Saturday, June 30, 2012

Christmas in July Pinterest Giveaway!!!




The Promotional Frenzy Team on Etsy has planned a very Special Event . . . Christmas in July!!!

Watch our Pinterest Giveaway page beginning July 1st for the Giveaway Promotion from one of our team members ... a different one each day!

 You are invited to COMMENT and REPIN the wonderful items being given away in order to qualify for the random drawings. Winners will be notified by the individual team member whose item is won.

Watch for Pins like this ... different items, of course ;D



Thursday, June 28, 2012

And the Winner is....

The Promotional Frenzy team had a guest blogger do a giveaway on our Team Blog this past month and we are happy to showcase the winner and her talents to our readers.

Bill from PaganCellarJewelry hosted the giveaway of a pair of his gorgeous handmade earrings!  Holly from HollysFollyGlass was the winner.  Bill used Rafflecopter to pick the winner!  Thanks Bill for writing the wonderful post on  Hunting at Estate and Garage Sales    and hosting the giveaway!  Holly wanted her earrings to be a surprise... so we do not have photo of it but here are two pairs of earrings from Bills shop:


http://www.etsy.com/listing/101576642/gold-chain-dangle-earrings-with-pink

http://www.etsy.com/listing/100800244/handmade-czech-glass-and-vintage-bead


We will be hosting more giveaways in the future so stay tuned... but now lets meet Holly!

















Here is what Holly has to say about herself:

I'm a lampwork glass bead maker and sometime jewelry designer. I've been at jewelry design since I was a teen... been teaching wire wrap since I was 17. I love designing jewelry that can have two different looks and coming up with ways to change a piece from simple to fancy is a great challenge. It was not being able to find beads that I could see in my own head that turned me into a bead maker. I've had a lifelong obsession with glass beads! 
This is one of Holly's favorites!






This is a pendant I made for an Art Bead Scene competition. I love to try and enter those as it's a great way to make myself finish a piece from start to finish in a month (including the bead!)!


Here is what Holly has to say about the Promotional Frenzy Team:

I love this team because it's SO active. I had been the leader of the Fire Divas and it's just hard to get people to participate. Here, I feel like a slacker! I like Thursdays cause it makes me list something new. And I've always loved blogging so Wednesdays because I love seeing what the teamies are up to!

Here are a few of the items you will find in her shop:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/86912682/santa-panda-christmas-tree-pendant

http://www.etsy.com/listing/33691354/huge-xxl-red-velvet-lampwork-glass-bead














You can find Holly here:

My website: hollysfolly.com
Fan Page:
www.facebook.com/HollysFollyGlassBeads
Twitter: twitter.com/hollysfolly
Blog: hollysfollybeads.blogspot.com/
Pinterest: pinterest.com/hollysfolly/




Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Summer is Here, Time for Hunting at Estate and Garage Sales



My favorite time of the year has arrived. Garage sale/Estate sale season is in full swing. While many people flock to Estate sales I lean towards garage sales more myself. You will always be surprised at the great treasures you can find at a garage sale, not to mention the huge price difference had you found the same piece at a company ran Estate Sale.

When I am out and about at these sales I always head straight to the jewelry section. This is usually located near the check out area. I rummage through each and every piece looking for signed items, shiny items and things that spark my interest. When looking for things to resell I have to put my own opinions to the side and think about what my consumer will like. Is it a popular brand or design? Are all the stones in tact? Is this something that will sell fast?

Than I have to consider the profitability, is the price something I can still mark up from and make a profit. Many times at Estate sales I find there is not much room to mark up the piece, however with a garage sale I usually have plenty of room.  After I find a few things for my shop than it's time for things I WANT!! I am a lover of cameos and rings, my favorite thing are old cameo rings (best of both worlds) after I have gathered my treasures I always do the next step NO MATTER what.  

ASK FOR A DEAL!!!
Never be afraid to ask for a discount or break if you are buying several items (I even do it if I am only buying 1 item) These sales are usually intended for downsizing and getting rid of unwanted items not a retail environment. They will usually not be offended when negotiations are brought up an often more than not they will give you the deal. They would rather sell 10 pieces at once than spend a whole weekend waiting for top dollar to sell only half of them. Any money you save increase the profit when you sell it in your shop.

Another tip to save $$ - revisit estate sales on their last day (usually Sunday)
Most Estate sale companies that run a sale for their client want everything to be sold so they have a discount the last day (usually 50% off) this is one of the best days to find things for reselling and to definitely get a deal when you buy a lot of pieces. On many occasions I have gone on a last day and if I have grabbed lets say 15 pieces i will ask for even more off. Remember they want this all sold so that their clients get the most out of their sale. No one want to lug things back into the house or have to box it up for donation. With that said don’t be discouraged if they say no, you will eventually run into that person who will not budge on their prices ever. When this happens go back to the profit margin, if you can’t mark it up than perhaps pass on this one. Remember there are tons of great finds out there so don’t spend the whole pocket book at the first sale!

