A Week of Change

It has been an odd week, with the cancellation of our trip South - we have been given the gift of time - something that always seems to be in short supply lately, but feel a small sense of deflation - there will be no exciting trip, no meeting old and new friends and fellow bead lovers.

We will be home for Princess illy's eye surgery, which is a relief - but wont get to visit with Number One Son, The Engineer on our travels.

It's a week of mixed emotions...

However, I've still been busily finishing and cataloging new work and will put a whole lot onto the website over the next few days.  There's a Black and White Sampler coming that I'm really intrigued with...

I'm fascinated in the strength of colours that come through in this series - some are soft and some are strong...and of course, black and white is the strongest contrast of all...It would be fun to do one in pink and orange...maybe that's next??

There's also a Flow set coming that I was very intrigued with - a set using the transparency of black to combine it with purple, using silvered ivory (yes, ivory glass mixed with sterling silver) and lots of transparent glass - another one of my current favourites...

These beads feel silken and luscious to touch!

I've also been having fun taking photos using my extensive collection of old domestic crystal glass (Webb & Corbett is my favourite, though I love Waterford and Stuart too).

I took lots of photos on crystal of The Helen Drop Earrings and loaded them onto the website - there are so many colourways in this design that I only have a few made up at any time - if there is a colourway that you fancy that's not there, please just ask me!

Black and Crystal Aurora Borealis Helen Drop Earrings $40

I've also launched the new Facebook Page properly and have put a couple of beads on at a greatly reduced price for those who are interested - it seems a nice way to reward people who follow my work.  There's also a Giveaway on the page for Likers - I'll do the draw at the end of the month.

I'm also about to register on a blogging course - eek!  I feel quite challenged by this stuff, but as I've said before, I love technology and want to learn as much as I can.  I want to make the most of this gift of time and stir my grey matter a little!  The course is taught by Liv Lane, who uses a lot of guest tutors to teach their particular areas of expertise, one of whom is my old friend Andrea Schroeder of www.creativedreamincubator.com 

 It's going to be a fun week!

A Change of Plans and Facebook Giveaway

Long Purple Rock Candy Earrings - $40

 We've had an unexpected change of plans and won't be traveling South with the Dunkley's Great New Zealand Craft show this year after all.

This means that we won't be selling in Christchurch, Dunedin or Invercargill this year.

Please accept our sincere apologies if this upsets your plans - perhaps we can talk through something with you by email or phone.  

I'm always happy to take extra photos of pieces and of course I give a full money-back guarantee if you're not 100% satisfied with what arrives at your door.

I've launched the Facebook page properly this week with a giveaway of a pair of Rock Candy earrings of your choice to be won by a lucky "Liker" at the end of August.

Short Black Rock Candy Earrings $35

 I'm going to run super-specials and discounts for my lovely followers, so if you want to enter the draw and be notified of the deals as they go up go to 

Glitz Art Glass on Facebook.

The first super-special goes up today!

Some new work and the Rock Candies

Black & White Candy Stripe Earrings i - NZ$55

I've begun stocking up my glass earrings for the spring shows, and have just put a few more sets onto the website.  I've been enjoying playing with the effects of transparent glass in differing thicknesses over a coloured base - there are so many ways to make the glass distort or magnify what's underneath - the possibilities are endless and dreamy.

Orange & Clear Doris Daze Cube Earrings - NZ$55

I'm in love with orange at the moment - the colour of the Sacral Chakra - one of the fire colours (and chakras) and the colour of passion and creativity.  I don't really feel all that fired up or inspired, just kind of slow and meditative and wintry, even though it's the first day of spring.  

I saw my first newborn calf yesterday, the daphne bush is in full bloom and perfume and the "real' daffodils are appearing everywhere.

Bring it on, is what I say!

One of my more enjoyable tasks this week has been to photograph my "Rock Candy" Swarovski Crystal series.  They are just so sumptuous and sparkly - I couldn't resist taking this photo of them all piled up together. 

A few of us in our immediate neighbourhood are planning a fund raising dinner for our local hospital and medical facility and have chosen the them of "All British" - mostly because of the Olympic Games being held in London (though they can really go by without my noticing!).  We are to wear all of our finery, including the "Family Jewels" - I think I'll go with the Rock Candies for the night!
I've hired a long frock  made from an old sari from our local drama club - our go-to for fancy dress out here in the wop-wops.  It's a bronzy colour, with a heavily beaded and sequined tulle overlay - quite glamorous ;). 

