Bead Happily Ever After

The Calm Before The Holiday Storm

Posted on December 1, 2013 by crystal

candleflickeringautumn For many, Thanksgiving weekend marks the beginning of a whirlwind of feverish preparations for the Christmas season.

There’s shopping, decorating, card-writing, wrapping, baking, cleaning, partying and just about any other “ing” you can think of.

The older I become, the more I am able to appreciate the words of my mother who has always said: “Thanksgiving is truly the best holiday; it has all of the joy and none of the stress involved with Christmas.”
(Wise lady, my Mum!)

This year, I’ve tried especially hard to sharpen my focus on every precious moment of the Thanksgiving season. So much to appreciate . . . so many blessings to count – family, friends, blog readers (you!) . . .

Not to mention daughters who bake pies! 😀

Chocolate Pie

Pumpkin Pie

As I write this post, it’s the Sunday after Thanksgiving and I have not yet shopped or decorated or developed a case of the Christmas jitters. I’ve ignored the noisy TV commercials, the barrage of email sales announcements, and the towering pile of store flyers in my mailbox. It’s been a calm and reflective 4-day weekend.

Perhaps you will try it next year . . . you might just like it!

I’ll begin to think about Christmas – tomorrow! There will still be plenty of time to plan, plenty of stores that are open, and plenty of holiday sales to be had.

Hugs,

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Click the envelope to leave a comment or to read what the other kids are saying! 😀

Results Day – Autumn Bead Challenge

Posted on November 21, 2013 by crystal

Our Autumn Bead Challenge was a perfect example of the slogan –

“You can’t win if you don’t play.”

A dozen or so beaders expressed the desire to create something for the event but in the end only a couple were able to send in a finished design before the deadline.

(I surely can understand how time flies.)

However, as a result, the math here is simple:

2 prizes + 2 entrants = great odds of winning! 😀

I’m delighted to announce that Annia and Carolyn have each WON!!!
(Ladies, please watch your email for your $25 Coupon!)

Let’s take a peek at their spectacular designs . . .

Annia made a gorgeous wrap bracelet with our Czech Silver Faceted Oval Beads, and a stunning bracelet/earrings set with our Vintage Jet Black Connectors!

Carolyn designed a fabulous necklace featuring our Lapis Blue Spacers, White Moonglow Pearlized Tubes, and Moonglow Baby Blue Rounds!

Both ladies expressed the feeling that our theme (“Break Out of Your Color Comfort Zone”) was a true challenge!

Annia said:
“I love color and normally my pieces reflect that and finding a never used color was difficult so I used a new technique…”

Carolyn said:
“This was out of my usual color combinations as I favor autumn colors.”

I must add – challenge or not – these ladies did our beads proud! 🙂

Hugs,

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Click the envelope to leave a comment or to read what the other kids are saying! 😀

Throwback Thursday 2

Posted on November 14, 2013 by crystal

Hey Kids!
I’m back with a new edition of Throwback Thursday.

Shall we take another quick stroll down memory lane? 😉

Potholder Loom with Cotton Jersey Loops!

Did you make these when you were a kid?
OMG! My sisters and I imagined we’d become big time entrepreneurs as we created dozens of colorful potholders that seemed to fly off the loom!

Woolworth’s 5 and 10 Cent Store

Gosh, I can almost smell the apple pie and other delicacies that were always cookin’ behind the refreshment counter of our local Woolworth’s! Shopping was hard work and that delicious aroma made it awfully hard to resist stopping for a bite . . . or at least a Coca Cola! Our store had a little shelf, just under the counter, where you could place your purchases while you snacked!

Avon Calling

When I was about 7 yrs old, my Mom was an Avon Representative. Seeing all of the girly, glamorous, wonderful things she carried in her over-the-shoulder selling case surely made an impression on me. I loved all of it – so much so that when my own kids were young – you guessed it! – I became an Avon Lady, too! It’s funny how I remember the names of the fragrances and lipstick – Moonwind, Charisma, Topaz, and Pink-a-ling!

