The Awesomeness of Pinterest and Gift Giving Ideas

Hello friends!

I thought you might like to benefit by something I figured out the other day. So this time a year you may be wondering what to get those special people on your gift giving list, right? Well the same went for my sister, Nina. She has asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I had to think about it for a second. I had NO idea?  I mean when I do spend money normally it's on business supplies and things like: glass rods, beads, business cards, packaging etc. I don't really do a ton of shopping lately(but I sure do love to go buy things! I even enjoy buying groceries and silly things like toiletries! So yeah I like the act of spending money on SOMETHING). She said mom had told her to check out my Etsy favorites, but she said most of what I liked sold. So I went to look through my favs and decided it would be a good idea to create a Pinterest board of some handmade items I would love to receive for Christmas! Genius, right?! 

Here is a screen shot of my board, but you can see the entire board by visiting here(just incase you wanted to be nosy and see what I liked. I always thing it's interesting to see what people like, personally ;)

You can create your board on Pinterest first. To add an pin to your board simple go on Etsy. Click on the item you like and in the right hand corner (by my black arrow) you will see a "pin it" button. Click on it and it will post it to your board. Be sure to choose the correct board when adding your pin. 

 So this is my great idea for you! It's so easy! So when people ask you what you want for Christmas you can just refer them to your board via Facebook, e-mail, twitter etc. The price is even on each item when you pin your item from Etsy to Pinterest! So your purchasers even know how much items are so they can shop in their budget! Oh and the even better part? Your purchaser doesn't even have to leave the house and fight crowds! They can click on the image on your board and it will magically whisk them away to the shop of the item. They click and purchase... DONE! Easy Christmas shopping for them, and an amazing gift you want from them! 

I hope you enjoyed my quick little tip!

What are you gifting people this year? What are you creating for handmade gifts this year?

xo Genea

Successful Sales and what's next.

Hello friends!

First, I just want to take a moment and just say "THANK YOU" again! You all just amaze me! We have had the BEST sales year yet this year! I am so grateful for all of your support from: being excited with me as I was making new things for the shops, listening to me when I was panicking about getting stuff done for the sale, sharing my info on your media sites, your words of encouragement and support, and last, but not least, supporting me with your purchases. All of these things make the hard work SO worth the many LONG hours I spent on creating, packaging, and promoting. 

So what is next, right? Well I am not really sure. My big thing was gearing up for the holiday sales, but Christmas isn't over yet, right? Well I have a few things I need to get done first then I wasn't really sure what I was going to create. When I was in the shower I got flooded with ideas for a few more pieces of jewelry(I get inspired in the shower. Weird, I know, but maybe it's cause I am relaxed? Oh well, just super glad to be inspired no matter where the moment strikes me! ). 

So I will give you a little teaser of things I am working on. I actually even made a tutorial the last time I was doing these. I am not feelin' the push to do it at the moment, but one never knows...

So here's a hint. I pushed this a bit farther and I will have a few extra things going too.

I am SO bummed today cause this happened Psssssssshhhhhhhhhhh. That is a joke I had with my friend awhile back. That was the noise we made when our gas tanks ran out.

 So I am mid-bead right?... I am like that's funny... my flame is getting smaller. I look under my table at the propane tank and the gauges on the regulator were both at rock bottom. I turn the knobs.. nothing. I am like is this thing BROKEN?? Oh.... wait. I guess it has been since like summer that I had a fill huh? DAMN IT! *sigh* That is the ONE boy job I leave for the hubby. I make him unscrew the regulator and fill the tank ;) He is working, unfortunately so there my empty tank sits. I will ask him to unscrew it tonight and get it filled tomorrow.

So who else has some gifts to make? I know I do. Just trying to figure out what I am going to make and what I am going to buy.

 I guess these things will come to me as I go. I really would love to buy all handmade this year. Guys gifts are always the hardest.

Well I hope you all are having a great week.

