Thursday 9 May 2013

THE BEAD WORKS!

I LOVE SHINY!

and

I LOVE BEADS!

I am not interested in wearing them but I love to possess them and make them into something else, namely, PERFUME BOTTLES!  I have been collecting them for a very long time and during the 12 years that I spent away from miniatures, I continued to collect beads and findings until I had sooo much that I had to get rid of some of them and kept only the best of the lot.  Now since I have more bead space, I have filled it up to the max with beads that I find pretty, nicely shaped or shiny!  This posting is all about my current collection and how I shop for beads and where I find them, more than how to make perfume trays.  I want to get you thinking about the possibilities of where they are available because not everybody has craft superstores or wants to spend big dollars on a tiny handful of crystal beads.  I look for bargains but sometimes there is a trade off as to what I get for what I spend, and is it worth it.   Many years ago back in the 80's, when I was fascinated but unknowing about where to look for crystal beads, I made a trip down to a trendy bead store in Vancouver with Janine, and began gathering all the shiny pretty beads that I could and had a small handful that I took to the register and I was
 SHOCKED!
I think I had the equivalent of about a tablespoon of the tiny crystals and they totaled over $50!  Whaaaa!  Some had to be removed and that too was a big disappointment and then to have to pay so much for so little was maddening!
They were real Crystals and I was too embarrassed to go putting it ALL back. I should have looked at the price as I collected them and yet they were so pretty and I was so foolish.  I still spend money on my beads but not like I use to.  Beads are still expensive and if you buy them at the bead store or the craft stores they are still more than they should be.  My biggest supplier is the THRIFT STORES.  I find the most beads for my money there and I look for anything in any medium be it paper, plastic, glass, crystal, wood, or ceramic ANYTHING, that translates well into something that looks like a bottle or a top of a bottle or a jar or a bud vase or a section of a mini candlestick, etc. If I like the shape but not the color, they can be painted. If the price is a little higher than I want then I think about the quantity or the uniqueness of what I am considering and then make up my mind.  Sometimes I pay a lot for one piece and then a very little for all the rest of the other items in my cart.  So there is an average price.  I try to be careful with my money but at times "the call of the shiny" is just too hard to resist.  Here is what I do with the things that cry out to 'the magpie' in me.





When I am looking for beads I am looking for the possibilities of them working as perfume bottles. I look for any materials that I think will work.  The tray above has glass, metal and plastic beads in a variety of shapes and sizes and color.  I try to unify the grouping with a common denominator, which is why it takes me a long time to do them. 
Assorted shiny beads that are going to be transformed. They all are different shapes and are all pretty flat.  I wish I could remember where I bought these because flat colored glass is not so easy to find.  These make wonderful perfume bottles!
See what I mean?
The collection that is going to the M.C.B.C show in June

*******

So this is what I look for when I am 'goodwill' hunting
QUANTITY
This necklace I nearly changed my mind about.  Then I thought about the quantity of metal bits that were on the string and went ahead with the purchase.  I always try to think about how much I am getting for the money, and in this case it was a lot!

These are the metal pieces with the clear beads that were between them.  What shall I do with them?
I'll think about it and let you know.
This is a bracelet ( $2.99) with hundreds of beads that will look good as caps for bottles! I love the colors and blue and green beads are the colors that I have the most of. Here is what I can do with them.
A bracelet with some beautiful glass beads that will make wonderful bottles
No muss no fuss!
JUST SLAP ON A LABEL
This was ready made!  Line ups of perfume bottles one after the other on a elastic bracelet from the thrift store.  Perfect!
These beads came from Michael's craft store and I got them on sale!  They are nice and shiny and have a beautiful shape AND  there were LOTS of them on the string!
Here is one of a pair of dangly earrings that had a chorus line of  square crystal beads on super fine chains!  I was enchanted!
Another single earring of a set that is going to be used for tops of bottles.
LOTS AND LOTS OF SHINY BEADS
******

SHAPE
I am always on the lookout for interesting shapes and tall rectangular bead shapes make for very interesting bottles. This is part of a necklace from the thrift store for 5 dollars that has a bottle with a silver top ready  to go!  The metal tops totaled about 45 individually and there are 8 of these mother of pearl bottle shapes along with other silver toned beads.
SCORE! 
These have a great shape and a great color!
And look at the ones below on the plastic thread. They are square squat beads with a center  hole and are flat on the hole ends but have a pyramid shape on either side.
Wow! and only 3 dollars for a string of about 35 beads, not including the pearls!
The swirl in this is so lovely and again the spacer is a built in bottle top!
This necklace was $2.99 and only had 3 of these lovely beads on it, so not the best deal but it had 17 of the white 'tops' and 5 of the smaller blue glass beads so not so bad all together.

