Category 3 bracelets ... I can't stop!

My Category 3 bracelets have been so much fun to work with, I just can't stop. My favorite part is showcasing the round Czech druk beads and since the available colors are practically endless, there may quite possibly be a bracelet using every one before I'm through! The original Category 3 bracelet and matching earrings which incorporates copper druk beads is at Cloud Nine in Nags Head. I hope you can stop by to view it and other select pieces while you're visiting the Outer Banks this holiday.

See you on the beach!

Julie

Category 3 Goth

A new “Category 3” bracelet in gothic style for the Sandy Gear collection (Item #12110). Dimensional beading featuring 4mm round black glass Druk beads, the result is individual “links” throughout the bracelet. Includes iris silver and black size 8/0 beads; and, 11/0 silver seed beads. 19x9mm Sterling Silver gothic hook and eye clasp. Black chain and pewter glass pearl drop embellishment. The bracelet's finished size is 7"

See you on the beach!

Julie

Turtle Cove

In Turtle Cove (Item #100910), I used a delightful carved moonstone turtle with vertical netting and fringe necklace with (6) accent 8x12mm smooth teardrop aqua glass beads. It also includes 3mm square round silver-plated beads; 6/0 transparent turquoise; 8/0 matte aqua and yellow; 11/0 transparent AB clear, transparent sea blue, opaque lime green, matte aqua AB fringe beads, fringe beads and 15/0 silver seed beads. Finished with Sterling Silver split-rings and a cute 24x9mm Sterling Silver S-hook clasp. Necklace length is 16". If you'd like to see this necklace and other select pieces in person, please visit Cloud Nine in Nags Head.

See you on the beach!

Julie

Jewels of the OBX Birthday earrings updated!

August - Peridot, Item #82910)

September - Sapphire, Item # 93010)

October - Rose, Item #103110)

The Jewels of the OBX Birthday earring collection is coming along nicely! The Swarovski birthstone colors for August (Peridot), September (Sapphire), and October (Rose) have been added which means the entire collection is almost complete. It's so exciting for me to see this all coming together and in honor of getting to this point, I'm offering a special ... for every pair you buy before September 30, 2010, you'll receive a free pair! Yes, I'll even accept your $20 Happy Birthday certificate (you do have yours, right?) towards your purchase. Just indicate which birthday month you want for your free pair in the "Additional comments" section of the Order Form.

See you on the beach!

Julie

In the Marina

"In the Marina"

The newest bracelet and earring set at Jewels of the OBX. This is a light bracelet where I used three different shades of blue and green 5mm opaque rondelles and then tucked each one into a beaded ribbon of 11/0 mixed blue/green seed beads. The bracelet also includes 6mm teal resin rondelles and antiqued gold and dark gold seed beads. A rondelle loop makes a cute embellishment and the bracelet is completed with a 10mm antiqued gold lobster clasp. The earrings are a simple drop of matching rondelles with antiqued gold earwires. The bracelet is 7 1/2" long and the earrings are 1 1/2". The set can be viewed at Cloud Nine in Nags Heads.

See you on the beach!

Julie

Goodies

To those curious about what goodies I bought at the Intergalactic Bead Show last weekend, here's some eye candy for you!

Here's the entire booty ...

My favorite is this 8" strand of textural copper beads. I love the way the light plays between them, making it appear as if they're two different shades of copper.

All I could think of was "party" when I saw these multi-colored glass bead chips! Can't you see them strung along with the copper beads into something interesting? Hmmm, maybe.

Beadwork Magazine featured these hand-painted porcelain beads which, of course, with the starfish and shells on it, caught my eye. They were $7 each, a slightly larger size was available for $10 each. These are probably destined to be focal beads in a necklace/bracelet set.

I also liked these copper seahorse charms although after further inspection, I'm not thrilled with that goofy smile on their faces. Seriously, don't they look like they have little beaks?

The sheen on these top-drilled tigereye nuggets is mesmerizing.

I see them in a spectacular multi-strand necklace with these small green and cranberry button cultured pearls.