See you soon!

xo Genea

LAST CHANCE SALE- CYBER MONDAY COUPON 30% OFF AND GIVEAWAY!

Hello friends!

Did you miss out on my black friday sale? Not to worry, you will still be able to take advantage of the Cyber Monday sale! 

GENEA BEADS 

USE COUPON CODE- ARTBEADS30 at check out to receive your 30% discount!

GENEA C-K Jewelry

USE COUPON CODE- ARTJEWELRY30 at check out to receive your 30% discount!

SALES go from 11PM(SUNDAY)- 12AM TUESDAY(ONE day only).

REMEMBER each item purchased gives you a chance to WIN this amazing set of beads from the bead shop and...

A $30 GIFT CARD to the jewelry shop!

Don't forget to check our out other creative friends sales at Love My Art Jewelry's Blog HERE!

Happy Holidays!

xo Genea

Staci Louise Originals- Sale and GIVEAWAY!

Hello friends!

Be sure to check out Staci's SALE and GIVEAWAY!  Here is where to shop and how to enter for the giveaway! 

Natures Dark Beauty

A little bit of this and that

Deep Ocean

Stop on by and shop for that special someone on your list!

xo Genea

Holiday Sales, Coupon Codes, and Giveaways!

Hello friends!

Ok *whew* looks like I finally figured out the details of my sales and connected with our friends at Love My Art Jewelry for their Cyber Monday sale! 

Ok are you ready for the sales and giveaway?!  Let's start out with the giveaway....

My Shop links- Genea Beads, Genea C-K.

There is a lot of info for these giveaways and coupon codes, so PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY!

BLACK FRIDAY GIVEAWAY AND COUPON CODES....

On Black Friday in my Genea Beads shop I will be giving away one of 2 wonderful prizes! The first prize will be a $30 gift card for my shop(For in shop purchases. If whole amount is not used it will remain as store credit until the card is empty.) The second thing I will be giving away is this wonderful collection of beads made by yours truly, and some wonderful goodies from My ELEMENTS along with some silk from Golden One Too.

HOW TO ENTER- Each purchase made on Black Friday will count as an entry for the giveaway. So the more you buy, the better your chances will be do win! I will select 2 winners using random.org. One will win this fabulous selection of beads and supplies and the other will win the $30 gift card to my shop!

COUPON CODES FOR BLACK FRIDAY....

I will be offering up discounts in BOTH of my shops! The Black Friday coupon code for my Genea Beads shop is- GBBLKFRI - Discount is 40% off!!

The discount code for my Genea C-K jewelry shop is- GCKBLKFRI- Discount is 40% off!!

SALES WILL START AT 11PM CENTRAL TIME(Thursday 11pm)( so that our friends on the east coast can enjoy starting the sale at Midnight their time ;) Sales will end at the end of the day(12am SATURDAY).

CYBER MONDAY COUPONS AND GIVEAWAY....

On Cyber Monday my Genea C-K shop will be giving away one of 2 wonderful prizes as well! One lucky person will receive this amazing necklace and earrings and one person will receive a $30 gift card to my Genea C-K jewelry shop(For in shop purchases. If whole amount is not used it will remain as store credit until the card is empty.)!

HOW TO ENTER- Each purchase made on Black Friday will count as an entry for the giveaway. So the more you buy, the better your chances will be do win! I will select 2 winners using random.org. One will win this fabulous jewelry set and the other will win the $30 gift card to my shop!

COUPON CODES FOR CYBER MONDAY .....

Coupon Code for my Genea Beads shop is- ARTBEADS30- Discount is 30% off! 

Coupon Code for my Genea C-K shop is- ARTJEWELRY30- discount is 30% off!

SALES WILL START AT 11PM CENTRAL TIME(SUNDAY 11PM)( so that our friends on the east coast can enjoy starting the sale at Midnight their time ;) Sales will end at the end of the day(12am TUESDAY).

JOIN OUR FRIENDS SALES ON LOVE MY ART JEWELRY!

