Charmish

2011-10-25T08:55:00.001-07:00

Does she love sewing? Does she love quilting? Hand embroidery? I've designed this charm bead just for her. Drop by my Charmish etsy shop and see all the other charms for crafters I have in stock.

Charmish beads are universal fit with all other European charm bead brand bracelets, solid sterling silver, and threaded, so your beads stay put. Shipping is always free, even internationally. It's my gift to you.

Engraved lettering on the end of the spool.

The perfect holiday gift for the stitcher in your life. I have designed this thread spool charm with great care and detail. She'll love to wear this on her European charm bead bracelet all year around.

Facebook? Join my Charmish Beads page to see new releases and share your own ideas.

New island travel charm beads

2011-08-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

New from Ohm Beads, this little cutie ukulele playing, hula girl, wearing her lei and singing the most charming Hawaiian charms, and Honu the sea turtle. I designed these for our travel series after being inspired by our first trip to the Island of Kauai last fall.

I want these charms to remind you of the beauty and peace of the Hawaiian islands, your favorite vacation/time there, the lap of the waves, gorgeous underwater world, scent of the night blooming flowers, fresh fish and fruit, ukulele songs, and the wonderful local people.

To buy them from me, click on the images and you'll arrive at my etsy shop. If you find they are not in stock at the time of your visit, just email me and I'll order you one. :-)

I wanna go back, to my little grass shack.....

Honu the sea turtle has a beautifully enameled back and the Hibiscus flower engraved on his tummy. With this little friend on your wrist, you can surf the waves daily.

Join me on facebook at Charmish Beads

Cheers,
Aly
designer

Charm beads for crafters and artists

2011-07-08T16:07:00.001-07:00

My new crafter's charm is on it's way..... hint, a Charmish exclusive that is the next design for us artist, crafter, creative types. The first one was the Sewing Machine/tomato pin cushion set, then the I love Knitting, and the Paint Palette, and exclusive for Charmish, I designed the Cute Sheep for the fiber arts fiends.

What will this new design be? Stay tuned, they are on their way...... :-)

Dolphin Friend

2011-06-20T12:28:00.000-07:00

The perfect bead to celebrate summer, the ocean, and that amazing vacation you took..... designed by me for Ohm Beads summer release. You can get your special dolphin friend directly from me at my Charmish shop on Etsy.

Happy summer, and please remember to keep your bracelets out of the ocean, the pool, and hot tubs. Give them a rinse and pat dry once in a while, and a nice buffing with a polish cloth.

Charm Earrings

2011-05-28T10:27:00.000-07:00

Beautiful hoops you can wear your charm beads on! Slide on your fav color glass, pave, or silver charms to match your European charm bracelet or your outfit.

These were designed in collaboration, and hand made by my friend, and local silver smith, Annie of Barefoot Pony. I'm wearing my pair right now. They are so pretty and comfortable, I find myself reaching for them most mornings.

Solid sterling silver and made with love. 1.5 inches long.

Visit my shop to see my line of charm beads and bracelets. Stay in tune on my facebook page: Charmish Beads.

Knitting Charm beads are Baaaaaaaaad

2011-05-24T15:52:00.000-07:00

Show off your knitting addiction with this bbbbbbaaaaaad little Sheep charm bead. Your new wee friend represents sheep, wool, knitting, crochet, needle felting, and fiber arts involving natural fibers. Designed by me especially for you! Solid silver with the 925 stamp, threaded, and fits all major brands of bracelet like pandora, chamilia, zable, ohm, trollbeads. I love offering free world wide shipping because it feels like we are all just neighbors who share the same hobbies.

Yar! It's the pirates!

2011-05-21T12:39:00.000-07:00

Ah! The dreaded Captain Pirate Bunny, brandishing three carrots. He may have an eye patch and a peg leg, but he's still the best pirate captain around!

Visit all the pirate charms I've designed at my etsy shop, Charmish. Collect them all to show you are a true pirate lass!

Get all three pirate designs for a great price with this set. You'll be thrilled with the tiny detail work. Crest with five skulls, Ship with tiny sails, cannons, and even the waves lapping at the bottom, and the Bunny Pirate of course!

What will you name your wee pirate ship?

Birthday cake charm beads for spring

2011-03-08T22:11:00.000-08:00

Spring birthday cakes are in!
March, April, May in solid silver for your charm bracelet.
Have your cake and wear it forever.

To make this a very special gift, engrave her name and birthday on the bottom, at your local engraver's shop.

Designed and sold by me, free world wide shipping. All my charms are compatible with other major brands.

Happy Spring!!! Aly

Silver Polish Cloths for your European Charm Beads

2011-02-02T11:15:00.000-08:00

I am happy to announce that you can get your polish cloths from me as you order your charms. This is a perfectly cute little package, and polish cloth that you can store in your jewelry box or purse.

These original Silver Polishing Cloths are made from 100% high-quality cotton impregnated with a unique cleaning and anti-tarnish agent. All that's needed is a gentle rub from time to time and your silver will be kept clean and bright.

This is the brand I use on my charms.

While we are on the subject, remember not to soak your bracelets in water (no hot tubbing, or dish washing for your charming friends!). You may wipe them down with a damp towel, and blot dry, then give them all a little polish with the cloth. You'll be thrilled with the results.

If you mention that you saw this article, you may get a free charm with the purchase of your next two beads.

Happy February!

Guys Love Etsy

2011-02-02T10:25:00.001-08:00

Over the holidays, and now, as Valentine's day approaches, I noticed how many of my customers are men. Welcome guys!

Etsy has been a popular place for women artists and designers to sell their work to the world, and the customers have predominantly been female as well. Guys have now discovered all the goodness to be found for their sweeties and their mothers here on Etsy. It's a bounty for gorgeous, handmade, special holiday gifts that can be found nowhere else!

I love that my customers give their fellas their wish list, or tell them, "Anything Charmish!!!"

I also am starting to see more guys buying and wearing charms on my leather bracelets. They tend to wear one at a time, or a few charms, spaced out along the bracelet with locks to hold them in the arrangement.

Welcome!

New spiritually themed charm

2011-01-13T12:39:00.000-08:00

Customers have requested a feminine cross charm for their collection. Here's my brand new design. It's unique, pretty, almost celtic styled swirls, with an embossed heart at it's center. I hope you like it.

xo
Aly
designer of all things Charmish, also known by their brand name Ohm Beads

I took your money and ran!

2011-01-11T11:02:00.000-08:00

Dear Charmish Bead friends, I thought that you would want to know that I took your money and ran.......straight to the post office to help a family in need!

That's a silly way to talk about it, but I got your attention, didn't I?

Silliness aside, I really do want you to know that some of the money you spent on charm beads over the holidays (gifts you bought for loved ones and even your own collection) went to helping a really sweet family. They used to live in my neighborhood, and had to move to a different city to get specialized cancer treatment for the mother. She is young, strong, positive, and working hard with excellent care. I want you to know that our combined money went to support this family.

February will mark Charmish Beads second anniversary. With your friendship, patronage, and sharing my link with your friends (word of mouth) my business has grown wonderfully, I'm very happy to share some of the success and will continue to do so.

Hamsa, Star of David, Jewish Charm bead

2011-01-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

I'm proud to share my new design with you, the very special Hamsa, with Jewish Star of David on one side, and Chai symbol on the other side.

This is a beautiful charm celebrating Jewish heritage and faith. A great addition to your charm bead bracelet and it looks lovely solo on a chain necklace.

My beads have the internal threading and are fully compatible with all major brands like Pandora, Troll beads, Chamilia, Biagi. Available from me at my Charmish shop on Etsy.

I'll Be Home For Christmas....

2010-12-16T18:24:00.000-08:00

The Gingerbread Cottage

There is still time to order your Christmas charm beads in time for the holiday. I'm shipping orders daily. Last day to order is Saturday morning. I'll be shipping every little package and closing shop for some holiday baking, secret gift wrapping, and holiday fun with my family. Yey!

