Sunday, July 3, 2011

l-m-a-J.....GiVeAwAy.....

How about these beauties created by our own Jennifer VanBenschoten.  This incredibly generous donation (sells for $70) can be yours by answering the question listed at the end of the post.

Here is how Jen describes these fabulous handmade earrings:

An original design of mine, published in Beadwork magazine in March of 2009, was used to create these stunning earrings.

Made with genuine 3mm Swarovski crystals in sparkling blue zircon, they are full of sparkle! To accent the colors in the Swarovski crystals, I used a tiny size 15 seed bead in a beautiful, delicate shade of powder-blue. You can barely see them against the crystals, but they add a little touch of color to the earrings.

These earrings were hand-stitched using right angle weave, a centuries-old off-loom beadweaving technique using just a needle and thread. They are reinforced with extra thread for strength and durability, but as with all beadwoven jewelry, they should not be worn in the shower and taken off before going to bed.

These earrings have been finished with sterling silver earwires.  Hanging approximately 1 1/2" long, these are a great way to add a bit of sparkle to your day!  Additonal views of these earrings can be found by clicking HERE.


(To learn more about Jen and all of the places that you can find her online, please start that by clicking HERE.

By clicking her name at the top of the website, you will be able to easily find out what else Jen is up to and where else you can purchase her beautiful jewelry.)

PLEASE READ THROUGH TO THE END BEFORE COMMENTING:

I'm going to offer a few questions in hopes of learning more about how others are making choices between online shopping vs. actual physical shopping.

1.  About what percentage of purchases that you make over the course of a year are online purchases vs. physical?

2.  What types of online purchases do you tend to make and why? 

3.  What are your thoughts about buying handmade items such as jewelry, clothes, paintings, photography, pottery, etc. online as opposed to making those purchases from galleries, shows, etc.?

Feel free to answer one or all three.  As always, if you post this giveaway on your own blog, facebook and/or twitter, please come back each time letting us know you did along with a link to that.  If you include all of that in one comment, that comment will be counted one time as opposed to separate comments each being counted individually.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

There have been times that giveaways are offered, someone wins and then we do not hear from the winner.  For fairness to all who are submitting responses to win, 
 
please make a note to return on Sunday, July 10th when the winner will be announced.

Thanks for supporting those who

~create handmade with handmade~

MaryAnn

4 comments:

Hopefl said...

Hello!
My percentage of online vs. physical purchasing is about 70-40, simply because the things that I order aren't found in the variety and quantities that I find online - and very often I don't find them in my local supply shops at all.

What do I buy online? Mmm, I buy plastic ear hooks (an item which I can't find in the local shops); I buy tiny 2-2.5mm silvery spacers (ditto); Thai/Hill Tribe silver spacers by the hundreds (I like to be prepared!); Swarovski crystals, and many other beads and spacers. I tend not to buy clothes online - they're so hard to try on! My online purchases run towards crafts and "ear candy" (CDs, etc.), and now and then, a publication for my Kindle.

One of the big advantages of buying things from a gallery or a show is that you don't have to pay the shipping, which can be rather outrageous. Not only that, you get to see the actual color[s] up close - it's very difficult to ascertain colors online, if the photograph is substandard.

Last but not least, the things I buy online are usually at a discount, and since I am on a strict "money diet", that helps a lot.

Alice said...

I purchase about 99 percent of my beads, tools and supplies online because I live in a small rural town that has nothing in the way of beady stuff. And with fuel prices the way they are, I don't want to travel nearly 90 minutes one way to buy beads. The only time I purchase in a store is if Michaels has a great coupon, and even then I only do that if I'm headed to the city for other reasons.

I never buy already made jewelry online as I like to feel the quality of workmanship and try it on.

Those earrings are just gorgeous! I can't imagine the amount of work it took to create these.

By the way, just send me all the prizes that were never claimed. I'll be sure to give them a good home!

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

1. About what percentage of purchases that you make over the course of a year are online purchases vs. physical?

Well, I'm older and really determine I NEED before I buy unless I can't help myself. But since this is about jewelry and beading supplies...pretty much 100% is bought on line.


2. What types of online purchases do you tend to make and why?

I never buy clothes on line, I demand the proper fit and don't want the return hassles. I ALWAYS buy books on line, due to price and I support Better World Books whenever I can, and selection.

I buy appliance repair parts on line- easy. Yarn, on line..selection and unique.

Guess it just depends on what it is.

3. What are your thoughts about buying handmade items such as jewelry, clothes, paintings, photography, pottery, etc. online as opposed to making those purchases from galleries, shows, etc.?

I LOVE handmade. Mostly I buy on Etsy. I love to go to shows, galleries etch, but that is usually pretty far from me.

Hope I helped you.

Islandgirl said...

Online I buy.. seed beads, base metal beads for enameling, glass rods for lampworking..., some crystals, All my silver wire, some silver findings and occasional electrical parts ... & books... I do not buy clothing, rarely do I buy finished jewellery... although I have bought a few pieces, I bought a 'vintage' purse on etsy a couple of years ago.. It was great... I just happened to see it on the front page... I would never go looking for something like that, I make socks and buy my yarn for those online now... However I bought the original balls in a store... I would never buy shoes, even brands that I know my size. I live on a small island in the middle of the Bay of Fundy.. My nearest store is at least 90 minutes away and that's a crap store chain... silver and glass is a 2 day drive however that said I still buy 40 - 50% of my jewellery materials in a store! All my copper wire comes from US hardware stores...

Would never buy pottery or paintings on line....

Actually I own a gallery and don't even attempt to sell anything online .. although I will ship to repeat customers!

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