****

COLOR
Blue seems to be everywhere and I have to buy another container because there are always blue beads to be found.  The color of this watery blue and the shape of the bead caught my attention at $1.99 at the thrift store.  
At $2.99 these fabulous beads on a long necklace string, of the assorted sizes and shapes and with the most spectacular coloring! I love it!
*****

TEXTURE
These 3 strings of metal spacers all came from WAL-MART in their crafting section.  They were $2.50 each.  I chose them for the shape and the texture.
Gold is ALWAYS usable and these came at a good price and the variety of sizes and shapes make them very versatile as either bottles or tops or both!

This is just one of 5 boxes that house the metal odds and sods that I use for my projects. I try to sort the metal by size and texture and shape. 
 It ain't easy.
***

STORAGE

After I purchase the beads I have to store them where I can see them and the best way for me now is to have them in mason jars.  I use to have them in a large fishing tackle box and they kept getting mixed up.  When I want a particular color I go to the jar and then I pour the beads out onto a lid and them pour them back into the jar when done.  I have more blue and green beads than any thing else and I am going to need some additional jars very soon as you can plainly see. 

BUT I CAN NEVE HAVE ENOUGH
because
I love beads!
and
I love shiny!
and
I love to make miniatures!



elizabeth

75 comments:

  1. Thanks Elizabeth, and wow, what a lot of beads :-) I'm going to start looking for more!

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    1. Hello Alice! It is lovely to hear from you again! Yes, it IS a LOT of beads and tonight while looking for gift bags at Wal-Mart, I purchased a card of red toned and pink toned beads, about 80 beads total for $5.00! What a deal! haha! LIke I said, I CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH! I have another tutorial planned where I will show some of the other Items that I do in miniature from beads. It shall have to wait until after the show though. But start looking for additions to your collection, Alice and happy hunting!

      elizabeth

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  2. Фантастика сколько духов!!!!!!! Спасибо!!!! Вы мне подали идею. Я как раз делаю румбокс модницы, мне надо сделать много разных духов и украшений.

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    1. Hello Ksandra! Thank you for your compliment! I have made lots and lots of perfume bottles over the years and I love to do it and I like to think that they look like interesting bottles and not just beads stacked one on top of the other. I hope that you will be able to look for interesting shapes and find some good ones for your collection. I would love to see what you do as you have a wonderful blog and some great tutorials!

      elizabeth

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    2. Спасибо !! Мне очень приятно что вам нравится мой блог!!! Это взаимно!!!!

      Thank you! I am very glad that you like my blog! It is mutual!!
      Hugs
      Ksandra!!!

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  3. What an interesting post, Elizabeth! You have truly inspired me. I love your collection of beads and perfume bottles! One can easily see that you love what you do. You are so well organized. I also love to keep things in mason jars. Now I feel like shopping for beads! Thanks for the eye opener!

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    1. HI Lucille! I am glad that you have found this posting useful! Gladys had asked me about the bottle that I had featured in the Laundry basket tutorial and I had promised her I would get something out for her to see. Trying to talk about the beads proved to be not as straight forward as I had originally planned ,so I just did the best I could. I am glad that you feel inspired by it, Lucille. There are so many things that one can do with beads; perfume bottles are just some.

      elizabeth

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  4. I learned a lot from this post, thanks! I now have some ideas for all the beads and findings that I have been collecting for years.

    Cheers, Neen

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    1. Hello Neen! I am glad that you found something useful out of this posting! It is not really a tutorial but more a demonstration of how to look at beads for their potential of becoming something else. It will be nice to be able to make use of items that you have on hand already! That is what it is all about! Give it a go and let me know how it goes! I'm always interested!

      elizabeth

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  5. I would like to make some vanity items with beads, particularly a round bead covered by a round jewellery finding, so it will look like a powder box. I get most of the beads I use in my mini toiletry creations from Value Village. The necklaces are cheap, and while I wouldn't wear them, they contain great beads! I sometimes wonder what the cashier at value village things when I buy necklaces made from shells, other ones with huge wooden beads, basically a mixture of every style!