Happy Holidays! May your home and family be filled with love and joy.
-Aly-
The Nutcracker Ballet

Holiday Memories

2010-12-06T12:18:00.001-08:00

What are your favorite holiday traditions? When I was a child, I loved decorating fancy cookies with my mom. We shipped cookie tins to both sets of grandparents, as well as giving plates to all our friends. The funnest part was decorating gingerbread cookies to look like the recipient! When I grew up, Grandma Helen gifted me a gingerbread cookie cutter that her father had made. It's one of a kind and I treasure it.

Do you like to bake for the holidays? Or what about avoiding baking at all costs?? :-)

I have a funny memory of dressing as angel for a Christmas pageant when I was in first grade. I remember the costume my mom and grandma made for me, and the lights onstage, but funny how I forgot everything else.

Do you have a little angel in your life?

Do you have a special place you go to see HUGE trees dressed up with lights and decorations?

What other traditions does your family have? What ways did your grandmother decorate and your own mother? What do you do that's a tradition? Does anyone make gingerbread houses?

We started a new tradition five years ago, we took up skiing. It's wonderful to book a cabin in the snow for a visit just after the holidays. It's a special event we look forward to. We all learned to cross country ski that first year, enjoying a groomed trail through the woods and along the lake. Last year, the boys tried downhill skiing and I was sick....... so now I have to get caught up and try it this time around. I'm a little nervous..... I hope I don't have to design special charm for some sort of downhill skiing failure! :-)

Happy Holidays from me,
Aly, designer of all things Charmish
These beads are also known by their name brand, Ohm Beads :-)

Interview AOL's Parent Dish site

2010-12-03T17:14:00.001-08:00

Parent Dish interviewed me about designing charms and what makes this style so hot. Check it out here.

Autumn Inspiration for Your Bracelet

2010-11-10T12:06:00.001-08:00

What do you love about Autumn?

I love the changing temperatures. Watching the leaves change color, and fall walks along the river with the kids. We host a neighborhood bonfire at Halloween for fun after trick or treating.

I design many charms to help you celebrate the season. What charms do you love to wear for Fall?

Here is the Fall Fairy with her colored leaf wand.

Acorn

Squirrel is busy this time of year!

Mushroom House.
Is your home cozy and ready for cool weather?
Do you have interesting mushrooms cropping up outside like I do?

Who has a November Birthday? Is it milestone?
My mom turned 60 this year and you can bet I gave her
the big cake too! :-)

It's Basketball season soon!!

Enjoy Autumn, enjoy your charm bracelet, and your loved ones and the upcoming festivities!
cheers,
Aly
designer of Ohm Beads on Charmish.etsy.com

Celebrate Halloween with Charmish

2010-10-05T21:34:00.000-07:00

Hi, if we haven't met yet, I'm Aly, head designer at Ohm Beads. Charmish is my little corner of the world, where we can chat, preview my new designs and you can get your Ohm Beads directly from the designer. If you we are familiar, hello and welcome to the purrrrfectly delightful release party!

Halloween is so much fun! I have a few decorations up already and plan to have all the funky witches, cats, pumpkins, ghosts, and lights up by this weekend. I like the cute, glittery and vintage style decorations rather than the truly creepy.

Will you dress up for Halloween? My kids are 8 and 10, so we are big into home made costumes and trick or treat and parties with friends, not that one really needs an excuse, right?

What is your favorite Halloween memory as a child?
That's funny, I ask you, and immediatly think of the time I thought it would be awesome to glue sequins to my cheeks for my alien costume. Great effect, but Ouch later!

What is your favorite thing about the holidays now?
Along with decorating, I love going on the crazy hay ride to pick out pumpkins with my kids, then carving them on the kitchen floor while baking the seeds.

Are you ready to see what I have in my bag of tricks for you?

Tomorrow, Charmish (my etsy shop) will be filled with treats for you and your friends. All the Halloween classics from us at Ohm Beads, plus my brand new designs for this year, hot off the presses.

Classics include Pumpkin, Pumpkin Spinners, Vampire, Chainsaw Dude, The Good Witch and her Cat (of course), Wizarding Hat, Werewolf (or the Vampire/Werewolf set), Frankenstein, Skulls and the Angel/Devil set.

Introducing the new Halloween Flip Bead exclusive: Puuuurfect for the occasion, Ms Kitty and her Bat buddy adorn one side, flip to the other side, for the Halloween spider web. Don't worry, Ms Spider will be your new friend. The edges are adorned with orange glittery bling. Want to see this in 3-D ? Only 50 of these were produced, and I have 10 for sale. Be the only ghoul on your block to have one!

Frank has been a single fella for two years now, in bead time, so I hope you'll be enchanted to meet The Bride of Frankenstein. Congrats Frank! Collect them as a set, or just your favorites. I love her tall hair (hello Marge Simpson!) and sweetly bandaged hands. She's ready to rock this Halloween.

Let me introduce you to the wild and wonderful, Vampiress. Fans of the Halloween season, and shows like True Blood, and Twilight rejoice.

Fly your brooms on over for a cheerful cup of cider and a wiz around the shop.
Aly of Charmish.etsy.com

Goddess Series in European Charm Beads

2010-09-07T08:50:00.000-07:00

Celebrate your inner Goddess with my new charm bead series. The first two charms are available.

The feminine divine has been honored, celebrated, and prayed to in most cultures around the globe. Ohm Beads is pleased to bring you the first two charms in our series of Goddesses.

Guan Yin charm bead symbolizes: grace, compassion, meditation, peace, healing and fertility.

Guan Yin is depicted sitting on a lotus, holding her vial of healing water, in quiet contemplation. Guan Yin is one of the most universally beloved of deities in the Buddhist tradition. Also known as Quan Yin, Kuan Yin, Quan'Am (Vietnam), Kannon (Japan), and Kanin (Bali), She is the embodiment of compassionate loving kindness. As the Bodhisattva of Compassion, She hears the cries of all beings. Quan Yin enjoys a strong resonance with the Christian Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and the Tibetan goddess Tara.

And our second "goddess" in the series is the ancient image of feminine divine referred to as the Venus of Willendorf.

The Venus of Willendorf charm bead symbolizes: goodness, wealth, fertility, and abundance in all areas of ones life.

The real Venus of Willendorf is a small statue found in Austria, along the Danube river, in the early 1900's. The material she was carved from doesn't come from that region, so she was clearly carried to that location. She dates back to 24,000 - 22,000 BCE, which makes her the oldest representation of the human form. She's paleolithic. We don't know if she was ever considered a "goddess", but her mystery, age, and beautifully rendered braids, and abundantly round form have made her famous.

Celebrating Summer - Charm Bead Sale

2010-08-18T09:44:00.001-07:00

Celebrating Summer Sale!
Today through the end of the week: All summer themed Charmish beads are $5 off.
Visit Charmish shop and type "summer" into my shop's search bar to find all summer charm beads- take $5 discount on each one.

Free shipping as always.

The summer list includes goodies such as: Tropical Drink, Sand Castle, Daisy Garden, sparkling Watermelon, Burger, Camper, Picnic Basket and more.

August 18-20, this week only. Enjoy summer savings at Charmish. Charmish is the only place to get your Ohm Beads brand charms directly from the designer - that's me! Happy Summer!
~Aly~

*** Charms are listed as the usual prices: I'll refund your paypal account as I ship. Or let me know what you'd like, and I'll set your reserved listing with the prices discounted. Thanks! ***

Whats In YOUR Treasure Chest?

2010-08-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

I'm considering Treasure Chest charms today, after a sweet customer's request. Of COURSE we need a treasure chest, with all those pirate-themed charms I've got around!

The design process goes something like this:
Mmmmm, treasure chest!
Sketches, looking at images. Considering the basic shape.
Chest open or closed? Open would be awkward chest, wouldn't sit well on the wrist. A partially open chest, allowing a peep inside, would make it impossible to add jewels or to polish inside.

What about a closed treasure chest? It can be ornately decorated. The idea that the contents remain a mystery, becomes the new theme. We've moved beyond the pirate chest. A treasure chest can contain a wish, a poem, a secret love, a dream, the future, an amazing idea!

