Black Friday and Small Biz Saturday deals!

It is that time of year...the time to gather with family and friends and wake up before dawn so you can wait in line in the freezing cold for Black Friday deals. Only they never have enough of what you want, and some jerk tried to cut line and spilled his coffee all down your leg and by the time you make it to the counter to get the fantastic thing that caused all this madness, the unfriendly, untrained clerk tells you that the 2 the store had are gone and they won't be getting more anytime soon so you are just out of luck.

Sound familiar?

Ok, we love getting deals as much as the next guy, but who needs the hassle of 4am doorbusters and flying elbows?!? So, we are doing Black Friday differently...we will be having some pretty amazing deals, don't get me wrong, but we have many, many items on special and I will be amazed if we even come close to running out!

Here's the deal - on Black Friday (otherwise known as the day after Thanksgiving) and on Small Business Saturday (the day after Black Friday), we will be having a $2. sale. We have pearl, stone and vintage glass strands, stringing wire, tools, accessories, finished jewelry, magazines and a whole bunch of other stuff-JUST $2. each!!!! I know, pretty darn spectacular, huh?

Just buy 10 (or more) of any of the special items and they are just $2. each. I'm guessing its time to stock up...

We'll also have hot cider and cocoa and lots of other store specials-so after you're done wresting some grannie for the last insert must have item here, come by for some real specials that don't run out before you even get in the door! Just our way of saying "thanks". For all you cyber shoppers, we'll also have $2. specials on our artfire site.

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

where has the time gone?

It is the middle of November...the middle of November- as in a month and change until the new year-how is that possible? Did I sleep through the summer? Pretty sure I didn't pull a Snow White enchanted sleep kind of thing, but I swear I was just getting back from Tucson like a month ago-not 8 months ago!!!

Ok, enough about how time flies-around here, November means anniversary, and we are celebrating our (drum roll please) 7th Anniversary! Yup, 7 years of bringing some creativity Bremertons' way. And we've decided to celebrate all month (and probably into December as well, because its our shop and we can do what we want!). So to start off the festivities and as a thank you to our loyal, fantastic, creative customers, we are having an in the bag sale. *

What is an in the bag sale, you ask? Well, we have these beautiful, recycled cotton block print tote bags-see the picture? And if you buy a reusable bag, you get 25% off anything you can fit inside-books, magazines, tools, vintage glass, cards, gifts, pearls, stones, earrings...you get the idea. The sale is happening next week, November 16th thru the 20th...hurry in to get the best selection and the best bags!

We'll be having a different special each week to celebrate our anniversary and as a way to say thank you to all our lovely customers. If you want more deals, sign up for our newsletter and twitter feeds for more information about what is happening in the shop.

*This special sale is only happening next week, November 16th thru the 20th. You must buy an echo artworks reusable tote to participate. All items in the shop are available for the special sale except net and consignment items. In the bag special cannot be combined with other offers or discounts or for workshop tuition or gift certificates.

Told you I was lampworking today

Ok, here are some of the new goodies I've been creating at the torch lately. You can tell winter is coming on because all I want to do is add color, to anything, as often as possible. Lampwork is a great way to do just that-and add some heat to your very cold studio!

I am gearing up for an enameling run as well (any excuse to play with fire!). I'm trying out some new filigree pieces with enamel...will share pics as soon as I see how they survived the tumble and clean.

Check out our website and facebook page for more info on workshops this winter and join our mailing list and twitter feeds for specials, coupons and deals at the shop & online.

Lucky 7!

Yes, it is our lucky 7th-7th anniversary that is! We've been around, providing beads and instruction, for SEVEN YEARS! I act like I'm eight years old, so being around for seven years seems impossible. But here we are... First, a HUGE thank you to our loyal and fantastic customers! We wouldn't been here without you, and I cannot thank you all enough for sticking with us through recessions and pewter charm shortages and flooded workshops as well as celebrating crystal deals, Tucson Treasures and UFOs! We are so lucky to be here, sharing our bead love with such amazing, talented and giving individuals-again, thank you! We'll be celebrating throughout the holiday season, check our website and blog as well as our facebook and twitter feeds for information on our in the bag sale, $2. strand specials and treasure hunt coming up in the next few weeks. 7 years, how the time flies!

new chain just in!

Just got a huge order of chains in the shop-some old favorites like the leaf chain (now in all finishes) and some new, large link chains for extenders and linking projects.

We'll have them all on the website soon, but for now, here's a little teaser!

Sorry for the hiatus

Ok, I have been a bad, bad girl...I have abandoned this blog for far too long!

I promise to be better-weekly updates of what is new in store, coupons and special offers and more, just give me a chance...I may even get around to a background!?!

Please bear with me, more interesting things to come!

Mixed Media Play Day

We are busily getting ready for the Mixed Media Market Show and Play Day. Above are some samples of what we will work on in the morning..resin papers and bezels.

 

Spots are still available, if you are interested in joining us or have any questions, please contact Beth at echo artworks-360.405.4341 or email-beth@echoartworks.com

 

See you soon!

 

 

mixed media play day

I know you are all waiting for our next Mixed Media Market, and we have a treat for you!

At the next market, May 22nd, we've decided to try something a little different and have an Art Play Day in addition to the market full of wonderful mixed media art and embellishments.

We are going to have a full day workshop with 3 different classes-resin papers in the morning, a bird house keepsake after lunch and an altered journal in the afternoon. Lunches will be available from Ambrosia Catering and we will have lots of other goodies and swag for our workshop participants. If you are interested, please contact us here at the shop-360.405.4341 or shop@echoartworks.com

More pictures of project samples to follow and check out the Market blog at www.mixedmediamarket.blogspot.com

Artfest goodies

Yes, I know I am quite behind on getting pictures of my Artfest creations out here in the wide world, but I wanted to get a bit more of the journal finished so I could show off...

