Happy Valentine’s Day!

Filed under: Glass Beads, Handmade Jewelry, Holiday Jewelry

Well it’s been an interesting 2 weeks to say the least. My Tungsten lights blew out so I have no adequate light in which to photograph my jewelry until the new lights arrive. We had a wind storm that blew out the electric so we had to take ourselves, along with our 2 children (one is 2 years old and the other is 2 months old) to the Country Buffet for dinner the other night. Two pieces of the aluminum on one of the roof peaks blew off in that storm so now we have to replace the the aluminum on all THREE peaks so that it matches. The material isn’t much but the labor is where they get you, obviously.

I did have a few good things happen too, though. I bought a new camera so hopefully that will aid in better pictures for the future. Today was a first for me. Some of you might be able to sympathize with my plight, but probably not. I created several pieces of jewelry with a 2 month old napping in an upright position on my lap. At this very moment I am typing my blog with one finger and the wrong hand because I am feeding him with the other! Listen…you gotta do what you gotta do.

I have a new collection of handmade bracelets that I will be adding to continuously. I call it the “Breakfast at Bella’s” collection. These bracelets are all handmade sterling silver and they feature handmade glass charms made by Laurie of Mermaid Glass. She has my business for life. I LOVE these bracelets and the beads. I used sterling findings and Hill Tribes silver charms throughout the design, and each one is different. There is more breakfast to be served so keep your eyes peeled for new additions!

Also these Swarovski Crystal heart earrings were supposed to be for Valentine’s Day, but again, camera and lighting issues prevented me from listing them sooner. Anyway, they are great to wear anytime obviously and they are now listed in the store.

We have introduced 5 new Guest Artists for the month of February. They are in no particular order: Alexsandra Gifford - aka Wild Pearly. Alexsandra makes the most amazing handbags I have ever seen. They are creative and vibrant, and you definitely need to check them out. They are all OOAK items and I promise you won’t be disappointed. Here is an example of her work…

Next we have Connie Loyet of “Riverbed” creations. Here is another great artist who brings us unique gemstone and mineral pendants. Some of her beautiful creations are personally mined! Below is just an example of Connie’s work. Please click on the photo to view the item in the store as well as her other four offerings for a total of five showcased items!

Megan Huffaker of Tesoro Bella Jewelry is a 36-year-old stay-at-home mother with a Bachelor of Science degree with an emphasis in Genetics. Megan is joined in design, creation, and distribution by her sisters Becky, Katie, and Chris, by her nieces Kathryn (Kat) and Maddeline, by her parents Jay and Rosie, and by her close friend Kari. Please see a glimpse of what Megan has to offer below. Click on the picture to be taken to the store and explore some of Megan’s other wonderful creations!

Next is Manda Link of Manda Panda Creations. Her jewelry is as unique as her name. I know that you will just love her pieces. Below is my personal favorite from Manda’s submitted collection. Please click the photo to be taken to that item in the store, or just visit the store to view six more of Manda’s creations!

Jewelry Fetish is a relatively young business that grew out of three women’s passions for custom made pieces. Those women are Teresa Ellens, Stephanie Ponius, and Jocelyn Walker. Please see just one of the many creations that they have to offer. Click on the photo to be taken to this item in the store and read more about it, or add it to your collection before someone else does!

Tags: earrings, handcrafted jewelry, Handmade Beaded Jewelry, handmade gifts, handmade glass beads, Holiday gifts, Holiday jewelry, sterling silver

Holiday gifts under $25!!!!

Filed under: Glass Beads, Handmade Jewelry, Holiday Jewelry

Here are a few new items that I have posted in the store. They are novelty watches featuring a glittering Santa or a Christmas tree for the holidays, and you can find them in the Holiday Collections section.

There is also one new addition to the Necklaces category. I have been busy with themed jewelry for the holidays so I haven’t made any glass bead necklaces in the past week, and I still have at least 10 one-of-a-kind beads left to use. I don’t have a favorite because they are all so very beautiful and believe me when I tell you that the pictures NEVER do them justice. This necklace is made with a deep ocean blue electroform bead handmade by Lisa Atchison. The leaf is hand picked from her backyard. This handmade pendant is gently suspended from a copper bail, which hangs on hand-dyed silk ribbon from Jamn Glass. With this pendant I did something just a bit different and made Swarovski crystal components in complimentary colors and dangled them from the base of the bead for added sparkle! As usual with the silk ribbon necklaces, the copper coil closure allows for an adjustable length before tying closed.

