The Breakfast Essentials

Some people prefer to start their day off right with a “healthy” dose of yummy breakfast treats. For these folks, the perfect gift lies in the adorable jewelry-captured reminders of their morning ritual. Even if you aren’t a breakfast person, can you really resist these squee-worthy replicas of tiny, realistic food jewelry?

Take these new, miniature toast slices for example. They are crisped to perfection, and ready to decorate the earlobes of anyone in need of an easy conversation-starter:

Get these toast earrings here for $9.

Then there is also the cup of mocha deliciousness, for the coffee or hot chocolate lover:

Get this miniature drink ring here for $9.

Or perhaps you prefer sunny-side up, as imitated in these egg posts:

Get these egg earrings here for $6.

And for the lovers of all things sweet, nothing beats a deliciously frosted doughnut complete with sprinkles.

Get this ring here for $9.

Are you a breakfast person? What’s your favorite morning treat?

Treasury Tuesday

‘yellow june’ by liatdadush

‘living breathing elegance’ by WavicleWays

‘Colbat Surprises’ by Glamour365

Jewelry Trends: The Collar Necklace

Are you loving the current collar necklace trend as much as I am? I love how easily one of these pieces can transform an outfit to have a retro feel and sense of mid-century style. Best worn with simple dresses, there are several ways you can pair these lovelies with your attire to add a touch of vintage-inspired glamour to your day.

Wide-rimmed, tank-top style dresses provide a frame for your collar necklace. The result, picture-perfect!

You can get this necklace here for $29.

Likewise, if you wear a collar necklace with a strapless dress, you allow the necklace to not only stand out on it’s own, but it will give your outfit the illusion of beginning from your neck line down.

You can get this necklace here for $29.

Finally, my personal favorite way to wear the collar necklace is over a high-cut a-line dress. This way the necklace looks like it’s actually part of your dress, transforming your outfit into instant fashionista!

You can get this necklace here for $29.

Meet Christopher from Skye Peak Creative

Can you sum yourself up in 3 sentences? Give it a go!
I’m a multifaceted geek. I not only like technology in the modern sense, but like seeing how older technology can be used years after it’s considered obsolete my the majority of the public. I use a lot of obsolete but still useful equipment to create my handcraft.

Tell us about what you sell:
I sell mostly handmade cards made using a huge stock of Print Gocco materials I acquired a couple years ago but also create other papercraft (gift bags, custom shadowboxes and dioramas, etc…)

What is your favorite thing about creating?
I’ve always enjoyed putting things together to create a finished product. Creating paper-craft using screen-printing and die-cuts allows me to do this in the limited amount of space I have and keeps me out of trouble!

Where do you find your inspiration?
I’ve always been fascinated by the simplicity of the designs and trends of the 60′s, 70′s and 80′s. I try my best to capture those in my cards and other products while creating something that will still appeal today.

Do you have any advice for other sellers?
Enjoy making what you sell and market yourself in any way possible. Regardless of if you are selling in person or online through Etsy or another venue, you will find yourself smashed between multinational corporations and gaggles of other people creating similar products. You have to find some way to differentiate yourself to get your product into people’s hands.

Do you have a coupon code for us?
save10percent to save 10% off any products on our website

Where else can we find you?
www.facebook.com/skyepeakcreative

 

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Christopher is being super awesome and giving you all a chance to win a random pack of 5 greeting cards for FREE! The way in which you can enter this giveaway are incredibly easy.

1st Entry:
Subscribe to the Megan’s Beaded Designs newsletter. (Or let me know if you are already a member of the exclusive club. ;-))

2nd Entry:
Visit Skye Peak Creative, and let us know which card is your absolute favorite in the comments below!

3rd Entry:
Like Christopher’s Facebook Page, and let us know you’ve done so in the comments below.

4rd Entry:
Buy something from Skte peak Creative. Let us know what you scored in the comments below.

5th Entry:
Blog about this giveaway, dropping a link to your post here afterwards.

6th Entry:
Tweet about this giveaway. Let us know your twitter ID afterwards.

7th Entry:
Share this giveaway on Facebook.

8th Entry:
Pin this giveaway on Pinterest. Share the link to your pin here afterwards.

Contest ends June 5th at midnight. The winner will be selected via Random.org and announced on Thursday, June 6th. Good luck everyone!

An Exotic Seashore Challenge

When I created this beaded mermaid barrette for the May 2013 “By the Seashore” challenge, I had a feeling it would be a hit. So I went ahead and made two of them. As I suspected, the first one I listed sold after a few days of being in my Etsy shop. Luckily, I was able to renew the listing so that the second barrette could be in the challenge.

