An Idea for the Holidays at Home

Well, the bustle is almost over, and you're probably thinking about settling in for those festive times at home with family and friends gathered close. Whether you have young family members around fidgeting for something to do or not, think what a nice change of pace it would be to bring out the beads and string some simple bracelets or necklaces together?

You can make earrings with a few simple beads that will be special gifts to remember the holidays, made even more special when the recipients pick out their favorite beads. A handmade gift is something special from the heart, made even more memorable by the gift of collaboration.

It's Year's End and We're Open Late...

If you haven't noticed yet, Lucinda's is open 7 days a week until December 24th. That means you can come by on a Sunday afternoon (avoiding football maybe?) to find the perfect gift!

Our lights are on late, and the shop is full of unique gifts: snowflake ornament forms you can bead yourself, beaded book marks, tiny crystal Christmas tree earrings, beaded bags and marvelous handmade jewelry. Give a handmade gift to someone you treasure!

Come Join Us This Sunday!

This Sunday, December 6th, we're kicking off the Holiday Gift-Making season and just generally having a great time from 11-5 with goodies to nibble on while you shop. Plus if you enter our raffle, you'll have a chance to win a $100. Lucinda's Beads Gift Certificate. Wouldn't that be nice to have (or give)?

All jewelry will be 10% off on Sunday- with many special handmade earrings, bracelets and necklaces to choose from, you could finish up your gift list without ever picking up a pair of pliers!

But we know you'd like to make something for those special friends and family members, so come in, warm up, and let's get down to beading some presents!

Something Special for the First Week of December

In addition to being open EVERY DAY in the month of December (check out the December shop hours here on the blog on the left of the posts<-), we have lots of gorgeous lampworked beads in a special trunk show from Unicorne Beads. Starting SATURDAY 11/28, the sale runs through SATURDAY 12/5. Have you seen Banana beads, or Crisscross, Rotini, Pretzel, Duplex, Saddle, Vortex, Yo yo beads? No? Well, then you have to come by and scoop up some of these treasures- in beautiful durable borosilicate class, some sprinkled with dichroic or metallic flecks in colors that will work into enchanting gifts for the season!

Mixing things up...

Well, fall is here (sometimes it's felt like Winter was here)...and now it's time to get seriously beading. Our beads of the month are a great new selection of very special Czech beads in many more shapes, sizes and colors than you've seen before. And just to inspire you, if you check our Bead of the Month album (here on the blog, below left) we're going to show you some combinations of these amazingly versatile beads with semiprecious strands. You'll find that the Czech beads of the month blend beautifully with earth-grown stones, and even rival them in natural appearance. But there's more than earthiness: some sport vibrant colors and funky shapes that spice up even the simplest designs. Simple to extravagant, you can enhance any strand you string with these versatile beads of the month!

Grab Some String!

You'll need stringing supplies...because we have lots of wonderful new gemstone strands and other goodies coming for the month of September!
Lots of new colors, shapes and sizes to inspire you and get you back into beading after a lazy vacation.
Click on the little thumbnails and feast your eyes:

August's Bead of the Month: Grace Beads

Come see a vast array of amazingly beautiful lampwork beads- handmade in California by talented artists led by Grace Ma. There are focal beads in versatile shapes: heart, lentil, square and oblong...and colors to match every crayon and outfit! Even better, each focal has a selection of matching strands in smaller lentils, pillows and crystals designed to coordinate into necklace or bracelet and earring designs.

These intricate beads blend well with czech beads and crystals and look lovely with semiprecious stones.
Be sure to stop in a see them- but be warned: you won't be able to live with just one!

Visit the Lucindasbeads website Bead of the Month page for design ideas.

What Do We Have Here?

What's this? A Sneak Peek at some of the goodies in the Coming Trunk Sale!
The Grace Beads Trunk Sale is coming on Saturday, August 8th (staying just one week, so mark your calendars.) We'll be featuring jewelry ideas and showing new designer-crafted lampwork beads in a myriad of shapes, sizes and patterns. Keep watching!

The Easy, Breezy Days of Summer

Want the ultimate in simple jewelry-making without any fuss? Large-core beads, our July-August Bead of the Month, are the answer!All you need is a chain: anklet, bracelet or necklace-length and some of these wonderful beads. You can slip on one bead, or string a whole stack, close the clasp on the chain, and you're off to the beach with a new piece of custom-designed jewelry! Even better, you can re-make the piece, removing or adding beads as your mood and outfit requires.

We have a great selection, in all the cool [and hot] colors and patterns. At just $3.50 each, these beads of the month are highly affordable... and highly addictive.

Happy Fourth of July!

We're celebrating the Holiday- taking this Saturday off in observance of Independence Day. Enjoy your time with friends, family, pets, and beads!

Planning a Staycation? Add a Bead Class to your Summer Plans!

SUMMER SESSION CLASSES:

Triple Strand Bracelet 7/31
Basic Bead Stringing 8/14

If you're looking for something fun to do this summer, a bead class is a great answer! Take a Basic Bead Stringing Class and you'll have skills that will keep you amused in perpetuity! A small investment of time will give you hours of pleasure-- plus the ability to create trendy gifts and timeless keepsakes for your family and friends.

Spend Some Time with the Strands of Summer!

