Brangles

I thought I would share with you one of my favorite bracelet styles, it's called the brangle beacuse it isn't a bangle.  A bangle would be stiff wire all the way around, these bracelets are made with 3 sections 14 gauge wire that are linked to make the bracelet move easily on the wrist.  I prefer these over a bangle because they are adjustable and sit comfortably while typing and doing other tasks with your hands. Using big holed beads that move back and forth on the coil sections of the bangle give it some unexpected  movement.

After pulling up the photos I realized that they are all turquoise and green, you can tell what my favorite colors are.

What is your favorite color for jewelry and clothing?

I thought maybe I would share with you what has to be made in the next few weeks before my trunk show on October 30th in Saugatuck at the Art Glass Alcove.  In Saugatuck I mostly sell big hole beads for the troll bracelets and my goal is to fill another of my big display boxes shown in a past post.  To do that I will need to make a ton of beads since it takes an average of 20 to fill one stick.  If I get half a box filled I will be happy.

One of my favorite glasses to work with Echo, I just love all the different colors you can get out of it.

Capped and Cored Big Hole Beads, these have all sold so time to make more.

Stax Stix, you can change the beads on these to match your look for the day.

These are all sold so time to get mad and beat some more wire into submission.

Last Piece to Pack

I finished this bracelet a second ago with some tulip shaped beads just made today.  The color and texture is nice and like the rest of the jewelry I make it sounds good too. Now it's time to pack up for the show tomorrow in Southfield, nothing like putting it off until the last possible second. 

This one is called Bell of the Ball

If this bracelet sells at the show I am going to use the money to purchase audio books for my cousin who was in a terrible car accident last Thursday.  She is going to need something to keep her mind busy while she recovers and audio books are wonderful for taking you away to another place and time.  If it doesn't sell I will be placing it in my Etsy store,  TracyBell.etsy.com

Bead Storage

Today I went to the Art Glass Alcove in Saugatuck where I sell my Troll/Pandora a.k.a. big hole beads. style beads and spacers.  She was very low on product and I set her up with a bunch of new beads and spacers.  It made me think of my bead storage solution again.  Originally I used cigar boxes to hold all my BHB,  it worked great and stored over 200 BHBs in a very small space.  I changed displays was when a lady at a show in Fort Wayne, Indiana picked up the whole cigar box and almost pored all 200 or so beads into the gutter.

Publish Post

Cigar Box Bead Storage

After thinking over the storage problem I decided a few things:

First of all each stick of beads needed to function on their own so customers could pick up a stick and look at them up close without having to pick up the whole box.

Second, if someone picks up a full stick it needs to be secure enough that the beads will not fall off.

I found that the bamboo sticks you use to cook meat on was just the right size to slide the beads onto.  I cut them to the width of a bracelet tray and placed wood beads onto the ends gluing one end and leaving the other to slide off and on.  Each stick holds about 20 beads and a tray holds 20 sticks.  After doing several shows I think this is the perfect answer to the big hole bead storage.  The only problem I have had so far is one lady picking them up and shaking the crap out of them while asking me if they were some sort of stress relief toy as they sprayed all over the place.  I guess it's better to only have 15 beads fly than 200.

Why do people do such stupid things with items that aren't theirs?

This box isn't very full right now but by this Sunday it will be :)

Close up of how nice they fit into the bracelet trays.

Braclet Ideas Dancing in My Head

I love working with coconut shell and have plans for more toggles and other items.  It's soft, easy to sand and has a beautiful texture on the inside and out.  My bracelet turned out OK but after finishing it I thought of a few other design ideas, maybe I will get time to work on a few more toggles to go with other designs dancing around in my head. I have been told that my jewelry is to bright for fall and winter.  I never thought of my jewelry as to bright to wear anytime but then I like bright, beautiful colors year round.  Working in fall, winter colors may not be for me but I'll try it out for a while and see where it takes me.

 

It Takes a Village

Today I am packing the new little camper to go on the annual family camping trip at Fort Custard in Battle Creek.  It is my maiden voyage in my little camper so it's perfect that it's only about 20 min away since I have never pulled anything behind my car.  Since it is the first time out it will give me a chance to see what needs to be changed and what we are missing.  I started camping when I was 2 and have loved it every since, hotel rooms bore me to death, with camping you get out and it's a much more social event.  This weekend is a huge social event since it is my extended Sult side of the family that will be going.  My dad has 2 brothers and 2 sisters although not all of them will make it many of them will, along with all their kids and the kids kids!  It should add up to well over 30 people.

This brings me to my list,  I am a huge list maker for everything.  Getting someplace and remembering that you forgot your something as stupid as a flashlight or life jackets sucks and that's why I have a huge master camping list that I add to every year.  I make lists for everything else I do like what I need for shows, what jewelry needs to be made, bead colors I am low on etc.  Often these lists get left behind especially the grocery ones but I find that if I have wrote it down that it often sticks with me enough to get most of what was on it.  If I don't write it down then it just fly's out of my head never to be seen again. 

I got off track there for a minuet time to get back to the point.  I wanted to talk about family and friends!  My family and friends have been some of my best customer, every time we get together they always want to see what's new and often purchase pieces.  They are also my best advertising since they wear what they have purchased all the time and people ask where they got the items.  I have loaded them all up with business cards so that they can hand them out as needed and this is starting to pay off.  My aunt Penny handed one to the ladies at a little store in Vicksburg and they have called me asking if I am interested in selling them some jewelry and spiders.  These contacts are not something I can do on my own it takes a village to raise a business and my village is a supportive group, I want to take a second and thank every one of my friends and family who wear my jewelry and pass out my business cards.  This is a tough business since many people are making jewelry but I work hard to make mine unique and it is paying off with the help of many.

Now for the bead porn :)  Here are pieces that my family and friends have purchased.  This isn't all of them I have to save some photos for future posts!

This is a chain and washer bracelet my Aunt Penny purchased.

Here is a little book necklace my friend Maralyne purchased

My cousin Heather purchased this turquoise and cream 3 strand bracelet.

My step sister Michelle purchased this happy heads bracelet. 

I just couldn't ask for a better support group, keep up the good work and let me know if you are out of business cards :)