to Eat

I just love my Esmarts team members. They constantly surprise and amaze me with the variety and beauty of their work posted on Etsy. One in particular usually makes me hungry too. Wilma, of Wilma's Whimsey's makes the most delicious Lampwork Beads for jewelry crafters. Currently listed at her Etsy Store she has Blueberry Supreme and Marble Cake. Yummmm. Cake and ice cream, how can you go wrong?

Apparently though, Wilma must be thinking about the coming winter weather in Minnesota where she lives, since she has also listed First Snow but maybe she's thinking about staying warm with her Painted Desert and Fire beads.

Wilma's hand crafted Lampwork Beads epitomize the spirit of Etsy . Nationally and hopefully world wide there seems to be a return to an appreciation of handcrafted gifts. What could be more Green and earth friendly than a hand crafted sweater, slippers or beads made by a real person with a love for their craft. No big factories belching smoke for the revolutionaries at Esmarts and Etsy. Why not take the "Hand Made Pledge" today and buy only hand crafted gifts this year and support your local artisans, the Green Movement and our economy. Seems almost patriotic.

Don't forget to check out Wilma's Whimseys for beautiful Lampwork Beads and the rest of the craftsmen and women at Esmarts Team for a wide variety of items from Apparel to Zircon and everything inbetween.

A Beaded Affair at Etsy
A Beaded Affair Blog

Beads, Beads, Beads and Free Shipping

What's new at A Beaded Affair at Etsy?

Beads, Beads, Beads!!!

Bead Store Quality, Gem Show Prices

Each and every day A Beaded Affair strives to bring you the best prices on hand selected, gemstone beads for all your creative needs.

At A Beaded Affair we understand the inherent problem of buying beads online.

"The pictures look great but will the beads I get look that good?"

Ours Will! and Here's Why,

The beads you see in the pictures are the beads you get. We never use stock photos prefering to take the time to shoot the strands you will get in your individual package. I will even re-shoot them for you before shipping if you like. No more guessing, no more dissappointments. You get the beads you see in the picture.

But Wait, There's More......

100% satisfaction guarantee. If you get them and you are not satisfied simply return your beads for a refund of the purchase price. It is that simple.

But Wait, There's More......

We also carry Hard To Find 1/2 Round and Square Copper Wire, solid Copper findings and soon to come Sterling findings all at great prices!

So what are you waiting for? You know you need fabulous beads. Head on over to A Beaded Affair at Etsy and tell them, Lois sent ya!

"Talent at eSmarts - Art You Can Wear"

“eSmarts” Guild Team, an Etsy Team, is lucky to have found an extraordinary artist who also happens to be a Marketing Maven. From her blog "My Gemstone Box" and very active group participation in “eSmarts” Yahoo Group, Diane informs and educates the team with marketing tips and tricks to help us navigate the jungle of Social Marketing sites on the World Wide Web.

As lucky as we are to get an experienced marketer in our midst, even better is the artist and her work. Fine gemstones, pearls and precious metals combine to create “simple yet elegant jewelry that is art you can wear”.

A wife and mother with a full time job as a Quality Engineer for a Rhode Island printing company, yet this giving artist still finds time to help the more IT challenged of us sign up for Flickr and LinkedIn, We Love Etsy and Scoutle, all the while creating and posting to Etsy her beautiful hand made creations.

See more of Diane’s “art you can wear” at her Etsy store UnicornGem1994 and figure out what LinkedIn, Twitter, Flickr and many more are at “My Gemstone Box”. .

Art you can wear, what a wonderful vision.

Check out my blog/shop at A Beaded Affair and

my Etsy Store also A Beaded Affair

Sterling Heshi and Pearls

New in my Ecrater Shop Sterling Heshi and Fresh Water Pearls. What's Heshi? Hundreds of teeny tiny tubes of sterling threaded like a bead and it creates a light as a feather necklace that is a true pleasure to wear. Elegant and simple with a scattering of pink, white and peach fresh water pearls.

Check out my Etsy shop, A Beaded Affair, for more exciting creations in pearls, natural gems, sterling, gold and copper.

Enjoy!

Not Your Mothers Pearls

Fresh water pearls combined with micro faceted blue sapphire.

When you hear that combination, if you are like me, you think of a strand of pearls with a sapphire clasp. But when the sapphires are as beautiful as these, why hide them in the back where no one would ever see them.

