ZNETshows Baby Conch beads and Challenge

I love ZNETshows Cultured Sea Glass. I've participated in several of their challenges and design contests. This time around, they sent a few of us some of their new Baby Conch shell beads. these are adorable.  And as usual, I forgot to take a picture of the conch shells before my muse decided to start creating with them. I am running a little behind though, because I was in the middle of a big job on our small Texas ranch. (See the post before this one)  And I'm actually still working on that. Have several things still to do. But I did get 2 projects done with my Baby Conch shells.  Here's a picture of the 3 I have left. I used 3 just like this, in a light pink, light purple and pale yellow/orange in my brooch and 2 gorgeous dark orange conch shells in the earrings I created. I dug through my stash and found some coordinating beads that I thought would set off the Orange shells great.  I wanted lots of dangles to go along with the Conch shells.  And I've been wanting to create another pin/brooch for a while, so I got this Kilt pin out with the three loops, got one of each of the 3 other colors ZNET sent me and set to work finding coordinating beads for the brooch to create lots of dangles to go with the shell beads. I think they turned out great. What do you think?  Does it feel summery/beachy enough and show off the Conch shells well?  Be sure to check out ZNETshows website. They offer wholesale beads, but do retail also.  They also carry tons of other beads besides their Cultured Sea Glass. But I'm in love with their seaglass.  Without further ado, here's my pieces.  First, the rest of the shells they sent me. (I have 3 left to create another piece):

 Then, the earrings and the pin I created with the shells.

For any of my Beaded, Wire-wrapped jewelry or my Stained Glass, Mosaics or Fused Glass Kreationz for your home or garden, check out my shop, KayzKreationz. Thanks.

Pay it Forward-Handmade Gifts

If you're looking for my Bead Soup Blog Party reveal, click BSBP

My Bead Soup Blog Partner posted this great post the other day. I really liked the idea, so I decided to join in.

Here's how it works:
I will send a surprise gift to the first three commenters on this blog post. The gift will be a handmade surprise by me and will be sent to you some time in the next 365 days.

All you have to do is, leave me a comment and make sure you include your email address (if your profile doesn't include it). I’ll email you for your mailing address and a ask a few questions.

To complete signing up you MUST play along too. To do this you must blog a similar post and pledge to make a surprise gift for the first three people who comment on it.
So, do you want to play? Comment below and I’ll sent a handmade gift to the first three people who do.
Who is in?
And if you want to get yourself a gift, check out my great Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass Kreationz for your Home and Garden at KayzKreationz on Etsy.  Also, check out my cute brooch/pin for sale right here on my blog on the top right. A Little Bit Vintage can be bought by just clicking on the link.

Virtual Craft Show Day 4 is Here!

Have you been shopping yet?  Day 4 of the Virtual Craft Show is up and running.  10 more great artists frome the 70 artists that are participating are featured today.  You'll find an adorable Teddy bear, a gorgeous Turquoise, Amazonite, Coral necklace, Poinsettia pendants and so much more.  Plus chances to win these and other great prizes.  There's also sales and discounts on many of the shop sites.  So for your chance to win and find 70 Great Artists in 7 days, check out Pretty Things blog and follow the instructions.  I'll be featured starting tomorrow for 3 days and will have a giveaway for these cute Pot charmers.

Also, don't forget to check out my shop, KayzKreationz for that special Birdhouse Birdfeeder that was featured in the Birds and Blooms magazine this month to get the only nationally featured Mosaic birdfeeder for yourself or as a gift for a friend or loved one.  And the brooch that was entered in the Glass Headpin challenge in the post below will be going up for sale shortly.
See you all there.

Sue Bead Challenge and Day 3 of the Virtual Craft Show!

Susan from Sue Beads Blog recently promoted a challenge with some of her glass headpins.  She picked 4 contestants and send us each a pair of her headpins.  We had to create some type of accessory with her headpins and then post our creations today, Monday, December 28th.  So here's my creation.  I had a little bit of a time, trying to figure out how to attach the pin/brooch finding to the back of this Brass wire piece, but finally got it like I wanted.  I also used some silk ribbon I had and my first enameled Copper disc! (Enameling is sooo much fun.)  Then I added the little brass color feather to the end of the ribbon and attached Sue's wonderful Glass headpins with a copper chain and a little extra color for pizazz.  Hope you like it.  I loved coming up with something new.  Check out her blog, Sue Beads for the rest of the Challenge participants.

