The Pink Martini Boutique

Know What I Mean, Jelly Bean?

2011-03-20T17:22:00.005-04:00

I haven't made a charm bracelet in about 2 years or so but when I saw these candy jade beads I knew right away they would make perfect little jelly beans for a fringe bracelet.

I added lots of pretty pearly lucite flowers in pastel shades and then used lots of little bunny rabbit beads.

All in all this one has 96 charms and is completely loaded with Easter and Spring goodness.

I hope you enjoy checking this one out. After wrapping each one of those charms onto the chain, I don't think I'll make another charm bracelet this jam packed again any time soon, LOL.

You can find the Bunny Hop bracelet for sale in my Artfire Studio by clicking here.

Inspiration of the Month, Seraphinite!

2011-03-13T00:33:00.003-05:00

I have loved the gemstone Seraphinite since I first saw it about 5 years ago. I had never purchased any until this month. Our beading group has a monthly inspiration thread and this time it was this gemstone.

I am totally in love with the waxy luster and schiller of these beautiful green stones. Add the faceting and you've got me hook, line and sinker! I really wanted to showcase this gorgeous green so I went with a double strand design featuring really pretty silver pewter beads.

I hope you like the end result as much as I do. I am definitely going to have to recreate this one and keep one for myself!

WOW! Long time, no blog!

2011-02-10T19:00:00.005-05:00

I can't believe that the last time I blogged was in September! What a terrible blogger I am!

I have to admit to being busy and excited to say that my wonderful customers are the ones that have kept me on my toes. Thank you all so much!

We have a new addition to our little family, this little sweetheart is named Petey and he is a wonderful little ball of puppy bliss! He is a typical rambunctious little boy, 11 weeks old. Petey is a beautiful smooth coated collie we got from Lil Swiss Collies.

To celebrate Petey's arrival into the Booth household and to celebrate Valentine's Day, I'm having a Coupon Sale in my Etsy shop. Just enter the coupon code, SWEETHEART20 at check out to receive 20% off your order. Click here to check it out!

FREE EARRING GIVEAWAY!

2010-09-20T23:50:00.002-04:00

It's that time again, my FAVORITE season of the year! I adore Fall/Autumn and I look forward to it all year long! To celebrate, I am giving away a pair of my new Pumpkin Patch earrings! OK, that was a lot of exclamation points, but maybe you'll see how excited I am :-)

I designed a new style of Pumpkin earrings featuring orange Jade, Swarovski crystal and antiqued brass findings. These beauties are for sale in my Artfire shop by clicking here. BUT, I am giving away a FREE pair in a drawing for fans of my Facebook Fan page. Here is how:

1) Go to my fan page and 'like' the page.
2) Leave a comment for me about what your favorite Autumn memory is.
3) Wait until Sept. 30th to see who the winner is!

It's that simple!

Lots of new BHV Inspirations to Choose From!

2010-08-06T20:19:00.003-04:00

The new threads are up in the BHV and here are a couple of them to give you some ideas that might spark your creativity!

Lily of the Valley

Convallaria magalis (LINN.)
Family: N.O. Liliaceae
Common Names: ~Ladder to Heaven~ ~Jacob's Tears~ ~May Lily~ ~Convallaria~ ~Our Lady's Tears~ ~Convall-lily~ ~Lily Constancy~ ~Male Lily~

Its scientific name, ~Majalis~ or ~Maialis~ means ~that which belongs to May.~ Old astrological books place the plant under the dominion of Mercury, since Maia, the daughter of Atlas, was the mother of Mercury or Hermes.

A French legend tells of a holy man known as Saint Leonard, a close friend of King Clovis, who lived in the Vienne Valley near Limoges in 559 AD. Saint Leonard, a brave and fearless fighter, wanted to spend his days communing with God. So he took permission from the king to go live the life of a hermit in the woods. In the same woods also dwelled the dragon Temptation. Saint Leonard was at prayer and did not hear the dragon when it demanded that Saint Leonard leave the woods. The evil dragon burned down Saint Leonard's hut with his fiery breath. Much blood was spilled as terrible battles took place between them. Saint Leonard drove the evil dragon further into the woods until the dragon disappeared altogether. Poisonous weeds began to grow where the dragon spilled his blood, but beds of lilies of the valley sprang up wherever the ground was sprinkled with Saint Leonard's blood to mark the places of their battles. These woods, till today are known as St. Leonard's Forest

The lily of the valley signifies the return of happiness. Legend tells of the affection of a lily of the valley for a nightingale that did not come back to the woods until the flower bloomed in May.

It is a symbol of humility in religious painting. Lily of the valley is considered the sign of Christ's second coming. The ~Songs of Solomon~ in the Bible mentions the ~Lily of the Valley.~ According to a Christian legend, Mary's tears turned to ~lily of the valley~ when she cried at the cross and because of this it is also known as ~Mary's Tears.~ The power of men to envision a better world was attributed to the lily of the valley.

Lily of the valley has been used for medicinal purposes. It was believed to strengthen memory, to restore speech and as a liquor smeared on the forehead and the back of the neck, to make one have good common sense. All parts of the plant are considered poisonous, despite it's alleged powers.The leaves yield a green dye, with lime water.

Bead Hive Flower of the Month Inspiration, Larkspur!