You can check our our amazingly creative friends sales on their blog HERE

We can't wait to see you for our sales and giveaways! 

Happy Holidays from Genea Beads & Genea C-K!

xo Genea

Art Beads Love Tour Giveaway... and the WINNERS are....

Hello friends!

It's time to announce the lucky WINNERS of the Art Bead Love Tour giveaway!!

Winners, you may contact me at eyedoglass(at) hotmail.com. 

So who are our winners and what did they get??

Our first lucky winner of #1 Lot of beads is........Tiffany Smith! Please email me your address so I can bill you $2 for shipping! 

Our second lucky winner of #2 Lot of beads is...........Sherri Stokey!! Please email me your address so I can bill you $2 for shipping! 

and  our SUPER LUCKY WINNER for the Art Beads Love Tour Chain is................. Kristi Briggs Harrison! Please contact me with your e-mail address so I can bill you $6 for shipping.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

xo Genea

Genea Beads and The Art Bead Love Tour-GIVEAWAY

Hello friends!

Wow, I am still in shock that I won the giveaway to receive this magical necklace full of arty bead goodness!  So let me start out by telling you that we will be having 3 GIVEAWAYS on my blog. 

FOLLOW THE RULES AS POSTED FOR YOUR CHANCES TO WIN THE GIVEAWAY. 3 WINNERS WILL BE PICKED. 2 WILL RECEIVE ONE OF THE SELECTED LOTS OF BEADS BELOW AND THE OTHER WILL RECEIVE THE ART BEAD LOVE CHAIN. WINNERS WILL ALL BE RANDOMLY CHOSEN. BE SURE TO POST EACH TIME SEPARATELY FOR EACH PLACE YOU SHARE.  WINNERS AGREE TO PAY POSTAGE ON THEIR PACKAGE($2 for bead lot winners and $6 for the Art Bead Love Chain).

Here is a pic of the Art Beads Love Chain as I received it. 

Here are the beads I chose on the left and the beads I am adding to the chain on the right. The art beads I chose were: Frog bead- Green Girl Studios

  Blue stamped stars- Indian Creek Studios

 Bronze sea urchin charm- S L Artisan Accents

 Pink heart charms, butterfly, sunburst pendant and earring pair-Summers Studio, lotus charm, stamped flower petal pendant and matching earrings- Chinook Designs

Flower etched brass pendant- Patricia Gasparino 

 Ceramic tear drops- Elaine Ray

 Om brass pendant- Mary Jane Dodd

 Enameled eye charms- Barbara Lewis

Starburst metal pendant? I am not sure who created this lovely piece, but I did see that it was tied to a ribbon in Alice's post here. 

Is it crazy that I was just as excited to add my beads as I was to remove some from the chain?! I wanted to add a nice collection of my beads so I added more than what I removed. Those that know me well know how much of a gifter I am so I couldn't help it! I even had a little extra fun by adding my pieces "artfully". I used enameled chain and rubber o's from My ELEMENTS, and some black chain from Vintaj. 

I have also included a special gift bead to the next winner! I was told by one of the original creators of the chain that one thing that they did in the beginning was to have the winner send along one special bead just for the next winner. I decided to pick that tradition back up. So the next lucky winner of the Art Beads Love Chain will receive one of my beads too! Hooray! 

WHAT YOU WILL WIN IN THE GIVEAWAY...

Remember this giveaway will have 3 winners. Two winners will receive one of the sets of beads below and one lucky winner will receive the Art Beads Love Chain! 

Did I mention that I will even be adding some wing dings in the special collaboration colors?!

Bead Lot #1- Raku Leaf-Jessi, gold leaf lampwork ?, brown speckled clay-Kelli Pope, copper textured charm- Moobie Grace Designs turquoise glazed bead-Keith O'Connor, Wing dings- Genea Beads.