Perhaps the necklace will look nice with this copper toggle clasp that I also bought at the show.

One vendor was doing well offering great prices on these bone beads. You'll probably see them in some unisex surfer jewelry one day soon.

I enjoy square cut beads and this little strand of mixed gemstone beads caught my eye, too.

After getting them home and checking them well, though, I realized they're unfortunately just a medium grade with a few irregularities. Defintely not quality material for Jewels of the OBX jewelry! I've decided to just use them in a bracelet for myself along with some faceted jasper rondelle beads I already purchased the other day at Cloud Nine.

While I was in Cloud Nine, a girl came in who Harry and I had just talked to at the show. She had been working for the vendor I purchased the copper beads from and turns out she lives here in Colington! It's a small world.

Hope you enjoyed browsing my new stash! That ought to keep me busy for a little while!

See you on the beach!

Julie

You can bead on it!

A question I am frequently asked is where do I get my beads. Here on the Outer Banks, the choices are fairly limited although my favorite local bead store, Cloud Nine in Nags Head, will order anything I need if it's not in stock. I keep hoping Michael's will be the next chain store to propose a location here but until my dream comes true, I have to travel to Chesapeake for that.

My idea of Christmas and my birthday all put together is the Intergalactic Bead Show. They are the "premier purveyor of bead resources from around the world," and presents bead shows in the eastern United States. Harry and I went to their Bead Show this past weekend in Chesapeake, which was just down the street from Greenbrier Mall at the Khedive Shrine Temple on Woodlake Drive. It was really nice because it had easy access yet just out of the hustle and bustle of the mall traffic. Although he didn't really use them, Harry liked that there were comfy leather sofas available in the entrance hall. We figured if they ever installed a bar and wide screen TVs, the place would be packed!

Use can find a schedule of the Intergalactic Bead Shows at http://beadshows.com/welcome.action

for upcoming shows in your area.

But, my go-to supplier of all things beads and jewelry making has always been Fire Mountain Gems. I usually order at least 15 items to take advantage of their "all-assortive pricing." It's fun to see the amount due go down after selecting the 15th item. They have a beautiful 436 page catalog that's absolutely free with no purchase necessary. It can be ordered at http://www.firemountaingems.com/catreq.asp?lnksrc=3&navsrc=2

If your purchases total more than $100, you'll receive their comprehensive 1,220 page catalog, also completely free. Comprehensive is right, like getting the Sears catalog we used to look forward to each year. Oh, geez, please don't tell me I'm dating myself! Everyone remembers that, right?

Jewelry Designer in the Making!

Here's our beautiful, very smart and talented 8-year-old granddaughter, Jade, posing with the beaded necklace and bracelet she made while staying with us this summer. Didn't she do an awesome job? Truly, I helped very little ... she picked out the beads, crystals and toggle clasp from my bead stash and she designed the basic layout. For the necklace, I helped with stringing the wire onto the clasp using crimp beads and made sure the length was right. (The clasp she picked out is a cute teapot and spoon). She strung butterfly spacer beads on each side of the beautiful purple crystal focal bead.

She loved the aquamarine Swarovski crystal and silver-plated spacer beads so I showed her how she could make a double stranded bracelet with them. She picked out some coordinating size 6/0 blue color-lined Dyna-Mites and then I showed her how to string them all onto elastic cord, made sure the length was right, then knotted and glued the cords to keep the bracelet secure. Beautiful!

We bought a pretty little plastic heart box from the Dollar Tree, lined it with cotton batting and she had an adorable jewelry box to keep and protect her jewelry. Jade did such a wonderful job, I'm sure you'll see more exciting jewelry designs from her in the future!

Beaded Components are a Great Summertime Project!

Instead of being tied to my desk during the summer with the usual elaborate projects, I have enjoyed the portability of making the smaller beaded components used in my newest bracelet and earring set. Once the beads were chosen, I fit them into a compact 5"x5" covered box along with a couple needles and small scissors and the project was ready to go! I completed the individual rounds and beaded bands during two separate road trips.



