Christmas Earrings are back!

The Christmas earrings are back in my Etsy store! I’ve listed them at super-low prices because hey, they’re just for fun after all!

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening… ?

Wordless Wednesday – Crazy Horse Stone

Moss Agate and Cross Earrings

I just wanted to share my newest creation. I didn't realize until I finished them that the diagonal wire wrap on the agates match the binding on the cross charms. Sometimes design decisions come from subtle clues!

These have just been listed in my Etsy store.

And the winner is…

I’m happy to announce that Judy Richards Shubert is the winner of my Tax Relief Earring Giveaway!

You can find Judy online everywhere, but be sure to visit her blog, Food Gratitude, and her Etsy store, Edna Alice Designs. Judy also has a real interest in genealogy and cemeteries. Judy has won her choice of the earrings in my giveaway.

A big Thank You to everyone who entered my Giveaway and stopped by my blog in the last few weeks! According to comments, the favorite item in my Etsy store seems to be these Moss Green Earrings. That’s interesting since I gave away a pair just like this in my last Giveaway! I love them too, and these earthy flower beads are some of my favorites. But I also love hearing which of my “lesser known” pieces get noticed by certain readers. It’s nice to see that every piece has it’s fans!

Well, I hope Tax Day was kind to everyone this year. The good news is, we don’t have to do it again for another year!

What I Made Today

Today I made these gorgeous Kambaba Jasper Earrings! I’ve always loved this stone, especially in the soft square pillows that I used here. One thing I like about these earrings is the contrast. The shape of the round hammered hoops contrasts with the square stones. Also the shiny texture of the silver contrasts with the camoflauge pattern and color of the Jasper. The end result is both exotic and elegant!

Today I also made this simple necklace which could be worn by woman or a man. The pewter pendant is lead-free and the necklace can be worn with or without the glass accent beads. I’ve always liked pewter and got some of these pendants a few weeks ago. They make wonderful casual necklaces like this one.

Both of these items have just been listed in my Etsy store.

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Click HERE to enter my GIVEAWAY!

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I also did some "retakes" for items already in my shop that needed a fresh start. Good photos are so essential, and sometimes you just need to put a new face on old listings!

Dangle Shell Earrings

I wanted to feature these dangle shell earrings because I think they’re pretty great! They’re the only pair I’ve ever made this way, using split rings to give the earrings great movement and true dangle. And the Golden Lip Shell matches anything! Did I mention they’re under $10? Visit my etsy store to see more!

Looking for my GIVEAWAY?? Click here http://boutiquebybonnie.blogspot.com/2009/03/tax-relief-giveaway.html

Tax Relief Giveaway!

I think we can all use some relief this year, so I’m hosting another giveaway! This giveaway will run through April 15^th (tax day) and you get to pick your prize from the two pairs of earrings pictured here (ok, only one of each is shown). Please write the number in your comment for which pair you'd like to receive! This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only – sorry.

HOW TO ENTER:

1.) Visit my Etsy store and leave a comment on this post about a favorite item = one entry.

2.) Become a new Follower of my blog and leave a separate comment on this post to let me know = one entry.

3.) Post a link to this giveaway on your blog and leave a separate comment on this post to let me know = one entry.

HOW TO WIN GUARANTEED:

Buy anything from my Etsy store and I’ll include a free pair of earrings! Just write “blog” in the Note to Seller. Earrings will be my choice (not the ones pictured). This offer is also good through April 15^th!

THE WINNER will be chosen on April 16^th by random number generation (that’s why I need you to leave separate comments for each entry). I’ll notify the winner by email and post it on my blog. Please be sure I have a way to contact you through your blog or Etsy store, or leave your email in your comment.

Good Luck, and thanks for stopping by!

The Finished Pieces

I finished some pieces from the beautiful Chrysocolla beads I wrote about in my last post. These are all currently available in my etsy store.

The photo above is a gorgeous necklace with a pendant that’s reversible – the back side has the letters “ G R O W.”

The photo to the right shows the matching earrings on .925 sterling silver ear wires. I also made a bracelet, but you get the idea!

For more images of either piece, just click on the photo. Thanks for looking!

My Newest Creation

I actually made several new pieces today, but these pearl earrings are my favorite! I love the way the pale gray pearls look with the wire-wrapping. I just listed them in my etsy store along with a matching three-strand bracelet. I don’t know why, but for some reason these earrings bring ancient Greece to mind, as if the pearls were plucked right out of the ocean then made into earrings. I actually kind of hope they sell right away just so I can make another pair!

I admit, I normally don’t use pearls because I still associate them with women “of a certain age” (think Barbara Bush). When I do use pearls, I prefer those that are not perfectly round. They just seem more natural to me and more beautiful due to their irregularities. I’m glad I bought these pearls and look forward to finding more ways to use them that are decidedly NOT old fashioned!

BLOG LAUNCH GIVEAWAY!!

http://www.boutiquebybonnie.etsy.com/

For the official launch of my blog, I'm giving away these gorgeous earrings! They're made of 14mm glass flower beads in a natural green with light brown etching. The small beads underneath are 5mm Agates. The total length of these earrings is about 57mm (2 1/4 inches). Thanks goes to my sister for letting me drag her to a bead shop when I was visiting over the holidays!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

1. To enter, just leave a comment on this post about the earrings or any item in my Etsy shop! I hope you'll choose to follow my blog, but it's not required. Be sure I can contact you through your blog, Etsy store, or leave your email.

2. For a BONUS entry, post about this giveaway on your blog, then come back and leave another comment with the link to your post. No more than two entries allowed, even if you get comment crazy!

3. Open to U.S. and Canada residents only. Winner will not be eligible to win another giveaway for six months, to give everyone a fair shot.

The deadline to enter is Saturday, January 17, 2009 at 12:00 midnight Pacific Standard Time. The winner will be chosen by random number and posted on Sunday, January 18th sometime between Noon and 2:00 pm MST. In the mean time, thank you for looking!

My email is bmails@comcast.net in case you have trouble with Comments.

A New Week Begins

In the wee, wee hours of the morning my alarm goes off and I know, somewhere in the sleeping recesses of my foggy mind, that this is Monday. You see, I have a “day job,” and this is the first full week back after the holidays. Whoever invented this 5-day 40-hour work week deserves a swift kick in the head. I hit snooze over and over in answer to nature’s cry of “Sleep! Sleep! Sleep!” Finally, against all that is good and right and natural, I pull myself out of bed in the near darkness and manage to find the shower.

A new week begins.

My days will be spent toiling away for the company that pays my bills and provides my health insurance. My nights will be spent mostly in front of the TV with my laptop open while I do my own special version of multi-tasking. Some things will have to be put off until the weekend – making those pearl earrings for my manager – processing the photos I took at Christmas. Already, time is putting its foot down, and it’s only January 5th! Who will be the master this year? Me or Time?