2010-07-04T19:24:00.003-04:00

The Consolida and Delphinium, better known as the Larkspur includes about 40 annual flowering plants that are native to Western Europe through the Mediterranean region east to central Asia. The flowers are open and contain a single follicle of fruit, instead of a cluster.

The Larkspur was called lark's heel by Shakespeare, and has also been referred too as lark's claw and knight's spur. The scientific name of Delphinium refers to the shape of the bud which is thought to look like a fat dolphin.

There are two species of Larkspur that are native to California and are considered to be endangered. These are the Baker's larkspur and the Yellow larkspur.

Larkspurs are generally considered garden plants. They are poisonous however and can cause death if eaten in large amounts. It is a significant cause of death in cattle ranges in higher elevations where it is more likely to be found. In small amount however the Larkspur has been used in medicine. It is believed that drinking the seed could help the sting from a scorpion, and that putting it in your hair can help kill lice and nits.

Mixing the juice from the Larkspur seed with alum can create a blue ink. Because of the blue color it used to be used in Transylvania on the stables to ward away witches.

Bead Hive Inspiration Photo

2010-06-25T22:05:00.005-04:00

Every month my beading group has a new inspiration photo. This time it was chosen by my friend Jill Cron. I love the saturated colors and all of the funky shapes in the foreground of this photo. I would imagine this is somewhere in Morocco. I can just see exploring an open air market and finding this doorway in an unexplored alleyway.

I've made two pieces to go with this inspiration. I wanted to pull the salmony pink up in the first piece so went with some lovely vintage glass beads and Bali sterling silver.

In the second piece I wanted to pull up the blues and the exotic textures so I went with stabilized Turquoise and Goldstone with lots of chunky silver accents.

Flower of the Month for June!

2010-06-17T13:00:00.001-04:00

Tiger lilies are actually a family of flowers that once grew wild in many parts of the world. Now, however, tiger lilies are an endangered species in many places. The reasons are many, including people digging them up and taking them home, land being used for development and the fact that many animals, such as deer, see the tiger lily as food.

The Tiger Lily has a strong, sweet and distinctively lily smell. Besides producing a stunning spectacle, most parts of this plant are edible. Tiger Lily has edible flower buds apart from edible roots and shoots. These can often have a bitter flavor. When baked, lily bulbs taste rather like potatoes.

* There is an old legend from Asia about the Tiger Lily. A Korean hermit helped a wounded tiger by removing an arrow from its body. The tiger asked the hermit to use his powers to perpetuate their friendship after his death. The hermit agreed and when the tiger died, his body became a tiger lily. Eventually the hermit drowned and his body was washed away. The Tiger Lily spread everywhere searching for its friend.
* There is a superstition that smelling Tiger Lily will give you freckles.
* The Tiger Lily stands for wealth and prosperity.

Long Time No Post...

2010-06-16T22:35:00.002-04:00

Wow, I've been totally out of the loop. Since March 17th I've started exercising regularly and have been watching my carbs and taking better care of myself in general.

I've lost 25 pounds and have been able to increase my walking time from 15 minutes to 60 minutes and I'm getting in about 3 miles a day.

Of course, I pay for those miles in my feet and ankles but the lowered blood glucose levels are too big of a reward to keep from getting that time in on the treadmill.

I have a huge GRRR. I am admittedly a persnickety bead buyer and I detest poor customer service. Well today I had the opposite ends of the spectrum. My grr is with a seller by the name of revivaljewels on Etsy. She charged for priority shipping and then waited 7 days to ship my package! No offer of a refund for the extremely high shipping fees or anything. I actually had to ask for the refund and got a snide answer from the wench too.

On the GOOD side of things, I ordered some fancy Czech glass today and the seller included a couple of extra beads in the package to make sure that there were 4 good beads in the lot that I bought. (She said there were some dings on one of the beads and wanted to make sure I had 4 good ones!) This seller goes by the name of TreasuresbyKaren on Etsy. I highly recommend her, she's conscientious and ships in a reasonable amount of time.

Diabetes Sux!

2010-03-28T17:19:00.003-04:00

I found out on St. Patrick's day that I have type 2 diabetes. No pre-diabetic stage for me, oh no, have to be an over achiever in this of all things.

I have been reading lots and waiting for the doctor's office to get me an appointment with a nutritionist and set me up for diabetes classes. In the mean time I'm trying to keep my carbs down to about 40 grams per meal. No idea if that is right or not but it's probably less then what I was eating per meal.

My biggest loss is my Mountain Dew. I love that stuff, I used to joke that it was my plasma and flowed in my veins...little did I know that REALLY flowed in my veins. I have switched over to diet pop but have slipped up twice since the 17th and had a can of good ole mountain dew.

I've had major issues with my eyes the last several days. It's like my entire prescription for my glasses is totally wrong now. It has me scared and worried that this is permanent. Going blind is a major worry for me, that and maybe loosing feeling in my hands from neuropathy. Anything that would take away my ability to function and to create my jewelry which I love to do.

I'm calling the Dr first thing in the morning and making an appointment with the eye Dr for tomorrow afternoon. This vision thing has me stressed out. Wish me luck!

Snowdrops Inspiration

2010-01-23T00:12:00.003-05:00

I wanted to share what the snowdrops inspiration has lead me to create. I knew when I saw the photo that I wanted to use these large snowy quartz beads I've been hoarding. They are micro faceted which is hard to tell in the photo. I love gemstone rondelle beads and if they are micro faceted that makes them even more special! I've rounded out the design with Bali sterling and crystal quartz. I think this would be beautiful for bride or would look amazing on someone with a golden tan!