It was a little tricky working out of that small box, though! If you bead or craft on-the-go, I would love to hear from you as I'm sure there just has to be tips for that kind of organization.



Designing the set was also completed on the fly ... no pun intended ; ) During the layovers on our recent trip to Las Vegas, I pulled out my artist pad and gel pens (yes, they're okay with the TSA folks!) and came up with this set I have named, "Casino Marker" in honor of all the beautiful casinos we visited while there. Not big gamblers, we just wanted to at least go into as many of the famous casinos as we could. Which, by the way, was easier said than done because everything is more spread out than you think and it takes a little effort getting from place to place. Sorry, I digress but I find my thoughts keep going back to that trip, it was so much fun! We thought it would just be a one-time trip but now we can't wait to go back!




Aaaaanyway ... once I was finally able to get back to my desk, the bracelet was pieced together and the gold-filled round clasp added in one afternoon. The earrings were also completed with gold-filled earwires at the same time! I like the way the round focal pieces resemble poker chips (hence the name) and the thickness of each is about the same, too.


If you would like more details on "Casino Marker," just go to the Bracelet and Earring Sets section of my website at http://www.jewelsoftheobx.com/#/bracelet-and-earrings-sets/4539679149 . I hope you enjoy the set as much as I enjoyed the exciting city that inspired them!


Okay, okay ... getting my feet back on the beach now ... see you there!


Julie

Pearls found in Vegas!

About 30 years ago, Harry asked me if I would fly to Vegas with him but I was too stupid ... um, afraid to fly. Time, though, has a way of making you realize you have to get over your fears if you're ever going to accomplish anything. So, early this month we finally left for Vegas and had to board not one, but two planes to get there. The last flight time was scheduled for over 4 hours - Aaaah! The pilot (a former Navy pilot) and flight attendants all mentioned they were looking forward to an extended layover in Vegas and sounded just as excited to get there as we were and we landed after only 3 hours and 15 minutes!

While we were there, we tried to at least go into most of the casinos, just to get a feel for them. There were lots of shops and attractions along the way but one of the places that really captured my imagination was the artistic Crystals at CityCenter, known for its beautiful and unique architecture. The Mastro’s Ocean Club, a very chic fish house restaurant is the undeniable masterpiece of the center. You can learn more about the restaurant at their website, http://www.mastrosrestaurants.com/ .

(Mastro's Ocean Club Restaurant, Las Vegas, Nevada)

Also located in Crystals is the jewelry store, Mikimoto, known worldwide for its stunning cultured pearls. I learned that the founder, Kokichi Mikimoto, was the creator of the world’s very first cultured pearl! Mr. Mikimoto’s amazing work is documented on the company website’s History section at: http://mikimotoamerica.com/

While you’re there, drool over their Pearl Jewelry Collection, too. I just LOVE these starfish earrings from the Milano Collection by Giovanna Broggian!

We had an absolute blast in Vegas! There are just so many “pearls” to be found in Vegas … I can’t wait to go back now to find more! (Yes, and even get on another airplane!) When you get a chance, check out all the pictures from our trip posted on my Facebook page.

See you on the beach!

Julie

Swarovski discovered!

I have found Swarovski crystals can add an unmistakable touch of sparkle -- you'll notice I use them from time to time in my designs. For some reason, though, it took me awhile to find Swarovski also has a wonderful website at http://www.swarovski.com/Web_US/en/index where the entire collection can viewed. Actually, I had looked at the site some time ago, but apparently not well enough.

On the home page, under "Other Swarovski Sites," there are other goodies including an entire world for just their Crystallized Swarovski elements at http://www.create-your-style.com/Content.Node/index.php

You can upload photographs of your own creations, join their forum, read their online magazine and blog, enter competitions (currently in progress is "Boudoir Beautiful - 2010 European Design Competition" http://www.create-your-style.com/Content.Node/events-and-stores/events/Boudoir-Beautiful.en.php ), learn beading techniques with crystals ( http://www.create-your-style.com/Content.Node/instructions/techniques/Beading.en.php ), download instructions and there's also a complete Colour Chart for their beads at http://www.create-your-style.com/Content.Node/service/downloads/Colour_Chart_Beads.en.php !

