New products added to Website

Black and White Lampwork Necklace
(click here to visit site to purchase)

Black and White lampwork earrings
(click here to visit site or purchase)

Smoke and Sapphire Necklace and Earrings
Necklace $30
Earrings $12
(click here to visit site or purchase)

I've been working on the website lately to add all sorts of new items. You can find most of them on my Etsy shop as well. I've listed a few of the new items above. I've added a ton of earrings and some bracelets $10 or under that would be great stocking stuffers. It's not too late to order.

The smoke and sapphire necklace had hammered links connected by handmade wire links of smokey quartz crystals, and features light sapphire colored crystals wired into some of the links for a bit of color. The matching earrings are also available.

I have free shipping now through Christmas. Thanks for checking out the new itms

Featured Artist: AnneDundas

Anne Dundas is a jewelry designer and glass artist from Sydney, Australia. She creates spectacular lampwork beads that you have to check out in her Etsy shop.

She has been creating jewelery since early 2004, and was led to the world of lampwork beads. She says that it is a thrill to play with molten glass watching it flow and form beautiful objects. Each bead is like a tiny little piece of art, if you ask me. Aside from the fact that I love all things sparkly, as you can tell from my business name--Sparkly Strandz--my second favorite thing is all things swirly. Look how beautiful these beads are. I may have to have them for myself!!

Tien Hou... Chinese Queen of Heaven
Set of 8 beads $72.30

She also spends her time designing business cards, etc for other jewellery designers. If you'd like to check them out, you can find her designs at: www.annedundas.com/graphics
Here's an example of one of her cards. I had to include this one because I love dragonflies.


Go check out her blog: www.annedundas.com/blog

She is a member of the Etsy Glass Artists Street Team. For more information on this group, go check out their website. (www.etsyglass.com)

Featured artist: K by Kareen

Sea Drift Swankier Earrings
$149

Graphic Swank Necklace in Variegated Ocean
$165

Meet Kareen Kjelstrom. She is the artist behind KbyKareen. She is a self-proclaimed simple girl with dreams of being a jewelry designer in Paris, where she lives. She is inspired by life experiences and daily beauty in Paris. She uses her love of travel and adventure as a wide canvas from which to dream and imagine new designs. She uses a high temperature propane/oxygen torch and fine Italian (Effetre) glass to make unique beads, then uses those beads in hand created sterling silver pieces. All her beads are made free-hand, without a mold, and are kiln fired for strength and durability.

She's a regular celebrity, because prior to leaving Santa Monica, she was featured with her jewelry on HGTV's Crafters Coast to Coast.

You can visit her website at www.KbyKareen.com

Other places to find Kareen on the web:

Her Blog http://kbykareen.blogspot.com/
Myspace http://www.myspace.com/kbykareen
IndiePublic and WeLoveEtsy.

Featured Artist: Studio Marcy

Belinda the Blue Bumblebee
Lampwork Glass focal bead
$24

Sprocket the Boston Terrier Lampwork
Glass bead focal
$16

Meet Marcy Lamberson, a glass artist who loves making people smile through my whimsical beads and sculptures. She makes her glass beads with glass from Murano, Italy. I was in Venice a few years back and got to see some of the glass blowers in action. It is truly an amazing art. I would love to have the torch to be able to do lampwork one day like Miss Marcy!! It is truly an art.

Marcy teaches private and group lessons (too bad I'm not in the Atlanta area) and enjoys taking on custom commissions. While working out of her sunroom studio overlooking her garden and birds, squirrels, chipmunks and occasional wandering possums, she sometimes just decides to capture them into little beads! She also makes them wear clothes and jewelry when turning them into little fun glass pieces. Marcy states "There's nothing like a hippo being dressed up in a skirt, earrings and necklace or a bumblebee with a pirate patch."

You can check out Marcy's blog.
If you want more info about the street team, check out their bios!

New beads are added to her shop almost daily, so stop by often.