A Perfect Summer Weekend

It’s shaping up to be a perfect Summer weekend.  With Canada Day tomorrow, Trollbeads Day Saturday, and July 4th for our US neighbours on Monday… well my goodness there’s just a lot of reasons to celebrate.  So we’ve decided to do something extraordinary… something really different, and just a little bit crazy this year for this very special weekend.

We’ve decided to take the weekend off.

It’s time to recharge our creative batteries, catch up on some sleep, and go have a bit of fun!

Tartooful will be closed Friday, July 1st until Tuesday July 4th.

But don’t worry, we can’t stay away long… we’ll be back at it on Tuesday, no doubt newly inspired, with all sorts of wonderful new ideas to bring to the gallery.

As for Trollbeads Day?  We’re planning a wonderful event to properly celebrate the 40th anniversary of our favorite bit of fabulousness.  There’s nothing that we love more than a party, but we want to be sure to hold it when all of you can attend… and the long weekend promises to be too beautiful to keep all of our local Trollies here in town!  We’ll let you know the date as soon as Melanie and I have hatched the final details of our plans…

40th anniversary Bracelets are in stock and ready for you to come enjoy starting Tuesday July 5th, and we have a wonderful selection of fresh glass, stone, amber and silver in the gallery, so do drop by to have a peek.  Want to be sure to reserve your bracelet now?  No worries, you can shop now on our online gallery and pick just the right thing.

Have a Perfectly Beautiful Summer Weekend!

C.

 

 

 

 

Trollbeads Inspiration from Leigh Webster!

Today I’m delighted to feature gorgeous images from Trollbeads collector and Instagram star, Leigh Webster!  Her carefully curated collection and her beautifully designed compositions have been a source of  inspiration for so many of us, and today she has kindly agreed to share a series of images with our readers at Tartooful.

Trollbeads Spring 2016 collection is now only days away from being officially released, and our ladies have already been making up wishlists for this stunning group of designs… with the softest and most subtle of colours, lots of yummy sparkle and some fresh new silvers that promise to become classics, this is an extraordinarily strong collection.

As you are making up your personal “lust lists”, it’s fun to think where your new little beauties will settle in among the beads that are already nestled in your bead box.  What will be the companions for the new designs?  There are lots of directions where one could take the new beads, and many possible palettes… but surely the one that Leigh has suggested here is an inspired one!

The new beads will be right at home among the soft blues offered by “Traces”, “Light Blue Stripe” or “Baby Boy”… and delicious Aurora designs such as “Moonlight Bubbles”, “Aurora Flower” or “Aurora Stripe” will offer the perfect, shimmering mood to match the feminine shimmer and sparkle of the Spring collection.

Have you peeked in your bead box and started to imagine your new Spring bracelet?  (we have!)  If not, drop by Tartooful with your beads for a Spring redesign!

C.

 

 

Trollbeads Inspiration: Dreamy

Today I once again went searching for a little colour inspiration in the beutifully illustrated pages of the Trollbeads book “Trollbeads: An Icon in Jewellery Design”.  Of course I found a great many images with wonderful palettes to consider, but in the meditative mood of the quiet gallery today I was attracted to one that

featured a patch of Black Mondo Grass.  The light surrounding the inky grasses is misty and blue in hue, a delicate palette into which I couldn’t wait to dive.

I started with a stunning “Blue Desert” that is a dark slate blue, with an area on one side that lightens to a subtly transparent claret.  The generous dose of glitter in this bead helps to further warm the overall look.

This is currently a tricky bead to partner, (although when the Autumn Collection launches it will find lots of beautiful companions), but I placed it opposite the “Flowers on Indigo” as it also has that delicious combination of deep sapphire and claret.

To ensure that the mood of the bracelet stayed light and airy I added multiple dots of white:  a “Denritic Agate” that is nearly pure white, one of the Summer Stones “Howlite”s, a couple of wonderfully shimmering “Dichroic Ice”, and of course a “Diamond Bead, White”.  The Two faceted “Chalcedony” further add to the light, glowing look of the design.

I love the way the light plays in this particular Azure Bubbles – it has taken me great restraint not to add it to my own personal collection!  I find it fascinating that in some lights I can see a clear layer of amber glass, yet when I look directly at the surface of the bead, it’s not green at all.  It’s a wonderful example of why I always Look at a bead sideways, and into the light….

dreamy

Clockwise from clasp:  “Large Flower Clasp”, “Unique Glass”, “Azure Bubbles”, “Spiritual Ornament”, “Dichroic Ice”, “Azure Bubbles”, “Chelcedony”, “Silver Whorl”, Diamond Bead, White”, “Flowers on Indigo”, “Howlite”, “Blue Desert”, “Dendritic Agate”, “Spiritual Adornment”, “Chalcedony”, “Azure Bubbles”, “Dichroic Ice”, “Angels Feathers”, “Azure Bubbles”, “Grey Prism”.