Bead Lot #2 Wing Dings- Genea Beads, purple dragonfly-Bead Freaky, purple flower bead- Moobie Grace designs, textured clay bead-Mary Ann Carroll, stamped star pendant-Suburban Girl Studios, enameled butterfly- Gardanne Glass

CONTEST WILL CLOSE NOVEMBER 15TH 12AM.

The Art Bead Love Tour is an ongoing project to spread the love of handmade to new and exciting places.  It's a way to reach people who may have never stumbled upon your blog on their own, and give them a chance to share the love of handmade.  A chain was chosen to link beads as a symbol of how this project links us all together ~ in our unity to stand behind handmade. 

The winner of the chain will be allowed to take up to 30 beads from this chain. They will then replace each bead they took with another handmade bead, charm or pendant of equal Quality.

(SO  Remember-----You're NOT winning the ENTIRE CHAIN---Just a chance to take some beads from it.)

PLEASE READ THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW

I know there's a lot to read, but it's really important!!!

It is so important that the quality of the beads be maintained, so we can keep the Art Bead Love Tour alive.  We want to share consistent quality with the next winner.  If you make your own handmade beads or components, it's a great way to get your beads into the world for people to try them out, or, if you hoard collect art beads it's a great way to share your collection and get some new additions as well.

(Art Beads should be handmade by an artist, and not mass produced, such as Hill Tribe Silver beads or others like them.)

Remember, the focus is on creating handmade with handmade and beads/components taken should be replaced with beads/components that are made by an indivdual artist not an organization.

Here's where the chain has been:

Love My Art Jewelry

Lorelei's Blog

Shaiha's Ramblings

Jen Judd Rocks

Silver Rose Designs

My Life Under The Bus

Ex Post Facto Jewelry

Beading Mommy

Alice Dreaming

Pretty Things

Moobie Grace Designs

Suburban Girl Studio 

ferrarioriginalbeads 

Baublicious 

Devine Designs Jewelry

Chinook Jewelry Designs   

Genea Beads         

Here's how it works:

(Please read the entire post before entering.)

1. The winner of the chain will be allowed to take up to 30 beads from this chain.  They will then replace each bead they took with another handmade bead, charm or pendant of equal quality.

2. The winner will post pictures of what was taken and what was added, in order to keep an account of the chain's progress and to keep our followers drooling.  Please be sure to give credit to the bead artists as well (if you know them). 

3. The winner will then have a giveaway, just like this one,to keep passing the chain on and on.  Rules can be copied and pasted from here.

4. When you repost your giveaway (remember you can copy and paste from here)-a list should be added to show where the chain has gone, with links to each previous blog.Ultimately, this will end up a very long list!

5. Chain must be shipped to its new home via Priority Small Flat Rate box with delivery confirmation. Please package it carefully.

6. There will be a button on the Love My Art Jewelry website that links to the current blog and giveaway-so if you have the chain, it will link to your blog, that way our followers can have another chance to win it.

7. You MUST exchange your beads and have your giveaway completed within two weeks of receiving the chain.

(Please, please, please, if you can not adhere to the above rules, do not enter the giveaway at this time.  It will go on and on and you can always enter at a later date.) There will be a button on the side bar of our blog so that you can track where the chain currently is.

Here's How to Enter:

1. You must have an active blog to enter.

2.  Leave a comment below (make sure your email is linked to your blog or leave it in the comment.  Entries without emails will not qualify)

3. Share on Facebook, Twitter or your blog for extra chances to win. Leave a comment for each way you share, with a link if possible.

4. Winner will pay shipping and will be billed through Paypal-small priority flat rate box with delivery confirmation, $6.00.

5. Open only to our readers in the United States-due to problems with tracking and shipping overseas (sorry).


Best of luck to you all!

xo Genea

A little bit of this, that, and out of town.

Hello friends!

Geez I have so many blogs I wanted to write, but time seems to have gotten away from me. So instead of writing a novel and catching you up I will give you some snippets of what has been going on around here....