Now available in my Etsy shop, 3 strands of incredible white fresh water pearls combined with about 8-9 carats of micro faceted cornflower blue sapphire beads. These are the real thing. Fine pearls, fine color and accented with sterling clasp and professional fininshing. Inside length of 17 1/2 inches.

Prefer it in black pearls, different gems? email me at Lois@abeadedaffair.com and design one just for you.

Tag Your It??

It has been a very long time since I last played tag. In fact, I can't remember playing tag since my daughter, now 27, was a very little girl. Apparently, however, I have been tagged in a "Pyramid Scheme" tag game with other members of our eSmarts Etsy Team. Somehow, this feels like those "angel" prayers I get in email all the time and delete...Yes I'm a bad person, I don't forward the angels with prayers attached. Well, not one to be the spoil sport in the group, I will pass this one along since I was tagged by one of the talented ladies of eSmarts, ChezChani.


Following are the rules for our game of tag. I'm counting on all of you to play along too. Who knows where this may lead???

1) Link to the person who tagged you

2) Post the rules on your blog (this is what you are now reading)

3) Write 6 random things about yourself (see below)

4) Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them

5) Let each person know they have been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.

6) Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

So, what are a few random things about me that I can allow you to know

1) I love animals

2) My husband thinks I'm wonderful

3) I love my husband very deeply

4) I'm preparing for my first outside show in September

5) I want to open a bead shop and retire there

6) I fell off my diet this weekend

Well, there you have it. 6 totally random, unbelievably boring, facts about me. I need to live vicariously through the lives of others for any excitement at all. Now, as to the other blogs to tag? Who should I torture with this.....

Creative Junque

Annette Piper Jewellery

Blue Moon

Sweet Tarragon (My sweet DIL, not yet in eSmarts, but I'm hoping)

Always Wired Bead Lady

The World of Wezz

Link and Loops

Well, that is my Pyramid Scheme Blog for today courtesy of ChezChani...it's all her fault...



Lois



Visit me at my other blog A Beaded Affair and my Etsy shop, yup, you guessed it, A Beaded Affair

Adventure

New and fresh this simple necklace will accent so many outfits you'll find yourself never leaving home without it. The soft translucent green of fine aventurine and new jade combine with flawless white fresh water pearls and sterling silver to create a distictive yet classic look. 21 inches. Matching earrings included.
















Check out this and other unique pieces at my Etsy store, A Beaded Affair and while you're there, click on my Favorite Sellers and visit all the stores of the eSmarts team.

Cutting Edge - Ga' Hoole Tree Designs

Being on the cutting edge of anything has never been my strong suit. I tend to hold back and wait until "you" have gotten the bugs out of the works for me before I'll consider trying something new. To say I am old fashioned and behind the times, well, it's really not an insult to me. I take great pride in doing some things the old fashioned way.

I still use maps...no not printed off the computer...but smelly, old, wrinkled map books for all the surrounding counties which I keep in the pocket behind my seat. When I make stuffing, I break the bread and chop the celery and onions myself. I make my own pies and cakes and my daughter was 10 before she had a store bought sweater. I hand write letters and have no idea what an iPod is, let alone does.

Recently, however, I met a dynamic jeweler who is really on the cutting edge in so many ways and she is trying to bring me out of the dark ages and into the 21st Century. Of course, I am kicking and screaming all the way...but just think...she has me blogging.

AnnaLee Husband is the leader of our Etsy Team eSmarts, The Etsy Social Marketing Arts Guild. In addition to producing exquisite jewelry for her Esty shops Ga'Hoole Tree Designs and Sassy D Lite she makes available to us all the remarkable gems she has hand selected for her supplies shop Ga'Hoole Tree Supplies. Even better, AnnaLee is sharing with the team her years of experience and most importantly her success marketing online through Social Marketing Techniques she has developed and with our team effort we will be able to create an online presence, which none of us could have achieved alone.

AnnaLee Husband is always trying something new and recently I caught up with her blog Ga'Hoole Tree Designs where she is trying out a new slide show. It's worth a trip to Ga'Hoole Tree just to check out the slide show but doubly worth it since it's full of AnnaLee's treasures.

Ga'hooleTree Designs: a new slideshow

Enjoy the trip and stop back here often for reviews of other team members and Etsians as I travel the road to the 21st Century. Who knows, maybe I'll get a fax machine or something exciting like that.

A Beaded Affair - An affair you'll remember - Esty Shop
A Beaded Affiar - Gem Stories