Stay tuned for the next episode of, "As the Treasure Chest Opens" (or stays SHUT).......

Sweet Pond Frog Charm Bead

2010-08-03T13:01:00.001-07:00

Frog:

Your very own sweet frog friend to sit on your wrist and sing.

Chinese symbolism: female/yin.

Joy, luck and transformation!

Fits all major brands of European charm bead bracelets, solid sterling, with internal threading, and designed by me. This is our Ohm Beads brand frog, and available from me right here at Charmish.

Cheers, I mean RIBBIT!
Aly

Summer Sparklers

2010-07-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

Three new charms with sparkling pave crystals, will make your bracelet glow! I'm thrilled with the way the Bluebird of Happiness charm came out. Lovely, meaningful, yet cute. Collect this one now, and in the spring, you can add the Red Robin version.

Shooting Star. You are the star, let's see you shine!

This sparkling slice of Watermelon is the penultimate symbol of summer! Enjoy.

In the Garden with Charmish

2010-07-23T12:20:00.000-07:00

In the Garden with Charmish. Wouldn't it be fun to have a garden themed charm bracelet? I would definitely put in the cute Snail friend (the kind who doesn't eat your favorite lettuce!), the enamel Apple, and pretty flowers like the Daisy. I would add some pretty glass beads in greens, golds, and orange!

What themes do you have? I'm currently working on a Fantasy character themed bracelet with a rainbow of colored glass.

Charmish Exclusive Design - Curly Sheep!

2010-07-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

An exclusive charm bead for my fiber "freak" friends who love working with wool, knitting, crochet, felting. I designed this cute Curly Sheep just for us!

"I Love Knitting" charm has been so much fun, and being a fabric, fiber artist myself, I am committed to building our collection of crafting/arts charms. Please suggest which craft we should represent next.

xo
Aly

Avatar The Last Air Bender - choose your element!

2010-07-19T20:08:00.000-07:00

The Last Air Bender movie is out. Have you seen it yet? I'm a big fan of the cartoon series, which was probably a sub-conscious influence on my Elements series, one of the first sets I designed for Ohm Beads.

While designing, I was thinking of the classic Chinese elements that relate to one's birth date, and imagining the beads to look like hand carved wood, with inlaid jewels. One of the few horizontally laid out designs, which is especially great for necklaces and rings designed to hold European Charm bead jewelry or Pandora style glass beads.

Wear your favorite tribe's charm on your bracelet, or choose the element associated with your zodiac sign. See each bead's listing in Charmish Beads for more information about the symbolism behind each one.

Fire!
Earth!

Air!

Water!

The four tribes united.

Nesting Doll - the Matryoshka Charm

2010-07-19T19:32:00.000-07:00

This cute Matryoshka charm bead was created, by me, via a Charmish customer request. Yey!!!

What is a Matryoshka and why is it sometimes called a Babushka? Matryoshka is the Russian name for "nesting doll". A babushka is a grandmother. So sometimes the nesting doll depicts the grandmother figure, but it can take many forms, so the names are not interchangeable.

History of Nesting Dolls:

The first Russian nested doll set was carved in 1890 by Vasily Zvyozdochkin from a design by Sergey Malyutin, who was a folk crafts painter in the Abramtsevo estate of the Russian industrialist and patron of arts Savva Mamontov. The doll set was painted by Maliutin himself. Maliutin's design was inspired by a set of Japanese wooden dolls representing Shichi-fuku-jin, the Seven Gods of Fortune. Maluitin's doll set consisted of eight dolls -- the outermost was a girl holding a rooster, six inner dolls were girls, the fifth doll was a boy, and the innermost was a baby.

In 1900, Savva Mamontov's wife presented the dolls at the World Exhibition in Paris, and the toy earned a bronze medal. Soon after, matryoshki dolls were being made in several places in Russia.

Modern artists create many new styles of nesting dolls. Common themes include animal collections, portraits and caricatures of famous politicians, musicians, "robots" and popular movie stars. Matryoshka dolls that feature communist leaders of Russia became very popular among Russian people in the early 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Today, some Russian artists specialize in painting themed matryoshka dolls that feature specific categories of subjects, people or nature.

The biggest matryoshka

It cost 3000 rubles (it worth saying that a popular Soviet car cost in that time 5,000 rubles). The doll was sent to exhibition in Japan.

In the 80-s artists from Semionovo developed new types of matryoshkas Artist Serov designed new matryoshka "The Father Frost and Snegurotchka". This matryoshka was so designed that children could learn to count: inside a big "mother" 10 small was hidden.

DIY nesting dolls. I found a great source for nesting doll blanks. Paint your own in any theme. Make a set using photos of your family's faces and painting in the rest.

Japanese nesting dolls.

To learn more about STARTING a collection of Russian nesting dolls, check out this eHow article.

Enjoy! I'd love to see comments and photos from those who collect them!
Aly

Gift Ideas using Boys and Girls Charms

2010-07-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

Summer is a great time to plan your engrave-able holiday charm bead gifts. Girls and Boys charm beads are designed with a plain back so you can take it to your local jewelers and have your child's name engraved on the back.

Great ideas include:

Grandma's brag bracelet. Combine Boys and Girls with birthstones and favorite hobbies.Gift for new mother: engrave the baby's name and birthdate.

Memorial bead for loved ones who have passed on to the other side. This is often a great comfort. Not so much a holiday gift, but an acknowledgment during an important time.

Sweeties beads: put your and your sweetheart's name on a set.

Adoption/surrogate brag bracelet: add the child's name or special wish for child on the back of the bead.

Mother's day bracelet: hey, any day can be Mother's Day! Add a charm for each child, Mother's favorite colors, foods, hobbies, and beads that symbolize special vacations and memories.

Fairy Charm Beads- one for each season

2010-07-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

Our charming Fairies have just flown in to help us celebrate the seasons. Wear them one at a time as the year turns 'round, or together as a set.

Fairy charms make wonderful tooth fairy gifts (left under the pillow from the tooth fairy).

Do you believe in fairies?

Summer Fairy is holding the first bright summer ray of sunshine. She reminds us to celebrate the fun of the season, to frolic and picnic in nature, go exploring, listen to the birds, and smell the flowers on the long sunny days of summer.

Autumn Fairy has her hood up and is holding the first fall colored leaf. She reminds us to enjoy the harvest that Summer brought, prepare our homes for the upcoming season, and enjoy the cool splendor of the Autumn

"No spring, nor summer beauty hath such grace

As I have seen in one autumnal face"
—John Donne

Winter Fairy is holding her crystal snowflake wand. She takes great delight in the long, cozy nights of winter, family gatherings, telling stories around the fireplace, and the beauty of fresh rain and snow.

Spring Fairy is walking in the garden gathering her first bouquet of Spring. She celebrates the new season, a time of change and fresh starts, blooming flowers, gentle spring rains, and visiting birds.

The world is very old;
But every Spring
It groweth young again,
And Fairies sing.

Cecily Mary Barker, Flower Fairies of the Spring (1923)

Summer Designs Release Party!

2010-07-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

You are invited to the Charmish "Summer Charm Beads Release Party"
Wed July 6th,
at 11am West Coast USA time

Be the first girl on your block to wear the new designs, like this cutie, "Beach Trip" above. She's got her convertible, sunglasses, mini board, picnic, and tunes. She's free for the day and heading to the beach!

Others in the list? Roller Derby, Lighthouse, Tree of Life, Love Birds, Flip Flops, and the newest Sock Monkey charm........ wait, I can't tell you EVERYthing! Come see! Also new are charm bead jewelry boxes and travel pouches.

All my charms are solid sterling, threaded, and will fit on bracelets from other major brands. I also carry bracelets to get your collection started. Convo me on Etsy if have any questions about compatibility. I'm always happy to chat.

Aly
Designer of all things CHARMISH

New treats for Twilight fans

2010-06-30T14:56:00.001-07:00

Good news for Twilight fans, my Vampire and Werewolf Love charm bead set is back in stock. These are my charm beads designed for European style charm bracelets, in solid silver. Free world wide shipping. Click the photos or this link to find your way to my etsy shop. Vampires and Werewolves are also available separately in case you have your heart set on your favorite. I won't tell who's more popular.