It's time to relax with some beautiful beads at your side. Bead leisurely in the sunshine with the new stones and strands we've sifted through for you...try our best, we can't show them all to you here!

But we've tried to inspire your appreciation for the season by photographing the strands where they come from, nature's secret garden. True, these gemstones come from all over the world, but when you're working with them, you'll feel like the world is your backyard. Exotic or familiar, their colors and shapes will enchant you!

Beads of the Month: Zen Gardening with Beads

If you haven't started a garden yet, or don't even intend to, you can always enjoy the beauty of gemstones that come from the earth. And this month, we're featuring luscious spring-into-summer colors and sophisticated shapes, in treasures of the earth brought to you straight from our latest shopping adventure in the Big Apple.

The Bead of the Month page on the website has inspirations we gathered by playing with these tempting pieces- check it out!

Or click on the slideshow on the left for a close-up preview some rare bead inspiration in Charoite, Rhodochrosite, Peruvian Opal, Tourmaline, Blue and Red Sponge Coral, Turquoise, Chalk Turquoise, Blue Lace Agate, Sodalite, Lapis Lazuli and more! Then come in quickly and snap some up before they're gone!

You Can Take it With You...

Is it just me, or does everyone feel more mobile in the Spring? I just want to get out into Nature and bead- or at least to some stable surface in the outdoors. Natural daylight is wonderful for your beading!! You will see things and put colors together that you would never appreciate in man-made light.

So, to help you, pick up one of these amazing little BeadSmith kits full of all the beading tools you'll need on the go or in your studio. Look at all the great colors (those shown here, plus black) they come in!
Neat, tucked-in safely, and ready to go with you into the new season! And a bargain at $35!

Beads of the Month? Think Precious Metals with a Secret!

These intricately detailed metal beauties have a secret: they're precious on the outside, economical pewter on the inside! So you can have your gold (or silver) and save it at the same time!

Whether you love gold or silver, the endless possibilities of designing with elegant metals are within your budget when you create with this wonderful collection of bali-style filigree, spacers, toggles and more.

Visit the website for design ideas!

Bracelets for a Cause

Wear your support! Lucinda's is offering two inspiring Swarovski crystal bracelets with sterling silver accents to support the American Cancer Society.

The pink bracelet - for Breast Cancer Support- has a sterling silver "ribbon" charm set with a tiny pink crystal.

The purple bracelet is in honor of the ACS Relay for Life and has a " Hope" charm alongside a sterling star.

The bracelets are $50. each, and are available at the shop. 25% of each purchase will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

Call to reserve yours!

All Wound Up?

If you're stuck with something you're trying to string, or just need fresh new ideas, we have help for you!

We may not be able to fix the problems of the world, but we do have fresh ideas about how to put beautiful beads together. Take a look at a project from the Basic Stringing Class:

It doesn't look basic at all. The reason: an inspired combination of a few simple elements of silver and stones, and a really lovely and unusual palette. (Neutral tan and black, with a splash of cool aqua.)

Even if you know all the techniques a beader needs, sometimes you need to wake up your visual and tactile senses to get into the creating frame of mind. Stop in, just touch a few of the amazing beads, and you'll be on your way to great ideas! We're here to help you with tips and guidance and plenty of inspiration.

Bead of the Month: SemiPrecious Strands in Spring Pastels

Say welcome back to spring with some creamy Aventurine or translucent Rose Quartz in your next project! The time's come to throw off the winter coat and show a new neckline and maybe even shorter sleeves, so bring your beading into Spring with a selection from our semiprecious strands.

This month, frosting colors of amethyst, fluorite, aventurine, opaline, new jade, rose quartz [to name just as few] are even more affordable, so you can pick them in a couple shapes and sizes to add dimension and flair to your original designs. Come over to the Bead of the Month page at our site and get some inspiration..we'll show you some ways these great beads can be used in designs that will make your Spring sing with pastels!

New Class Schedule

If you've been waiting for the new Spring class schedule, here it is!

It feels good just to write that word: SPRING!

Ok, since it's still too early to plant your garden, why don't you get working with seeds of another kind? Come string or weave some seed beads, or crystals or any of a zillion great beads with us till you can get out and play in the dirt!

We have lots of spring-bud colors in gemstone strands to tempt you, and many gorgeous Czech beads, handmade lampwork and focals plus an array of intricate silver and all sorts of copper, brass and base metal components.

Call to reserve a place and we'll see you on Friday night!

Click on the image for a large printable class schedule. Or come over to the website

Bead of the Month: Heart Beads!

February is the time for everything Valentine-related, of course, and this year, many are wearing red to remind us of efforts for Women's Heart Health. Whatever the reason, we have heart beads and findings for you!

From cherry red blown glass hearts, pink pressed glass hearts, silver heart charms from Wynwoods Gallery, sparkling dichroic hearts, to the spectacular lampwork focal heart beads from GraceBeads- we have everything imaginable to make a perfect gift for a friend or for yourself.

Stop by the website and see much more and get inspired...we'll see you soon!

Resolutions

Did you ever notice how we put beads into sherbet glasses, dessert dishes, candy jars and the like? There's a reason for that: Beads look like candy...all the fascination without the calories! So you can stick to your promises to shun sweets and still have something yummy.