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    1. Hello Ruth! That store is my FAVORITE SOURCE FOR BEADS! I have been an avid VV groupie and I would recommend that anyone looking to start a collection of beads, look there first! It used to be so much cheaper than it is now, and you could get so much more for less, but i still love it. It has become very trendy in Vancouver and I have a circuit of 3 them that I frequently visit. Vanity items are a lot of fun and round beads are the most common and easiest to find.
      Some of the beads that I have wanted to use for boxes or jars had the hole in the wrong place so I would have to putty up the holes using a filler of spackle or glue and then touch up the sealed hole and/ or put a label over it. For a lid I used a second bead of the same diameter and touched up the hole with matching nail enamel. Have fun and experiment and thanks for the comment , Ruth. I think that Value Village will have lots more customers now!

      elizabeth

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  6. Great post Elizabeth! You have a fantastic eye for realistic details.

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    1. Hello Susan! Thank you! I love to play MIX AND MATCH with shiny beads, making them look like perfume bottles and jars is fun and rewarding. I work at a fragrance counter and have worked for a fragrance house for the past 12 years and have seen some very interesting bottles in my time. I also collect information pertaining to the fragrance industry and its history and have some personal archival material about bottles and vanity items from the last century. Of course all the ones that I make are pure fantasy! ( except for the 'Chanel' ones) It is fun to create original designs and then group them effectively. I am glad that you like them Susan and thank you!

      elizabeth

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  7. Beautiful bottles!
    You did a great stock. I'm sure we will see many wonderful works with these beads. ;)

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    1. Hello Eliana! Thank you and I have been working on the trays since last June and into August, but I periodically re- work existing ones when I don't like them any more. New beads often mean new ideas and so out with old and in with the new!

      elizabeth

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  8. Your perfume bottles are beautiful, you have found so many great beads. I love putting together bead combos for bottles but I don't have an easy time working with glues. What glue do you use?

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    1. Hello Mary! Yes,the glue, the glue! I have tired so many and there are different ones for the job that I use. For stacking beads made of plastic or metal I use Quick Grip but it is difficult to manage as it OOZES all over and dries very quickly. Excess glue can be picked off with tweezers and it holds the items to a solid surface very well. Aleens Jewelry glue is good glue for stacking beads but if the bead is glass or crystal it can "frost' them over like Crazy Glue" does. If that happens then I just paint over the frost with clear nail enamel and they are restored. Crazy glue is not my favorite as I tend to be messy and it gets all over my skin. But I have recently discovered G-S HYPO CEMENT at $9.00 a tube, with a super fine tip for super fine applications, that model ship builders use and the tip comes with a needle like insert into the nozzle. I have only used this once so far, but so far so good. For a lot of the trays that might be roughed about I use 5 minute epoxy and this 2 part product gives the strongest bond and is applied with a toothpick or a pin. You get 5 mins. to make adjustment if need be and it does have strength. For the labels on the bottles I use Glue n' Seal and I love it. I am always looking for glues that will make the job easier and cleaner. These are the ones I am currently using but only until I find something that works better. I hope this helps some Mary.

      elizabeth

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    2. Thank you for lots of great info, I'm adding some of the glues you mentioned to my shopping list, then I will give it another try.

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    3. Hi Again Mary! Glad that you found some useful and usable information about the glues I use but please, if you find a glue that can multi-task and that you would recommend trying out as better for beads, let me know too! I have an arsenal of glues and am still looking for that ONE PERFECT GLUE! Does such a thing even exist?


      elizabeth

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  9. Making perfume bottles isn't as easy as it looks! You are right... you need a common denominator to hold it all together! I need to get some decorative bead caps to make mine look more realistic... and maybe print some mini labels out? :)

    Thanks for the inspiration!

