I Have a Thing for Vintage Pendants & Beads

I am addicted to vintage pendants and beads. I can't get enough of great german carved glass pendants and I'm using them on many of the pieces I am creating for my fall/winter 2006 jewelry collection at MLR Studio.

One of my favorite and most reliable resources for vintage beads and such is The Beadin Path. They have a great website and a retail location in Freeport ME. Whoever buys their merchandise has exceptional taste and quality control standards. I can honestly say that I have never received a thing from them that was not of the best quality.

They also sell Swarovski crystals & components and all the basics.

Not Martha

I recently found Not Martha, whose author offers her insights on everything from home decorating to the new sandals she's searching for - complete with links to the relative info.

Of particular interest to the chronic crafter is her "how to make stuff" page, which gives detailed instructions (complete with pictures), on a myriad of projects she has undertaken.

I have not personally attempted any of these projects, but the instructions look clear and easy to follow.

Etsy - Check It Out!

Etsy is a website for crafters, artists & designers to sell their wares at a very low cost to a worldwide audience. The only caveat is that the items you intend to sell on Etsy are handmade and not mass produced. This is a great venue for all indie crafters, artists & designers to get a foot in the cyberspace doorway.

Upon joining Etsy, you receive you very own website which is simple to use even if all you've ever done on a computer is answer email. There is a tiny fee to list each item. Item listings last for six months or until the item sells or you remove it yourself. When an item sells there is another small fee which is a percentage of the selling price.

Etsy is worth a look if you don't have a website now or if you are looking for a quick, inexpensive way to get more traffic to an existing site.