Big Ball Earrings and Times Square on New Years Eve

They will be dropping the big ball in Times Square in New York City tonight to celebrate the start of 2009. For some reason we always tune into that event on the TV, and I invariably think about how thankful I am that I am here in my nice warm home and not out in the huge crowds of people in the cold waiting for that ball to drop.

No ball in Times Square for me ~ I like the crystal balls in these earrings.

These are called Green on Green and are available for purchase at my Etsy shop, Filigree Romance.

I am enthused about the new year. It is always good to have the opportunity to start over. I don't get hung up on resolutions, but I do ponder what the new year will bring and what I can do to improve myself. My jewelry business did better in 2008 than in 2007. That being said, I have miles to go before I will feel successful. The best thing is that I am learning so much about making jewelry, how to market, and how to use the various internet resources to sell my jewelry. I am thankful for the many people who create blogs and websites with helpful information that they are willing to share. I hope to find things to share with all of you that will help you as you create and market your designs.

Filigree Romance - Vintage Inspired Jewelry

I decided to update my Etsy shop that I called LeAllyson's Creations. It is now called Filigree Romance. I really enjoy the feminine look of Victorian vintage inspired pieces made with gorgeous Czech glass and Swaroski crystals, and then decorated with antique brass, antique silver or copper filigree beadcaps and beads. Have a look at the designs I posted at Filigree Romance. Several of my favorite pieces of jewelry are pictured here.

Blue Porcelain Earrings

Here is my newest earring creation posted on my Plumbeadacious Etsy site. These are made from porcelain and display lovely small flowers. They are a good size earring, and will look great with jeans. I have these beads in several other colors, white, yellow,and green. If you are interested in another color, contact me.

Fasten Your Shawl with a Brooch Pin!

I have been making some brooch pins that can be used to fasten shawls or scarves, or perhaps worn as a decorative accessory on a coat or jacket. I was inspired by a scarf pin in the December 2008 edition of Simply Beads. After searching online for awhile, I found a source for the pins and bought some in silver plate and some in gold plate. It is fun and easy to place about 2 1/2" of beads on the pins, and after some practice I was able to bend the pins to form them into a pin that looks like a kilt pin. I sold several at a recent craft show. Here are some pictures. See the fuschia pink and cobalt blue pin at my Etsy shop, Plum Beadacious!

Beaded Lanyards to Delight the Eyes

I have found the most delightful eBayer who creates stunning lanyards for id badges. They are incredibly beautiful. Her name is Emmie, and her shop is Emmie's Gems. Here is my favorite lanyard that she sold at auction.

Emmie's jewelry is full of gorgeous beads. She uses lots of handmade polymer clay beads that she purchases from various polymer clay artists. Then she accents these beautiful beads with all kinds of unique and wonderful silver beadcaps and spacers. All of her lanyards are yummy eye candy.

Emmie not only creates beautiful handcrafted items, her marketing of them is superior. She has oodles of excellent photos, and she carefully describes each of the beads she uses in the product. She explains her high quality in a way that is convincing to the customer.

I am inspired by Emmie's artistry and her dedication to presenting her work on eBay in a delightful way. She has lots of Christmas designs too. Here are a few more. Click on the pictures to link to them in her eBay shop.

Rescued Treasures

Most of us are looking for creative ways to economize and save our hard earned dollars. None of us know what will happen next with our jobs, our investments, and our futures. We never really did know those things; we just felt more secure prior to this international economic crisis.

First and foremost I have faith that God is in control, and that he has a plan for each of us. From that perspective I try to look at the adventure and the good in all of this. As I have expressed before, I enjoy searching for quality old jewelry at estate sales and garage sales. I am beginning to create new pieces from the best of the old pieces. These are my "Rescued Treasures". Beads are rescued from a boring life at the bottom of a box or drawer, go through the pain of resuscitation via soap and water, are introduced to brand new youthful beads and findings, and take their places side by side with those new beads and findings, and take on new life in a brand new jewelry creation.

I have only posted a couple of "Rescued Treasures" on my website at this point. Check back often for more.

Reminders of Summer - Carribean Blue Jewelry

I wistfully wish summer had not rushed by so quickly. This jewelry reminds me of summer vacation at a beach by the ocean or swimming pools or ponds with aqua blue water.



I like to wire wrap loops and attach one bead at a time to chain. I enjoy watching my creation start out with a piece of chain, a spool of wire, headpins, Czech glass beads and a toggle clasp. As I use my pliers and cutters, one step at a time a fun necklace appears. I made matching earrings, too.

These Czech glass beads are lots of fun because they are a little different. They are fat fluted beads that are elliptical in shape.

Go to my Etsy shop to add these pieces of fashion jewelry to your personal collection.