Mother’s Day is coming, so keep in mind that we do lots of custom pieces. This piece was commissioned for a grandmother, and it was fun to design. The giver of the gift had a neat idea to incorporate Christ in the bracelet. Here is a breakdown of what the birthstones mean (the clear ones are just space fillers).

Top Row: December/Blue Topaz, October/Rose Zircon, December/Blue Topaz (son and his family)

Middle Row: June/Moonstone, Purple (representing the royalty of Christ), May/Emerald (recipient and her husband)

Bottom Row: September/Sapphire, December/Blue Topaz, June/Moonstone, June/Moonstone, March/Aquamarine (daughter and her family)

We hope that the recipient loves her bracelet and enjoys showcasing her family every day.

The annual YWCA Purse & Passion luncheon was a great event, and we had a wonderful time. Here are some photos of the event for you to enjoy.

Our pieces on the silent auction table.  The necklace and earrings set was made using Swarovski pearls and sterling silver.

The silent auction table (our jewelry pieces are second in the photo).

Our table of lovely ladies at the luncheon.

My friend Melissa actually won the silent auction jewelry … thanks, Melissa!!

One of our favorite events each year is the YWCA Purse & Passion Luncheon held each spring. It is a GREAT event that is wonderful for ladies (in the fact that they get to bid on lovely purses and accessories both by raffle and silent auction along with eating a delicious lunch) but it also goes for a great cause … to help prevent domestic violence (and to help those that are victims of it).

We donated a set of jewelry for the silent auction to help raise money for the YWCA, and we are excited about attending the event today.

This set will go with just about anything, and it is made with Swarovski pearls and sterling silver. We are glad to help out the YWCA with its fundraiser this year!!

We were commissioned to create a “springy” bracelet for a giveaway for a church in Northern VA, and we just had to share it with you!!  It is so cute and definitely says “spring”. If you have anything special in mind, we would love to create something custom for you.

This custom bracelet was made using vintage beads (in crystal, glass and rose quartz) and sterling silver. It also features an extension chain so that it can fit a range of sizes.

We were so honored to be a part of today’s Purity Conference through the Student Ministries of Timberlake Baptist Church. I shot a picture of the pieces, and I also took a photo of the two door prize winners … Jessica won a necklace and Anna won a bracelet. I hope that everyone had a fun day at the conference!!

The necklace ($32), bracelet ($22) and earrings ($10) … special prices for this collection due to the conference.

 Anna (bracelet) and Jessica (necklace) were the winners of today’s door prizes!!

We designed theses pieces especially for today’s conference, and we always love custom orders. If you have an event coming up or a special piece you want designed, just let us know.

I was asked by my church to design some purity jewelry for an upcoming conference they have for teen girls and their mothers on Saturday, and of course, I was happy to do so! The Purity Bracelet is a staple in our collection, yet the Purity Earrings and Purity Necklace were specially designed for the conference.

Each part has special meaning … the pearls are white and symbolize the commitment to purity. The crystals are clear and symbolize clean living and allowing others to see Christ clearly in you. The sterling symbolizes that although the world can try to “tarnish” us, God can fully cleanse us and make us shine!!

The purity earrings are available for $10 a pair and are designed with Swarovski pearls, Swarovski crystals and sterling silver.

The dangle of the purity necklace is designed using sterling silver and Swarovski crystals and pearls.

The chain is sterling silver, and the necklace features a charm that says “purity”. This is available for $32.

Our purity bracelet is also designed with sterling and Swarovski with a “purity” charm, and it is specially priced at $22 for the conference.

Please email us if you are interested in purchasing one of the pieces in our purity collection. The designs are also available without charms if you so desire. Thanks again for stopping by!

Don’t forget that we make all sorts of custom jewelry … including Mother’s Jewelry. We have a great selection on our site, but we also do a lot of custom work for moms, so be sure to keep us in mind. There is plenty of time to design something and have it ready for mom’s special day!!

Above is a sample of custom work that was done for 2 grandmothers. They each had their favorite colors, and these were designed using vintage beads and sterling silver.

We are excited that our new April items can be viewed and purchased through Artifacts Gallery’s online shopping. Check them out by clicking on “shop online”.

Our sterling and vintage crystal necklace in seaglass colors for $42 at Artifacts Gallery in Lynchburg.

I know that a lot of us are trying to better utilize our money with the economy and all, and I am also trying to make better use of my space. I tend to be a packrat (self confessed, that is), and at times I need to push the reset button and go through things … both in my home and for my business.

I am getting ready for a yard sale that we are having in May, so I am in the process of decluttering. When I checked my email a few minutes ago I had TWO emails waiting for me that dealt with the subject. I wanted to share them with you to renew and give you fresh inspiration to declutter this spring.I make jewelry so that I can have fun, make others feel good by having that perfect piece and also to earn a little bit of extra money.

I am actually enjoying going around my house looking for things that we don’t use that I can turn into cash via ebay or our yard sale (or even being able to pass items along to those in need).  I hope that these articles and tips help you with your quest to become clutter-free (it is a constant battle for me).

Check out the site Small Notebook for great ideas on how to pare down your belongings.

Today Money Saving Mom also had some wonderful ideas for simple clutter control and making decisions.

I hope that these websites and their tips will help you around the house and in your business … I know I need to tackle the project of organizing my jewelry and business supplies soon. My jewelry area is currently a mess, and maybe I will be brave enough to show you pictures of both before and after my attempt at organizing it all … we’ll see!! Thanks again for stopping by The Bauble Market.

Well, last week was Spring Break, and I decided that I would take a book along that would potentially help me along with my small business(s).

I currently have The Bauble Market, which is my jewelry business (I almost hate to call it a “business” because it is a lot of fun for me!!), and I promote it by taking special orders, selling on etsy, having my jewelry in galleries and promoting my website.  I also have a new little side venture arising in the near future, so I have been dwelling on and thinking about that.

I took along the book Handmade Marketplace by Kari Chapin, and I settled in aside of the pool to see what awaited me inside. Honestly, I felt like I was reading a “can’t put it down novel” because what she said was of such great interest and value to me. If any of you have a small business (she focuses on crafting, yet I feel that a lot of what she says applies to any small business owner … especially if you are just getting started), I would HIGHLY recommend her book.

She talks about getting started (even legal jargon put in a “womanly” way … my husband bores me to tears when he talks about an LLC business, but Kari did not), what to focus on, getting the word out, having a great website/blog, utilizing social media, keeping track of your things (money, inventory … etc.) and a WHOLE lot more.

I kept a pen and pad with me the entire time to jot down her words of wisdom. I truly felt as though I was being let in on some trade secrets by eavesdropping in on a conversation between experts. If any of you are thinking about starting a small business or even have one in the works, I would really recommend her book (local friends, feel free to borrow it from me!!).

It is not often that I would feel that my blog and a book review would go hand in hand, but this time it’s a win-win for all! I hope that you will check out her book and learn from it as I have … I am so excited to implement some of her ideas! Thanks, Kari!! Check out her book here.