You can find the Snowdrops Bracelet in my artfire studio by clicking here.

January, Snowdrops!

2010-01-01T15:42:00.003-05:00

The Bead Hive is now doing a Flower of the Month thread for inspiration. I am pleased to see it as it flows along with what I did over the summer with my flower inspirations. The flower for January is Snowdrops and here is a little trivia about the flower...

While the snowdrop became a Mary flower because of the white bloom and the association with the feast of her Purification, the flower’s association with purity was so far extended by the nineteenth century that Snowdrop Bands—chapters of a society for the encouragement of working-class girls to espouse chaste lives and avoid indecency—were organized. The journal of the society was called The Snowdrop, and members carried cards with a picture of a snowdrop and a promise to avoid indecent conversation and immoral literature. The groups held “brown suppers,” during which members potted up snowdrop bulbs, and “white suppers” when the snowdrops where in bloom (Paula Bartley, Prostitution: Prevention and Reform in England, 1860–1914).

Both Roy Vickery in A Dictionary of Plant Lore (1995) and Richard Mabey in Flora Brittanica (1996) have collected testimony from twentieth-century informants in Great Britain confirming a popular superstition that snowdrops are an unlucky flower that can bring misfortune and death if picked and brought into the house, perhaps because they are often found growing in cemeteries and churchyards. Vickery cites Hilderic Friend, a Victorian authority on flower lore, who explains this association by the blossom’s resemblance to a shroud. Is it related to the fact that the snowdrop is as much a winter flower as a spring flower? ~~Deirdre Larkin, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

2009-12-10T08:41:00.005-05:00

I can't believe how time has flown! Did several craft shows this past month and have been super busy with Christmas orders. I wanted to take a minute and share some of my favorite holiday pieces that are available in my Artfire Studio.

This first pair is always one of my best sellers at shows and online. I have one pair left on Artfire.

This is a new design from me this year and I think they came out very cute. This is actually a pair of earrings I got the instructions for from one of the bead sites.

This last pair is very fun and sparkly. I love the sterling silver Christmas tree charms on these.

You can find all of these terrific holiday earrings in my Artfire Studio by clicking here.

The Road

2009-10-31T14:50:00.002-04:00

OOOH! I am so excited! My friend Leslie and I have been waiting patiently for the movie version of The Road to come out. It's taken the studios FOREVER to finish the project and firm up the release date.

Well, it's finally about to happen. On November 25th the movie is coming to theaters! YAY.

If you haven't read the novel by Cormac McCarthy then I suggest you so. It's an amazing read!

Harvest Moon

2009-10-04T01:12:00.003-04:00

It's that time of year again, Harvest Time. Farmers are bringing in their final crops of the season and we are blessed with a bounty of produce rich and ripe for the gathering.

The full moon closest to the autumnal equinox is considered to be the Harvest Moon. Traditionally, it's seemingly larger then normal appearance gave farmers additional light to work their fields by to gather in the final crops.

Normally the Harvest Moon falls in September, but this year we are treated to an October display. The next October Harvest Moon won't happen until 2017.

The full moon in November is considered the Hunter's Moon, again for giving hunter's additional light to see by.

Officially Fall!

2009-09-25T21:17:00.004-04:00

It seems that the weather has officially ushered in the Fall rainy season here in western West Virginia. We've had rain 3 days this week. Oh well, I am hoping that enough rain will get us some gorgeous color in our Autumn leaves a little later in the season.

Our state's annual Pumpkin Festival is next week. Our town is host to one of the largest festivals in our state and our local fairgrounds is actually the West Virginia Pumpkin Park. I will try for some photos of the decorations our town puts up, the whole of Milton, WV is pumpkin bedecked this time of year.

I've started celebrating early with my very own Pumpkin Festival earrings, available in my artfire shop by clicking here

Signs that Summer is Almost Over!

2009-08-28T17:18:00.004-04:00

I noticed the other day that our town has been getting ready for Labor Day. Our American Legion post puts out flags for all of the federal holidays during the Summer months. Flags line Main Street on both sides for several blocks.

This time of year that is always the signal that Summer is officially drawing to a close. Labor Day is just a few days away now and then it's onwards towards Fall.

We have had a wonderful mild Summer here in West Virginia. July and August have been very livable and not nearly as humid as normal for this time of year. I am hoping it's signaling an early Fall and can't wait for the days when it's time to pull out the sweaters!

This time of year is my absolute favorite.

Summer Abundance, The lampwork beaded jewelry of Artbead Divine Market!

2009-08-12T19:19:00.004-04:00

I am a floral bead junky! I tend to choose either flowered lampwork or very organic boro beads for my designs. I search for flowered beads more then any other type and I'm drawn to designs inspired by flowers on a regular basis.

Here is a selection of lampwork beaded jewelry from members of Artbead Divine Market on 1000Markets. These were all found using the search term FLOWER. Be sure to click on the items to see full sized photos and descriptions.

Red Letter Days! 50s Vintage Glamour

2009-08-01T01:03:00.004-04:00

I was browsing the vintage clothing on Etsy tonight and came across all of these gorgeous lipstick red items. I can't decide on a favorite, it's got to be the red pumps, or maybe it's that scalloped lace cocktail number.