I'm going back now to see what else I can find. Hope you enjoy!

See you on the beach!

Julie

Summer is Almost Here!

Mark your calendar ... Monday, June 21, 2010 is the first day of summer! To celebrate, I have reduced all of my Jewels of the OBX anklets 25% off. Why anklets? Because no other piece of jewelry says summer more than anklets and they're so cute with sandals or flip-flops and painted toes. They're on sale now through, guess which day? ... June 21st!

"Makin' a Splash" Anklet


When you visit Jewels of the OBX, remember to Log In and become a friend of the site. You'll receive occasional product updates, special offers and coupons and in addition, you will also receive 10% off your next order! Yes, you may use your discount on the anklets (that's a total of 35% off!)





There's another new feature at Jewels of the OBX ... look on the Order Form page and you'll find my personal search engine that is a database for the Jewels of the OBX collection. It's an easy, one-stop location to find any piece that you're looking for. I hope you'll enjoy having access to what I find to be an invaluable tool.

See you on the beach!

Julie

Jewels of the OBX Birthday Earrings updated!

What better color than emerald to announce the coming of the long-awaited summer season? The color of green grass, cool and refreshing under bare feet on a warm day. My birthstone-inspired Swarovski crystal earrings now include this beautiful color and of course, they have the trademark Sterling Silver clam shell drop.

They make great birthday presents because all the work has been done for you! They're personalized and if you choose, can be shipped directly to your recipient in a complimentary gift box and gift wrapped.

I also offer $20 Happy Birthday gift certificates for my customers to arrive for their birthday to be used towards any purchase at Jewels of the OBX. If you would like to receive a gift certificate for yourself or for a friend, simply email me at jewelsoftheobx@embarqmail.com along with the birthday month and day (no need for the year !)

The birthday earring collection is steadily growing - it now includes February through May.

Check it out at:

http://www.jewelsoftheobx.com/#/birthday-earrings/4537840408

See you on the beach!

Julie

Maxxing out on the Outer Banks!

Another great retailer is coming to the Outer Banks ... T.J.Maxx is scheduled to open on Thursday, April 22, 2010! As a permanent resident, I'm happy to see businesses and restaurants that will be open year-round. I understand we're a tourist area and tourism is basically seasonal; however, this is also a place to live for tens of thousands of people who need places to shop. The "season" could be expanded with open and inviting businesses instead of ones that put up "See you in March" signs.

The store will be located in the old Nags Head Food Lion location next to Staples (also open year-round, thank you!). Food Lion moved recently to their brand new location pretty much across the street on the ocean side. It's a little on the small side so I'll be interested to see if it can accommodate the summer traffic. There's a little strip of stores in front of the new Food Lion and right now, the Front Porch Cafe is open. Harry and I enjoy stopping there for a coffee when we're out on the bike and then afterwards, scoot out the back way to the beach road.

So, welcome T.J.Maxx and just to make you hopeful for future patronage ... just today, we went to K-Mart, NAPA Auto Parts and for dinner ... Taco Bell.

See you on the beach!

Jewels of the OBX earrings shown in Beadwork Magazine!

I'm so excited ... my earrings, "Pearl Elegance - Olive," are shown in the just released April/May 2010 edition of Beadwork Magazine! On page 6, I describe the inspiration and construction of the earrings in their feature, "W.O.R.D., (What Our Readers Did)." You may remember, I offered these earrings free with any jewelry purchase during the 2009 Christmas season. In anticipation, many days were spent making them and eventually, pieces in bronze and silver glass pearls.

The magazine contacted me back at the end of last year to say they would be shown in April which sounded like such a long way off, but here it is! Because the winter was so cold this year, it has kept us inside more than usual and I've spent it being productive with designing and working new jewelry pieces. The time has absolutely flown by and now spring is just a week away and we've already turned the clocks up for daylight saving time. Oh, and wait for it ... Easter is just two and a half weeks!