This is a metal journal made with resin pages and rivet embellishments. The workshop I took was Textured Text Jewelry with Susan Lenart Kazmer. Nest year, I am signing up for the 3-day shebang...there was much more fun to be had!!!

Another chance for fame

Here's another heads up for folks looking to get their work into national magazines... The Crafts Report is looking for pictures and insights from artists. Metal Clay (due 5/15) and Mixed Media (due 6/15) will be published in the fall & winter. Go to their website for more information. INSIGHT allows artists to share their business insights with fellow craftspeople in the same genre. To submit your own tips and photograph, e-mail a high-quality image (high-resolution digital is best) of your work, along with your business insights and tips for fellow craftspeople (100-word maximum). Please include your name and city of residence. Entries must include all of this information to be considered. E-mail to editor@craftsreport.com Get creative!!!

Time to show your stuff

Sometimes we get a heads up of what the bead magazines are looking for to include in upcoming issues. Here is a recent one from Bead Trends Magazine. And look ahead for their wish list for November...VINTAGE!

Bead Trends is currently looking for designs with the following themes for our October 2010 issue: Handmade Beads - Whether polymer clay, PMC, or lampwork, artists make the most beautiful designs with handmade beads.If you would like to submit your work to this publication, please e-mail a photograph, the name or title of your piece, and contact information to: beadsubmit@beadtrendsmag.com.If submitting multiple pieces, please send a separate e-mail and photograph for each design. Deadline for the October 2010 issue is 11:59 p.m. MDT, April 30th, 2010. All ideas should be your original work and not previously published. Visit their submission page for complete details.

Artfest 2010

Ever feel tapped out? I do...after the craziness of Tucson, taxes, inventory, taxes and the spring cleaning frenzy, I just cannot get my creative juices flowing again. The solution? Take some workshops at Artfest!

Though I have never had a chance to participate in the three day creativity conference, I was able to get a day off (ok, so I bribed one of our employees to please cover for me) and will be headed up to Port Townsend for a day of fun, friends and frolic of the right brain kind. Unfortunately, that means that I will have to push UFO Night to another time since I won't make it back in time to host.

So please accept my apologies for the last minute change of plans, but I promise to make it up to all of you will lots of fresh new ideas for workshops and spring projects!

Special One Day Sale

We never do this because I think one day sales are just t big tease, making hoopla for no reason, but I found some great stuff in Tucson and we decided we'd add our hat into the ring and we're having our first ever one day sale on March 4th, 2010.

And to add to our cleverness, our hook for this sale in 3 for $10. That means you get three strands (we're not telling you of what, that's the surprise) for $ 10 dollars. Yup, 3 for $10. on 3/4/10 (I know, I am just a marketing wizard).

So join us Thursday, and share in the surprise and get your share of the goodies!

beads, beads, beads...and other good stuff!

Wow...and wow again! Tucson was wonderful, exhausting, and beautiful, productive and challenging and pretty much every other adjective I can think of! I am back, and wow, did I get some good things if I do say so myself! We have tons (literally) of new stones, pearls and glass as well as vintage lucite, sterling chain, charms, fibers, displays and so much more...I'm nothing if not a good shopper.

So to celebrate all the good things, we're having our first ever one day sale...3-4-10. On March 4th, come join us for some special buys, 3 strands for $10. Yup, that's 3 for $10 on 3/4/10...clever, I know!

Thanks again for your patience in my absence, and for treating the gang here with kindness...they hate it when I leave them alone, especially when I make them work on inventory when I'm gone, but I have made it up the them...I think I've been forgiven.

See you next Thursday!

California, here we come...

We are actually here in California, resting after threading through storms at the Siskiyou Summit. We actually drove over the summit (elevation 4,314 feet) at 1 am, and I must say, I am beat! The RV is great, but we are towing a car and about a thousand pounds of beads and metal, so the drive up was slow (and the ride down like a roller coaster you're not sure will ever stop!). Ron has been letting me drive quite a bit (while he naps...not the best co-pilot), but I told him he has to come up with a name for the RV if he wants me to really bond with it. If you have any suggestions...let me know!

More on the Tucson adventure tomorrow...

on the road again...

In less than an hour, we will begin our annual migration to the land of dry heat, rattlesnakes and most importantly, BEADS!!!!!

Yup, the camper is loaded, the sunscreen is on standby and we are outta here! We will be selling and shopping our hearts out and will be back with lots of new goodies on Feb. 16th. Until then, our shop hours will be a bit funky---we'll be closed tomorrow, Jan 29th but open Saturday. Next week we will be open Thursday, Friday & Saturday only from 11am-5pm and the same the week after. Normal shop hours will resume Feb 16th.

Thank you all for your support, you will be rewarded. Keep checking the website and this here blog for information on our 1 day sale 3/4/10!

just a reminder...

Just a reminder...we have only received 3 of the new Washington State Reseller's Certificates from customers. If you have a business and are anticipating buying merchandise for resale tax exempt, you must bring in a copy of your reseller's certificate. A resale certificate is no longer valid for tax exempt or wholesale purchases in Washington. For more information, check out the Washington State Department of Revenue website here.

And a Happy New Year it is!

A new decade...pretty amazing. I am always moved by the turning of a new year and this one seems particularly significant. We are happily & busily finishing our tasks from the old year and paving the way for a bright and happy new year. As a way to say "thank you" for you loyalty and patronage, we are having some pretty darn big specials here at the shop. Everything in the shop is 10% off and the discounts just get better from there! Come by to check out the heaping table of 50% off stones & pearls. Check out the deep discounts on select books and magazines and don't miss the $1. bins throughout the shop. Thank you for 6 amazing years! Beth