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    1. Hello Lindsey! I agree! It looks like it should be a piece of cake but every combination that you put together does not always go with the other pieces that you make. That is fine if you want a certain eclectic look but if you are trying to make ONE item with different elements attached to it, then there has to be some kind of unity. I can't tell you how many bottles and jars are in my cast away container. Rejected because they were not playing nicely with the others! hahah
      Labels make the bottles come alive! There are lots of ideas there too. Clip them from magazines or use a hole punch and punch a floral pattern of something pretty. Labels with lettering is special but it doesn't even have to be legible to be effective. Just consider the size of the label and the shape of the bottle before applying. Have fun and experiment always. If you like it, then that is enough

      elizabeth

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  10. Elizabeth makes the best perfume trays ever! Can't wait to see them all at the Show. I make them and they never seem to be quite right! Thank you for the continued inspiration of trash to treasures...or "Value Village" to "Tiffany".
    fats

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    1. Hi Fats! From "Value Village to Tiffany" what a great title! I like it!!!!!! hahah Thanks Fats!

      elizabeth

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  11. éblouissante collection de perles ... Vous avez un don certain pour transformer ces bijoux en de merveilleux petits flacons !
    rosethé

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    1. Hello Rosethe'! That is a good word "Dazzling"! It really describes both the beads and the light that shines in my eyes when I see them! I get mesmerized by them and I just Have to Have them! What a sickness. I gusess it could be called "BEAD- DAZZLED"! Thank you for liking the perfume bottles and I hope that they will sell well at the show next month. I try to make a good variety so that they will appeal to the tastes of others but sometimes everyone will want the kind that you have so few of and the rest will sit. It will be an interesting adventure for me!

      elizabeth

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  12. Impressive all that you have done. Very beautiful bottles. In the first picture, I am especially crazy in love with the red with gold net, it is so nice. Very French.
    I also love your nail polish.
    Your beads collection is impressive and very very beautiful.
    Your collection that is going to the MCBC show in June is so impressive and it looks like millions and billions.

    It's good to hear that you also buy, and buy too much. I buy so much that I almost "am ashamed". For 15 + years ago I was smoking. Today, as I stand with some minis in hand I think, "it's just what a pack of cigarettes costs". Then I say to myself, that I may buy it and pamper myself. I say this many times in a week, so you can believe, I also have a lot of things.
    As for the yellow houses, look at this link. Today, it is a summer vacation area. Back in the 1900s there were many painters in the area, there is a special light because the North Sea and Kattegat run together.

    https://www.google.dk/search?q=skagens+gule+huse&hl=da&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Mq6MUZWUCrLW4ATes4HIBg&ved=0CGYQsAQ&biw=1241&bih=582

    Hugs
    Wyrna

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    1. Hello Wyrna! Your comment gave me a good laugh!
      First off, congratulations for giving up smoking! Not the easiest thing to do at any time!
      And substituting minis and for the pack of cigarettes is an excellent way to keep you on track, they may make you broke but they do not come with a Surgeon Generals warning on them! (Caution: This mini can be dangerous to your health)! I treat myself all the time too. I guess that is the bad "habit" part of this hobby so I totally agree with you. I always justify my purchases by telling myself that it is at the thrift store and if I don't buy it now there is no guarantee that it will be there tomorrow or even in the next 5 minutes! It is Now or Never! My work space is shrinking every week!
      Thanks for the link about the yellow houses! I can't wait to see them!

      elizabeth

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    2. Hello Again Wyrna! I just had a look at the web pages that you mentioned and WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT! How wonderful to see all those delightful yellow houses with their red tile roofs! I wonder how that got started in the first place? It makes it very unique and the fact that it is by the water really appeals to me! This is where you and your husband would go to holiday? I can totally see why!
      Thanks for sharing this with me. I'm in love.

      elizabeth

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  13. You have done wonderful work :) and found gorgeous beads! Love those where the color changes( where you say:"A bracelet with some beautiful glass beads that will make wonderful bottles")!

    I also Love beads and go crazy many times at the shops... But that is so inspiring!
    Hugs
    Kikka

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    1. Hello Kika! Thank you for the compliment! I hope that they sell well at the Miniature Show next month. I love to make these bottles and because the beads are unique there are never the same combinations twice! I am delighted to see that so many of the com-mentors are bead lovers and have the same addiction as I have! It makes me happy to know that I'm not alone.

      elizabeth

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  14. Hello Elizabeth!
    Thanks for sharing your passion for beads.
    You have that special skill that allows you to imagine something in 1/12 when you look at beads. You have truly inspired me as I often looked at beads as ....beads but now I will look at them with a different eye.Your perfume bottles are just unique and they truly are.
    Thanks also for all the information about the different kinds of glues. As an amateur, it was very difficult for me to find the right glue for beads when I did my chandeliers as I had to glue beads and metal parts. I'll try to find the ones that you recommend.
    Keep posting, it's a real pleasure to read your post and the pictures are perfect as they show the magic of beads. Beads have been with us for thousands of years as I remember admiring beads found in Egptian pharaohs'tombs in the Museum du Louvres.
    Hoping we'll read again from you soon,
    Have a great day,
    Patrick