I am a jewelry junkie and therefore find it exciting to go hunting each weekend that I can. Shopping at estate or garage sales is the most economical way for myself considering that I am in the Chicago metro area. Antique shops and consignment shops are always too expensive for me to shop at and ever try to resell. I hope you enjoy my little tips and hope that you will consider them the next time you are out shopping/hunting for jewelry. and please leave a comment and tell em some things you do! I love to hear shopping strategies.

By: Bill Guest of PaganCellarJewelry

Now for the GIVEAWAY!! I will be giving away 1 pair of handmade earrings in the color of the winners choice Value is $20 item will ship worldwide so everyone enter and come back and tweet daily!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

What's So Great About June . . . PEARLS!


Artist, Johannes Vermeer ... The painting "Girl with a Pearl Earring"

Pearl is the official birthstone for the month of June and is also the birthstone for the Sun Signs of Gemini and Cancer. Fresh water pearls are given on the 1st, 3rd, 12th and 30th anniversaries. 

United States: First Lady ... Michelle Obama

An organic gem, pearls are formed inside mollusks such as oysters and mussels. They are formed when an irritant such as a tiny stone or bit of sand gets inside the mollusk's shell. A shiny substance, called nacre, is secreted around the object to protect the soft internal surface of the mollusk. As layer upon layer of nacre coats the irritant, a pearl is formed. Light that is reflected from these overlapping layers produces an iridescent luster. This process of building a solid pearl can take up to seven or eight years.The most valuable pearls are perfectly symmetrical, relatively large, are naturally produced and have a high degree of iridescence. 

Stunning Stick Pearl and Lamp Work necklace by CalliopeAZ

The main oyster beds are in the Persian Gulf, along the coasts of India and Sri Lanka, and in the Red Sea. Chinese pearls come mainly from freshwater rivers and ponds and Japanese pearls are found near the coast in salt water. Freshwater pearls occur in the rivers of Scotland, Ireland, France, Austria, Germany, and the USA (Mississippi). The coasts of Polynesia and Australia produce mainly cultured pearls.


Necklace focal created with Pearls, Swiss Topaz & Labradorite by jQ jewelry designs




There are many types of pearls:

* Natural pearls - made without human interference
* Cultured pearls - This method was first used in 1893. A foreign substance, often a small piece of shell, is intentionally inserted into a living oyster.
* Keishi pearls - formed when the oyster rejects the inserted substance. The resulting keshi pearl is 100% nacre. This gives it an especially lustrous and shimmering surface quality.
* Baroque pearls - pearls that have irregular shapes
* Biwa pearls - an irregular shaped pearl which forms in the freshwater of Lake Biwa, Japan
* Freshwater pearls - pearls which form in fresh water mollusks and resemble puffed rice
* Blister pearls - pearls which grow attached to the inside of the shell * Mabe pearls - cultivated blister pearls
* Seed pearls - small, tiny pearls used in Victorian jewelry and sewn on clothing, often wedding gowns.

Freshwater Pearl cluster dangle earrings designed by Galla15 of Trinkets N Whatnots

Pearls are usually white, but may also be black, gray, silver, cream, lavender, peach or pink depending on the type of mollusk and the water it lives in. They are now being dyed a rainbow of other colors and are used in fashion jewelry. Because the nacre is organic, pearls are very sensitive to heat, cosmetics, hair products and humidity. Care should be taken when wearing and storing them.

Beautiful combination of Keishi Pearls, Lampwork & knotted silk by Peelirohini

LORE:

Pearls were once thought to be the tears of God. The ancient Greeks believed that wearing pearls ensured a happy marriage. Pearl is often referred to as the "Queen Gem"; Diamond is referred to as the King Gem. Cleopatra was said to have dissolved a pearl in wine and swallowed it to seduce Mark Anthony because it was thought to be a powerful aphrodisiac, and to attract love. They were prized by royalty, both male and female, and were even worn by knights who went into battle in the Middle Ages, believing that pearls would protect them from harm. As an emblem of modesty, chastity and purity, the Pearl symbolizes love, success, and happiness. In many countries they are used as a wedding gift and still symbolize a happy marriage.



 DID YOU KNOW?

The Pearl of Allah, the largest pearl on record, was recovered from a giant clam on May 7, 1934, off the coast of Palawan Island, Philippines. The pearl is 9.4 inches long and weighs about 14 lbs. According to the "Guinness Book of Records," the San Francisco Gem Laboratory has valued the pearl at $40 million. The Muslim diver who found the pearl said its surface bore the image of a turbaned face, and he named it the Pearl of Allah.

Pearl of Allah



It may be the world's largest pearl, but it's also the ugliest! It is just me, or does this thing resemble a brain?    Ewww . . .

Victor Barbish, who owns 66 percent of the pearl on behalf of his daughter, told WorldNetDaily he received an offer in 1999 from individuals who said they represented Osama bin Laden. They tried to purchase the pearl for $60 million as gift to Saddam Hussein "to unite the Arab cultures," and Hussein was prepared to accept, according to the pearl's owner. 


from Jill Q of jQ jewelry designs