They just don't make clothes with these lines anymore and it's a crying shame. That nipped in waist and full skirt is utterly feminine. I bet these dresses have some great stories to tell!

Be sure to click on the items to visit the seller's stores. These are great finds so be sure to check them out!

Little Luxuries

2009-07-23T22:16:00.002-04:00

It's a proven fact that in tough economic times it's the little luxuries that sell the most. Like a new tube of lipstick that provides a boon to the soul of every red blooded American woman. It's been called the Lipstick Effect and it's happened several times in the last 100 years here in the states.

Well, my answer to the Lipstick Effect is to introduce a new line of Little Luxuries that are affordable high end semi-precious gemstone earrings. For about the cost of a tube of department store brand lipstick you can pick up an elegant little pair of luxe earrings that will perk you right up! And unlike that tube of lipstick, these little beauties are crafted to last a lifetime!

My first pair in this new line is a terrific combination sparkling pink Topaz and sterling silver. Simple but elegant and a cheeky fun color to boot! You can find the Little Luxuries line in my Etsy shop!

Meet Calypso!

2009-07-09T20:29:00.003-04:00

I have been on a beachy/oceany jag the last few days. I think it is because of the wonderful lampwork beads I got in from Mary Lou Cooley. They are really exquisite little works of art. Vivid shades of blue glass, green enamel, and flashy bits of silver foil in the depths. The beads are just loaded with detail and interest.

I made up 2 bracelets with the beads, the first one sold quickly on auction, YAY! But it went so fast I didn't have time to prepare to let it go LOL. So, have a few more beads in the set left I created another bracelet.

In this one I've added in some really outstanding Czech glass beads and added a few beachy themed Karen Hill Tribe silver charms.

You can find Calypso listed in my Artfire Studio by clicking here.

Meet Calypso!

2009-06-27T21:44:00.004-04:00

I got a little creative this evening and made up a bracelet with my pretty Carolyn Conley lampwork beads I've been hoarding. These are lovely encased florals in purple and white. I've accented them with lots of Bali sterling silver and sparkling Swarovski crystals in lilac purple. Lots of texture and detail in this lovely piece.

I am always amazed at the amount of detail lampworkers are able to get in their beads. I've made 2 lampwork beads with absolutely no details and that was hard enough LOL. But to be able to create flowers and vines in molten glass always astounds me.

I was stumped for a name for this beauty and all I could think of Sweet Violet. That seemed rather tame so I went to bablefish and translated that into Italian and ended up with Viola Dolce. That seems fitting I think.

You can find this little beauty in my Etsy shop by clicking here.

People, if you own a cat, keep it inside!

2009-06-26T13:52:00.003-04:00

I am totally upset. We have several neighbors with cats that think it's fine to let them outside unattended. They have been stalking a birds nest in our tree for the last few days and now one of them has gone and halfway killed a baby bird.

It wouldn't be so bad if the cats actually killed what they caught but they have to torture the animals or they get bored with it and don't finish it off. So then whatever they caught has to linger and suffer.

Cat's belong INDOORS! At the very least, they need noisy bells on their collars to alert prey animals that they are coming. That wouldn't have saved the baby bird today but it might have saved something else.

How to create a wire wrapped loop. (Be sure to click on the HQ button to view with less buffering!)

2009-06-20T17:18:00.005-04:00

Recently I've seen some really terrible wire wrapped loops out there, on jewelry published in beading magazines no less! Not just from beginners either, from seasoned veterans too. Sure it can happen to anyone, but I thought it would be a good time to share my technique for creating wire wrapped loops as a refresher course for everyone.

If you have further questions or comments, don't hesitate to post! I want to help you create the most professional looking wrapped loops possible and this is my personal technique. It's not right for everyone but it's a good starting point.

This is my first video so over look my dorkiness LOL. Have a pointer for me? I'd love to hear them!

My geeky love for my new phone!

2009-06-19T21:31:00.005-04:00

So, I'm not normally one that gets excited over gadgets but I have to say that I am totally in love with my new phone! It's an LG Lotus and it's GORGEOUS! A wonderful blue violet color with brocade vines on it. It's beautiful! And talk about loaded with features! I can watch TV, use the GPS, surf the internet, listen to music, it seems like there is nothing this little baby can't do! I never texted on my old cell, too clunky by far to make it worth while. This phone has a full keyboard and makes texting a snap!

Notice that my phone is already accessorized with a little bling? That lovely lampwork bead is by Carolyn Conley and it's ALMOST prettier then my new phone!

Since I had my bling on display for my phone I thought now would be a good time to showcase some cell phone charms and cases! Be sure to click on the items to go directly to the listings in either 1000Markets or Etsy!

It was FACSINATION I know...

2009-06-09T21:20:00.002-04:00

It was fascination I know And it might have ended Right then, at the start Just a passing glance Just a brief romance And I might have gone On my way Empty hearted

It was fascination I know Seeing you alone With the moonlight above Then I touch your hand And next moment I kiss you Fascination turned to love

It was fascination I know Seeing you alone With the moonlight above Then I touch your hand And next moment I kiss you Fascination turned - to - love 9It was fascination I know And it might have ended Right then, at the start Just a passing glance Just a brief romance And I might have gone On my way Empty hearted

It was fascination I know Seeing you alone With the moonlight above Then I touch your hand And next moment I kiss you Fascination turned to love

It was fascination I know Seeing you alone With the moonlight above Then I touch your hand And next moment I kiss you Fascination turned - to - love (Fascination, by Nat King Cole)

I have to admit, I have deep affection for the head gear called a Facsinator. Not sure if it's because they bring to mind an era long gone, or if it's just all the really COOL stuff used to create these little works of wearable art. They are like a little journey through all the great stuff in your gramma's jewelry box and closet!