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    1. Hello Patrick! Thank you for you lovely comment! I posted this originally to assist another blogger who was interested in the process and so I am delighted that you have found this to be beneficial to yourself as well! The glues are always subjective as everyone seems to have their favorites. I imagine that living in a humid climate would influence the way the glues respond as well. I think Patrick, that what has become the most important thing with the glues is how I APPLY them even more than what they are. I am now looking at model shops for the different nozzle ends that can be attached to the glue tips so that there is better control. Not being able to control the speed that the glue comes out and/or finding it dries too quickly before I can get it into position, has been the BANE of my life! So I am going to places now where model cars and boats and railroad hobbyists are getting their supplies and seeing what they use because otherwise the waste and frustration is annoying and has ruined many otherwise good pieces!

      elizabeth

      p.s. I would not ever think of you as an " amateur"! The professionalism of your work makes that word the wrong one!

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  15. I also like beads! Your bottles are fantastic.
    Bye, Faby

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    1. Hello Fabiola! Thanks for your comment and also for being a fellow BEAD LOVER! Do you make perfume bottles with yours too? Where do you find the ones that you like to use? I know that not everyone has convenient thrift stores or craft stores that have what they might be able to use. I have found beads at dollar stores attached to a strip of fabric binding for fringe and at the fabric stores and attached to shoes and handbags. Not everything is usable but it always depends on what you have in mind for it. Wouldn't you agree? I'm glad you came to visit Faby, and thanks for the compliment!

      elizabeth

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  16. You have a lot of wonderful beads. I must confess I also Love beads. I even have friends keeping their broken necklaces and bracelets for me lol Your perfumes and trays are gorgeous.
    Hugs Maria

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    1. Hi Maria! My reply got bumped below Gladys!

      elizabehth

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  17. I feel an immediate urge to rush upstairs and take all my beads apart. I love the way you have organised them.I wish I was so organised. The colours are fantastic too.
    Gladys x

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    1. Hello Gladys!!! This blog was specifically with You in mind! I hope that you don't mind this being as delayed as it was since you originally asked about the mini bottle back on the Laundry Posting? I hoped that this would give you a good idea of what I do and how I do it.
      It is always good to check out the supplies that you might already have and see them with new eyes and THEN start. I am glad you like the storage solution of the Mason Jars. With little items like beads and jewelry findings the worst part is remembering what you have and then where you put it! I often find what I was looking for after I have given up and used something else, just because I couldn't locate it. I need more Jars because many of them are already full and the beads are in paper bags and I already discovered some that I only just bought and then forgot! OUCH!

      elizabeth

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  18. Thanks Maria! I am glad that you like the perfume bottles and as to sourcing out your friends, what a marvelous way to acquire them. My mom often sends over stuff that she has and now no longer uses. Garage sales and flea markets are 2 other venues that I have just now thought of. I don't usually get to them because they often happen on the weekends which is when I am working at my Real Life job. Thanks for the tip about friends and family having a secret hoard of goodies that they can pass on. You know, I used to feel guilty about deconstructing the strands but now I think I am doing the beads a favor by giving them a new purpose in life!
    I hope they are grateful! hahh!

    elizabeth

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  19. Fabulous post Elizabeth. Brought back memories of some of the wonderful beads I used to have when I did miniatures in the 90s. I've recently started collecting beads and jewellery findings again and my favorite source are the local op shops. I'm off to the hospice shop this morning so hopefully I'll find some to add to my collection. I really must get mine sorted into colours - great idea.

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    1. Hello Sharee! It is great when we find a good resource center from which we can get good stuff. I hope that you can find something that makes you smile while you are off shopping! You know when I decided to store my beads into mason jars, it meant that I had to sort them all ONE BY ONE! Be prepared to be BORED! It was such a tedious undertaking and it seemed to take forever but now that it is done it has made the 'search and rescue' a whole lot quicker!
      Happy hunting and sorting Sharee!

      elizabeth

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  20. Hi Elizabeth, like your post about the beads! I have a big collection of beads too, and just like you I'm very organized in storage them:)))) As I told you before we have a lot in common!

