JCK show and pricing update

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!

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!