New This Week!

Something Old, Something New!

Nope - we're not getting married - but we do have old and new together this week.

Vintage Sequins! These are old - but in pristine condition - and a far cry from the sequins that you might find in the big box stores! Interesting shapes, like flowers and squares, some are flat, some are cupped. Use them as elements in resin, wired into bridal headdresses, or string between pearls like spacers for a different look. Let your imagination run wild!

Stitch them onto mitts and hats for a touch of sparkly fun to get you through the coming winter. Imagine these pink, flower sequins, with a tiny Swarovski crystal in the middle - a spray of them like cherry blossoms, on a scarf. Maybe embroider on some bugles for the branches? Perhaps some leaves? See how my life gets out of hand? I'd better stop, before I start suggesting a bird charm to go with the project!

And new, new, new!

The Swarovski fall launch is here, and we have new, new, new stuff! I've been referring to it as the Fall 2011 release, but it is, in fact, officially the "Fall/Winter 2012/13" release. This is because the fashion industry is always a year ahead - to give time for production. So you can be fashion-forward and start designing next year's trends now! Or just enjoy them for what they are - beautiful, sparkly beads!

This week - we have a couple of new shapes for you.

Wild Heart Beads

Last spring, we saw the Wild Heart Pendants, an asymmetrical, elongated heart. Now, we have the accompanying bead - same shape, but with a hole drilled lengthwise, on the diagonal! You can put them on headpins and have them dangle at crazy angles, or string them and have them fit together in interesting ways! Will you string them all in one direction, or alternate top and bottoms?

And - in a completely radical move - we even have one available in Red! I realize that a red heart is so far out there that you might have a hard time deciding what to do with it, but we believe that you have the creative vision to go out there and figure it out!

On the flip side, a few years ago, Swarovski introduced the Spiral Helix bead, a bead with a rolling barrel pattern of facets. Now, they are bringing out the matching pendant, the Spiral Helix Drop, and I have to say, it's a stunner! If you aim to glitter like a chandelier - then this is your start, stop and in-between. Pendant and matching earrings anyone?

Need a clasp to go with that? Big restock on the clasps with Swarovskis, plus a few new ones!

Moving on to the Metal

These bullet-shaped caps/cones - for ends of strands, chain, etc. struck me as very elegant. A nice, sophisticated touch to end a chain, for instance! Check them out in this week's inspiration!

These are pretty cool too - hinged bails - so you can pop on a pendant and go! Brass or Silver.

Some great new charms - especially for the music enthusiast. Or the intensely sarcastic. Not wanting to horn in on your designs, but you could make something with "the worlds' tiniest violin, playing just for you."

And, if you don't give a hoot about music, you can always bail instead.

Other cool stuff around the site, so go ahead, click on a link or a picture above, or start with the Main Page, if you are feeling intrepid, (there is a LOT of stuff there), or chunk it down into bite-size portions by checking out the categories: Click on a link and go crazy! Firepolish, Pressed Glass, Swarovski Crystal, Seedbeads, Stone and Pearls, Preciosa Crystal, Metal Beads, Other Cool Beads, Findings, Metal Clay & Supplies or Books, Kits, Tools. Look for the "new" tags!

Or maybe check out all our free, yes, free projects. A new one every week.