Long Over-Due

I cannot recall not blogging for so long -- I've missed it and I've also got apologies to go around to the wonderful winners in my May Jewelry Contest. I've been busy. Not a great excuse but it's all I've got at this point. My apologies to Kathy, Krista and Stacy for not updating my blog and showing their beautiful creations and congratulating them for entering and winning the contest.

Kathy Noda's First Place Winner!

For the Love of Turquoise"
A Turquoise-Lovers Dream! Great balance, beautiful stones....and matching earrings. Excellent job,

Kathy.

Stacy Erlenwein (shown right)

2nd Place Winner
"Open Your Heart to Love" Necklace
Sweet and Simple design with love in mind -- Thanks Stacy for remindings us of romance!

Krista Kenner

2nd Place Winner

"White Quartz & Chains"

Chain! and More Chain! Long and draping chain makes a huge fashion statement -- one large white quartz tablet bead finishes it off. Elegant and simple.

These three winners received shopping sprees at the Brass Bouquet and I can tell you -- they had fun buying all sorts of goodies at the BB!

I want to thank everyone who participated in the three-month long contest. It was so much fun watching the entries come in. Seeing all the fantastic jewelry being made by you and the imagination and creativity out there around the country and world! Thanks so much.

.

I Need to Make a Little Confession.....One small reason I've been dragging my feet on this blog is because of an email I received about these contests. Believe it not, I received hate mail. How someone who sells brass and has contests and gives away shopping sprees can get hate mail is difficult to understand. Well, it did happen.

.

I was hurt, actually. And it took me a while to get over it. I was accused of rigging my contests. I was accused of giving away prizes to those who used the most BB findings and not by the talent of the entry. I was accused of having high prices and cheap merchandise. It really ruined my week.

.

I want to say that the contest entries were never judged by me alone. I had a number of friends who would view the photographs (with your names withheld). They never knew who the entries came from. . They judged the jewelry by the beauty, color, composition, etc., all those things that make a beautiful piece of jewelry. So did I. Never once did I judge the piece of jewelry by who made it or by how much brass was being used.

.

Perhaps I don't need to say all of this but if one person wrote me maybe there are others who felt the same way and if that's the case, it would really bother me to think I have hurt someone's feelings or made someone feel badly. Ok, enough said. Thanks for letting me get that off my mind.

.

In the Store.....The voting is pretty much over on the 10mm round chain. I'll be keeping it. Too many of you want it. And most of you tell me my price can't be beat anywhere. I do not have any in stock right now but as soon as I get it back in, it will show up at the website.

.

I do have a great cable link in.....my camera is broken and I cannot photograph it (arrgh!) It's a 6 x 11.6 elongated chain. If you'd like to use this until the 10mm is back....please write to me. It's very beautiful and chunky like the round. I also have an etched oval chain coming in soon.

.

Summer Charms......

Lots of summer charms are available: Shells, Sand Dollars, Sea Horses, Fishes, etc.

.

As soon as I get a camera to work, I'll get some photographs of new merchandise on the BB website!

Thanks again.....keep sending in those photographs of your creations. I'd love to list them on the BB Website.

Write me: brassbouquet@comcast.net

Visit the Store: http://www.brassbouquet.com/

.

and until next time: Pay it Forward

Jill