I also recommend the Books charm bead. Just to think, it all began with a book...........

Charmish is green!

2010-06-21T12:52:00.000-07:00

Did you know that Charmish has a green office? Both literally and figuratively?

I purchase recycled office supplies, of 60-100 % post consumer content. Yes, even the fancy little charm boxes are made of recycled paper and cardboard.

I keep a file of old paper with a blank back side for use in sketching designs, making to do lists, and general office work.

I reuse all incoming cardboard packaging and envelopes. If the envelopes are clean and undamaged I send them out with orders or other outgoing shipments. If a box or envelope has been marked or damaged, it is used for office storage, or as a last step, packaging and boxes are shipped back to the recycling factory.

I have a request. Please recycle as much as you can on your end. Recycle your paper mail, envelopes, paper scraps, boxes, and breathe easy; next generation will thank us!

So if you receive a Charmish recycled, repaired package, with extra decorations of course, just smile, knowing I've done my job.

ARRRRR! It's the Pirate Charmbead Set!

2010-06-17T11:52:00.000-07:00

Celebrate your inner pirate with this piratical charm bead SET which includes:
- the very original the peg-legged, one-eyed, carrot brandishing Pirate Bunny charm,
- the skull decorated, heart and sword Pirate Shield charm,
- and the Pirate ship itself.

A fantastical treasure for any pirate to behold!

ARRRrrrrr! Be sure to capture your set before International Talk Like A Pirate day on September 19th.

SAVE $5 when you buy all three in the set at once. Free international shipping.

Who IS this bunny? Hero or Villain?

Let us introduce you to Pirate Bunny, a humorous new charm from my pirate collection. He’s a peg-leg, patch-eyed, carrot-loving pirate who sails the seas in search of adventure. Brandishing not one, or two, but three carrots, pirate bunny will not be trifled with. He does, however, enjoy a good joke.

Pirate bunny is a great find for any bunny collector, fun to wear for Easter, and a MUST-have for Talk Like a Pirate Day. Yarg!

Knock Knock

Who’s there?

Carrot

Carrot who?

Do you carrot all about me?

I'm thrilled with the level of detail the jewelers were able to get on these pieces. Amazing! The pirate Ship has tiny cannons and even ocean waves on the bottom. The Pirate Crest has the tiniest skulls wrapping around to the back.

JCK show and pricing update

2010-05-19T20:56:00.001-07:00

As most of you know, our brand, Ohm beads, has been out for over a year now, and we just celebrated an "official" brand launch during the JCK wholesale show. Vegas, Baby! :-)

The charms have been offered at an introductory price, and are now at their regular value. All stores (online and brick) are simultaneously meeting the MSRP (manufactured retail price, which takes into account the rising cost of silver and costs involved with the creation of this fine jewelry). Remember, I'm the designer, not the company owner, but I am spreading the word so everyone understands these changes. After June 1st, you will still be getting them at very competitive market prices, which will be consistent from all sources.

You have been investing in the highest quality, solid silver, collectible, heirloom quality charms. Some designs you have are now retired, putting them in the rare category, and some have been special edition. As the Ohm bead brand name grows, so will our company and collector-family. You can continue to buy directly from me at Charmish, and get on my fav customer list or facebook page to be informed of sales and specials.

Upcoming: many new, exciting designs coming your way, including the summer series, more Pave crystal, new holiday designs, a line of children's beads, and explorations in enamel color process!

Cheers,
Aly
designer

One of my displays for the JCK show. The booth was so cute and inviting in all pinks and brown!

I loved meeting so many new Ohm Beads fans at our booth. We had visitors from all over the world and the word is: charm bead collecting is hot, hot, HOT! Thank you for all the exciting feedback about the amazing detail our jewelers are able to put into each charm, and for adoring my playful, original designs. We used large posters of Surprised Octopus, the Sock Monkey, and star studded Robot to amuse our visitors. It seems other charm companies are more conservative and traditional. We had a great show.

That famous Vegas desert sunset!

Bellagio water ballet

Zodiac Charms!

2010-05-19T19:11:00.001-07:00

This week's " What's New Wednesday " features the new Zodiac series. Oooo, la la! The charms have three sides, so there's room to show off all the special features for each sign. You get a picture of your sign's representation, you get the symbol, and a special stone for each one.

These are first run, so I have only one of each to start, then I'll get a restock.

Charm bead give-away!

2010-05-10T10:16:00.000-07:00

Share the LOVE give-away.

To enter in this drawing for a free LOVE charm bead, simply subscribe to Charmish blog or facebook fan page and leave a comment at either site. Check back next Friday to see who won! For Charmish Beads fans only. Happy Friday!!!!

Charmish Beads Facebook Fan Page link - join in the fun!
Or subscribe to this blog and leave a comment here to get in the drawing.
Or join my fav customers mailing list! You get occasional emails from me about new designs, specials, holidays, new releases and fun. (see box to the left) Leave a comment at this blog post to get into the drawing.

Have a CHARMING week, Ladies!
xoxo
Aly

Girls Rule! - "What's New Wednesday" Product Review

2010-05-05T10:25:00.000-07:00

Girls Rule! We know why we are fabulous. Flaunt it!

Gift this to a friend who may need a little reminding. Great charm for roller derby girls/fans, and pirate lassies!

New to European charm bracelets?
Join in the latest style of charm bracelets and beads! The bracelet you design, collect, and change on a whim. These are hot all over the world. Get started with a sterling cable bracelet, and collect all the charms that represent your life, what you love, what you celebrate about yourself. Click the photo to jump to my shop, if you like.

Mother's Day Specials

2010-04-28T10:35:00.001-07:00

Mother's day is May 9th and Charmish is stocked with very special beads just for her!

The heart with banner says, "I love you" on one side, and "Mother" on the other. Supplies are limited. After Mother's day, you can order this heart banner charm with ANY words or names or dates that you'd like. You'll have to plan ahead as it can take up to 4 weeks.
The other side of the Mother's day special bead. :-)

This are my new Girl and boy beads, featuring a heart with sparkling crystals. Customizable! The backs are left plain so you can add your child's name, birth date or special message, by taking them to your local engraver.

I felt that charms should be even more special and personal, so these are my first customizable offerings. :-)

Sweet boy charm. Great for Mother's day, new baby gift, or any mother's birthday.

I've stocked the store with new charms especially for Mother's Day. I'm offering next day shipping on all charms for Mother's day. First class mail gets it there, in the US, in 3-5 days.

Charmish fans

2010-03-18T21:39:00.000-07:00

Charmish just opened a fan page on Facebook. If you are on facebook, look up Charmish Beads and come say hi! It's a great place to ask me questions about European charm beads, and sharing your ideas for charms you'd like to see made!

Easter Designs Debut

2010-03-03T22:45:00.000-08:00

Brand new Easter beads for European charm bracelets. This is their world debut, I hope they aren't feeling shy. Catch these cuties in my etsy shop on Monday, when all four new charms will be ready for sale.

A Fabergé egg is any one of the thousands of jeweled eggs made by the House of Faberge from 1885 through 1917. The majority of these were miniature ones that were popular gifts at Eastertide. They would be worn on a neck chain either singly or in groups.

The eggs are made of precious metals or hard stones decorated with combinations of enamel and gem stones. The term "Fabergé egg" has become a synonym of luxury and the eggs are regarded as masterpieces of the jeweler's art. The Faberge Imperial Easter Eggs are regarded as the last great series of commissions for objects de'art.

My Faberge egg, seen above, is a tribute, smaller and simpler, however I plan to add to the egg collection each Easter, so there will be many Easter egg charms to collect and choose from. This one features filigree spirals and a lavender stone on top. Solid sterling, of course, with internal threading. The charm bead is among my larger pieces. More about the history of Faberge at the bottom of this post. I loved learning more about them!

Mr Easter Bunny. He's a classic sort of Easter bunny, dressed up for the occasion, with a basket full of eggs at the ready.

