Snow Queen

When I hear the phrase "Snow Queen" the first thing to come to mind is the picture of an evil witch who held a mythical country under her spell for hundreds of years of winter, always winter but never Christmas!

This months etsy challenge is titled "Snow Queen", and the entries are amazing!
Be sure to stop by and vote for your favourite piece from the 9th through the 15th of the month!!

Holiday etsy fest gift guide

Be sure to check it out!!!!!

HOLIDAY ETSY FEST

I have not been as great about posting lately, just not enough hours and energy.
Right now I am working up a bunch of earrings for a little show next weekend.
Anything I don't sell will be put up on etsy, but I think I'll just have to make more up for etsy , these are way cute :) They are a new design I just came up with.

AND NOW:
I am going to be running a sale along with a lot of other sellers!


MY SALE:
Along with my free shipping sale that I am running through Christmas, you will also get an additional 10% off!!
Shop for your sweetie, your daughter, your mother...and buy them something that will be unique, beautiful, and that will last a lifetime!

Also, be sure to check out the Holiday Etsy Fest Shopping Guide!

In Remembrance

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Created to honour the fallen.
Click to see through Thursday.

VOTE

Ok, so this is a little late in posting as my life is a little crazy at the moment, but....
GO AND VOTE!!! :)
It's time again for the Etsy Bead Weavers monthly challenge.
This months theme?
Ancestral Expressions!

Click on this^ and go and drool and vote!! From now through the fifteenth!!

FREE SHIPPING!!

So, after contemplating what type of sale I want to run for Christmas, I have decided to offer free shipping on EVERYTHING!
What a deal!!
Give a unique gift this Christmas! :)
Here are a few of the choices currently up in my shop:
A Moonlit Garden Walk
Green Hues Beadwoven Earrings
The Night Before Christmas


A Midsummer Night's Dream

Earrings, earrings, earrings

I don't know about you, but I love my earring collection!
Recently I decided to try my hand at some beadwoven earrings.
I made some for myself (of course! :) ) and have some listed in my shop.
Right now, when you order any of my cuffs or necklaces, receive a FREE pair of matching beadwoven earrings!!

Help soldiers and their family's this holiday season!

I just ran across something that I had to encourage you to participate in:
something they are calling MSS (Mission Soldier Support).
Makers of handcrafted cards from the Etsy Greetings team are participating in the charitable project to support the troops.
Here's how it works:
You find a shop that is participating and purchase cards. Then write "MSS or Mission Soldier Support" in the note at purchase. These cards will then be sent on to the soldiers blank so that they can write in them and send them to their families.
This promotion runs through November 7th.
To find shops that are participating search for MSS.

Here is a treasury to get you started :)

I've been Tagged

Mary Lou of Time2cre8 has tagged me (you thought I was still running away, didn't you?).

So, here goes 7 facts:

1-I have lived in 7 states/provinces, and had 11 addresses in the last 7 years.
2-I once dyed my hair with large blue highlights.
3-I have always loved to bake, I used to get in trouble for using up ingredients my mother had plans for as a kid.
4-I'd rather be really hot than really cold, tough on me now eh??
5-I love poutine.
6-In the winter I love to sleep with mounds of blankets on top of me. My grandma used to tease me about this, including cutting out a cartoon about this and the princess and the pea.
7-My husband has turned me into a hockey fan.


(that was harder than I'd thought it be ;))
So, those were more random than strange, I'm not that strange of a person I guess.

I think this tagging has been passed around a good bit, so I'm going to be really boring and not tag anyone...

A tribute

So, I've had it on my mind and in my heart to dedicate a post to some amazing women in my life who have helped, inspired and encouraged me along my "beading way".
This being Thanksgiving here in Canada, I thought it appropriate to do so today!!

First of all thank you Mrs. K. You started this addiction of mine with a simple invitation to come and bead with you and your other beading friends. Thank you to your friend who taught me my first netting as well-I'm sorry that I do not remember your name! Mrs K, I loved those times of sitting and listening to your stories of world war two and your many other adventures. Without you I would never have started on this great adventure into beading that brings me so much joy each day. I am forever in your debt.

Christina of Good Quill Hunting:
You helped me with so many little details as I was figuring out my way into selling. You are not only an amazing woman and good friend, but such a constant inspiration. Your generious spirit and constant praise and encouragement is a priceless treasure!

SandFibers: You are one of the most giving and gracious women I have ever "met". Your cheerful spirit in the midst of adversity is an inspiration, and your gracious and giving spirit brighten my days. You have kept at your passion until it bloomed into success which is such an inspiration to someone who is just starting off. Yet, you are so incredibly humble and ready to help anyone who needs it in big or little ways, including taking the time to tell me that you love one of my pieces (which is always a humbing thrill).

Time2cr8: You are always encouraging me in my work, giving out tips to those who need them, and infusing our team with energy and passion.
I feel like in you I have a kindred spirit. I can picture us over a cup of tea, talking of books we had red and life's adventures.
No matter what the topic, or if it's help or an opinion, you are there with a quick and helpful reply. You constanty encourage and praise my work, which always humbles and encourages me.

I feel like these words are not sufficiant or framed well enough, but I hope that my heart can be seen. I cannot tell each of you how much you are appreciated. You are all amazing ladies, and I hope to be as big of a blessing and encouragment to others as you have been to me! Thank you!

Animal Instinct

It's time for the Etsy Bead Weavers Monthly Challenge!!
The theme this month is "Animal Instict!
Be sure to stop by and vote between now and the 15th to vote for your favourite!!
http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com

Beading Against Breast Cancer

A bit ago a member of our street team Clickscalearts proposed an idea to our street team , the etsy bead weavers: to participate in the beaders against breast cancer fundraiser.