Wiki defines a Facsinator as follows...

A fascinator is a headpiece, a style of millinery. The word originally referred to a fine, lacy head covering akin to a shawl made from wool or lace. The term had fallen almost into disuse by the 1970s. In the early 21st century the term has made a comeback but the meaning has slightly changed and now is used to describe a delicate, slightly frivolous head decoration worn on the hair almost exclusively by women.

Lovely Blog Award!

2009-05-31T11:46:00.005-04:00

I have been remiss in this, I have received a Lovely Blog Award from several folks in the past week and haven't had the time to either thank you guys or to add the award to my blog. I apologize and DO thank you all!

This particular award came from Tonya at the Atomic Housewife. Thanks so much sweety!

Here are the guidelines for accepting the award:

1. Add the logo to your blog;

2. Link to the person from whom you received this award;

3. Nominate 7 or more blogs; and

4. Leave a message on their blog, letting them know they are One Lovely Blog!

Now I would like to honor these 7 bloggers with this beautiful award.

Chris over at Crafts by Chris

Christie over at Blooming Wildflowers

Dhea at Javabead

Donna at Creative Treasures

Mary at Mary's Blogspot

Michelle at Sparkling Bliss

Misty at Gemma Beads

Be sure to check them all out, they all have wonderful blogs!

Bearded Ladies of the Garden, Glorious Iris!

2009-05-30T22:31:00.004-04:00

Iris are almost finished blooming here where I live. I wanted to be sure to squeeze them in though because they are such a diverse and lovely addition to the garden. They come in so many colors, shapes, and sizes!

Here is a little Iris Lore.

Iris flower's characteristic feature is having three petals often called the "standards", and three outer petal-like sepals called the "falls".

In Greek mythology, Iris is the personification of the rainbow and messenger of the gods. As the sun unites Earth and heaven, Iris links the gods to humanity. She travels with the speed of wind from one end of the world to the other[1], and into the depths of the sea and the underworld.

Iris are among the best-known and loved among garden plants. Iris are hardy herbaceous perennials.

A flower on the Sphinx is considered to be an Iris, and another appears on a bas-relief of the time of the 18th Egyptian dynasty.

Pliny also knew the Iris and praised its medicinal virtues.

The Iris was also a favorite flower of the Muslims, who took it to Spain after their conquest in the 8th century.

This lovely photograph above of a purple Bearded Iris was taken by Mary Bush of MLBPhotography on Etsy. Be sure to show her new fine art photos some love by dropping in here...MLBPhotography

May's Inspriation Piece

2009-05-28T13:50:00.003-04:00

Phew, just in the nick of time LOL. I had a really hard time with this months inspiration photo because I'm not an orange person. Luckily I came across these lovely beads that have a tomato red color and I thought they went with the inspiration photo.
I called this piece Pomodoro, Italian for tomato. I have it up on auction on eBay right now and will have it listed soon in my Artfire and 1oooMarkets shops this afternoon. You can find the links to all of those places over to the right>>>>.

Lush Lilacs!

2009-05-16T01:53:00.002-04:00

OK, so here it is, hands down favorite flower based on scent alone, the Lilac! And who can resist it's spikes of purple blossoms? Lilacs fragrance is even better then a rose in my book. Truly the harbinger of Spring in many locales, Lilacs are hardy and deciduous and come as either large bushes or small trees. They bear tremendously fragrant spikes or clusters of flowers on stalks ranging in color from pinkish purple, purple, even white!

This is another flower I wish that I could grow in my yard! I wish that I could grow ANYTHING at all besides weeds LOL. I am the anti-botanist, a proverbial black thumb!

THE MEANING & SYMBOLISM OF Lilacs

The story of lilac, according to Greek mythology, begins with a beautiful nymph named Syringa (lilac's botanical name). Captivated by her beauty, Pan, the god of the forests and fields, chased Syringa through the forest. Frightened by Pan's affections, Syringa escaped him by turning herself into an aromatic bush the flower we now refer to as lilac.

The 8th wedding anniversary flower and the state flower of New Hampshire (symbolizing the hardy character of the Granite State's citizens), lilacs are frequently considered a harbinger of spring, with the time of their bloom signaling whether spring will be early or late. In the language of flowers, purple lilacs symbolize the first emotions of love, while white lilacs represent youthful innocence.

2009-05-09T02:52:00.003-04:00

OK, so I am really trying hard to get into the Poppy frame of mind so I can create something to go with the inspiration photo.

I think my issue is that I am not an orange person. I have to get past that and work with this color more often. It really is a striking hue, not for the faint hearted.

New BHV Inspiration for May!

2009-05-03T21:14:00.004-04:00

The BHV has a new inspiration picture up for May and it's glorious! I don't work with orange that often so I will definitely have to think outside the box for this one. The colors of these Poppies just scream HAPPY to me!