All beads used for design currently in stock at Tartooful.  tartooful@gmail.com 604-924-0122.

C.

Trollbeads Inspiration: “Just Like Heaven”

“Show me, show me, show me how you do that trick
The one that makes me scream” she said
“The one that makes me laugh” she said
And threw her arms around my neck

“Show me how you do it
And I promise you I promise that
I’ll run away with you
I’ll run away with you”

Spinning on that dizzy edge
I kissed her face and kissed her head
And dreamed of all the different ways I had
To make her glow
“Why are you so far away?” she said
“Why won’t you ever know that I’m in love with you
That I’m in love with you”

You
Soft and only
You
Lost and lonely
You
Strange as angels
Dancing in the deepest oceans
Twisting in the water
You’re just like a dream
You’re just like a dream

Daylight licked me into shape
I must have been asleep for days
And moving lips to breathe her name
I opened up my eyes

And found myself alone, alone
Alone above a raging sea
That stole the only girl I loved
And drowned her deep inside of me

You
Soft and lonely
You
Lost and lonely
You
Just like heaven.”

“Just Like Heaven” is track #1 on the album “Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me”, by The Cure.  It was written by Smith, Robert James / Gallup, Simon / Thompson, Porl / Tolhurst, Laurence Andrew / Williams, Boris.

Clockwise from clasp:  “Golden Flower Clasp”, “Rosa Pearl”, “Unique Glass”, “Art Deco”, “Unique Glass”, “Limited Edition Mothers Rose”, “Unique Amber”, “Three Siblings”, “Unique Glass”, “Unique Amber”, “Summer Dot”, “Flowers”, “Dichroic Ice”, “Unique Amber”, “Light Blue Stripe”, “Scarab”, “Silver Trace, Beige Blue” (retired), “Limited Edition Blue Quartz”, “Desert Flower”, “Trinity”, “Diamond Bead, White”, “traces”, “Paradise Birds” (retired), “Unique Glass”, “Limited Edition Howlite”, “Rose of June”, “Limited Edition Howlite”, “Rose Quartz”, “Maternity 18k & silver”, “Unique Amber”, “Silver Mountain”, “Moroccan Cushion”, “Unique Amber”, “Engraved Romance”, “Limited Edition Blue Quartz”, “Spiritual Ornament”, “Limited Edition Howlite”, “Silver Trace, Beige-blue” (retired), “Dichroic Ice”, “Scarab”, “Pink Petals”, “Unique Amber”, “Unique Glass”, “Unique Amber”, “Scirocco”, Unique Glass”, “Unique Amber”, “Happy Fish 18k & Silver” (retired),  “Unique Glass”, “Unique Glass”.

All beads pictured are currently in stock at Tartooful.

tartooful@gmail.com  604-924-0122

C.

Trollbeads Inspiration: Icelandic Poppies

Have you ever come across Icelandic Poppies?  They are charming little flowers, a subtle and delicate variety of the Papaver family.  They grow best in sub polar, boral regions and originally grew in Asia and Europe – but not Iceland.  They naturally occur in shades of white and buttery yellow, but varieties have been developed in a gorgeous, juicy array of

colours that include every shade of orange, pink and coral.  Despite the tropical feel of they colours available, they have no taste for heat, preferring gentle climates with cool winters and mild Summers.  They are a short lived perennial which will last longest in the garden if your Summers are cool.  Some people simply grown them as biennals, making the assumption that they will last about that long.

I’ve always loved these delicate little flowers, and in past years, when I have had them in the garden, I’ve often picked them to enjoy in vases.  They are such paper thin, transparent flowers that one would think that they’d wilt immediately – but unlike most poppies they do quite well, happily lasting several days.

Today’s confection of delicate, transparent colours such as coral, buttery yellow and pink is inspired by these lovely flowers…

“Dragon Lock”, “Unique Glass”, “Baltic Gold”, “Unique Glass”, “Moroccan Cushion”, “Pebbles”, “Unique Glass”, “Limited Edition Orange Agate”, “Scarab”, “Limited Edition Carnelian”, “Unique Glass”, “Limited Edition Carnelian”, “Scarab”, “Limited Edition Orange Agate”, “Unique Glass”, “Coral Bubbles”(retired), “Art Deco” (retired), “Golden Cave”, “Unique Glass”, “Copper Bead”.