Barrettes

Oh how I’ve always loved a pretty barrette! As a child, my hair was long so besides being decorative – barrettes were a necessary part of getting dressed in the morning. Now that I’m a bead seller, specializing in vintage, I realize that my little barrettes were actually made of “Lucite”!

Dixie Cups

Although, today, they’re often considered a wasteful use of resources and not very good for the environment, there was a time when fancy little paper cups seemed a fun novelty! In an era without dishwashers – serving a cold drink to a bunch of neighborhood kids on a hot summer day was infinitely easier with a Dixie Cup dispenser!

‘Til next time,

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Click the envelope to leave a comment or to read what the other kids are saying! 😀

Spooktacular Halloween DIY’s

Posted on October 27, 2013 by crystal

Hi Kids 🙂

I’m a little late posting this week but to make up for it, I have some cute recipes and do-it-yourself ideas that are just perfect for the Halloween Season!

Here’s a decoration that’s frightfully fun!

Boo! Company’s Coming!

Click here for info.

Talk about creative! Now that’s a BIG spider!

From WomansDay.com

Worn out books can be recycled in imaginative ways.

Click here for instructions.

Snack Mix – Halloween Style!
Great gift for teacher or hostess – easily adaptable for other holidays!
I love the addition of the candy corn, here. 🙂

Recipe found here.

For the Halloween party, there has to be something nutritious!
How about this Veggies with Dip combo?

Click here for details.

Happy Halloween to all!

Enjoy the trick-or-treat candy . . . but beware of ladies giving out candy corn! (Read my story here) 😉

Hugs,

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Click the envelope to leave a comment or to read what the other kids are saying! 😀

Autumn Bead Challenge: Not Your Go-To Colors!

Posted on October 17, 2013 by crystal

Greetings and Welcome to our
Autumn 2013 Bead Design Challenge! 🙂

This year’s theme will be:

“Break Out of Your Color Comfort Zone”!

We’re all attracted to our favorite colors but sometimes the results can be amazing if we experiment with the shades we seldom use!

Please join us! I know you’ll enjoy the experience! If you love to play with beads and findings – this challenge can be a win/win for you!

At the very least, you’ll have made something new for yourself. 🙂
But maybe you’ll use your design as a holiday gift.
Of course, if you have a shop, you could have another item to sell!

But there’s MORE!

We have Prizes!

TWO

each

$25 Shopping Spree

Bead Shop

If you enter and don’t win a shopping spree – you WILL receive a coupon for 30% off any purchase from our Bead Shop.

ALL registered participants will have their designs publicized here on the blog, and also on my website and pinterest page with links to your shop or website!

To Qualify as a “Registered Participant” (and be eligible for a chance to win a Shopping Spree, receive the Discount Coupon, and Promotion of your design) you must do the following:

1. Create your design using at least two products (beads or findings) purchased from our etsy bead shop. You may buy more than two products, of course, but I imagine you will want to use items from your own stash to complement your choices from Bead Happily Ever After!

2. Email a clear photo (just one!) of your finished design by November 15, 2013 to:

crystal (at) beadhappilyeverafter (dot) com

3. Include:
Your Name
Your Email address
The Link (if any) you’d like me to place with your design when I promote your work!

Optional: Feel free to add a brief description of your design when you send in your photo!

The Boring Stuff . . .
You must be 18 yrs., or over, to enter. After the completion of the challenge, the names of the two gift certificate winners will be announced here and they will also be notified by email. If a winner fails to respond to email within one week from the time notification email has been sent, the win will be null and void and a new winner will be chosen. All registered entrants will receive a 30% off coupon code, by email, at the conclusion of the challenge.

When you enter, you retain all rights to your original designs, but you give permission for Bead Happily Ever After to use your photo on our sites to promote and showcase your work.

You can find periodic updates on this Design Challenge by clicking the 2013 Bead Challenge button – located in the sidebar on the top right of this page.

So, c’mon! Let’s get started.

I can’t wait to see what this challenge will inspire.

Hugs,

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Click the envelope to leave a comment or to read what the other kids are saying! 😀