Yep, it’s that time of year mothers everywhere look forward to all summer long – school starts! And before they started inventing new games. Years ago I knew a woman whose 5 at-home-all-summer-long children came up with “Joan of Arc” and she found out about it only when they asked her for rope to tie Joan to the stake!

Anyway, both stores are loaded with tons of wondermous new beads and finding, and we’re just bursing with new ideas! Come on in, it’s still cool inside, if not always quiet.

From HSN to Elle magazine, and on about 30 TV show mini-somethings, we’re seeing Julia Roberts all over the place, and wearing fabulous jewelry in most cases.  Wonderful, funky bracelets, necklaces, and earrings made out of bone, brass, and stones.

And you can make a lot of them right in your local Artful Bead, out of better quality materials than most of those HSN ones, or for a lot less money.  Or design your own, to suit your style and colors. 

Come in and find your treasure!

So go on and blame anybody you like for anything you want to!  You can blame us for some things, like having too many fabulous beads, or for showing you those beautiful agates that you couldn’t live without.  

But don’t blame us for too much, because we’re a teeny bit sensitive.  You don’t want us to get all snivelley and pitiful, do you?

And this Saturday is National Garage Sale day!  Obviously named by people who Don’t Live in Texas, because nobody has a garage sale in Texas in the middle of August if it can possibly be avoided.  We sort of planned having a bead and magazine swap, but then the Tila beads came in and we all got sidetracked and forgot, so that scheme fell through.  But we do have some very lovely things made with Tilas, and a lot of “well that’s interesting…” swatches as well. 

We suggest that you put a few of your “less than favorite” beads into a baggie, tell your friends to do the same, and have your own swap session with your friends.  After all, you are certainly smart enough to have friends that don’t always lust after the same beads you do.  Right???  Ri-i-i-ight???  (Or at least friends with shorter arms, so you can grab them first, that’s my theory.*) 

And if you have time or need findings after the swap, come on and see us.  We’ll have some wonderful new pewter beads and findings by Saturday, new crystal, and who knows what other lovelies will have arrived?

(*If you don’t believe me, ask my friend Donna about the Blue Tiger Iron Incident 4 years ago.  She still hasn’t forgiven me.  But that wasn’t all longer arms, it was being more devious too.  I still love those beads.)

THE TILAS ARE HERE!!!  THE TILAS ARE HERE!!!

I know we aren’t supposed to shout, but it’s soooooo freakin’ exciting!  We have all 30 colors, and they are sooo cool!

see???

Yes, those lovely teeny double-holed chicklets of fabulousness!  And they’re at the Carrollton store!

And look at the first samples we made!  More to come soon – Bonnie is getting some for Experimentation!!

(Oh, the guy-on-horse reference is to Paul Revere, spreading the news about the historic event.  Not me looking for a cowboy.  Too much History Channel, ya know?)

It’s the Carrollton store’s 2^nd Birthday Party!  Come over and help us celebrate our “Terrible Two’s” this weekend from Friday, the 30^th through Sunday, the 2^nd. We are ever-so-excited to break out the cupcakes and ice cream!

So, “what’s in it for me” (besides the obvious sugar rush) you might be asking yourself. PRESENTS! Yes, tons of presents for YOU!  We love to share (maaaybe sometimes a little too much) so we are putting all stone, glass, crystal, pearl, and ethnic wall strands on sale: 25% OFF! Ohhhh, but you have been eyeing those beautiful sparklies in the case for awhile, haven’t you? You are in luck there too because all case strands are also 25% OFF!  Come adopt a sheltered sparklie today and give it a purpose in life!

ALSO, we will be giving away one Jewelry Making Techniques class EACH day. So, put your name in the drawing for yourself or that friend you’ve been dying to share your passion with.  We will also be playing great games with prizes, yummy food (a la Chef Michell), and just having a great time all-around on Saturday. Believe me, we know how to party!!!

What could possibly sweeten this pot? Oh, that’s right……NEW STUFF! I can’t forget to mention the absolutely unique and genuine vintage goodies we’ve discovered for you. Fantastic raw vintage Chanel findings and pendants!  *Shudder* I could hardly contain myself when we came across these beauties and so many to choose from.  We have also found some truly beautiful filigreed pocket watch pieces, faces, hands, gears, and who knows what else! Oh, also you MUST see the awesome new toy Val has become infatuated with.

So, come help us celebrate our “Terrible Two’s” this weekend and you truly won’t be disappointed. The more the merrier, you know how much we love to entertain (whether it’s intentional or not)!

 PS – We didn’t use this can of coolwhip after Lily’s treat, I promise!!!

If you are a fan of using taxidermy eyes in your jewelry and you haven’t found Dreaming Tree Studio, you had better sit down.  Check out the website to see what has to be thousands of options and colors available!

There are several iris shapes, different sizes and profiles, and the color selection (including optional metallic treatments) is HUGE!  Check out the “Specialty” one called Starry!!!  And they are wonderfully made, too! 

I admit, I only copied part of the page of  “unreal” colors, but there are fantastic “real looking” ones too!!

 “vin-tage   /ˈvɪntɪdʒ/ Show Spelled     [vin-tij] –adjective

1. of or pertaining to wines or winemaking.
2. being of a specified vintage: Vintage wines are usually more expensive than nonvintage wines.
3. representing the high quality of a past time: vintage cars; vintage movies; vintage jewelry; etc.
4.old-fashioned or obsolete: vintage jokes.
5.being the best of its kind: They praised the play as vintage O’Neill.”

So, according to Webster, the word “vintage” is mostly associated with the processes of wine-making.  While I’m not going to argue that wine is indeed an interesting AND fun special interest, I believe that when it comes to jewelry there are so many more flavors to choose from!

This past week Michell and I experienced  authentic vintage and we’ve brought it all back to the Carrollton store for all to see.  Hours of work, piles of boxes, and pounds of dust later we have selected the best quality of authentic vintage findings, filigree, pendants, and bezels, and watch bits for you to choose from.  Wonderful solid brass and copper galore!

My dream came true as I poured through boxes and boxes of antique watches to find the best of the best! Gorgeous Swiss made pocket watches for you to adorn your Steampunk-inspired jewelry with or just to admire for their intricate and beautiful parts.  Oh, and did someone say scarabs?  Oh YES, that’s right…I did!  

 New resin bezels too!!!

Come see it all in the Carrollton store soon, before it’s all gone!