I have some hyacinth Swarkies in this color but will have to do some searching for focal beads...

2009-04-29T22:53:00.004-04:00

I was talking with Mary the other day about what sorts of flowers I liked and I think that peonies are my all time favorites for looks and color. There is something special about a whole bushy clump of peonies covered in abundant pink blooms! My favorite flower for scent is the lilac but on looks alone I love peonies!

Since ancient times, Peonies have been regarded as the symbol of wealth, luck and happiness. Peonies always represent elegance and poise.

Facts About Peonies

* The Roman legions first brought Peonies to England in about year 1200.
* Peonies were described in botanical books as early as 1636.
* Peonies (along with the Plum Blossoms) are the traditional floral symbols of China, where it is called Mudan. In 1903, the Qing Dynasty declared the Peony as the national flower of China.
* If grown in the sun, leaves of Peonies turn from green to burgundy in just one week. Planted among fall-flowering perennials such as Echinacea purpurea (the purple cone flower) and Eupatorum purpureum, Peonies come into their own color once again!
* The Japanese name for the Peony, Ebisugusuri means medicine from China. In traditional folk medicine, Peony root was used as a treatment for menstrual cramps, asthma and convulsions.

2009-04-23T17:29:00.004-04:00

I've been on a vintage Lucite earring kick the last few days. I love the look and feel of matte Lucite flower beads mixed with sparkly Swarovski crystals and gleaming sterling silver.

I'm not sure if the gorgeous Spring weather has these pretty little flowered gals running around in my head or not. It certainly hasn't hurt LOL.

Both of these lovely pairs of earrings are up for sale in my 1oooMarkets shop.

Good Customer Service?

2009-04-22T19:36:00.002-04:00

As a buyer I REALLY appreciate good customer service. When I buy online I appreciate it even more because I can't always offer feedback on my transactions.

As a seller, I try to offer excellent service as well. I carefully package my items and mail them within 24 hours. I offer an exchange policy in my shops too.

My question is this, when does good customer service end? What is the line between good CS and dealing with people who abuse your policy and good will?

I've had a rough week dealing with a couple of customers that have been extremely difficult. I THINK I've handled them well, but I also feel like I was taken advantage of and put up with a lot of abuse in doing so and I wonder when is ENOUGH, enough?

Perfectly Pink Purses

2009-04-22T00:30:00.003-04:00

OK, bear with me on this one. Today was my fiance's birthday and to celebrate we went to dinner with friends. We went to our favorite Japanese steak house and had a wonderful time gabbing and eating, way too much I might add.

When I was getting ready to go out tonight I couldn't help but think that I REALLY need a new Spring bag. A pink one! (Of course, it has to be pink!)

So I have been on a hunt for the perfect Spring bag and these are just a few of the ones I came up with! Be sure to click on the pictures to go to sellers shops!

My Precious! Beauty in Precious Metal Clay

2009-04-18T21:38:00.003-04:00

This is one material I would like to learn to work with. It's a clay like product made up of fine silver and an organic binder that melts out when the product is fired leaving behind items made of pure silver.

It takes lots of skill and practice to get as good as these artists are! Be sure to click on the images to go to the listings directly!

Chateau Rose

2009-04-15T21:21:00.005-04:00

My Gina beads arrived Saturday and I have been foaming at the mouth to get to work them up LOL. I've been super busy since then, with the Holiday and then other things earlier this week so today was the day!

I had wanted to do a pink and gold combination for a while now and when I ordered the beads from Gina I knew this was going to be my opportunity to do that. The base color on the lampwork is a golden pink/rose color and the added champagne of the pixie dust really ties this all together.

I've used Bali vermeil, 14kt gold filled beads and wire, even a 14kt gold heart charm on the bracelet toggle.

Polymer Clay Goodness!

2009-04-14T23:03:00.003-04:00

I was actually searching for some CUTE polymer clay beads to work into lanyard designs and found quite a few that I'm happy with. But in the process I found lots of absolutely BEAUTIFUL beads!

I think that polymer clay artists really don't get enough credit for their creativity and the beauty they can create. Don't get me wrong, I'm as guilty as the next person in taking the medium for granted, but it's really starting to become a sophisticated material for use in truly elegant designs.

I hope you'll take a peek at some of the listings further and enjoy these beautiful beadies!

Tea for Two

2009-04-13T23:58:00.004-04:00

I had the chance to make a bracelet this afternoon and I pulled out my buttons to play. I've had these sweet teapot and teacup buttons for ages. I haven't made a button charm bracelet in a couple of years so this was a fun endeavor on a cloudy afternoon.

Unfortunately, I think I used up all the creativity on the bracelet because I could NOT think of anything to call this cutie except "Tea for Two" LOL.

'tini Indulgences

2009-04-11T12:42:00.004-04:00

Sometimes, just for fun, I do a random search for Pink Martini items on the selling venues. I'm always looking for great little items that I can wear as conversation starters, especially for craft shows!

These are my latest finds searching for Pink Martini on Etsy.

Unique, Funky, Fab!

2009-04-09T23:24:00.003-04:00

Imagine my surprise this evening when I got an email on 1kM with an offer for an artist to send me one of her fabulous handmade creations! I immediately had to check this out and see what was what LOL.