Ok so the kinda sorta most important things first... I will be going out of town from 11-8/ 11-15, but my Etsy shops will remain open for your shopping convenience. Yay! I am going to Coleman, Michigan with my friend Lisa to do some of her wedding planning for their wedding in June. I am SO excited to go to Michigan because I have never been there and it will be so wonderful to be by the great lakes again! I grew up in Racine, Wisconsin so I really miss seeing the lake at the horizon!

  Tonight at midnight my blog for the Art Beads Love Tour chain giveaway will go up! So don't forget to check back! It will be going on for a week until I return so you have time to enter ;)

Ok on to the rest of the week...

My Moo cards finally came in the mail! Yay! They look so AMAZING! Here is a photo of my old cards and my new ones! Snazzy huh?!

I went to a few bead shows that came through town. One of which that I caught this time around was Rings & Things! I was super STOKED to pick up some of their amazing chain and niobium ear wires!

Oh and btw, they have INCREDIBLE customer service! It turns out my other set of niobium earwires didn't make it in my bag at check out. I didn't realize it until I got home. I called to find out what to do and they immediately got my info and had a package shipped to me the next day! Wow! I love companies with amazing service! Thank You Rings & Things, you ROCK!

I also attended the Bead Renaissance show.  I am sad to say that the show has gotten so small :( There were very few art vendors left. One was Bokamo Designs(a local for us) and Ands Silver. Since I attend the Bokamo home show, I opted to pick up a few things from Ands Silver.

Ands silver had some wonderful copper so that is what I picked up! I also picked up my very first ammonite from one of the other vendors. It's so pretty! I really should shoot a close-up so you can see all of the details!

My package from Karen arrived! Her packages are always the BEST to open! So wonderfully wrapped with gobs of goodies! I even whipped up a bracelet with some of her flower connectors. I chose the colors of turning leaves along with one of her sweet leaf dangles and Lorelei's GORGEOUS new tin snippet toggles! I love how comfortable this bracelet is and it makes the most wonderful sound :D

I had Karen's package sitting on my bead table along with the Art Bead Love Tour beads I removed from the chain. The tear drops are Elaine Ray and the gear links are by Karen. I just LOVE these earrings! I was really excited they go with my necklace from Staci :D

I LOVE this necklace! I seriously wear it ALL the time! Perfect with my earrings huh?!

Now it's my time to be the proud daughter :) Mom had her first showing at Starbucks in Kansas City! This is the first time her paintings are up for sale! I took a shot of the wall and mom after I got her paintings hung on the wall. I will have a more complete blog on this next week ;)

So this is the perfect time of year to make these wonderful Wing Ding Wine charms! I just added these to my shop! 

"Bright Earth" Wing Ding Wine Charms. After a night of drinks you don't have to check the lipstick on the rim of the glass to find your cup! Lol.

The charm in action. So pretty!

"Brights" Wing Ding Wine Charms-Maybe you like super BRIGHT SHINY things. If so, this is the perfect set for you!

OMG.. the world must surely be ending if *I* made RED beads! Lol, ok so not really, but I did make this bead with a gift in mind. I have gotten a really great response on them so I may be adding some to my shop. the top photo shows both beads shiny. On the left Opal Yellow serpent cane, on the right rainbow serpent cane. The bottom photo shows them both etched with shiny dots. They are SOOOO pretty! Who knew?! So what is my aversion towards red? Well first off I have red hair so I can't wear red. Second, red doesn't like to play nice with all colors. So there ya have it... 

*whew* so much for keeping this short! Ha! It was pretty exciting though, right? :D

Ok well I still have NOT packed anything so I should probably go do that now. 

See you soon!

xo Genea

Stocking up the shops! Beads & Jewelry!

Hello friends!

