New island travel charm beads

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

Silver Polish Cloths for your European Charm Beads

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!

New spiritually themed charm

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

Hamsa, Star of David, Jewish Charm bead

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.

Holiday Memories

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 :-)

Celebrate Halloween with Charmish

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

Celebrating Summer - Charm Bead Sale

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! ***

Charmish Exclusive Design - Curly Sheep!

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

Fairy Charm Beads- one for each season

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!

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

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...........

ARRRRR! It's the Pirate Charmbead Set!

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.

Zodiac Charms!

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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!

Locks and Stoppers

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.