Copyright Infringement Update

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for their kind words and encouragement...it really helped lessen the blow.
Things have been worked out between the other person and myself. They aquired the pattern from someone at a gathering and had no idea mine even existed. One look for herself though, and she was pretty sure that her gathering friend copied the pattern from me.
She has since removed offending items, and was very kind and accomidating about the whole situation. I'm glad that it worked out.
I don't know exactly what I can do to protect myself in the future...you want a photo to represent detail, and I can't zoom in too close and detailed without giving away the pattern, essentially.
Oui.

Thanks Tote-N-Tots!

Dropping my entrecards this morning, I noticed that my "Circle Gets the Square" necklace was featured on Tote-N-Tots blog. Thanks so much! Be sure to visit her blog to see fashionable items for mommy and baby. I just love her bags. Have a look at her etsy shop HERE.

It's happened!

I've officially had a design ripped off, beaded poorly, with prices undercut.
Highest form of flattery?
Still sucks.
I've asked them to take the offending items out of their shop and informed them that they need to actually ASK permission before taking someone elses design and making a profit with it. Lets see if they at least credit the designer. Right now they are claiming that each one of their designs is "unique and original".
Yeah. Ok.
Unfortunately I relisted my item recently, so at first glance it looks like I copied them. However I'm fairly sure etsy has records of when I first put the item on there, early this year. If it really comes down to it, I've had my design loaded on various networking/beady sites for quite some time now.
I had a feeling I would have to deal with this one day...all the beaders talk about it. I feel sick to my stomach about it.

edited to add: Ok the beadwork they did actually isn't bad...and on closer inspection they changed a couple beads but..still

My Sister, the Beauty Queen

Any of you who have been regular visitors to my blog know that I rarely talk about personal beliefs and views, I tend to keep this site fairly proffesional. However, once in a while a topic/event moves me enough to break out of "business blog" mode.

This past Saturday my younger (but much taller) sister Jessie was crowned Miss Taunton. Taunton, MA is where we grew up together.


Music runs in the family (mom: piano, flute, clarinet; dad: drums; brother: guitar; me: bass) and Jessie is no exception. She had been practicing her really hard classical piano piece at home for a long time. She was understandably distraught when she found out she would be performing on a KEY-board and they would not have a piano on hand. Two nights of dress rehearsal mishaps on the keyboard had Jessie a little dissapointed, but she NAILED it when it counted.


Congratulations Jessie, I'm so proud of you! Future Miss Massachusetts? Miss America?
Keep a look out for my beautiful sister.

You can read the story from the newspaper HERE if you're interested.

"Ancestral Expressions" Challenge winner

Congratulations to Triz, who won the Etsy Bead Weavers November challenge "Ancestral Expressions" with her beautiful collar "Let My People Go".
Way to go Triz!

The "honorable mentions" include:

Second: The Hoshen - a Breastplate - beadshead

Third: hands against time cuff - thebeadedlily

Fourth: The Greek Key - BeadsAndI

Fifth: was a tie between ONE WORLD Bead Woven Embroidered Cuff Bracelet - caraway and Plaid Pride Bracelet - FrancescasFancy

Sixth: Proud to be an American - dreambeadweaver

Seventh: Another tie: Patchwork Cuff - playnwithbeads and Catching A Dream Bracelet - myfairladyvt4

Eighth: Celtic North American Native - SilkenLariat

Ninth: The third tie! Beaded Ancestral Expressions Petroglyph Totem Cane - SalamanderHouse and DNA in Violet and Blue - Wide Beadwoven Peyote Cuff - time2cre8

Tenth: Hungarian meets French - beaddiddy

Congratulations everyone!

I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with for "Snow Queen". I just may participate in this one!

Catching up on things...

It's been over a week since I posted anything that I've been working on. In part, this is due to not being able to get the quality of pictures I desire.

Hopefully soon I'll have some fresh shots of all my etsy shop items though. I've contacted a friend, Brody, over at Polarity Photo. Brody takes some amazing shots. His passion is..um...legally being escorted into abandoned buildings and capturing the decay of the untouched.
Here are a few prime examples of what he sees through his lens:

That's just a taste. Definately check out his site for more amazing photography.