Are you looking for stocking stuffers? Check out our “Great Gifts” section of the store where you can search our inventory by price. We have a ton of great gifts that would make perfect stocking stuffers for under $25, and many wonderful and unique gifts under $10 from hair jewelry, to macramé bracelets, to brocade satin lipstick cases.

Here’s an original idea…every woman could use a Purse Hanger. You don’t think about it until you actually have one. You never have to go to a restaurant and place your bag on the chair or on the floor, when you go to the casino and sit at the blackjack or poker table you can conveniently hang your purse close to you. They are available in 8 great styles! Select yours from the drop down menu when making your purchase.
We also carry Phone Finders. Keep your phone handy - just hook it to a “Finders for Fones” for a functional and fashionable way to decorate your purse. And we carry Key Finders so that you never have to dig in the bottom of your purse for your keys again! These unique gifts come in a variety of styles, more than 60 styles from which you can choose. Just visit our Cell Phone Accessories category or click on the photo below.

Meet Beary Spoiled Bear. These adorable “Kritters” can be used as either purse charms or key chains. There are 12 from which to choose and each has its own personality. Please see each one to make sure you select the Kritter that best suits your personality! You can find these in our Purse Charm section of the store.

How about gifts for your Children’s schoolteachers? These handmade beaded bookmarkers will be one of the best gifts they ever receive. There aren’t many listed in the store right now because the pictures are not very good, and many are already sold so I have to make more and then re-photograph them. However, all of them are custom made and I can do anything that you like in any color. The Millefiori bookmarkers to the right are customizable with over 10 different styles of Millefiori beads. Choose your favorite from the drop down menu when ordering.

If you’d like something custom made using other materials, please E-mail me for inquiries.

Tags: gifts under $25, Handmade Beaded Jewelry, handmade gifts, handmade glass beads, holiday accessories, holiday gift ideas, Holiday jewelry, Holiday watches

New Merchandise Added

Filed under: Events, Handmade Jewelry

Hi Everyone…

Let me start by saying that I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! We spent ours in our “new”, 2nd home in Connecticut and we ate with my fiancee’s family. It was very nice although I didn’t eat very much. We are having our 2nd child on December 10th and he is giving me some serious heartburn! Oh well, it’ll all be worth it in the end, which is unbelievably only 9 days away.

Now for the introduction of my newest section of the store, Gift Cards! If you aren’t sure what to get that special someone, but you know you want it handmade you can now conveniently purchase gift cards from Isabella’s Beads. Click on the Gift Card and select your desired increment from the drop down menu and click “Add to Cart”. It’s that easy! Add multiple cards for various gifts. Our gift cards can be used to purchase any items in the store. There are no restrictions.

Please don’t forget to check out the Holiday Items section of Isabella’s Beads for new themed jewelry and holiday gift presentation items such as our Wine gift bags which are available in 5 vibrant colors for only $2.50 each!

In my last blog I mentioned the addition of the Guest Jewelers Section. That section is now complete and all of the items have been added for December’s featured artists. Janice Kuhm, Rachael Swiss, and Sophia Waddell are the first artists to be featured for this month. The response has been overwhelming and I have several new artists already lined up for January. I think that this is going to be a wonderful experience for all who are involved.

If you are an artist of handmade jewelry or ANY handmade items, and you would like to be featured in my Blog, monthly Newsletter, and in the Guest Jewelers Section of my store please E-mail me and I’ll tell you how you can get started immediately! Keep in mind that only registered users of Isabella’s Beads will receive our exclusive Newsletters, so if you would like to be on that list please Register Here for free to become a member.

Money Making Opportunities:

If you are interested in selling some of my items on your own site, and you would like to be a wholesale customer with Isabella’s Beads please Register Here. Certain restrictions apply.

If you are interested in earning money as an Affiliate of Isabella’s Beads you can register for an Affiliate Account here. It is helpful to have a web site of course, but it is definitely not necessary, as each affiliate has their own unique bonus code.