This beauty features a two-toned cabochon of an exotic mermaid. She is surrounded by hand bead-embroidered layers of dark green, maroon, and glistening golden toned seed beads. All of the embroidered is beaded into a non-woven material and backed with black velvet fabric to protect the stitching. The Design is attached to an 80mm French-style barrette clip. Perfect for those of us with lots of locks to hold in place.

I won’t be making this darling again. If you want to be the first to snatch her up, you can find her in my Etsy shop here. Also, be sure to vote for your favorite challenge entry on the Etsy Hearts Beads Team blog by May 29th.

Meet Susan from Melasdesign & enter to win a free pair of earrings!

Can you sum yourself up in 3 sentences? Give it a go!
Art is a necessity for me. Otherwise I am a devoted wife, and dog owner. My influences are diverse, which comes through in the various media I work in.

Tell us about what you sell:
I sell polymer clay jewelry, oil paintings, textiles (weaving and felt), prints and greeting cards.

What is your favorite thing about creating?
My favorite thing about creating is the colors that I get to work with and create. I get sucked in by anything with colors I like. You should see me in front of Kitchen Aid Mixer displays! :) But seriously, I’m mainly identifiable through my color use and it brings me joy.

Where do you find your inspiration?
I find inspiration in many things – from the mundane (my morning coffee) to great art (Chihuly as of late). I’m also very inspired by industrial landscapes and urban architecture. It comes through in the geometry of my work. Lastly, I hope, that I find some inspiration from humor.

Do you have any advice for other sellers?
Stay true to yourself. The folks I read about on Etsy who have the greatest success have made their own niche that is true to who they are.

Do you have a coupon code for us?
MEGANS10

Where else can we find you?
Etsy
Facebook
Web Site
Twitter

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Susan is being very generous and offering you all an easy chance to win a pair of her fantastic earrings! Check out all of the way you can drop your name into the hat below:

1st Entry:
Subscribe to the Megan’s Beaded Designs e-mail newsletter.

2nd Entry:
Visit Susan’s website, Melasdesign, and let us know which listing is your absolute favorite in the comments below!

3rd Entry:
Heart Melasdesign on Etsy, and let us know you’ve done so in the comments below.

4th Entry:
Buy something from from Susan, either from her website or Etsy shop. Let us know what you purchased in the comments below.

5th Entry:
Like Susan’s page on Facebook, letting us know your Facebook username here afterwards.

6th Entry:
Follow Susan on Twitter, letting us know your @name here afterwards.

7th Entry:
Share this giveaway on Facebook.

8th Entry:
Pin this giveaway on Pinterest. Share the link to your pin here afterwards.

No entry is mandatory before you are able to do any of the others, you can pick and choose and add as many additional entries up to the 8 as you want to maximize your chances of winning! Your comments do not all need to be separated for each entry as long as it’s clear how many entries you are adding. You have until midnight on May 29th to enter! (Also, make sure it’s easy for me and Susan to contact you if you win!)

Winner will be random.org chosen and contacted on May 30th. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

Meet Linda from StudioLTD & Enter to Win a Free Brooch

Can you sum yourself up in 3 sentences? Give it a go!
I’m a geek and a nerd, and a lifelong bibliophile. I’m happy when I have paint and glue on my hands. I love to walk and get inspired by my surroundings, and pick up interesting bits of rusty metal while I’m at it.

Steampunk Raygun Shadowbox – $20

Tell us about what you sell:
Recyled everything! I take apart broken jewelry and make new jewelry, I make walking sticks for cosplay out of broken umbrellas, curtain rods, and real canes, and my favorite thing right now is making Steampunked or SciFi raygun shadowboxes. I think circuit board looks cool, and have just started using that in projects. I just was featured on Crafster for my jewelry encrusted mirror. Don’t tell my sis, I haven’t given it to her yet! I can’t wait to make another one.

What is your favorite thing about creating?
I think everyone needs to have a creative outlet! It stretches my mind, it’s a relief from the cares and worries of life. I like challenging myself, going ‘okay, what can I make from this?’

Retro Raygun Shadowbox – $40

Where do you find your inspiration?
Walking through my favorite part of town. And I’ve hung out on Craftster.com for years as Bookstorebabe. The folks there encouraged me when I began making things, and they inspire me with their creativity.

Do you have any advice for other sellers?
Have fun. If you’re not having fun with what you do, it’s time for a change. Ask people for advice! There’s a wealth of information out there, and people who are happy to share it. You will make mistakes-I have, and I will again. And every time I’ve learned something. Take chances! I showed my first cane to someone, who sent me to a local art gallery-I almost didn’t go! Being accepted there gave me the confidence to do a dealer’s table at the local sci fi con. That success gave me the courage to apply for my first juried art show this year. I had to force myself to take that first step, and I’m glad I did.