    I love your garden in your other post...WOW I can only dream about a garden that size and so beautiful!!! At this moment I'm working on my real roof terrace and it isn't very big, but it is still a lot of work:) That is also the reason of my mini absence....I'm working on a make over on the second floor of my house.....the terrace, my girls room and my son's room.... After that is done we will start with the livingroom on the first floor and our bedroom....so on and on;) Hope to finish it next year,lol:)

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  21. Hello Sab!!!! Renovations are never simple and they do take a whole lot of time so I really appreciate your taking time to visit me again! I like your new "S" icon too! Thanks for the comment on my garden Sab, it IS big and because it is mainly ME as the gardener, it sometimes seems even Bigger than it actually is, but It is a full days work just for the back of it and another for the front! What are you planning for the roof top terrace? Sometimes I think that having something small is BETTER than something big. I know it requires careful design and clever use of available space but the results can be like a jewel box with all the elements tiny gems adorning the space. With your interior design skills I know that you can pull it off. I have seen your LIFESTYLE INTERIORS Sab, and Your rooms are SPECTACULAR!

    elizabeth

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  22. My favorite places to frequent for find mini supplies are Value Village, the dollar store, and occasionally Antique Mall, which is more expensive but walking through it is a delight to the senses for someone who loves antiques. Occasionally I have found small miniatures there for a decent price. Thanks for the tip about filling up the holes in the beads. I have never been able to find no hole beads, and sometimes have not known how to turn a pony bead into something nice.

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  23. Replies
    1. Your very welcome! And I want to let you know that I really like your perfume bottle creations too! They are really well done!

      elizabeth

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  24. Hi again Ruth! Yes those are ALL good places and the dollar stores are really beginning to have a lot more usable materials these days. There are 2 side by side close to where I can get to easily, with different merchandise in each; what a blessing that is! The best miniature I EVER found at an Antiques store, was a Kaiser Porcelain tea set made in Germany. It had a coffee pot, sugar and creamer, a large serving platter, and 6 tiny cups and saucer, all to scale and very delicate and all with a lovely rose floral pattern on each tiny piece. It came as a boxed set and most of it is still in the box except for one cup and saucer that I have placed on the tea table in the Parlor of #43 Green Dolphin Street. 2 of the other cups and saucer are SOMEWHERE, hiding from me for 12 years! I also have my FAVORITE TEAPOT from a since retired artisan by the name of LORI O'HALLERAN, that was paper thin and yet could pour and had a remarkable translucency in a pale, pale green.... also.MISSING FOR 12 YEARS! Those pieces are tucked away somewhere and One day they will resurface , ...hopefully, ...perhaps, ... maybe???? ... (sigh)

    elizabeth

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  25. Hello Elizabeth,
    What a beautiful collection! I go to the bead show every year with my mother but I never find beads that inspire me...they just look like beads in my mind. Just more proof of your incredible imagination and mini vision. Everything is just fabulous!
    Big hug my friend,
    Giac

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  26. Hello Giac! Thank you my friend for those wonderful compliments! They are always so much appreciated and yet I always feel so undeserving of them. But thank you. I am glad that you like the results of the bead collection. I am pleased that you go a bead show with your mom. I didn't even know that they had such a thing! I'm always learning something new. You and Patrick should encourage each other in the bead department because he confesses to looking at beads as just beads too! Maybe it is a guy thing! The ladies all seem to have shiny beads down pat!
    Take care Giac and a Big hug back!

    elizabeth

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  27. Hi Elizabeth! OMG I have some cute vintage broken bracelets that morphed into mini perfume bottles. Seeing your photos reminds me of the stash of beads I have! You are giving me ideas!

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    1. Hi Jenny! Happy Birthday, birthday girl!!!! I am glad that this post reminded you of your own collection of beads that you have tucked away. This is good. I often buy things, put them away and out of sight equals out of mind. I forget that I have them too until I am usually going through Pinterest and discover something that interests me and THEN I recall that I have something similar ... now, Just WHERE did I put it!?

      elizabeth

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  28. WoW Elizabeth, what a fantastic post!!! Not only is it fascinating that you have so many beads but it's so insightful. What a great idea to look in thrift stores, I do the same for fabrics and such but I didn't think about it for beads.