All beads taken from current Tartooful stock.

C/

30 Day Challenge: Day 20

Today I tackled a little project that I’ve been wanting to try for a while… Ever since one of our lovely ladies mentioned a bracelet idea involving massive tribal silvers and all ivory coloured glass, I’ve been wondering if I could create something in this vein from my own collection.  I don’t currently have much in the way of tribal silver beads, but working with what I already had, I have found that between my unique alabaster ambers, glass and silver I can create a full bracelet!

Thank you to Melanie for the Gift of this Centerpiece Bead

In this bracelet design there are a few colours still peeking through in the various dot beads… but perhaps over time I will be able to find more of the ivory glass or unique alabaster ambers so that I will be able to create a full, completely cream coloured design.  In the meanwhile, I am enjoying those touches of  colour.  For silvers I tried to pick “interesting” designs that held some intrigue for the eye.  Normally I prefer silvers that are calm and flow easily past the eye… but this relatively stark design felt to me as though it needed additional detail to catch the viewer’s gaze and slow down the process of taking in the bracelet.

Thank you to KT for the Gift of this Treasured Bead

Clockwise from clasp:  “Sterling Double Lobster Lock” (retired format), “Unique Glass”, “Sandi” (retired), “Unique Amber”, “Tupilak” (retired), “Grey Armadillo” (retired), “Neither Fish Nor Bird” (retired), “Light Blue Dot” (retired), “Linited Edition Trollbeads Day 2014″, Unique Amber”, “Brown Dot” (retired), “Unique Amber”, “Limited Edition Two Trolls”, “Turquoise Dot” (retired), “Bead of Fortune”, “Grey Armadillo” (retired), “Frogs” (retired), “Unique Amber”, “Cells” (retired), “Grey Armadillo” (retired).

C.

30 Day Challenge: Day 19

This… *THIS* is why I continue to do the annual 30 Day Challenge. 

This combination would never have happened if it weren’t for this creative exercise. Isn’t it wonderful?  I can’t believe that I have had so many of these beads for so many years, and have never thought to put them together.

I’ve certainly built lots of gold and purple bracelet designs with our ladies… but this one is a little different.  This is not a regal, rich metallic gold and deep purple – but rather a frothy concoction that is shot through with lots of light creamy tones.  The butterfly is right at home here, as are my grub and various scale patterns.

I began with the idea that I’d like to play around with my two favorite scale patterned beads on one design.  I placed them in the middle with a silver between them, then changed my mind and decided that they needed another glass to knit their colours together.  This Unique Glass Wave, with its chameleon tendencies,

came to the rescue as usual!  With the colour theme now firmly in place I simply worked my way out, pulling lots of creamy yellows and lilac purples to build this design.  When I was finished, I saw how much I liked the lightness of all the touches of white and cream… and so to finish the bracelet, as a finishing touch I added the pair of Grey Armadillos to further emphasize the lightest tones.

Clockwise from clasp:  “Sterling Double Lobster Clasp” (retired format), “Unique Glass”, “Limited Edition Violet Petals”, “Carved Flowers” (retired), “Unique Glass”, “grey Armadillo”, “Limited Edition Pastel Agate”, “Jugend”, “Takma” (retired), “Unique Glass”, “Paradise Birds” (retired), “Unique Glass”, “Unique Glass”, “Unique Glass”, “Rolling Troll”, “Unique Glass”, “Unique Glass”, “Limited Edition Auspicious” (World Tour Hong Kong), “Limited Edition Chinese Jade”, “Grey Armadillo”, “Issey” (Retired), “Limited Edition Chinese Zodiac”, “Unique Glass”, “Pink Prism” (retired).

This is absolutely one bracelet that I will build again to enjoy after the Challenge!

C.

30 Day Challenge: Day 18

Today’s bracelet was inspired by my dear friend Gillian, and her exquisite taste. On a recent visit she spotted my collection, lying strewn about on a tray, and sat down to have a play.  In no time at all she had teased together a design that contained every one of my sparkle beads!  I never think to use just one design category of my beads in this way, and immediately thought that I must give it a try….

The designs with metallic sparkle are among my favorites in the collection… I think I first picked out a “Blue Desert” for myself… but Brown and Pink followed soon after… and of course since Spring of 2014 there are so many gorgeous, sparkling designs from which to choose.  In addition, there are the various designs that include gold or silver leaf – silver mountain and Golden Cave are fixtures on most of my bracelet designs.