It's been kind of a crazy week. I feel like I am permanently revved on high lately. I am busily working on stocking up my shops for the busy holiday season! I haven't told you, but I am going on a week long road trip with a friend to Michigan. We will be doing some of her wedding plan for their wedding in June. So exciting! I have never been to Michigan and I can't wait to go to the great lakes! I do miss living by Lake Michigan. Did you know I grew up in Racine, Wisconsin? Yep, sure did! Oh and yeah... I do like cheese ;P

Anyways, so today I got some great things up in my bead and jewelry shop! Wanna see?!

REWINDS>> 

Beads that have been in the shop before and are currently re-stocked.

Desert Serpent Jewel "Mermaid" focal. Super awesome because this baby is etched with a  shiny dot! 

Desert Serpent Jewel "Mermaid" bead set. After making the focals these seem so tiny. They are so pretty with their big bubbly shiny dot against that matte blue teal! 

Desert Serpent "Just Rust" bead set. Mmmmm love that terra cotta! So dreamy! Oh and it matches with one of the Sea Horse Hearts too!

Spiral Earth Stones "Black Lava"- everyone loved these ones! I just love these textured surfaces! So awesome! 

NEW in the Bead Shop!

Ocean Serpent Egg "Teal Tides". Um.... Yeah, can you believe this bead?! It is SO gorgeous! I am just so enamored with this style bead! 

Oh and if the front and back aren't luscious enough, look at the side!

Do you see all those spots right there? Doesn't it look the way water does when the sun hits it and shimmers over the top. Wow... 

Endless Ocean "Teal Tide" spacers. Every bit as gorgeous, but tiny. All of those same pretty details. the little ripples under the surface, spatters of rainbows. Mmmmm. The teal just really glows.

Ocean Serpent Egg "Fathomless Blue"- after a line in a BT song I like. I looked at this color and that is all I could thing. Such a perfect name. 

Endless Ocean "Fathomless Blue" spacers. So deep, so pretty.

Ocean Serpent Egg "Aqua Tide"- Wow you can really see the spottys on this one. I just have to keep looking at these beads. There is so much beauty to be found! I had to keep looking at this one and the teal since they are really similar looking. As you look closer you can see the teal is actually more green. 

Endless Ocean "Aqua Tides" spacers. See what I mean? You see those flashes of green, but then blue too. So awesome.

NEW in the Jewelry & Art shop...

Coffee Time "Mystery Mix"- One of my coffee cup and coffee bean wall art frames. Named after my favorite purple and lime green candy as a kid(now and laters mystery mix). I will have another 3 up in the shop coming up, but I am just about out of these amazing frames!

"Sunset Poppy" ring. Do you love poppies? I do, everything about them from their little stripey centers to their amazing pods. Such gorgeous flowers. They bloomed ALL over Portland, OR. I can't wait to get a nice yard so I can fill my garden with lots of different varieties :) I guess I will just have to settle for the glass ones for now ;)

"Rainbow Serpent Tide"- a gorgeous mixed-media necklace with my new "Ocean Serpent Egg" focals. Now you know what to do with those focals, spacers and s-clasps :)

"Galapagos Gears" earrings. Don't you just love this tealy blue? So pretty and one of my favs! Oh and see those pretty glazed discs? Marsha is STILL trying to get that perfect glazing combo again. So these babies are super special! Oh I forgot to mention the weeny dings are an odd lot glass too!

"Bright Patina" earrings. Um... yum! First you know these are my favorite colors, but add my beads with some of Marsha's discs and Karen's patinated hoops! Magical!

"Turning Leaves Tribe"- These earrings just kind of fell together! I just love that! I was working on a run of coral beads in this style and I had Karen's Clay Dings laying out. I did some matching enameled hoops and voila! Now these are for those of you that can not only rock the long earrings, but the heavy ones too. These are a bit heavier than most of my earrings. 

What else is new??

Well I was the LUCKY winner of the Art Bead Love Tour! Yep, I picked out my goodies and had a blast artfully adding my beads to the chain. I just need to get my pics edited before doing the giveaway to the next super lucky winner! So keep an eye out for that coming up soon.

Ok well I have been at it ALL day and I am pooped! See you soon!

xo Genea