My friend Linda B. has a sideline making beaded items, mostly jewelry. She doesn’t just string beads in straight rows, however.
Linda has been known to bead-weave around seashells, interesting rocks, copper plumbing parts and aluminum flashing she picked up for a song at the Habitat ReStore.
She also likes to pound metal. Boy, does she. I was her roommate when I returned to Alaska, and sometimes I’d go to sleep hearing the tink-tink-tink of one of her hammers pressing shapes out of flat metal and then, sometimes, texturizing their surfaces.
It was like “The Shoemaker and the Elves,” if the shoemaker had made boots out of aluminum or copper.
Recently I helped her set up for a crafts show and decided to be the “lucky money,” i.e., the first sale of the day. Rather than get one of the bigger beaded pieces I opted for two lovely pairs of earrings, which I figured would have more mass appeal — and would also make good last-minute holiday gifts.
Thus I’m giving away two prizes this week.
The earrings in the photo above are a cobalt blue with gold embellishments. To me they look like a pair of planet Earths.
The other pair is kind of a sea-green but can also appear more turquoise, depending on the light.
Both have small beads top and bottom and silver wire that won’t turn your ear green or make you break out in a rash. That is, unless you’re allergic to silver and/or a werewolf.
If there’s a jewelry hound on your holiday list, consider your shopping for that person done. You also get bragging rights for having bought something completely unique (she never makes the same earrings twice) and for supporting a local economy vs. a big-box store.
Extra frugal points for winning the gift instead of paying for it. But you can’t win if you don’t enter, so:
- Leave a comment below
- Subscribe via e-mail or Feedburner
- Sign up to follow Surviving and Thriving on Twitter or Facebook
If you do any (or all!) of these things, please leave separate, additional comments to get credit for each entry.
The deadline is 7 p.m. PST Tuesday, Dec. 17. If I don’t hear back from the winners by 7 p.m. PST Wednesday, Dec. 18, I’ll pull new names. The first one to respond gets his or her pick of the two. I’m using Priority Mail, so you should get the earrings before Dec. 24.
Note: Due to the high cost of international shipping, a winner who lives outside the United States will be given a choice of gift cards in lieu of the earrings.
Thanks to Alison Willis for the iPhone photography. Clearly, she rocks.
Hmmmm….if I were a werewolf would I know it? lol Would hate to find out when I was trying to wear the silver earrings!
Who wouldn’t love a pair of these? Gorgeous!
I would be thrilled to win either pair of earrings…..though the blue is my favorite. Both pair are gorgeous and you are so generous to offer a pair for a giveaway.
What a great giveaway!!!
Both are gorgeous.
I would love to win either of these pretty pairs of earrings.
I subscribe to your email updates.
I am a fan on Facebook
Gorgeous earrings! Thanks for the chance to win.
I follow you on FB.
I subscribe to your emails.
Just beautiful! I love both pairs. Did I miss a link for online shopping or does Linda not sell online? I would love to win a pair anyway!
At this point she doesn’t sell online, but only through local shops and at a few shows per year. If you were interested I could put you in touch with her.
I’m interested in her contact information, definitely. I’m a bead earring hound.
Which is not the same as a bead-earring werewolf, so I’m fine with silver. Thanks!
I like you on Facebook. 🙂
Gift or keep, if I win? That is the question!
Facebook too!
Yay! Beautiful, crossing my fingers here.
Following on twitter 🙂
Subscribed!
Lovely, either would be put to good use:)
I subscribe via email.
Like to support local economies. Last year after your post on the “smoke ring” I had my daughters purchase a hat for me. Lot’s of dithering about what article I would want. It’s a keeper, I love to tell people what it is made of Muskox wool and the women who create them.
I am also a fan on FB.
Lovely earrings! I hope I win a pair:)
I also follow you on FB:)
I’d like a pair!
I subscribe to the RSS, and they are gorgeous.
Those are so pretty!
I receive the emails.
I follow on Twitter and FB.
My DD1 would LOVE either of these and either would accentuate her hazel eyes.
Does your friend have a web site (in case I do not win)?
Would love to win these — thanks for the giveaway
I follow via email
What a great giveaway! You are awesome!
I would love to win this beautiful wearable art. Thanks for the opportunity.
I follow on facebook.
I subscribe via email. Thanks.
Love handmade! Christmas cooking is hard on shoulders I follow via email….and what is Scotch Brittle?
The earrings look great. I would love to win:)
Very pretty earrings that I would love to wear.
I also follow you via email.
Merry Christmas! I follow via email. The earrings are beautiful !
These are very nice! I subscribe via email….
love your blog
follow you on facebook
Love hand made craftsmanship!
Would love to win. Either pair would fit my style so well.
I subscribe to Surviving and Thriving by e-mail and look forward to getting your postings.
I follow you on facebook, too.
Beautiful…and fun! Thank you!
And I subscribe by e-mail…love your posts.
Oh, pick me, please. Pick me!
Ooo I like those turquoise-y ones!
Faceboook.
Subscribed via email.
Beautiful!!!
I read your blog and FB
Beautiful earrings!!!
I’m a huge fan of yours, Donna – and I LOVE the earrings (both pairs!)
I’m a huge fan of yours, Donna – and I LOVE the earrings (both pairs!)
great giveaway.
They are lovely….one to keep and one to give. Perfect!
I really like those sea-green earrings.
I receive your emails.
I’m a facebook fan too.
Facebook follower. Love both pairs.
Both pair of earrings are beautiful. Linda B. makes gorgeous jewelry. I am an email subscriber.
I also follow you on Facebook.
WOW! These look like the perfect “me” gift…
Absolutely beautiful!
I get your emails
I follow your tweets (moeyshay)
Lovely earrings!
So pretty!
facebook fan
email subscriber
These are lovely. I would love to win.
I subscribe to your RSS feed via Newsblur.
Beautiful. Pick me, pick me, please. 3 snow storms in a week, and I could use a pick me up.
Gorgeous earrings,I especially like the green ones. thanks for the giveaway!
I subscribe by RSS
What a great giveaway! So generous of you. They are beautiful.
Both pairs look great. I’d love either.
Beautiful!
I subscribe via RSS!
I “like’ you on FB.
Beautiful, thanks
Oh. My. Goodness. Gorgeous!
I also follow you on twitter @MoonsgirlAllie!
And I like you on facebook!
They are both stunning!
Would love to win either of these for DD2 who is returning from a semester on the “left coast”…a bit battered…but wiser. Linda B. sounds like a cool gal and I’m betting/hoping she gets some biz from this mention…
Beautiful!
Subscribe via Facebook!
Subscribe via Twitter!
Subscribe via email!
The earrings are beautiful! Thank you for giving us a chance to win them!
Count me in for those gorgeous earrings.
Beautiful wearable art!
Pretty, very!
After spending 4 years in Alaska I would love to share it’s beauty with my wonderful beauty. Love the earrings.
I follow you on facebook too!
This would be a far more fun gift for s-i-l than what she’s slated to get at this point.
I am an email follower
I am a Facebook fan!
I am a twitter follower
These would make a nice gift. The green ones are very pretty.
I subscribe via email.
love your stories and the earrings look great!
These are so pretty! I wish I was crafty in that way. I follow on Facebook.
And Twitter.
And I subscribe via email.
The earrings are lovely and so is your blog!
Thanks Donna! These will be going off to Serbia–a gift from me to my daughter and a gift from her to one of the many people who have offered her comfort and joy.
absolutely love them rod jackson mrsrodjac at hotmail dot com
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