Original history of Faberge eggs.

The story began when Czar Alexander III decided to give his wife the Empress Maria Fedorovna the an Easter Egg in 1885, possibly to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their betrothal. It is believed that the Czar’s inspiration for the piece was an egg owned by the Empress’s aunt, Princess Wilhelmine Marie of Denmark, which had captivated Maria’s imagination in her childhood. Known as the Hen Egg, it is crafted from gold. Its opaque white enamelled ‘shell’ opens to reveal its first surprise, a matte yellow gold yolk. This in turn opens to reveal a multi-colored gold hen, that also opens. It contains a minute diamond replica of the Imperial Crown from which a small ruby pendant was suspended. Unfortunately, these last two surprises have been lost.

Empress Maria was so delighted by this gift that Alexander appointed Fabergé a ‘goldsmith by special appointment to the Imperial Crown’. He commissioned another egg the following year. However, after that, Peter Carl Fabergé, who headed the House, was apparently given complete freedom for future Imperial Easter Eggs, as from this date their designs become more elaborate. According to the Fabergé family tradition, not even the Czar knew what form they would take: the only stipulation was that each one should contain a surprise. Following the death of Alexander III on November 1st 1894, his son presented a Fabergé egg to both his wife, the Empress Alexandra Fedorovna, and to his mother, the Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna.

No eggs were made for 1904 and 1905 because of theRussian/Japanese war. Once an initial design had been approved by Peter Carl Fabergé, the work was carried out by an entire team of craftsmen.

The Imperial eggs enjoyed great fame, and Fabergé made some other large eggs for just a few select private clients, such as the Duchess of Marlborough, the Nobels, the Rothschilds and Yusupovs.

See all the fun things one learns? Actually my design work requires quite a bit of research. I love it!

Spring Fling at Charmish

2010-02-27T12:09:00.001-08:00

Come on over to my castle on Sunday, pull up a chair, have yourself a fancy vacation drink, and check out the Spring Fling new designs listing party at Charmish! New charms will be listed starting at noon PST (Oregon time) and free prize drawing! Come see what's new for Spring!

My Irish Eyes Are Smilin' !

2010-02-27T11:50:00.001-08:00

And yours will be too, when you see these new Irish Day celebration charms. Show your pride for St Patrick's day, and wear them for extra luck all year 'round.

This one is lovely green glass the shade of the Emerald Isle itself, in spring time, and is called, "Kiss Me Im Irish".

Lucky Clover
Do you know anyone else who might be in need of a little Luck O The Irish?

Locks and Stoppers

2010-02-24T10:51:00.000-08:00

Greetings! I listed my first set of locks over Valentines, and since they've sold I've had several requests for more locks. So let's chat about what locks are and what they do and don't do for your charm bracelet.

There are two types of locks. Pandora locks clip over the little built in bumps on Pandora brand bracelets, allowing the bracelet to be divided into three sections. This is a wonderful feature for people just starting their charm collection. No matter how you move, some beads will always be on top rather than all sliding to the bottom.

Stopper locks are for bracelets without the little bumps. They have a strip of silicone inside to keep them from sliding. Clip them anywhere on your bracelet to create sections. Be GENTLE with the silicone as it can peel out. Pandora wearers can also buy stopper locks and just remove the silicone so the lock will fit on the intended bump.

Once the bracelet is full, your locks look like any other lovely charm bead, or you can take them off and start a second bracelet. You can have two matching locks or two different ones. Enjoy!

These are my two new locks. The top is the Spring stopper lock (with silicone for bracelets without bumps) and the bottom is Magnetic Hearts for Pandora bracelets with bumps. Now available in Charmish.

The Gnome Set

2010-02-18T17:55:00.001-08:00

Awww, the whole set is together at last. I designed these charms about six months ago, and Mr Gnome was released first, then by the time Mrs Gnome came out, Mr Gnome was all sold out. It's lovely to see them all together at last!

Mr and Mrs Gnome and their unique Mushroom house:

Mr. Gnome will love to give you advice on your garden, walk in the woods with you, and tell stores of all his woodland adventures. Mrs. Gnome will love to tell you happy stories about the woodland animals she cares for, the right herbs to cure your cold, and share her recipe for hazelnut tea cake. You'll also want to wear their cute little Mushroom house, with tiny windows and mailbox.

A great bead for everyone who loves gnomes, woodland charms, forest, mushrooms, gardening, and cuteness!

You can find the set for sale at Charmish. It's always a good deal to purchase my sets because you get a discount AND free worldwide shipping.

Woodland Tree is a good Gnome set companion and also currently in stock.

Have a great Friday!

The Elemental Charm Bracelet

2010-02-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

The Elements at your fingertips: Air, Fire, Water, Earth. Pandora style European charm bracelet. Collect the beads that represent who you are, what your life is about, who you love, what makes your world go 'round.

This is the first set created from my original drawings. Now all the pieces are united. Sold as a full set or individually. You can look into the symbolism of each element, choose the one that goes with your zodiac sign, or that of your loved one, choose an element that brings balance to your personality, or goes with your profession! Are you a pilot? Air! Do you teach scuba or windsurfing? Water! Are you a trail guide? Earth! Are you a firefighter, or chef? Fire! See what fun we can have with the elements?

Definition: The four basic elements are air, earth, fire, and water. Understanding what each element represents helps us evaluate where our individual strengths and weaknesses are.

Air = THOUGHT and represents intellect, mental intention, and connection to universal life force.

Earth = STABILITY and represents grounding, foundation of life, substance, connection to life path, and family roots.

Fire = DESIRE and represents energy, tool for transformation, connection to personal power, and inner strength.

Water = EMOTIONS and represents emotional release, intuition, and inner reflection.

Every day we warm ourselves by Fire,

Wash ourselves in Water,

Feel the Wind in our hair,

Walk upon the Earth.

Hand Jive

2010-01-12T22:02:00.000-08:00

Welcome the latest in my hand series of charm beads: Live Long and Prosper. This is a Vulcan hand sign that we so often saw the solemn Spock make. It was said that Leonard Nimoy made up the sign, on set, just before that classic series to his homeland. Years later, he let fly that it was a Jewish blessing sign he had seen as a child. Shalom hand. I love that story.

Wear "Live long and prosper" charm bead. It's a little bit treky, a little bit kitch, a little bit of ancient Jewish blessing, and a lot a bit fun.

Peace. Peace, Man. Victory! Hi, I'm here and loving life.

It's the classic peace sign. Does it mean "peace" officially in ASL?

Peace out.

I Heart......

2010-01-08T11:34:00.000-08:00

I heart my new Aussie Charmish friends! Thank you all for finding me.

Stay tuned for all the fun new designs coming this year: new ways to play with bling, new characters, goddesses, Easter, fairy tales, and more. :-)

New Designs Sneek Peek - charm bracelet beads

2010-01-06T10:06:00.000-08:00

Look who's here?! It's Mrs Gnome! While I'm waiting on a refill for Mr Gnome, his sweetheart came to visit. I will be listing Mrs Gnome charm beads later today. I have a small first batch, then restock will be higher. So don't worry.

She's cute and forest-rustic style, just like I had planned. She has a long braid down the back.

More new goodies are on my desk! Unicorn, Lil Devil/Lil Angel set, new pieces in the hands series, and lots of lovely, Love-themed Valentines charms. Shop early to get the best selection!

The Kangaroo Mum and Joey charm is in. As many of you know, half of my family is Australian. It's a special pleasure making Australian themed charms. I've seen so many of OZ special creatures depicted as the lone Koala, the single male kangaroo, and I've chosen my series to be about the marsupial MUMS. :-) I have Sydney Opera house, Koala, Kangaroo, Echidnea, Clown Fish, and I am open to other suggestions you have for Australian animals and sites.

Here is the proud mother kangaroo, with cute Joey in her pocket. I'll never forget the visit I had to a kangaroo sanctuary where a friendly mother let me admire and gently pet the gorgeous Joey in her pouch. He looked up at me through incredibly long eye lashes, with an air of complete contentment.

