Bella The Bead GIVEAWAY!!!!

My friend Kelsey of Smitten By A Promise is hosting a giveaway for me at

Bella The Bead Giveaway

Please stop by and register to win this fabulous pair of earrings:

Shabby Apple:

I stumbled upon this website a while ago and just had to share it with you!
Shabby Apple is an online dress boutique selling women’s dresses, casual dresses, skirts, and women’s apparel. They recognize that finding the perfect dress can sometimes be challenging, which is why they strive to design highly fashionable dresses for all types of women.

Take a look around the website.



Whether you’re looking for an evening dress for a special occasion, blouses, or the perfect skirt, I bet Shabby Apple will have something that is right for you! And,  keep in mind that they are always designing new dresses for women, as well as coming out with entirely new fashion lines. They are a beautiful alternative to mall shopping!

Rafflcopter Round Up

Join in on the fun!

Click on the "Rafflecopter Round Up" link below and "favorite" my shop on etsy to enter to win this vintage chain and floral medallion bracelet:


Rafflecopter Round Up

Inspiration versus Imitation

Fashion is a fickle thing. Styles change. Colors change. And, jewelry changes right along with it. This past summer, necklaces were selling in my etsy shop, at local gift shops and boutiques as fast as I could conceive and create them. Now bracelets seem to be the item of choice.  So, I am expanding my line to include cuffs and leather bracelets as well (look for those items soon in my etsy shop!) 

One thing that remains the same, however, is that there will always be another designer or shop that simply takes cues from another.  No creativity. Nothing unique. Simple imitation.

So, it begs the question: what’s the difference between taking inspiration from something you’ve seen and creating something that is uniquely your style, versus imitating something to the extent that it is an exact duplicate and then offering it as though it were your own unique creation?

I believe inspiration is at the heart of most artists. You see something and are inspired to create something new. That is an awesome process! Inspiration motivates the creative spirit and sparks more new ideas. It feeds the ambitious mind and spurs more creativity. Inspiration can come from anything…nature, fashion, travel. Inspiration knows no boundaries.

Imitation is exhausting. My grandmother used to say, “The view never changes if you are not the lead dog.” Imitation means that your view never changes – you are always chasing someone else’s tail. That can’t be as much fun as inspiration and creativity.

Are you inspired?

Do you inspire others?

New in my etsy shop

Bella the Bead's Fall Forecast 2011

Taking cues from the Fashionistas of Fall, Bella the Bead is forecasting beautiful blues and creamy shades of chocolate this season. Here's a peek at what you can expect to see in my etsy shop, local boutiques and holiday gift shows:

Blues: Deep Teal and Quarry

Browns: Coffee Liqueur and Nougat

Layers of Chains

and for the holidays....Flowers! Lots of Flowers!

Bella the Bead jewelry is now available at North Atlanta’s Coolest Gift Shop: Cool Bees

I knew the moment I walked through the door of Cool Bees that this was the gift shop for me. A wonderful array of local artists were showcased in a casual, inviting atmosphere. This gift shop was going to be a special place - it already was! I knew that charming old house had a story. Here it is:

Terry Henner recently opened Cool Bees in the old Kudzu Cottage, located at 4710 Highway 9, Alpharetta, originally built in the early 1940's by Everett Bettis and his late wife, Louise.
Cool Bees is themed on arts in and around the community, providing a venue where artisans of all types can showcase and sell their work. The name Cool Bees originated from Henner's experience with beekeeping and her old habit of saying, "cool beans!" when she finds something unique.

Little did Henner know when she set up her Cool Bees shop, Everett Bettis would become her friend and some of his late wife's artwork would epitomize the meaning of "cool" that every art venue strives to emanate.
One morning as Henner was preparing her shop to open, she heard a knock at the door. "I opened the door, and there stood a nice gentleman who extended his hand and said 'Hello, my name is Everett Bettis and I built this house for my wife in the early 1940’s when we got married. My wife designed the whole house. She was very creative."
Henner remembers the moment she knew Everett would become a great friend.
"He asked if he could show me a photo of Louise. Of course, I said yes and as I looked, Everett said he'd been married to the most beautiful woman God ever let walk this earth and that he missed her every day after 66 years of marriage. He started to cry. Then I started to cry," explains Henner.

Over the next few days, Everett showed Henner his late wife's own artwork and crystal collection. Coincidentally, Louise had one stipulation for selecting her crystal pieces. Each one had to have a bee engraved in it. (Now that's what you call "cool bees!")

Currently, Cool Bees boasts the work of more than 30 local artists. Among the treasures are some of Louise Bettis' creations, which can be found in each room of the house she'd designed so long ago. Featured artisans include fine art paintings and photography, iron sculptures, handmade bath and body products, hand made quilts and a wide selection of hand made jewelry.

"This house becomes funkier by the minute and I love it!" says Henner. "I told Everette I think it's pretty darn cool to showcase art from the original artist who lived in the house. Not to mention an artist who loved bees!"
Henner also sells the honey her bees have made. It's a good idea to call ahead, because Henner has been as busy as a bee trying to keep the honey in stock. 

Cool Bees is more than a “must see” shop. It's a “better get buzzing over there shop” because something new arrives each day.

Feature article originally written by Kristen Berry , CummingPatch, Aug 26, 2011, Copyright © 2011 Patch. All Rights Reserved.