When creating today’s design I started by centering a focal bead by Trollbeads designer, Scot Bouwens.  This big, beautiful bead is one that I most often use on a Fantasy Necklace, but this bracelet concept is custom made for it!   I framed it with a pair of “Blue Deserts” that display the phenomenal range of expression that is be found in this design.

Sparkle Beads love to Bathe in the Sun.

Clockwise from clasp:  “Sterling Double Lobster Lock” (retired Format), “Unique Glass”, “Plait” (retired), “Pink Desert”, “Bead of Fortune”, “Blue Desert”, “Tupilak” (retired), “Golden Cave”, “Spot” (retired), “Blue Desert”, “Artisan Bead by Scot Bouwens”, “Blue Desert”, “Shortcut” (retired), “Brown Desert” (retired), “Frogs” (retired), “Unique Glass”, “Neither Fish Nor Bird” (retired), “Blue Desert”, “Art Deco” (retired), “Golden Cave”.

Thanks for the inspiration, Gil!

C.

30 Day Challenge – Day 14

I’m all about that amber… (no glass!)

I was so pleased with yesterday’s bracelet, I’ve let it go to my head!  I decided to dive in and give it another whirl, this time playing only with my amber beads… which to my surprise, now number enough beads for an entire bracelet.  (That is becoming sort of the theme of this year’s challenge – “Whaaat?  I have this many of these?”)

Pattern Building

In order to create a bracelet that satisfied my need for pattern and balance, I sorted my ambers more or less into pairs by colour, size and clarity.  Then I centred a favorite, barrel shaped alabaster amber and worked my way out, trying to make a pattern and maintain balance as I went.  The completely random bracelet is still beyond me – perhaps this year that should be the ultimate challenge for me!

I find the warm and natural tones of the amber to be very calm and soothing – so I thought I would indulge in some more richly patterned silvers whose busier designs could sing in contrast and harmony.  I placed the Anniversary Bracelet “Two Trolls” and the “2014 Trollbeads Day Trolls” opposite each other for additional emphasis.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that I am once again surprised by how much I like the tactile feel of this bracelet – it’s shockingly light!  It feels completely different from my usual, much heavier compositions of glass and silver, with only the occasional amber.  Now I think I would love to work towards a full necklace of these beauties…

Clockwise from clasp:  “Sterling Double Lobster Clasp” (retired format), All beads amber!  Silvers as follows:  “Bee on Hive” (retired), “Limited Edition Two Trolls”,  “Zanzibar”, “Zanzibar”, “Trollbeads Day 2014”, “Bee on Hive”.

C.

30 Day Challenge – Day 13

“…and now for something completely different…”

Today I decided it was time to kick myself a little out of my comfort zone, and try to design from a different approach.  Usually I am very much colour based in my compositions.  The silvers basically offer me a framework around which I hang all my chunks of colour.  Today I decided to be much more flexible about colour.

Instead, today I sorted out my beads into size categories, and committed to work only with my very tiniest silver and glass beads.  Of course, in the wake of the “Small and Beautiful” series, we all have some smaller beads bouncing around in our bead boxes.  I usually try to use their smaller size to advantage, and place them

close to the end of the bracelet for an attractive tapered effect.  They can also be quite handy to ensure that certain silvers are not obscured.  For instance, “Happy Fish” is even happier when placed next to a Small & Beautiful, so that all its glorious detail can be seen.  However, I don’t think that I’ve ever built an entire bracelet of

“mini beads”, and I have to say I’m surprised and delighted with the result.  Firstly, I am shocked at just how many minis there are, hiding in my collection!  I guess that one on each end of seven or eight bracelets does really add up to about a whole bracelet’s worth.  The next thing I noticed was how amazing this bracelet *feels*. 

Teeny Tiny “Sandi” feels like a giant…

Rolling this bracelet around in the palm of my hand, it feels wonderful.  It’s so soft, so fluid and so unexpectedly petite… it’s a treat!  If you have never tried this approach, do give it a whirl it is so much fun.

This Armadillo never gets the coveted center spot…

Clockwise from clasp:  “Dichroic Flower Clasp” (retired), “Limited Edition Peacock Pearl”, “Art Deco” (retired), “Unique Glass”, “Grey Armadillo” (retired), “Cells” (retired), “Unique Glass”, “Plait” (retired), “Unique Glass”, “Happy Fish” (retired), “Unique Glass”, “Happy Fish” (retired), “Unique Glass”, “Limited Edition Van Gogh” (World Tour Series Netherlands), “Unique Glass”, “Limited Edition Family of Mushrooms” (World Tour Series Lithuania), “Unique Glass”, “Unique Glass”, “Sandi” (retired), “Rosa Pearl”.

C.