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The List: as you all know, The List is the place I collect the charms you each would like and I convo you when I'm able to get a refill. As the year turned over, the List has been able to turn into pre-ordering. My jewelers are able to get my restock orders faster now, so pre-ordering is easy! Yey! I'm very happy about that. Order what you like, and I'll get them in for you at record speed.

Current work:
Some of you have been asking what I'm currently working on for this year. I will scan some of my sketches to show you in my next blog entry, but shhhhh, don't tell Pandora, I don't want any of them stealing our secret plans.

I thank each and every one of you for your orders, which allows me to design more of the good stuff. Happy happy!
Aly

Love is in the air...........

2010-01-03T21:27:00.001-08:00

Hearts have descended upon Charmish. I have new heart designs, including several very pretty glass pieces. A great time to shop for early valentines gifts, AND tell your sweetie where to buy for YOU.

Love Makes the World Go 'Round

Vining Hearts Locks for the bracelets that have sections, like Pandora.
Come see what's new at Charmish - designer beads for charm bracelets.

xoxo

Happy New Year!

2009-12-30T17:21:00.000-08:00

Thank you for the lovely welcome back! So many old and new Charmish friends have written in at the reopening to get new beads for themselves and tell me how their charm gifts went over during the holidays. It's one of the great pleasures of selling on etsy, the direct contact between designer/seller and customer. I love all your stories!

Holidays sales were greater than I ever expected. I want to thank everyone for being so patient with me- some mistakes were made. :-) It was great a bit of a frenzy, as well as great fun!

Second thank you: I appreciate each and every sale. You have all contributed to Charmish being able to carry MORE charms at once, so you have greater selection, as well as keeping me DESIGNING an ongoing new selection for all you wonderful charm collectors.

Everyone has been awesome about getting their charms on The List. Getting charm "refills" is happening faster and faster these days, due to volume of sales, so there's less wait. Yey! Looking for something not in stock? Jump on The List and I'll fill your order.

I am currently cooking up cute spring and summer themed designs, and have a big stash of Valentine's charms just waiting for the love to bloom. Are you ready for the love??

Happy New Years,
Aly

Happy Holidays Give Away

2009-12-14T15:55:00.000-08:00

Thank you for all the lovely holiday orders! I've put all the Friday-Sunday night orders on strips of paper and into my drawing hat. I get to draw one name and the lucky winner will find a Gingerbread Boy in their package. All packages shipping Tuesday.

And the lucky winner is......... Gnome Angel!!!!! Weeeeeee!!!!!

If you need any last minute charm beads, it's not too late. Get your order in in the next two days, before I close shop for a little holiday get away. :-)

Friday New Designs Release Party

2009-12-10T14:58:00.000-08:00

Dear Charmish Fans,
Thank you for all the lovely lovely orders November and December. Your support gets you fabulous charm beads, and allows me to create even more of my original designs for you, and keep more stock in my shop.

New Designs Release Party
I have some brand new Holiday designs as well as restock of some sought after favs, that I'll be posting tomorrow morning around 9am PST - Oregon time. Come in and see.

One lucky person will receive a FREE GINGERBREAD BOY charm! Each bead ordered Friday - Sunday night will count as a chance to win him for your very own (and order of four beads, puts your name in the hat four times, etc) . Random drawing on Monday night.

I'm getting orders out as soon as possible.
Love and Peace to you all!

Aly of Charmish

New Christmas Charms

2009-11-25T09:08:00.001-08:00

Dear Charmish Fans,
Holiday charms are back in stock. Show off your holiday spirit with fun charms like: Gingerbread Cottage, Christmas Tree, Santa, and the little Angel. Or get your happy hands on some favorites like : Cuddle Cats, Books, and Vampire/Werewolf sets. It's a great time to pick up your gift charms!

Bite Me Sale!

2009-11-19T10:22:00.000-08:00

This is the BITE ME sale! 10% off all Charmish charm beads. Solid sterling! Yea! Bite! Bite!

No-no, Sock Monster, this is NOT the Bite Me sale, that sounds very rude to our guests! Please try to mind your manners.

Sorry about that. This is the "Pre Holiday Sale at Charmish" note. We are letting everyone know that on Friday, all the great charms in Charmish will be 10% off. Storewide savings to make room for new charms and Holiday charms coming next week! OK?

HOW do you get 10% off? Choose your charms, commit to buy, do everything on the etsy sale but the last step, then I'll take 10% off and invoice you through paypal.

What does this sale include? Charms, glass sets, everything EXCEPT empty bracelets and Christmas charms (not Santa, Snowman or Angel). Free shipping on orders over $100.

Sock Monster, if you are GOOD, I'll let you help me sort the laundry later....... :-)

Everyone on the waiting list: I have all your special treats duly noted and will contact you when they come in.

xoxoxo

HOliday Charms

2009-11-16T19:51:00.001-08:00

Holidays are coming! And of course a refill on all my holiday themed charms- some that you have seen, and some you haven't, in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, check into Charmish on Friday for a big pre-holiday SALE! Need to make some room for new beads......

And of course, I am thinking ahead to Spring themes. I'm designing goodness for Easter and stocking new treats for your Valentine's pleasures. Now you KNOW how good I am to you!

Search Option

2009-11-07T10:05:00.000-08:00

The New Designs Release party was excellent, thank you for all who came to par-tay yesterday! I still have lots and lots of stock, so please tell your friends. The more that sells, the more NEW beads I can order.

Now that Charmish has so MANY charms in stock, let's talk about how to search the store for specific things you are looking for. I do have categories, but you may want to jump in and look for something more specific. Once you are open to Charmish's page, you can use the search box at the top to find something specific. Want to search for "cat" or "car" or "fish", put that word in the search box for Charmish's shop (don't' go back out to the main etsy search engine).

Happy weekend everyone!

New Design Release Party at Charmish!!!

2009-11-05T12:44:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow, Friday morning, Charmish is having a New Designs Release Party (morning, Oregon time). I'll be listing many of my brand new designs one after the other. YEY!!! Some, like this Sock Monkey bead, I've been waiting on for 6 months. I'm so excited!!!

Sock Monkey is my new favorite bead, so come see him and all his new friends tomorrow morning. Please bring a friend. There may be prizes and specials going on!

Trick or Treat!

2009-10-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

With Halloween coming, I'm excited to get all my friends set up with their fav new charms. Vampire and Werewolf have been the hot duo . Charmish is nicely inhabited by odd creatures at the moment. Check out some of the cute (or gruesome) newbies....... Happy Pumpkin....

Frankenstein.....

Wizarding Hat.........great for year'round Harry Potter fans, as well as young and old wizards, alike.

Cute Chainsaw guy (aka Jason)...... why, just tell me why, is he so popular with the ladies?

Angel......
and more. Have you met the Sock Monster yet?

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Sneak Peek:
The latest addition to the Crafter's Series: "I Love Knitting" bead. Soon to make her fuzzy debut in Charmish.

New addition to the Charmish jewelry line:

The latest way to wear your charms? On a charm necklace, of course. I searched high and low for a necklace that
- is made for our charms,
- a price we can afford,
- and looks great as a plain chain or featuring our favorite bead/s.

Ladies, I give you the Viking weave chain. It's chain made by hand, in an old style that's close to knitting with wire. The chain turns out to have a supple hand, and the same diameter as our bracelets. The necklace is 15", which puts your beads up by the collar bone, where they'll be seen. This chain is gorgeous on it's own, fits larger pendants with a big enough loop, and is the perfect way to wear favorite charm beads or glass. I've test driven one for months before listing them for you. (Do I go to the mat for my girls or what??)

Holiday savings:
My silver bracelets on sale through the Winter holidays for $32 (down from $45). I hope it makes gift-giving even sweeter.

My bracelets are solid sterling (of course, everything I design and sell is solid, healthy silver or glass), with a sturdy enclosure clasp, and the threads on the end of the bracelet, so your beads can't fall off when it's open. I've seen some magnetic clasps for sale on Etsy. Stay away from those, they can pop open.