    Thank you so much Elizabeth!!

    ML Fi xx

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  29. Hello FI.! When I first began going to thrift stores it was to buy books and I still get the majority of my books and magazines from there. I would look first at the books then the jewelry and then the knick knacks that were on the shelves. That is how I found the Arthur dollhouse that I am currently renovating, on the thrift store shelf. I don't usually look for fabrics because I don't sew but Janine and I used to hit the thrifts looking for old vintage handkerchiefs and we found some really beautiful ones with the cut-work and the embroidery and the super fine cotton lawn that was like cobwebs in its transparency. That was years ago; Now those are pretty much extinct. Of Books, there is always a ready supply and even the beads keep rolling in but now I find more and more people scouting them out for their own craft projects. That is why I usually decide to buy them if I like them. Hence the jars and jars of more beads than I can EVER use in a lifetime, I hope that you will be able to find some nice ones at the thrift stores that you find your fabrics at FI. It is such a satisfying feeling to unearth a hidden treasure , isn't it?

    elizabeth

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  30. Hello Elizabeth,
    your beads collection is impressive and very very beautiful.
    I love your bottels. Supermarkes are a good adress for getting useful
    beads. At first I wear the jewelry and I put it into my warehouse and create things in miniature!
    Greetings and a hug
    Melanie

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    Replies
    1. Hello Melli! Thank you for your comment and thanks as well for the tip about the supermarket!
      Of all the places that I had considered about getting beads the supermarket never occurred to me. Good tip! Like you, I used to wear a jewelry and then recycle it but now I hardly bother because of HOT FLASHES! Anything that will make me sweat is now a NO NO! I am saving my best pieces for my daughter and I hope that she will like them enough to use them one day but lately for me, less is more!

      elizabeth

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  31. Hi Elizabeth:)
    I just found your pretty blog, your miniatures are so adorable!!
    I admire your perfume, lovely job!
    Hugs
    Magda

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hello Magda! So nice of you to write me such a nice comment, Thank You! I am glad that you have enjoyed the bead "bottle" mini tutorial. I am currently trying to get the miniature items that I am going to be taking to the local West Coast Miniature Show and Sale, ready for Sunday June 2/2013, so I am a bit late in responding, so sorry. I shall have a new tutorial very soon, Magda so I hope that you will stay tuned in. I really appreciate your input.

    elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  33. HELLO DEAR READERS
    ! Although it is NOT something I want to do, I have had to adopt for the time being, word verification because of the horrendous amount of Spam that is littering my blog DAILY! So even though I am not a fan, I am using it until such time as the "Anonymous" back off and leave my blog alone.
    Thanks for your understanding.

    elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  34. Привет!
    Мне очень нравится Ваш блог! Моему удивлению нет предела! Боже мой! Как мы похожи! Может быть всех увлеченных людей объединяют совместные идеи! Как я себя уговариваю не покупать то или другое. В конце концов я понимаю, что не буду спать ночью. И утром все равно приду в этот магазин! У меня сто!!! коробочек! Я их обожаю!
    Очень рада, что к Вам заглянула!
    Татьяна

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    Replies
    1. Hello Tatiana! Thank you for the comment and the visit. I know what you mean. Sometimes when I think about what I saw at a store and didn't get for one reason or another, I also can not sleep well at night and then I am off to the store as soon as I am able before it is too late! haha
      If it is still there I look at it as a sigh that I was meant to buy it. This happens too often though and my wallet is beginning to suffer. I must stop but then when I see what you did with the beads that you have and how you made those lovely little vases and the wonderful ink wells, then I am looking around the stores for some more! It never ends!

      elizabeth

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    2. Привет Elizabeth!
      Я рада, что вам понравились мои вазы! Мы смотрим на работы друг у друга! Нам нравятся идеи! Мы создаем новые красивые миниатюры. Это замечательный прогресс! Я хотя бы оправдываю потраченные деньги! Ха,ха!
      Хороших выходных!!
      Татьяна

      Delete
  35. Your collection of beads is outstanding! It must be so great to have everything you need right at your fingertips. Your creations are beautiful!
    hugs♥,
    Caaroline

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hello Caroline! Thank you! I have to admit that I do have a whole lot of beads and when I took them out to photograph, I was a bit taken by surprise myself at how much is in it! Nevertheless, I seem to keep buying MORE!? Do I need more? NO!!! Do I want more? well maybe.... Do I desire more? ... yes!
    I think this is an addiction.

    elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  37. Hi Elisabeth, somehow I missed this blog post, it was because I was very busy last weeks, I guess? I am sorry.
    You're completely right about the shiny beads, who awakens the magpie inside us :D! I hope you enjoy making miniatures of these gorgeous beads in all sorts and sizes? I wish you luck on the M.C.B.C (?) show in June and good sales ;)!
    Have a nice weekend. Hugs, Ilona

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  38. Hi Ilona! Thank you for the good wishes and no need to apologize. I read that you have been working away in your garden and that is what I need to get busy doing again soon too! But I am surrounded by mess right now. I have the perfume bottles sitting right under my nose and I am busy trying to price them and arrange them for viewing and yet on top of all that I am still trying to make new stuff and playing around with the doll's house that I have sitting next to my worktable! I am trying not to become overwhelmed by all the confusion, but I keep wanting to make more perfume bottles and I have no more room right now! H E L P!

    elizabeth

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    Replies
    1. Dear Elizabeth....
      Please don't fret...your display is amazing and it will be beautiful. Don't make anymore stuff...you have so much. Just so you know, I too, have a huge mess trying to get ready for the show and for my table as well...yikes! We will need a girl day "sans" mini after this.
      Big HUGS
      fats

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    2. Hi Fats! Yours is the voice of reason in all of this insanity! I am always trying to be SUPERWOMAN and do it all and all by myself. I finally solicited some much needed help from family members who began right away to help sort through and organize and get the paperwork done and AT LAST I feel back in control of my mind! Because of their help I can actually see the floor and there is SPACE ON THE TABLE TOPS AGAIN!
      It's SHOWTIME!

      elizabeth

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    3. Hi Elizabeth....that is so great! I am running around getting all ready for the show. We were dressing the hall and tables yesterday and today I'm working on my displays for "beauxminis". I am quite anxious about it as it will be the first time in 10 years I will be selling. So excited to see your completed items, as I am sure you will have a lot of amazing treasures. See you at the show tomorrow. (7:00am) yikes!
      fats

      Delete
  39. Hi E, I too love thrift stores, garage sale, places where they sell vintage items for very little. Not only are the prices right but you can also find something unexpected, unusual and yes, OLD! :):)

    I think those are precisely the qualities I love about the bottles that you did. Unexpected, unusual and old, a very good kind of old which I know you will understand without needing me to explain any further :).

    ReplyDelete
  40. Hi again Sans! Yes I DO understand you! There is a history that is embedded in certain things that regardless where you get them or where you take them, they bring all that history with them! I have some newer beads that fall into this category as well as vintage ones! That is why I find the collecting of these items all sooo fascinating. Also I like the tactile and sensory feel of them..... and they're shiny!

    elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  41. What a great post. Lots of great ideas here!!! Yes, I've been down that alley before (gathering some beads at a store than finding out how pricey they were!!!). There aren't nice thrift stores here, but I sometimes find good stuff too. I agree, we can never have too many beads, lol!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HI Evelyn! I have to begin by saying just how much I am enjoying your blog! So interesting and so educational and so well presented. What a pleasure and delight it is! Thank you for your visit here today.
      I have found that not all thrift stores are created equal. There are 3 that are favorites with me and although they all bear the same name, they each have their own way of pricing and what may be the same type of merchandise will be higher or lower depending on which store you buy it from. Very aggravating! So I try to switch it up so that I am not relying on only one store to supply my desire for beads. Smaller thrift stores like ones connected to hospital or animal shelters can be better buys but the chain ones have higher volume and the most variety.

      elizabeth

      Delete
    2. Thank you for the compliments Elizabeth! Right back at you, it's always a pleasure to visit your blog too. Most part of the time I forget to leave comments, sorry! (shame on me! I love reading them too, lol!)

      We don't have thrift stores here, but then we do have some specialized on beads and their prices are very competitive. So, hunting we go! :)

      Delete
  42. Oh my can't believe all those tiny parfum bottles, so darling,
    I love miniature stuff too...........they just fascinate me so....

    Have a lovely weekend hon,
    blessings, Nellie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the comment Nellie and I have to say that beads fascinate me too! They need to STOP fascinating me so much so that I can use up what I have instead of being enticed by More!

      elizabeth

      Delete

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