And don't forget I'm participating in the Virtual Craft show on Pretty Things blog.  My days will be starting Nov. 30th. Check out my giveaway here.  7 days, 70 artists with great sales, discounts, and giveaways.  So check out Pretty Things and comment to have a chance at one of the 70 giveaways by fantastic artists.  And if you want a Unique birdfeeder for your yard/garden or as a gift, My Mosaic Birdhouse Birdfeeder was featured in the December/January issue of Birds and Blooms magazine.  Get it for yourself and have the only Birdhouse Birdfeeder featured in a national magazine.  (Or get it as a gift for your birdfeeding family/friends).  You can check out my Etsy shop, KayzKreationz, for more great Stained Glass, Mosaics, Fused Glass, or Beaded/Wire-wrapped Jewelry.

Reduce, Re-use, Recycle with Ecogeneration on Etsy

Welcome to ecogeneration - a place where you can find treasures that have been given a second chance. I create long lasting, earth friendly, and yet, creative designs for you and your home.... So starts the first paragraph in this great Etsy shop: Ecogeneration. I recently won one of their giveaways for a recycled coffee cup sleeve. It's great and even fits on cold drink cups, since I'm not a big coffee drinker. So I started checking out some of her other great recycled/reused items. I love this pillow I found in her shop and decided to ask her for an interview. I hope you enjoy finding out more about her shop and what makes it unique.
1. When and why did you start crafting?
I think I’ve been “crafting” all my life. I have been sewing since I was in High School (I had to take “Home Economics” class and yes, I’m dating myself here.) I taught myself how to knit and crochet when I was bedridden with my first child. I learned to paint when I was in college. I have been crafting practically all my life and yet, never called myself a crafter.
2. What do you enjoy most about your crafting?
The serenity. The creativity. The “me” time.
3. How did you find out about Etsy and why did you start selling there?
I am a mom to two very active teenagers. I knit and crochet washcloths, cleaning cloths, scarves, etc. while waiting for their activities to end. I use to give them to my family and friends as gifts. One of my friends suggested that I sell them and so I did some research and found Etsy.
4. What is the hardest thing to do for your shop or you dislike the most about selling online?
Advertising and marketing. But I guess like any business, you have to put in your dues. Most brick and mortar stores have visible store fronts as advertisements. That’s why location, location, location is so important. Online business is the same. But online business is invisible if you don’t’ know know how to work the internet. I feel as if I have limited control over the visibility of my shop. I also feel like I’m a computer illiterate. Oh, if you tell me the steps, I can follow, but I really have limited knowledge when it comes to computers. I feel like I need to learn so much more about computers and internet in order to advertise my shop in cyberspace and I just don’t have the time.
5. Do you rely on Etsy to help pay bills or is it mainly for fun & extra spending money?
Initially, it was for fun and to see if people would like what I create. Then, fun became more like an obsession. (lol) Since I’m spending so much time on Etsy, I feel as if I should make it into a business. I would like to stay home and work full time on making Etsy a business so that I won’t have to go back to “non-crafting” work.
6. Have you tried or do you sell in offline shops? Do you enjoy that more or less than Etsy & why?
Currently, I am trying to streamline my business. I have an eclectic mixture of products because I have too many interests – i.e. crocheting, knitting, sewing. I also upcycle a lot of materials to create my products so nothing is really replicable. They are kind of OOAK. But I’d like to come up with a line of eco friendly products that I can sell wholesale to stores. My dream is to create a line that stores across the country can carry. I think that’ll be so cool. And to impact the world on reducing waste and becoming more earth friendly by using my products……..that would be awesome.
7. Where else can you be found online?
I blog regularly about eco tips and my crafts at my blog. I recently opened a facebook –http://tinyurl.com/ecogeneration My kids cringe when I tell them I’m on FB. I also tweet http://twitter.com/ecogenerationkl It’s fun to read people’s subconscious thoughts.
And be sure to check out her great Furoshiki reusable cloth gift wraps like the one in the web ring box to the right and some of her other great items.