Well, I am totally bowled over. These are so very COOL! They are lazer etched and then hand colored and accented with Swarovski crystals! I've never seen anything like them so I've decided to share the love and show off Alysia's art work!

You can find more of Alysia's artwear in her 1000Markets shop by clicking here.

Inspiration Piece

2009-04-08T20:13:00.004-04:00

All of that delicious pink goodness from the BHV inspiration piece inspired these lovely earrings! I just love how over the top the flowers on these lampwork beads by glass artist Lynn Bauter. I've accented them with rosaline swarovski crystals and sterling silver.

New BHV Inspiration!

2009-04-06T22:07:00.003-04:00

The Bead Hive has a new inspiration posted and is it every gorgeous! It absolutely screams SPRING! I wish I could smell these beautiful flowers, hyacinths are one of my all time favorite flowers!

Whew, just made and listed lots of earrings!

2009-04-05T19:49:00.001-04:00

I just made and listed 5 pairs of earrings. I have been stuck on earring mode for over a week now. I'm running out of pairs of lampwork beads LOL. I've been combing the listings for earring pairs and I'm coming up empty handed.

I used to resist making earrings but lately that seems to be all I am interested in creating. It must be the weather :-).

All of the lampwork I used today is by Michael Robbins or archangel glass.

I put these all up in my shops, these are just a few of the ones I've created this week!

You can find all of these and more in my Etsy shop

2009-04-03T23:33:00.003-04:00

I had to share this item my friend Tonya has in her Etsy shop. She launched a new line in her shop called Hot Momma Aprons and they are the cutest ever! I have one and love it! I don't think an apron is something we think about in the kitchen until you've gotten used to wearing one! And what a great wedding shower gift an apron would make!

Tonya is multi-talented and also designs the cutest ever polymer clay beads and absolutely beautiful beaded jewelry! Take a few minutes and visit her shop, I'm sure you'll find something to love!

Hot Momma/LeCoreFemme on Etsy

2009-04-02T21:22:00.003-04:00

MMM, I am so excited! I just bought a set of lampwork beads from Gina M. DeStevens and I can't wait to get them! Gina is one of the premier lampwork artists and makes the most gorgeous floral and scroll design beads! You can see more of her work by clicking Gina DeStevens

2009-04-02T00:19:00.003-04:00

OH MY WORD! LOL. I am so out of sorts. I've been trying to 'market' my shops on all the social networking sites byhand.me, eElixir and hands on heaven. I'm so confused I don't know where I've been or where I need to go next. There should be a marketing for dummies book LOL. I need to get organized and get busy!

I DID find some time today to get creative and got several pairs of earrings made. I used borosilicate lampwork by glass artist Brendan Blake and really love how the simple earrings came out.

My favorite pair is Vino.

2009-03-28T21:56:00.003-04:00

This past week has been hugely busy! I've opened new shops on both Artfire and 1000Markets. I'm very excited about the shop on 1000Markets and have been included in several 'markets' there. I'm most excited about Artbead Divine Jewelry Market. They are a super talented bunch of artisan jewelers who have a real passion for lampwork glass beads! Women after my own heart LOL. To find this groups beautiful Market on 1000Markets, just click here!

Featured Artist

2009-03-25T06:09:00.003-04:00

My friend Tonya has a new feature on her Blog. She's interviewing featured artists every week and I was honored that she chose me to go first! She asked some hard questions, LOL. Here is the link to the interview!

Woohoo! The book is finally published!

2009-03-04T16:31:00.007-05:00

I finally received my copy of the book that features 5 of my jewelry pieces. I am so excited I can't stand it LOL :-)!!! The books final title is Beading Design with Semi-Precious Stones, Glass, Pearls and More, written by Kim Gover.

The book is wonderfully written and has a section on gemstones, design, and techniques. Kim did an amazing job describing all of the pieces in the book.

I've taken some pix of the pieces that were featured in the book, sorry they are a little bit dark.

2009-02-21T17:25:00.005-05:00

I have been on a creative 'bender' this week! It's so nice to feel like creating again! I've got lots to share this time!

First, I want to let you all know that I'm closing my eBay shop. I just can't see paying eBay all those store fees every month. I'll still be listing all of my items on eBay, but I want to take advantage of the fixed price listings as much as possible. You can always find me by searching TPMB (The Pink Martini Boutique)

Now, on to the good stuff! Lots of new jewelry this week!

Jahanara is a STUNNING set featuring Dhea Powers' lampwork and beautiful brass!

Next up is Mimosa Silk, I absolutely love this peachy/pink shade! Lampwork by Linda Quast

Turn on your speakers!

2008-12-19T00:45:00.002-05:00

I spent this afternoon making a play list of songs that I enjoy. I have been so quiet lately that I've forgotten how much I enjoy music. My friend Mary walked me through the process to add the playlist to my blog. Once again, Mary saves the day!:-). If you enjoy the tunes I've collected on this playlist, you can use the pop-out feature to continue listening as you browse other sites on the web.

Thank you Mary, your patience with my 'technical' difficulties is a real blessing!

Thank you Mary!

2008-11-13T14:42:00.001-05:00

Many thanks to my friend Mary for helping me spiff up my blog! She walked me through the steps to update my look. I bet you can't tell I LOVE pink and black together LOL.

Bead Fairy Visit!