Shall I wear the Naturals... (This is the Full Rock Candy Necklace in Natural) NZ$320

or the Crystal Aurora Borealis?  This is the Rock Candy Bracelet in the larger size crystals 

NZ$130

There's a smutty little joke in here if you're a kiwi and understand the double meaning of "Family Jewels" - the men have been warned to wear theirs strictly undercover ;).

These are the long Rock Candy Earrings in Natural NZ$40 - I will wear my earrings long...

These are the shorter Rock Candy Earrings in Crystal Aurora Borealis - NZ$35

 The long earrings are made in smaller 6mm crystals, the shorter earrings in 8mm crystals.

The series is available in smaller 6mm crystals or 8mm crystals as mostly pictured here.  I have all of the bracelets made up in both the smaller and larger crystals, but would make necklaces up especially for you in the smaller crystals if you like.

The Rock Candies are a gorgeous and extravagant crystal design with almost no silver showing - even the clasp is a genuine Swarovski button and loop closer...so even the back of your neck or underside of your wrist looks neat.

They're available in nine colourways...Crystal Aurora Borealis and Natural as above and...

Black Part Rock Candy Necklace - NZ$150

Blue Full Rock Candy Necklace NZ$320

Green Rock Candy Bracelet in larger crystals NZ$130

Pink Full Rock Candy Necklace - larger crystals NZ $320

Purple Part Rock Candy Necklace NZ$150

Siam Red Rock Candy Bracelet in small crystals NZ$130

Topaz Rock Candy Full Necklace NZ$320

Yum?

Have you Liked the Facebook page yet?  It's a fun way to communicate and I'm going to run a giveaway this month for a pair of Rock Candy Earrings in your choice of colour to "Likers"!

So what's your favourite colour?

New Books and the big draw

One of the preparations I love to make for a trip is making sure that I have some nice books to read. Here's my little stash...I think it will last me for a bit longer than three weeks!
We leave here on Wednesday for Christchurch - weather permitting. This snow storm is putting the trip in some doubt - Oh! I do love the joys of traveling in winter! I wonder how the Christchurch Craft Show will be in this weather? Perhaps it will all have blown over by opening day on Friday - I do hope so!
Ironically, we are having beautiful days here in Golden Bay - the sun is high and warm, but the wind is cold.
And the winner of the Blog Giveaway is....drumroll, please...

Carol Soutter-Earle! Congratulations, Carol, I will be in touch!

Something New

Taupe and Grape Tiger Beads

I told you recently that I was working on some beads that were driving me crazy.  I was trying to get a subtle colour effect using a gorgeous very pale handmade brown glass - it's really almost not brown, more of a soft taupe.

I made it into Tiger Beads - it's actually very dark purple and white twisted stringer (for those who might be interested ;)) heavily encased in this lovely brown glass.  I've spaced the feature beads with etched beads made from the same brown glass.  I think you get a better idea of a "colour" from the etched beads.  The insides of the beads are softly taupe-y, cream-y purple-y.  The little crystal beads in between are Swarovski crystals in Light Topaz - slightly larger (round faceted) beads than I normally use.  It may be one of those designs that's better seen in real time.

And here is the first of the Raindrops Series that I'm fiddling with. I'm really loving making these, but because we're in the middle of preparing for the Great NZ Craft Show South Island Tour, I've been rather distracted from them. I will make the other pieces up when we get back in mid September, I think.

They're based on very very soft transparent colours with etched beads and crystals. There's a little twist with some of the newer pieces, so I'll leave that as a surprise for later.

Don't forget to make sure that you have registered as a member of my blog so you go into the draw for a free pair of my "Roses" earrings!  I will do the draw on Monday.

Blog Giveaway!

As a very special thank you to my newsletter followers and as a follow up to my website sale, I have decided to do my first online giveaway.  There is one condition...as there always is!

If you register as a blog follower you will go into the draw to win this pair of Sapphire Blue Rose Earrings.  You will also need to let me know how to contact you if you are the lucky winner.

I will draw the prize before we go away to do the South Island run of the Great New Zealand Craft Shows and will post them off to you at my cost - this includes overseas postage.

Mark these dates on your calendar

Christchurch Show - Addington Racecourse Friday 19th to Sunday 21st August

Dunedin Show - Edgar Centre Friday 26th to Sunday 28th August

Invercargill Show - ILT Velodrome Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th September 

There is a printable discount coupon for these shows on my Facebook page.

You can "Like" the page to receive updates from the studio.

And don't forget to enter the draw for those earrings!

This giveaway is now closed, and the winner was Carol Soutter Earle.