Now...onto the jewelry.

This ring and earring set was the absolute biggest pain in the butt to photograph. After many attemps, I settled a little bit on the picture. I'm excited to show them and I just couldn't wait any longer.

I've done rings and earrings of this style before, but I do have to say these are my favorite. Red and black together are just such powerful colors. This was woven with matte black delicas and checkerboard swarovski crystals. Again, I was going for a vintage/flapper style, and I think I captured that quite nicely.

This next bracelet is something I made as a gift for a friend who shall remain nameless. I don't think she's a blog reader, but better safe than sorry!

It was woven with toho seed beads, and overlayed with purple swarovski pearls.

These next bracelets are purely fun. I have had this stash of plastic pony beads for the longest time. Pony beads, meet stretchy cord. =)

Ooh, a blog award!

Both A Rose By Name and rkdsign88 has passed the Butterfly Award award on me! It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside...thanks gals!I am to then pass it along to 10 of my favorite blogs, which will not be easy!! Here are the rules!

1. Put the logo on your blog.

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3. Nominate 10 other blogs.

4. Add links to those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

Here are 10 of my favorite blogs, that haven't been tagged with this award yet...not an easy decision I tell ya:

1. AlteredEvents
2. Three Fates Design
3. Aerten Art
4. Jael's Jewels
5. Designing Hilary
6. Waterrose Handcrafted Obsessions
7.Unique Charms
8. Tizzalicious Crafts and Cuteness
9. Maggies Crafting Adventures
10.Beadalicious

Voting now open for Ancestral Expressions

Voting has officially begun for the Etsy Bead Weavers monthly challenge. This month's theme is "Ancestral Expressions". I was thinking of doing an Irish flag bracelet, but didn't get around to it. I've started making holiday gifts early this year (yes November is early for me, lol) so I've been a bit choosy with my beading time.

You should definately take the time to look at these beauties closer, and don't forget to vote!


1. Catching A Dream Bracelet - myfairladyvt4

2. Florida Gators Orange and Blue Herringbone Bangle - njema

3. Beaded Ancestral Expressions Petroglyph Totem Cane - SalamanderHouse

4. hands against time cuff - thebeadedlily

5. Celtic North American Native - SilkenLariat

6. The Greek Key - BeadsAndI

7. Hungarian meets French - beaddiddy

8. DNA in Violet and Blue - Wide Beadwoven Peyote Cuff - time2cre8

9. ONE WORLD Bead Woven Embroidered Cuff Bracelet - caraway

10. Trail Mix - ThesePreciousThings

11. Roses and Pearls Necklace - SpringColors

12. Proud to be an American - dreambeadweaver

13. Let My People Go Collar - triz

14. The Hoshen - a Breastplate - beadshead

15. Plaid Pride Bracelet - FrancescasFancy

16. Patchwork Cuff - playnwithbeads

Vanilla & Chocolate, Chocolate & Vanilla

This set of bracelets was quite fun to make. When I was weaving them and counting out the beads it was fun to say "2 chocolate, 1 vanilla". Much better than 2A, 1B don't ya think? The beads almost look like wood but they are really size 6 toho glass seed beads. I usually work with much smaller beads, because I love the incredible detail that is possible. However there is something to be said for big beads. They not only give beadwork a great texture, but they work up a lot quicker than than their tiny counterparts.

New necklace - "Touch of Gray"

This necklace may be lacking color, but it's sure got personality!
When I first picked up the round lava focal bead I had every intention of turning it into a pendant, but it quickly took on a life of its own. The result is a "space-aged" necklace.
Surrounding the lava rock bead in brick stitch are layers of hematite discs, toho seed beads, and delica seed beads. Then for the neckband I wove more delicas, tohos, and hematite cubes & discs in herringbone. To secure the necklace is a beaded loop and toggle clasp, with different sized beads for a textured look.
Hope you like!

Top Droppers for October

I just wanted to send out a bit of linky love to my top entrecard droppers for this month. Thanks for stopping by!

Computer Aid
Multiply Themes
Scraps of Mind
24 Patrol
Journal of Journey
14-Year-Old Kid Tech Guru
Marriage and Beyond
Picture to People
Melissas Jewelry and Gem Blog
Time2Create