Just Bead It!

On Sunday afternoon, after I had put the kids down for a nap, I headed to Red Bank, to visit The Red Bank Bead Company. (Don't worry, my husband was with them!). Downtown Red Bank borders the Navesink River here in Central Jersey, and it is a very posh and upscale area, with specialty boutiques and designer stores. There are also a lot of antique shops and great activites during the summer season. I'm lucky to live only about 20 minutes away. So as I walk through the door, I felt like I had entered heaven. I think a lot of jewelry artisans share this sentiment, that something just happens when you are surrounded by beads and findings and wire and stones. You're surrounded by infinite possibilities. At first I was just walking around in a daze. It was like I couldn't take in everything fast enough. Then I calmed down and wandered around, with a constant tirade in my head of buying what I needed as opposed to buying what I wanted (two TOTALLY different things!) I bought a few things, among them metal bookmarks that I am going to embellish with an array of fabulous beads. My friend Deana gave me the idea. Like myself, she loves to read, and since she doesn't wear a lot of jewelry, she mentioned to me that I might make jeweled bookmarks. Thanks Deana! You can read her blog here, and read about her amazing life with her husband Steve and their warrior son, Maximilian. So stay tuned for those bookmarks to show up on Etsy!

Speaking of beads, I love beaded earrings. There is just something about them, especially if you have your hair up and you're wearing gorgeous clothes. You feel confident and awesome. Here are some of my new earrings, just listed in my Etsy shop.

Mango Sunrise Earrings

Pretty in Pink Earrings

Night at the Disco Earrings

All these earrings really reflect my personality. I have so many interests and passions, and so many things that I want to do. These earrings are all so different and varied. I think that really does describe the kind of person that I am. It seems that we are all pressured to find an identity, to make ourself fit into pre-conceived categories. I personally don't think that it works that way. Even now, sometimes I don't know where I fall in these categories. I turn 30 this year, God willing. I think it's okay to be the odd one out now.