Happy Halloween everyone!
Dress up cute, have fun, and rock the Casaba.!
Aly

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I Love Knitting and Talking :-)

2009-10-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

English Tea and New Necklace

2009-09-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

English Tea Set is my latest design. I like the off-set feature, so they are different on each side.
Flower Tea Cup, Flower Tea Pot. I was tempted to sell them as a set......

I would like charm lovers to be able to wear their charms on a necklace. The one necklace I had in the shop was rather dear, so I've been searching for something more affordable. I bought one of these handmade Viking style chains for myself and just love it. It's made by basically hand knitting the wire, then drawing it down through wooden "drawplates" with a smaller and smaller diameter, until the little loops of wire are fine and smooth.

I've been wearing mine for three months now and adore it. I can wear pendants as well as my charm beads! 15" which is about collar bone length. If you are interested in a longer style, let me know.

I'm also going to carry a really simple silicone rubber necklace. It's fun and inexpensive. May also be a nice accompaniment to a gift bead.

These will all be in the shop in the next few days.

Happy week all!
PS, do you like the larger print? I think it's easier to read. Please tell me if it looks dorky.
xo Aly

Food Hobbies and Travel

2009-09-18T09:25:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited about all the new designs that have come in this week!

Food, hobbies and travel? Those are some of life's great joys. Let's celebrate- European bead charm bracelet style.

Sushi Tray charm bead.
My family loves Sushi Station, where we sit at the bar, watching the chefs prepare all the yummy sushi, and place it on the conveyor belt for us to choose. The kids know all their favorites and are willing to try anything new. Here's one for all us Sushi lovers!

BoomBox.
For musicians, music lovers, dancers, this little boom box charm bead with get your groove on.

Lucky Sapphire Dice charm bead.
Feeling lucky? Maybe you'd like to have this sparkly sapphire and ruby cz to remind you. What do you feel lucky about in life? Or do you need a little extra luck? Bling bling.

Lil Camper charm bead.
I designed this European charm bead camper after the tiniest of Airstream style campers. It's so cute, I just wanna eat it, or go traveling!!!
Food, hobbies and travel? Those are some of life's great joys. I hope you get a kick out of my new designs debuting this week.

Important News: Please shop the "sold" section. WHAT? Yes, let me clarify: as it is my mission to keep bringing the latest, greatest, newest choice of designs into the shop, I can't possibly contain all my designs at once. I pick up a few of each new design as it comes out, and when those are sold, I move onto the next new set. BUT most of the designs are continuously available behind the scenes. So, please feel free to ask for things that have sold recently. I can either get them for you right away, or put you on a waiting list. My production team has made changes that get the "refills" to us sooner, so the wait won't be long in most cases.

Coming soon: my English garden tea set, and Irish pot of gold.

The World's First Gay Pride European Bead?

2009-09-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

Could I be? I think I've invented the world's first Gay Pride European bead charm. Please welcome the Rainbow Spinner to the Charmish collection. My designs celebrate world culture, love, all positive spiritual beliefs, playful pop culture, food and nature.
Charmish hit 200 sales today. I'd like to send out a heartful Thank you to all Charmish's lovely friends.

Cheers!

2009-08-27T18:46:00.000-07:00

Happy end of August. Some Oregonians have complained that it's cooled down to 83 degrees. I love it. Warm sunny days, cool nights, and the last week of August. We are still visiting the outdoor pool most days, and walking the dog. Planning one more "big" camping trip before school starts. That reminds me: thank you to everyone who has been so patiently waiting for their orders as I get caught up from the last camping excursion.

You'll see more and more holiday charms wandering into the shop, having a look around, and hopefully being whisked off to new owners. I'm happy to have reunited Vampire and Werewolf beads at this time, and getting the second 1/2 of the pair sent off to those who could only capture one.

New Designs, Baby!

My business plan involves keeping some favorites in the shop, but a focus on new designs coming in. New goodies is great for everyone. This means I carry small batches of beads at a time. SO, I am formally inviting you to also shop in the "sold" section. My bead reorders are coming more promptly, so feel free to request beads you'd like that aren't currently in the store.

Calling all wizards

2009-08-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

Wizarding Hat is coming to Charmish. Will you wear yours just for Halloween or all year 'round? Makes a lovely gift for any wizard fan.

Jack O Lantern for fall celebrations. They will be listed in Charmish in the next few days.

Those of you on the waiting list for 'Cuddle Kittens" will be notified shortly. Cheers to August!

Sale of the Day

2009-08-08T15:41:00.001-07:00

Charmish etsy store now sports a "SALE of the Day" section. That means any bead you find in that section will offer $2 off itself. Discount to be given after purchase. I'll ship it back to your paypal account. This allows me to sneak different beads into and out of the SALE section at ease (no rewriting listings and fuss).

Be sure to check here to spot your new best friend!

Holiday Gingerbread

2009-08-06T11:15:00.001-07:00

New bead friends for the holidays: Gingerbread Boy and Gingerbread House. Can you guess that I like gingerbread?

I like gingerbread cake with real chunks of crystallized ginger, and a dollop of whipped cream.

When I was little, mom and I made gingerbread people for all our friends and family, decorating each one to look like the recipient. It is one of my favorite childhood memories. Mom made frosting in cake decorating tubes, so we could apply appropriate colored hair, eyes, glasses, and clothing. I loved it. Now, I do the same with my kids.

Though I "cheat" when it comes to making gingerbread houses. We use Graham crackers!

Snow WOMAN- inside the design delema

2009-08-04T12:42:00.000-07:00

Holidays are coming (sorry to mention, but designers must plan in advance) and I'm working on a snow woman charm bead.

How to depict a snow woman without giving her snow breasts? Does she need them? Do they define womankind? Yes and no. Would it be amusing in a fun way? I find this one cute.

I like the idea in some cartoons, but don't think I'd like it on my bracelet. I think this is funny, then have to wonder why humankind is so obsessed with breasts.

I object to the typical apron as definition as a woman. It's cute in the above cartoon, but you won't see that on my design.

Can she just be a SnowWoman because I say so?

I've come across this book about the History of Snowmen. The website is amusing. I may have to buy the book.

Charmish in Treasury- Cute Japanese Styled Goodness

2009-08-02T11:56:00.000-07:00

My Charmish bead, Maneki Neko, landed in this etsy treasury collection. Many of the items were so cute, I had to visit their shops and mark favorites. The ninja buttons made me laugh.

Charmish beads are designed by me, but not handmade by me, so they must be marked as a "supply" which puts them outside of Etsy's regular search engines. "Supplies" are their own category. Thus, word of mouth is incredibly important in helping my Charmish business grow. It's fantastic and very much appreciated when Charmish gets blog coverage, makes it into treasuries, and excited customers share my business cards with their friends.

In an effort to get beyond a "supply" I'm about to market bracelets featuring collections of my beads. I've commissioned a local glass artist to make several sets of custom glass beads that enhance my designs. Collaborating with another artist is a great deal of fun. Im a big fan of lampwork glass.

Holidays: you will start to see a smattering of holidays bead designs entering my shop: Christmas Elf, Gingerbread Boy and Cottage...... other wee surprises. Planning ahead for holiday fun.

Happy August!

Crafter's Series

2009-07-25T21:49:00.001-07:00

Please wave and welcome the new Crafters Series charm beads. Some of you might know I have a background in Costume Design and I also love to create in textiles. I sew almost every day.

As they are my favorite bead designs so far, let's have a little celebration. The first person to guess, and you must guess before the beads sell and arrive at someone's house, WHAT I've had inscribed in wee letters on the bottom of the Sewing Machine, gets a mystery prize. Hint: it's only one word, but it makes most of us creative types very happy.

The Pin Cushion Tomato. Isn't it so cute?? I'm selling them as a set because, it's like, like, um, a pool without its water! Trying hard to come up with a summer themed analogy.

The Sewing Machine bead charm. It's my favorite bead to wear. I love how the bracelet is seen through the machine and the bit of fabric being sewn.