2008-08-29T14:54:00.005-04:00

The Bead Fairy has recently visited my mailbox. A good friend of mine, glass artist and jewelry designer, Mary Bush, sent me some of her beautiful beads to work with. I've been in a real creative slump lately so she really helped me out with sending me some beautiful beads to work with. These are the designs I made up with the lovely lampwork she sent me. You can find more of Mary's beads and her jewelry designs here...
http://stores.ebay.com/HoneyBear-Beads-LLC

Fairy Realm

2008-06-26T14:21:00.003-04:00

I've been really struggling with creativity these last couple of months. I don't know what is wrong with me LOL. I have tons of beautiful beads to work with but no motivation for creating. It must be the Summer slows, hehe.

Anyway, I've finally made a piece with some gorgeous Boro lampwork beads created by Russ Powers. The beads were called Magic and they certainly are beautiful. Soothing shades of purple and blue with just a hint of pastel green in them. I've accented them with Swarovski crystals in chrysolite and some gorgeous floral motif Bali silver beads.

2008-05-29T17:58:00.002-04:00

Many thanks to my friend Tonya, aka Skye! She added some features to my blog for me. I'm helpless when it comes to HTML. She added a page counter and the RSS feed and subscribe to my blog! Pretty nifty!

Thank you so much Skye!

2008-05-29T14:52:00.002-04:00

Would you look at that! It's almost the end of May and I haven't shared anything new or posted even in my blog! I was doing so well with the start of my blog.

Oh well, there is no time like the present to start over with renewed interest. I thought I'd share my Spring Violets set. The lampwork here is by Heather Davis and I've accented it with tons of Swarovski crystals and lovely Bali silver!

Something a little different.

2008-04-16T16:02:00.002-04:00

I don't often work with copper. It's a lovely metal that ages beautifully, but for some reason I often overlook it's design potential.

This past week I broke out of the box and designed this simple little elegant bracelet featuring Czech glass and Coral, with all solid copper accents. I really like how it turned out.

Montana Meadow

2008-04-02T17:17:00.006-04:00

I worked up my Dhea and Russ Powers beads into a set, bracelet and earrings. I love how it came out. I paired it with Czech glass rondelles, chrysolite Swarovski crystals and Bali silver.

Great News!

2008-03-27T15:09:00.005-04:00

Sunshine, Citrine and Sterling Earrings.

Earthly Treasures, Bronzite and Owyhee Jasper Bracelet!

Verdant, Kambaba Jasper and Bali Silver Bracelet.

Great News! I was approached back in January by Quarto Publishing of London. They asked me to submit some photos of my work for an upcoming book titled Beading Design with Semi-Precious Stones by Kim Gover. Well I finally heard back from them on Wednesday! They asked for 6 of my designs to be included in the book! Needless to say I'm extremely excited!

New Inspiration from the Bead Hive!

2008-03-24T15:37:00.006-04:00

This great retro inspired lady graphic is the new inspiration for the Bead Hive group. She was chosen by Misty!

I love all the vibrant color and the graphic quality of the picture. I'll have to see if I have anything to work with for this one! I think I have some orange and blue turquoise I'll try to work up for this!

Easter Sunday!

2008-03-23T11:17:00.003-04:00

It's a beautiful but chilly Easter Sunday here in West Virginia! I hope everyone is having a great holiday:-).

New beads bring inspiration!

2008-03-22T19:02:00.003-04:00

There is nothing quite like opening the mailbox and finding a package of new beads! I have been patiently waiting for this lovely set of beads to arrive from Dhea and Russ Powers of Javabead! Gorgeous montana blue and sage green on a base of ivory. Dhea and Russ make truely lovely Borosilicate glass beads! You can find their work on eBay under their id javabead, or by clicking here!

Wire Wrapped Loops

2008-03-20T19:50:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite types of bracelet to make is a fringe or charm bracelet. I think a charm bracelet was one of the very first pieces I ever created.

One of the techniques necessary is the wire wrapped loop. I've created a tutorial for the wire wrapped loop and hope that this link will work:-)

Wire Wrapped Loop Video

What is The Bead Hive?

2008-03-20T16:17:00.005-04:00

The Bead Hive is a group of jewelry designers and bead artisans on eBay and Etsy. We're dedicated to quality workmanship that is superior in design and materials. Search BHV on eBay and Etsy to find our groups listings!

I've been a member of the 'Hive' for about 3 years now and I love the camaraderie and friendships I've made there. I am currently a moderator for the group and enjoy helping others to learn and grow! We offer a lot of creative challenges as ways to spark our creativity. Currently our group has a bi-weekly inspiration thread, monthly challenges, and several other ways to really stretch our creative muscles and grow as artisans.

The necklace featured above was created for our current months challenge, the BHV Zodiac Challenge. Our members were asked to create pieces based on their own zodiac sign and it's attendant elements, flowers or gemstones. Mine was based on the Scorpio's water element. It features beautiful pale aqua Amazonite and Bali sterling silver. It measures an adjustable 22 to 24 inches.

Spring Sale on eBay!

2008-03-20T15:52:00.004-04:00

It's time to celebrate all things Spring and Easter! To help celebrate the season, I'm offering a sale in my eBay store on all Buy It Now items! Listings are currently 20% off now through Easter Sunday at 11:00PM.

My eBay store can be found here.

Since this is my initial post as a newbie blogger, I'll also include FREE SHIPPING to anyone that mentions this blog during the sale!