One day, I would like to submit a complete feature to the magazine which is a little more involved, providing a list of materials used and other required items. Beadwork says its fairly painless, which I'm sure is true, but that takes time and, well - there I go again! For now, I'll just enjoy Beadworks' very kind acknowledgement and keep on beading!

See you on the beach!

Julie

"Pearl Elegance" earrings can be seen at http://www.jewelsoftheobx.com/

Jewels of the OBX Birthday Earrings updated

It's definite ... my favorite color in Swarovski crystals is Aquamarine. After starting the Jewels of the OBX Birthday Earrings collection, I have completed those for February and now, March. I thought the Amethyst color for February was beautiful but the soft and shimmery blue for March simply sparkles.

As with all my jewelry, I've tried to price them affordably and with the free gift boxing, they would make a great birthday gift. I also offer $20 Happy Birthday gift certificates for my customers to arrive for their birthday each year. If you would like to receive a gift certificate for yourself or for a friend, simply email me at jewelsoftheobx@embarqmail.com along with the birthday month and day (no need for the year !) and I can email it or snail mail, whatever you'd like.

You can see more on the latest Aquamarine earrings at: http://jewelsoftheobx.com/

See you on the beach!

Julie

A note to bloggers

If you're a blogger on Google's blogger.com, take care using those cute and tempting "Gadgets" that can be added onto your blog. They are outside applications that you are bringing into the security of what is your own authored blog and these applications can be hacked by anyone with no life of their own. While not directly hacking your blog, they can redirect your readers to any site they choose before your blog even had a chance to download. To be fair, the applications could also simply become unavailable; however, a non-threatening "not available" screen will alert readers on their internet explorer page. But, they could also be redirected to some viral site ... you know, one where suddenly pages upon pages of ads explode on your screen.
If you enjoy blogging, my advice is to keep it simple. Leave all the bells and whistles to those who like making a lot of noise and don't really have anything to say.

Starfish are NOT fish!

We already knew that, right? Then, what are they?

Well, apparently, they are "echinoderm," close cousins of sea urchins or sand dollars. They are almost entirely marine animals, only a few live in brackish water. Marine scientists are trying to rename them "sea stars," which I doubt will ever catch on and I refuse to call them echinoderm, probably because I can't pronouce that or even want to try. They'll always be starfish to me.

I am just fascinated by these little creatures, although I've only found a couple on the beach here on the Outer Banks, and one of those was just a sad little "arm." Maybe the surf is too rough for them to make it on shore in one piece. I enjoy making beaded starfish and have spent many happy hours working on them to make them look as close to the real thing as possible. In the middle of the project, each arm feels pliable and feels almost like you're holding a real starfish. But (probably like in the surf) the beaded starfish doesn't hold up well without tightening up the stitches at the end of the project. My favorite bead to use are the size 11/0 amber matte seed beads, the look and feel of them match up nicely to a live starfish.

Recently, I realized there were a bunch of them just sitting on my desk, among a growing collection of little components and stitching samples. If you make jewelry, you know exactly what I'm talking about and probably have your own collection. I gathered the little starfish together and decided to make a necklace of them, the result is "Starfish Haven." They are linked together and accented with light yellow glass pearls which continue throughout the necklace strand and the amethyst Swarovski crystals add an extra punch of sparkle.

I worked the teardrop-shaped beaded clasp and toggle bar to match the piece.

Please take a look when you get a chance at http://www.jewelsoftheobx.com/ .

See you on the beach!

Julie

Beaded Starfish Earring winner!

Congrats to Adriel Hong who is the winner of the free beaded starfish earrings from Jewels of the OBX! They'll be mailed off to her in their very own beach bag ... I hope you enjoy them, Adriel! When you get a chance, check out Adriel's adorable handmade paper crafted items at www.etsy.com/shop/twohappycampers and her blog at http://www.twohappystampers.blogspot.com/ .

Thank you for everyone's interest in the earring drawing! Maybe I'll have another one in the near future?!

See you on the beach!

Julie

Jewels of the OBX can now be seen at Cloud Nine!