Custom Jewelry Boxes

2009-07-25T09:23:00.000-07:00

For the glass makers: I'm going to be carrying gorgeous bead display racks - available within the next few weeks.

For the jewelry wearers: I'm currently designing a special jewelry box just for your European beads bracelets and charm bead collections. Hope they are available by the holidays.

Keep your eye out for the Crafter's series coming out this weekend.

Let them eat CAKE!

2009-07-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

Yey! I'm happy to announce the release of happy cupcake charms! Cherry on Top and Crown topped.

Let us also celebrate that the photos are now watermarked. The European beads market happens to be a little competitive. Knock-off companies will not only take my designs and copy them directly, they will also snag my photos for use in sales. Talk about lack of creativity. As serious as that sounds, I don't worry about it, or spend time looking to see who's got what. I'm full of new design ideas, and always moving forward. Creative, positive minded people rock, right? LOL!

I'm posting them in the store now. Enjoy!

To Glass or Not To Glass?

2009-07-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

I am having some very special glass commissioned from a lampworking friend- details to be revealed soon- hush hush and all that!

I'm interested in carrying glass for my Charmish customers. I am a big fan of lampwork and have bought beautiful pieces from etsy artists around the world, for my bracelet.

I'd like your feedback on the subject. Would you like to take my poll? Left bar and scroll down... see it? If you have further comments, go ahead and leave them in the comments box. Love ya!

Celebrations and Symbols

2009-07-13T19:32:00.000-07:00

New toys in the shop: Maneki Neko- wealth and luck symbol kitty......

This cute three tiered Wedding Cake to celebrate all the summer weddings.....

Lady Liberty! Our national symbol is liberty and justice. She's cute as a button here....

And Celebration Elephant. What in your life are you ready to celebrate? She's got her party hat and banner ready to go!

Summer Care for your European Beads

2009-07-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

Summer is officially ON! Time for the pool, hot tub, and the great outdoors. Please follow these tips to keep your precious, silver, European bead charm bracelets safe and shiny.

Pool? Don't wear your jewelry in the pool. Chlorine is rough on the silver and removes the lovely oxidation.

Hot tub? Don't do it. Chlorine issues, plus the hot water, damages any CZ crystals you may have.

Cleaning house. Be sure your charm bracelet doesn't come in contact with chemical cleaning products as it will ruin the finish. Natural cleaners are better for your health as well.

Sun block lotion? Good for you for remembering to use your sunblock. Your beads will look great sparkling in the sunlight! And will appreciate a quick rinse and towel dry at the end of the day.

Summer cleaning: some European bead experts suggest wiping your beads down each evening. That may be more upkeep than most of us care to do. I suggest giving your beads a quick weekly polish in the summer months. Use a soft silver polish cloth, available in jewelry stores and through Charmish. It's fun to buff the little beads and your bracelet, bringing them back to a gleaming shine. It only takes moments. Don't use liquid silver polish on your beads as it will remove the oxidation (the lovely darkened areas in the designs).

With a little care and occasional cleaning, your charm bracelet will gleam for a lifetime, and be handed down for generations to come.

Welcome to Charmish's new blog

2009-07-08T10:45:00.001-07:00

Hello! Welcome to Charmish's brand new blog. Please subscribe to get in on new releases, specials, jewelry articles and designers.

I transferred all the Charmish articles from my regular blog, Bliss Monkey Studio, so they can all be in once place. You are welcome to read both blogs, but I decided a Charmish - only blog would be easier for charm bracelet friends to look through.

yey!

Australia Series - pandora style european beads charm bracelet

2009-07-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to share the Australia charm bead series. I have been eagerly awaiting the first production of these beads to arrive. Eventually there will be more animals in the set, but these beauties are a great place to start collecting.

This is the Australian flag super-imposed on a map of Australia, and wrapped around the bead. I have designed one for the US, and UK as well! (soon soon). Unique pieces for your European Charm Bead collection.

This shows the scale of the tiny tiny work and the craftsmanship. See Tasmania down there? So cute.

Koala mum and baby. Many of the Australian souvenir jewelry and other company's charm beads show a single animal. I wanted to celebrate the special animals of Australia and motherhood! Coming soon: Mother kangaroo and joey, Echidnea and Platypus.

Sydney Opera House. I wear one of these on my own charm bracelet along with the Eucalyptus Leaf bead. I feel like I have a little pieces of Australia with me. I was inspired to design this series for my children who have dual citizenship, but haven't visited yet, my beloved Australian clients, and of course my natural love for Australia.

If there are any opera fans out there, you might like to know that many SOH productions are available to view on Netflicks! Huh.

Koala, Kangaroo, Clown Fish, Eucalyptus, and Sydney Opera House are still available. The sample set with the Map/Flag of OZ sold out, but I'll be getting more in. If you are interested in these, please ask to be on my waiting list. :-)

Fairytale Series

2009-07-08T10:29:00.000-07:00

Inspired by fairy tales, I designed this series of Fairytale charm beads. Everyone has a bit of magic in them, they may simply need reminding........

The Frog Prince has been arrested? What's the rap? Can he still wear his crown in jail? I think the King will bail him out shortly. He is a real prince after all..... he just needs one simple kiss. Is that so hard to come by?

Don't worry, it's only the size chart photo.

The Wishing Well. Did you know that tourists throw just under 3 million pounds per year into wishing wells? (In November 2006 the "Fountain Money Mountain" reported). Clearly wishing well beliefs are still getting high marks in our modern day world.

I had a wonderful time researching the history and symbolism of wishing wells for this design project. Would you care to learn more? Read on.

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From the Wiki
A wishing well is a term from European folklore to describe wells where it was thought that any spoken wish would be granted. The idea that a wish would be granted came from the idea that water housed deities or had been placed there as a gift from the gods, since water was a source of life and often a scarce commodity.

The Germanic and Celtic peoples considered springs and wells sacred places. Sometimes the places were marked with wooden statues possibly of the god associated with the pool. Germanic peoples were known to throw the armour and weapons of defeated enemies into bogs and other pools of water as offerings to their gods.

Water was seen to have healing powers and therefore wells became popular with many people drinking, bathing or just simply wishing over it. People believe that the guardians or dwellers of the well would grant them their wish if they paid a price. After uttering the wish, one would generally drop coins in the well. That wish would then be granted by the guardian or dweller, based upon how the coin would land at the bottom of the well. Traditionally coins were made of copper or silver and had biocidal properties which kept the water from going sour (bacteria produces various acidic compounds which affect the taste, notably Hydrogen sulfide). It was thus lucky to throw coins in the well.

The tradition of dropping pennies in ponds and fountains stems from this. Coins would be placed there as gifts for the deity to show appreciation.

This may be a left over from ancient mythology such as Mímir's Well from Nordic myths, also known as the ¨Well of Wisdom¨, a Well that could grant you infinite wisdom provided you sacrificed something you held dear. Odin was asked to sacrifice his right eye which he threw into the well to receive not only the wisdom of seeing the future but the understanding of why things must be. Mímir is the Nordic god of wisdom, and his well sits at the roots of Yggdrasil, the World Tree which draws its water from the well.
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The Good Wizard. What is the castle or the king and queen without a loyal Wizard at their side? He wields his magic only for the good of the kingdom, of course.

Symbolism: knowledge, magic, education, and goodness.

Visit my etsy store Charmish to see the whole fantasy series: Castle Keep, Wishing Well, Wizard, King (Queen coming soon), Frog Prince, Mushroom, Book. Shop while supplies last.

New Birthstone Bead Series

2009-07-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

New birthstone charm beads available at Charmish! I love the two styles I have in my shop, and wear both on my own bracelet, marking my children's birthday. This is the Pebbles Birthstone style, which comes in all birthstones of course. :-)

Special of the week: $10 off a bracelet with purchase of one bracelet and one bead. It's a great time to start your very first bracelet, or enjoy a second one. They look great in two's and three's on the wrist. Be sure to send me your wrist size in the message to seller's box. We add one inch or 3cm to allow room for the beads.

This gives a good sense of the actual size and detail in each bead. Centimeters on top and inches on the bottom.