Mirror Mirror (from DeviantArt)

Do you have a coupon code for us?
Yes! Use code just4u for 15% off at my Etsy shop.

Where else can we find you?
Please check out my deviant art account! Anything you see, I’d be happy to make an Etsy listing for if it’s still available. Or I’ll work to create something unique just for you. Heck, just say hi, I love getting comments.

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Linda is being super awesome and offering you all a chance to win one of her cool circuit brooches for FREE. Check out all of the simple ways you can add you name to the hat below for you chance!

Enter to win this cool circuit board brooch for free!

1st Entry:
Subscribe to the Megan’s Beaded Designs newsletter. (Or let me know that you already do, you savvy online shopper, you.)

2nd Entry:
Visit StudioLTD on Etsy, and let us know which listing is your absolute favorite in the comments below!

3rd Entry:
Heart StudioLTD , and let us know you’ve done so in the comments below.

4rd Entry:
Buy something from StudioLTD. Show off your purchases in the comments below.

5th Entry:
Blog about this giveaway, dropping a link to your post here afterwards.

6th Entry:
Tweet about this giveaway. Let us know your twitter ID afterwards.

7th Entry:
Share this giveaway on Facebook.

8th Entry:
Pin this giveaway on Pinterest. Share the link to your pin here afterwards.

Contest ends May 21st at midnight. The winner will be selected via Random.org and announced on Wednesday, May 22nd. Good luck everyone!

Putting Your Sucky Situation Into Perspective

Time has a funny way of putting things into perspective, and giving clarity to some super-sucky situations. I’m sure we’ve all heard the irritating phrase, “time heals all wounds” at one time or another, and generally when we least want to. But there is some truth to the cliche.

I’m sure everyone can think of a situation that happened a few years ago that SUCKED while it was happening. But, NOW, you understand the benefits of it happening, see why it had to happen, and so forth.

Perhaps it was a relationship breakup. Yes, it hurt while it was happening, but now you look back and think oh-my-goodness THANK GOD I’m not with that douche-bag anymore!

Or maybe it was a challenging experience that really, really sucked at the time, but it helped to turn you into a more disciplined, or grateful person. (The whole, going without to appreciate what you have thing.)

An example from my own life could include the recent years I spent in college. I was a full-time student at a challenging university, and I had to work 3 to 4 jobs WHILE being a full time student. No joke- I honestly worked about 60+ hours a week for a large portion of my student career.

It was hard. It was really friggin’ hard and it was oh-so-tempting to give up sometimes. But now that that period of my life is over, I’m thankful I did what I did. I’m glad I went ahead and took that internship job (which toppled me over to 4 jobs when I was in my final semester), because that job turned into the full-time gig that I still do today. I’m also thankful that I signed up for the student newspaper gig  right before that, because as many hours as the position required, it gave me lots of good experience. That experience is what helped me land my internship job… and you know the rest. ;-)

See how that works? We never know how things are going to turn out for sure, and yes, we’re going to make some bad decisions along the way. But even those decisions can turn into life-lessons that help refine us into better people.

So I want you to consider what is really sucking in your life right now.

Maybe it’s a a friendship going poorly, maybe finances are tight, maybe you’re struggling with a project at work. Whatever it is, delve deep and focus on that one sucky thing.

Then, I want you to envision yourself looking back on your current situation a year from now, 3 years from now, and 10 years from now.

What will your currently difficult situation teach you? How will it help to shape you as a person? What will you end up being grateful for? What will you be relieved happened even though you were resistant to letting it happen at the time? Try to be really honest with yourself here, and do your best to step into your future self, and gain some of that perspective usually reserved for the passage of time.

Experienced any revelations? Please share them in the comments below!

What situation are you dealing with right now, and how has envisioning how you’ll remember it in the future changed your perspective? You guise know I love hearing from you!

Treasury Tuesday

‘Black & White ‘ by Florist

‘deep blue’ by liatdadush

‘Colorful, Floral, and Geometric.’ by IJPhotography

An Inspired Chevron Bracelet

It’s been a while since I’ve dusted off the ‘ol loom and made beaded bracelets with it. Now, with summer peeking in and stripes trending, I was inspired to do just that.

My journey begins with this simple chevron bracelet. It’s design of arrows consists of shades of blue, sea green, cream, and chocolate brown. Personally, the color combination feels indie to me, for whatever that really means.

I guess, for the context of this piece of jewelry, it means relaxing through the lazy days of summer. Laughing by a fire or taking a stroll on the sandy beach come evening. Listening to calm string music and spending time with good friends.

You can buy this bracelet here for $26. I only made one, so when it’s gone, it’s gone.