I'm so excited, Jewels of the OBX can now be seen at Cloud Nine, A Creative Emporium in Nags Head! Cloud Nine has been an Outer Banks feature for over 20 years! It is a truly amazing boutique that showcases local and regional artists in many different mediums. They also carry an extensive collection of beads and jewelry-making supplies and are open all year around. They're located in Pirate's Quay, Milepost 11 1/2 on the Bypass. Do you remember where Dowdys, OBX's last "amusement park," used to be? It's across the road from that. (A beautiful new school was built next to the old Dowdys location). Cloud Nine is actually closed this week as the owner, Ginny Flowers, a wonderful jeweler and instructor, is taking a well-deserved respite, and will reopen February 1, just in time for Valentine's Day.

The display at the store was put together by one of Ginny's assistants, Ashley. She also made the display along with that cute little sign you see. I gave her a pair of my "Compass to my Heart" earrings for all her hard work. She must have liked them, she gave me a great big hug! If you haven't seen the earrings yet, please check them out, along with a couple other new Valentine pieces, at the website http://www.jewelsoftheobx.com/ .

Don't forget to email me at jewelsoftheobx@embarmail.com to enter your name for the free starfish earrings drawing that will end January 31, 2010! (You'll see a pair of them in the picture of Cloud Nine's display case).

Just a few days left!

Enjoy the rest of your week and I'll talk to you later .... see you on the beach!

Julie

Last week - don't forget!

This is the last week of the drawing for a FREE pair of my starfish earrings! Just send me an email at jewelsoftheobx@embarqmail.com no later than January 31, 2010 and let me know that you want to be entered for the drawing. I'll notify the winner by email and the earrings will be shipped to you in their very own beach bag! That's all there is to it! There's no purchase necessary. Since Jewels of the OBX is new, I just want to show my work and hopefully you'll let people know who made them, if they ask. So, send in your name and I'll throw your name into the fish bowl ... Good Luck!

Talk to you later, Julie.

Gunmetal and Lace

I wanted to design a jewelry piece using my new gunmetal beads, to fit my "Sandy Gear" collection. The result is what I've called, "Gunmetal and Lace." I really enjoy the way it looks with those leather gloves!

The finished piece is 7 1/2" long. It would be a really nice piece to wear in the summer with how it wraps comfortably around the wrist and feels cool against the skin. It's easy to take on and off with the slide clasp.

Please check out my website for more details and as always, please don't hesitate to contact me with your questions, comments and suggestions. I would love to hear from you!

See you on the beach!

Ice on Kitty Hawk Bay

This is a popular crabbing spot for folks on vacation. Popular more likely for its easy accessibility, lovely view and beautiful sunsets. It's on the main road to our neighborhood, so we pass it everyday. I enjoy checking out the license plates to see where the visitors have traveled from. Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland are typical; although, I've even seen one from Alaska! As can be expected, there were no new license plates today! I couldn't resist stepping out of the warmth of our Jeep and test the hardiness of our digital camera to take pictures of all the ice. I didn't linger very long as the temperature has hovered around the freezing mark. Ice has built around the edges of Kitty Hawk Bay and enchanting icicles cling to wooden posts, bulkheads and to the rocks. Hopefully, the ice won't last very much longer as it's supposed to be a little warmer by next week. I, for one, will be glad to see it go and have the crabbers return! Please enjoy the pictures while I go make a steamy cup of tea!

Talk to you later!

January drawing for FREE earrings!

Back by popular demand! Once again, I'm offering a FREE pair of my Beaded Starfish earrings! There's no purchase necessary. Send me an email no later than January 31, 2010 to say you want to be entered for the January drawing for the free Beaded Starfish earrings. I'll notify the winner by email and the earrings will be shipped to you in their very own beach bag! That's all there is to it! Please visit my website for more details at: http://www.jewelsoftheobx.com/ . Good Luck!

Happy New Year from the Outer Banks!

It's cold and cloudy here today on the Outer Banks but I don't complain. As long as I can watch an occasional seagull fly by, I am happy. And being able to share it with my husband. I hope you're where you want to be, too.
Enjoy our first day, our new year.


Talk to you later!