live artfully!
This has to be the most exciting group of amber kits that Canada has ever seen from Trollbeads. These are simply amazing! So many delicious designs packed into each gorgeous group of beads. How to pick?! Each kit is priced at CAD$373 or USD$283.
Drop by to see them in person!
xo
C
Our neighbours to the South are fortunate to be the most recent stop on the Trollbeads World Tour! Announced this week are four new beads that will be available for sale only in the USA… Trollbeads says,
The “Pursuit of Happiness” bead is available in both silver and silver& gold versions, and is sure to be a popular choice… it’s reminiscent of the glass smiley beads that Trollbeads released a few years ago. The “White House” is a powerful symbol for the US, but rocked as it has been by political scandal over the last few decades, it’s not a bead I would particularly want on my bracelet. I can see the appeal of the “Old West” cowskull bead, especially if one called the Western States home, or even if one was on holiday in that area. However, the real star of this collection has to be the “Star Spangled Bead”, with it’s crisp red and white stripes, and perfect little white stars dropped onto each bud, it’s dramatic and a fun interpretation of the iconic US flag.
Hey Trollbeads! How about a Canadian stop next time around?! (Everybody likes Canadians, right?) Trollbeads has already put a few good Northern images in the collection – the “Ice Bear” is very Canadian, and “Jasper” is a spot to visit for any tourist to the Canadian Rockies. “Labradorite” is named for the Canadian Province of Labrador… But what kind of images would we like to see in a new Canadian collection? Perhaps a gorgeous glass that evokes the Northern Lights? Perhaps an intricately wrought Maple Leaf in silver? Perhaps one of our distinct animals – a moose, beaver, polar bear, Canada goose or loon… Or maybe an amazing blue glass (think “Earth” – but blue!) that pays tribute to the three oceans that border our land… and of course, one can’t forget the national sport of hockey? This last idea would have to be handled verrrry carefully to avoid being silly.
Next time?
C.
Anyone who has seen and admired our very own CRB’s soft blue bracelet will recognize some of these lovely beads… Among them are some surprisingly useful and versatile designs.
“Silver Trace, Blue Beige” is a chameleon bead that is equally at home on a sky blue composition, or as a gold accent in a formal black & gold design. “Grey Wolf” has recently changed from a sharp black & white stripe to the subtle, feathered appearance as above. I find it even prettier, and now I like to use it in concert with the ocean blues, such as “Whitecap”, “Moon Ocean”, and “denim Prism”. “Aquarium Pastel” is particularly effective when grouped with the auburn tones of “Coral Bubbles” or “Coral Stripe”.
Come see them at Tartooful on this Thursday the 26th of May, 2 til 8
3183 Edgemont Boulevard, North Vancouver 604.924.0122
We were delighted when one of our favorite Trollbeads collectors recently dropped in to Tartooful to introduce us to her brand new, tiny Son… (He’s perfectly beautiful!)
While she was there we took the opportunity to finally take a few snaps of her bracelet, which glows with warm pinks, greens and golds. The subtle, unusual shades and limited edition beads she has selected create a unique and personal composition. She has transitioned from one colour family to another, around the bracelet – going from yellow, to lavender, to green, then to caramel yellow and finally to a warm pink.
Thank you for sharing, Alexa!
C.
New Images from Trollbeads for Spring 2011 are so inspiring… They show some of the stars of the new collection in exquisite detail, with a hint of a companion bead in a complementary hue in the background. Enjoy!
C.
Beach
Urchin
Pastel Flower
Midnight Flower
Trollbeads continues on it’s world tour, and today presents us with a collection of limited edition beads celebrating the people and cultures of Africa.
Extract from a poem by Wayne Visser (www.waynevisser.com) ”
Designer: Lise Aagaard
These exciting beads are available through South African retailers starting today…
C.
We’ve received three shipments of beads in the last week, so our display is full, lush and totally gorgeous. Among the new arrivals are some extraordinary examples of designs: a “Blue Desert” with so much gold dust glittering in it that it’s practically pink… a dark, honey-toned “Golden Quartz” with sparkling highlights … a “Golden Cave” that is practically all gold leaf… to name a few.
Inspired by some of these unusual design expressions, I composed this “Rare Jewels” bracelet:
clockwise from clasp: “Blue Desert”, “Golden Quartz”, “Small Berry”, “Blue Green Feather”, “Golden Cave”, “Transformation”, “Azure Bubbles”, “Love Within”, “Third Eye”, “Labradorite”, “Neither Fish nor Bird, Small”, “Black Silk”, “Grey Prism”.
Mouth wateringly beautiful….
C.
This bracelet, with its warm, buttery yellows, glowing “Rose Quartz”, and unabashedly pretty flowers, feels like Spring Sunshine. On a cold & rainy day like today it’s just what the Troll-doctor ordered.
I love the slightly translucent feel and balance of the “Chalcedony” and “Green Jade”, and of course, the “Fantasy Flower” takes centre stage, and ties together the whole group of colours. I selected “Jugend” for this composition because it reminds me of fiddleheads, the first, curling shoots of forest ferns in the Spring. “Transformation” offers balance on the other side of the bracelet, and is a nod to the constant change of the turning of the seasons.
clockwise from clasp: “Alabaster Amber”, “Rose Quartz, Round”, “Small Berry”, “Antique Flower”, “Green Jade”, “Jugend”, “Fantasy Flower”, “Transformation”, “Chalcedony”, “Florence”, “Sandi”, “Rose Quartz”, “Alabaster Amber”.
C.
N.O.’s bracelet shows an artist’s touch…Recently one of our favorite Trollies came in for a little visit and was wearing the bracelet pictured above. It’s a particularly pretty combination, and one that I thought would be inspiring to the ladies who are currently designing collections with an emphasis on blue.
N.O., you may recall is the same talented lady who so kindly baked a Trollbead themed birthday cake for Cristi in the Autumn, and who stunned us with her bounty of gorgeous Christmas cookies… The same care and artful touch is applied to her Trollbeads bracelets, as is evident in this beautiful composition. I particularly admire that here she has effectively married rich and pale blues, as well as light and even white tones…
Clockwise from clasp” “Mexico Lock – retired”, “Silver Mountain”, “King & Queen – retired”, “Turquoise Bubbles”, “Carved Flowers”, “Dichroic Ice”, “Unity”, “Pale Blue Gold”, “Dichroic Flowers”, “Beige Blue Dot”, “Frames”, “Turquoise Ribbon”, “White Pearl”, “Azure Bubbles”, (non Trollbead), “Pale Blue Shadows”, “Hearts, Large”, “French Anemone”, “Winter Jewel, Small”, “Diamond Bead, white”, (non Trollbead), “Limited Edition Haiti Trollbead”.
Thank you, N.O for letting me photograph your bracelet and share it with the blog…
C.
…A lovely new video from Trollbeads, “Trollbeads Through Life” gives a nod to the signposts along the way that so many of us mark with a bead. Enjoy!
C.
tartooful 