Each of these opportunities is absolutely FREE and takes only a few minutes of your time. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me! Have a good week

Tags: Affiliate programs, decorative liquor bags, Featured Artists, handcrafted jewelry, Handmade Beaded Jewelry, Handmade Jewelry, Holiday jewelry, themed jewelry, Wholesale jewelry, wine bags

Holiday Jewelry

Filed under: Handmade Jewelry, Holiday Jewelry

If you are a busy person like me, you start your Christmas shopping early. (With a new baby coming, that has been absolutely necessary this year.) I have the most trouble deciding what to buy for the teenagers on my list.

With that in mind, I’ve been browsing my designs and found several beaded jewelry items that will appeal to the teens on your list. Beaded jewelry is especially “hot” this year.

Among my handmade beaded jewelry designs are several that are especially appropriate for the holiday season.

My Italian soul rejoices at the red, white and green colors of the Italian flag. But my Christmas cat’s-eye bracelet was actually designed with Christmas in mind.

Cats Eye Christmas

I used Grade A cat’s-eye beads in green and white. I like to use cat’s eye in my beaded jewelry because of its luster and depth. Here I combined cat’s-eye beads with red Swarovski® crystals for sparkle and sterling silver for added richness.

Like all of my beaded jewelry, each of my bracelets is made to order, so you can specify the correct wrist size.

I designed these snowman earrings for the young and the young at heart. I used two Grade A Freshwater pearls for the snowman’s body and Jet Swarovski Crystals for the hat. I added just enough magic to make them dangle delightfully, but not enough to make them run away like Frosty!

Pearly Snowman

As you may have guessed, I like to add a touch of whimsy to my beaded jewelry.

Remember that pearls need to be worn—it adds to their luster. Your teenager can wear these all through the winter season, and so can you.

These Swarovski Christmas tree earrings are also available with gold fill findings, and for a completely different look they will be available in white and gold crystal as well. Keep your eyes open for that new addition to Holiday jewelry in the next blog!

Swarovski Christmas

Also new this Holiday is this wonderful cat’s eye Winter Wonderland bracelet made with Grade A cat’s eye beads and decorated with sterling silver laser cut beads. For an added touch of winter, a sterling snowflake dangles near the clasp. Any sterling winter or Holiday charm can be substituted upon request.

Winter Wonderland

Ankle bracelets are especially fashionable for teenagers this year. I’ve made several using the amazing millefiori or “thousand flower” beads made in Murano, Italy. As on many of my beaded jewelry pieces, I’ve added sterling silver to accent the millefiori beads.

Beaded jewelry is a marvelous choice when you want jewelry both mother and daughter can wear. For a special gift, consider my “Siam Slider” cuff bracelet. I used Swarovski® crystal “butterfly” sliders accented with red Swarovski® bicones and sterling silver. It’s strung on memory wire so it will never lose its shape. Don’t be surprised if your teenager slips it on to wear with jeans—I do the very same thing!

I hope you’ll spend some time browsing my beaded jewelry. I’ll be making more gift suggestions as the holiday season nears.

Tags: Christmas tree, handcrafted jewelry, Handmade Beaded Jewelry, Handmade Jewelry, Holiday jewelry, snowman, Winter Wonderland

Monthly Drawing Winner

Filed under: Events

Hello Everyone,

It took a while but we finally got our FREE GIFT drawing software in place. We thank everyone who has registered their E-mail address with us and registered to win a free gift. Isabella’s Beads would like to congratulate this month’s winner of our FREE GIFT drawing, Wanda Petchonka. Wanda will receive a free pair of our exclusive “Pearly Snowman” holiday earrings pictured below. These earrings have a retail value of $24.99!  To be honest I was attempting to keep the free gifts $20 and under, but with the delay and the upcoming holidays a few nicer gifts will be awarded in the coming months.

For those who are interested, these earrings are also available for sale in our store. More holiday items will be added within the next few weeks. If you are interested in purchasing these earrings please click the photo to be directly connected to that item in our store. The easiest way to find holiday items will be to browse our Collections section. From there you can select the appropriate category (for him or for her) to see what is currently available. Please keep in mind that the site has been undergoing some major changes for Search Engine Optimization, and new items are being added all the time. So, if you don’t see something that catches your eye this time, please keep checking frequently!

If you have not registered your E-mail address with us you can Click Here to enter for your chance to win! We at Isabella’s Beads would like to wish you a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season!

Tags: beaded jewelry, crystal jewelry, Drawing, Free Gift, Holiday jewelry, snowman, Swarovski, Swarovski Crystals