Fall Flower Garden

I just posted my latest creation on our Etsy site, "Fall Flower Garden Necklace".  Debi, my sister and one of the ikandies designers, and I saw a similar necklace in a recent issue of Bead and Button Magazine. We hadn't worked much with Lucite, and the flower and leaf combination inspired us.  So we began our search for the perfect Lucite flowers.  The best selections were found on Etsy sites, where we purchased some beautiful hand dyed flowers from Groovy Chick Supplies and leaves from Silk Studio.  We made two necklaces, mine in fall colors and Debi's in purples and blues.  Mom saw Debi's necklace and fell in love with it, so Debi decided to make her a one. We made our purchases from Bellas Beads and More and JJBugs Beads.  Although Bellas Beads and More do not advertise discounts or free items, they added about 10 "free" flowers and leaves to my order.  Groovy Chick Supplies states in the Policy section of their Etsy site that they'll include a few extras in orders over 30 items and they offer to sell larger quantities at a discount.  Be sure to check all these sites if you're looking for high quality Lucite flowers and leaves in translucent and matte finishes!

iKandies' Beads On the Block Posts its First Entry!

Welcome to ikandies' first blog post on Beads on the Block!  Who is ikandies' and why was Beads on the Block created?  ikandies is a website showcasing custom designed jewelry for the discriminating customer looking for truly unique accessories.  Using jewelry components such as Swarovski crystals, pearls, Czech glass, sterling silver, copper, gunmetal, gemstones and more, we have created jewelry that is "not only visually appealing, but also unique."  Our designs include simple bead stringing, bead stitching and weaving, metal working, and wire wrapping.  We have also incorporated unique objects into some of our designs including electro plated "real" leaves, copper washers, sheet metal and watch parts. You can visit our website at ikandies or our Etsy site ikandies Etsy Shop.   We can be reached by email at kkrizzy@hotmail.com

We created this blog for two reasons:

• To help you learn more about us, projects we're working on, classes we're taking to learn new skills, new jewelry components we're experimenting with, and much more. 
• To share with you all the wonderful bead stores we've visited, where to find good bargins when buying beads and supplies, who is selling unique components, and the bead shows you don't want to miss.

Please be patient as we get the ball (or should I say "bead") rolling on this blog!