Small Business Saturday - November 30th

After all the mayhem of Black Friday, but before Cyber Monday, don't forget about Small Business Saturday.  This coming Saturday, November 30, 2013, is the designated day to go out and support the small businesses in your local community.

Look for this seal at participating stores

Small Business Saturday was started in 2010 by American Express with the goal of boosting the revenue for small business owners during the busiest shopping season of the year.  The competition for the best deals in town heats up this week as everyone makes the mad dash to find the perfect gift.  And I know we all love our giant TVs from the big box stores but when you are looking for unique gifts, turn to the mom and pop shops in your city.


One of the things I love about this tradition is that it affords us the wonderful opportunity to get to know our community.  It is such a great thing that we can celebrate the small businesses around us.  Many local merchants and artisans have been cut out by larger stores and we have seen this decline more and more in recent years.  By going out on Saturday November 30th and purchasing from small businesses in your area you are helping to support our community.  Don't be afraid to try a new place.  Who knows, you may discover a new favorite shopping spot.

When you need to take a break from running around, don't forget about the small businesses that you can find online.  There are many online marketplaces, like Etsy and Zibbet, that have been giving new life to local artisans and designers.  Sites like these help keep the spirit of handmade gifts alive.  If you have an online shop, or small business, help those around you by giving back to the very community that supports you.  The best thing you can do is spread the word about a great small business.  Let those around you in on your great find.

Did you know that there are over 27 million small businesses in the US alone?  Many of them may be in your city.  Here is a great site to find the local small businesses in your area that will be participating this Saturday.  If you have a shop, visit www.shopsmall.com to find out how to promote your business this Saturday.

ENDED - Christmas in July SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Giveaway

 CONGRATULATIONS to Karen from New York - She's the lucky winner of this giveaway!

Let the festivities begin!  You may not have the urge to break out the candy canes and hot chocolate just yet but how about a wonderful giveaway to put you in the Christmas spirit?  It's never too early to start planning all those lovely handmade gifts for your friends and family.  We're giving away over $150 worth of SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS to help you get started!  It's our way of saying, "Happy Christmas in July".

One lucky winner will receive a great variety of colors and sizes, as shown below, to add to their beading collection.  Everything you see here can be yours!

To enter, please leave a comment on this blog post letting us know what your favorite SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS bead or pendant style is.  Giveaway ends next Tuesday, July 16th at 4pm PT.  At that time, we will choose one random winner from those who left comments on this blog post.  Please do not comment anonymously (as a guest) and do not use your Facebook, Twitter account, or Yahoo Pulse Profile when commenting.  Please do not comment more than once per giveaway post.  Please adhere to all Beadaholique rules and conditions for this giveaway.

Thrifty Gifty Spotlight: Lucite Chrysanthemum Earrings

If you're looking for a great gift for the girls, I've got an idea for you that is quick and easy - and a bargain to boot!

Lucite flowers are a classic look, and make such pretty post earrings.  In this Lucite Chrysanthemum Earrings set, you will get all the supplies you need to make 10 pretty pairs of earrings, all for just $19.99!  The kit will make 6 pairs of 10mm mum earrings and 4 pairs of 16mm mum earrings, in a variety of lovely colors.

These earrings require no tools to complete and will go together in a flash.  Plus, you can make them for just about $2 per pair.  You could give several pairs together, or make gifts for a whole group in no time without breaking the bank!

Thrifty Gifty Spotlight: Resin Charm Bookmarks

If you have any avid readers on your holiday gift list, here are the perfect personalized gifts for them.  What's more, they're very budget friendly, and quick and easy to make.  Hooray!

This is my "Reading is a Hoot Bookmark", with step by step instructions here.  You can see that the price for one kit is $14.91.  But if you choose two colors of crystal faux pearls that will match an assortment of resin charms, or if you want to make multiples of the same bookmark, you can lower your price per piece quite a bit!

You will have enough beads for quite a few bookmarks, and you will have enough eye pins for 10.  To make a set of 10 bookmarks, you'll need to buy four more packages of bookmark findings.  You will also need to choose a total of 10 resin charms that you like that all match your pearl beads.  Once you add in those additional costs and break it down, you're looking at just $4.64 per bookmark.  And actually, that's assuming that you choose all charms that cost $2.49 each.  But many of our resin charms are as low as $1.99, which would mean a total cost of just $4.14 per bookmark.  It's a great little gift for such a little price tag, and you can personalize the charms and colors to suit everyone on your list!

Thrifty Gifty Spotlight: Noodle Bead Bracelets!

If you follow fashion trends (and probably even if you don't) you know how popular the humble bracelet has lately become.  We are seeing them everywhere in all sorts of forms.   One of the biggest hits and one of my favorites is the noodle bead bracelet.  There are many different varieties, but here is my version:

I made mine from pretty colors of waxed cotton cord, with gold and silver plated noodle beads.  Then I glued the cords into sleek little cord ends and used magnetic clasps - my favorite bracelet clasp for ease of use and how clean they look.

But here's the best part: these little beauties pack a lot of value!  You can find the list of supplies here on the project instruction page.  Now, on there, you'll see that the complete supply kit (everything but the tools) will cost you $15.31.  But if you look at the quantities, you'll see that the kit actually gives you enough supplies for two bracelets, which equals $7.66 each.  

Even better than that, though, is that all you need to do is buy an extra package of cord ends and an extra package of noodle beads, and you'll have enough for four bracelets!  With the extra pieces factored in, you can make four bracelets for just $5.02 each.  They'd make a perfect gift for your girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, nieces, co-workers, or anyone else, and you can make a whole bunch of them in no time!

Another fun thing to mention is that you can add in a second color of waxed cotton cord for $2.75 and make your bracelets two-tone like the red and blue bracelet shown above. 

I'm thinking of having a little crafty party with a few of my friends to make a bunch of these for gifts.  Wouldn't that be fun?  We can just pitch in for a bunch of supplies and go to town!