For the past few years Jeanette Shanigan has been collecting squares from beaders who donated their time and talent, and then assembled them into quilts, which she then puts in shadow boxex and donates to the bead and button show to be auctioned off. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to the Medical College of Wisconsin Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Every year there is a theme. This year's is "Bead artist's have a heart to take on breast cancer."
Previous themes have been a rose them and a butterfly theme.

Over 25 members of our team have decided to particpate in this.

You can read the article the Storque talks about us if you so desire, and in the bead and button blog.

Above is my contribution. It may sound funny to some who have woven in peyote for years , but this was actually a bit of a stretch for me. I have hardly touched the stitch, so I was very pleased with the outcome.

Sheer Blond Set

A special set for a special girl.

A Message from etsy's new CEO

Well worth taking the time to watch if you have a shop on Etsy.
I was greatly encouraged by her real focus on the purpose of Etsy: Handmade.

Russian Pieces

So, I've had this amazingly horrible cold that I have been trying my best not to pass around.
So, I decided to work up some pieces for ME. I made a couple of Russian Patterns that I hadn't yet.














































































Patterns © Jewelry by Varvara

Newest

Lately I have fallen in love with "larger" beads and incorporating them into my work.
By larger of course I mean 5-8 mm sized beads :).
Here are two of my latest cuffs using larger beads, both using pressed glass beads.


Dress up for a night on the town, or wear on a boring day of work to feel classy!
Both are for sale in my shop.

Complimentary Contradictions

The Etsy Beadweavers monthly challenge is here for September, and the them is complimentary contradictions.
This is my piece, Opposite Attraction.

On the colour wheel colours that compliment each other are opposite each other.

Such is the case for purple and yellow.

Be sure to go and cast your vote for your favourite piece between now and the fifteenth!

Go and give your input

In response to some really hateful, and specifically some racist comments that have been poisoning the forums, Rob posted this new thread.
In it he asks for our opinions on what should and shouldn't be allowed. He wants our opinions and our input. Let's give it!

Juicy!!

I have loved orange for quite some time now, and was delighted to be included in this lovely treasury by Kerrie Slade.

This treasury can be viewed until Friday night if you would like to see for yourself.

Really disturbed-racism on etsy

Now, there are trolls to be found in plenty, and they are annoying, but, this is another thing all together.
Why does admin allow racism to continue?
And not only that, those who are being attacked are muted while the racist continues to roam free, feeling that they are fine treating others in such a hateful way?
Is this really the new face of etsy?
How nasiating.

One by the name ChickenTrollStalker has been seen saying such things as this:

French cities have to be organized so they won't get into fistfights in the streets and kill each other. You stay there and I stay here. Of course, you don't know much about anything. I knew your husband had a citizenship so you could come here. You are living on borrowed land. It is not yet your country. You are here on his citizenship. Did he find you in a magazine for foreign girls?


All you "citizen only" naysayers, she said she was not a citizen, I didn't. If the US wanted non-citizens to vote, they'd make a law saying they could. Meanwhile, our government doesn't believe they should have a say, so why should I? We are proud of our country, we take voting very seriously. If you don't become a citizen, you are living off the land for free. She doesn't have to pay taxes, gets free medical care if she needs it, even gets social security, just like the illegals do now.

So Hyena, you're not a citizen yet so why do you think you have a right to say who should be President? When you become a citizen, then you can vote.

And yet she roams free, unmuted.
What are admin NOT thinking.
I find it odd that she truly believes that there is no racism in GA. She just proved otherwise.

And no, this has nothing to do with a personal vendetta. I have been annoyed with this person, especially with their spreading lies of my being muted.
It makes me almost feel bad for them,because they must truly believe that the only reason to not post is when one has been muted. Not because you have been busy and out of town.

If racism had not come into play, I would not have opened my mouth. Because trolls come and trolls go.

Admin need to wake up.
Unless this is truly the new face of etsy.

Art Deco

It's time to vote again!
The August Challenge for the Etsy Beadweavers Street Team is Art Deco.
You MUST see these entries :).
Head on over to our and vote for your favourite piece!!!
Voting ends on the fifteenth of the month :)

BobbiThisnThat

Back in May Etsy made a few changes, and all of a sudden I could find beads!! When I looked, I didn't give up because everything was drowned in fished product, I was thrilled!!
Towards the end of the month I stumbled into an AMAZING seller BobbiThisnThat
Her beads drew me in, I loved the idea that she was in Canada so that I could get my goodies right away, but her amazing customer service kept me.
I have ordered from her again since and will return to her for my beading needs!!

Here are a few (of the many!) favourites!











I have some of these, some I am tempted to buy (but I should behave ;) ) and some are on the way to me!

Bobbi also has some beautiful silver findings and charms!
Whatever you do, go and check her out!! She makes it worth your while!!!

Gifts

What good is it to be able to make beautiful creations if you don't share them with those in your life who are extra special and dear?
This week I've worked on a few gifts :)
That first piece is for my Mother In law who isn't a big jewelery lady, but wanted some Russian work for her jacket. :)
(Pattern © by Galina Barsky )












Netted cuffs. These type will be showing up in my shop shortly. I've really gotten to like them!









































As will some of these! I love herringbone! It can be time consuming, but there is something about the flow of it that is amazing.




























I bought these "ladies" from Mugsysbeads
a little while back after coming across them and simply falling in LOVE with them! Aren't they they cutest?
There are a couple of special little ladies in my life who will be getting a special package in the mail :).