Ringing in 2010!

Wishing everyone a very Safe, Happy and Prosperous 2010!

May all your wishes, dreams and desires come true this New Year and may you all be blessed with love from your family and friends!

Until Next Year,

Peace, Love and wonderful blessings!!

Cheers,
~Shel~

What A Treat!!


Wow, what a treat!

We're excited to report that Style Envy has featured MiShel Designs as their Designer in the Limelight for December/January!

We couldn't be happier or more thankful!

Go check out Style Envy and see all the wonderful 'deals and steals' they've rustled up to help you save tons of money everyday!

They've definitely got the best super saving deals, scoops on the latest trends, hippest fashion accessories, and fabulous winter looks for the Holiday Season!!
Here at MiShel Designs we're wishing you all a very Happy Holiday Season.
However you celebrate, may you do so with your friends and family and with love, joy and peace in your hearts!!
Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Pearls, Baby!
Cheers,
~Shel~

Caring For Your Pearls


Since we're into the time of year where most people dig out their classic pearls and wear them, I thought it would be appropriate to remind everyone of some basic pearl care.



Pearls should not be kept in 'air-tight' containers,...they need to 'breathe'.



To avoid scratching your pearls (and other stones, too), store them in a soft, cloth jewelry bag.



To clean your pearls wipe them off gently with a soft, non-chemically treated cloth after each wear and prior to storing them.



Hand-knotted pearls generally need to be re-strung every 18 months to 3 years, depending on the amount of time you wear your pearls and the conditions/environment in which you subject them to.



Keep the silk of your hand-knotted pearls from stretching too quickly by keeping lotions, perfumes, hairsprays, and all other chemicals away from your pearls. This will not only help the silk knots to last longer, but will also help your pearls keep their luster and beauty.



Pearls that come in contact with lotions, hairsprays, perfumes and other substances will slowly lose their luster and may become damaged over time, thus losing their beauty and value.



When it's time to have your pearls restrung - whether it's newer or older pearl jewelry - please call and ask us for a free estimate!



Until Next Time,



Peace, Love and Beautifully Strung Pearls, Baby!!



Cheers,

~Shel~


Queen Conch Cultured Pearls


Great news! Scientists have finally, after 25 years of attempting to culture pearls from the queen conch, been successful!

An article appearing in GIA's Gems and Gemology, stated how scientists from FloridaAtlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (Hector Acosta-Salmon and Megan Davis) "developed proprietary techniques to produce beaded and non-beaded cultured pearls from the queen conch."
According to another article in Science Daily, "This discovery opens up a unique opportunity to introduce a new gem to the industry".
Until now, queen conch "pearls" were some of the rarest gems in the world. (and from our standpoint, some of the most beautiful, too!)
Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Beautiful Pearls Baby!!
Cheers,
~Shel~














Proof is in the pudding,......



Buy your pearls now reports JCK. Here's why:

JCK Special Report: Dishing Up Pearls in a Buyer's Market: "This story originally ran in the October 2009 issue of JCK.

An interesting report full of information on not only Salt Water Akoya Pearls, but South Sea Pearls, Freshwater Cultured Pearls and especially Tahitian Pearls.

With fahsion trends leaning towards everything pearls at the moment, it would be particularly prudent to purchase designs which are up to date, yet classic enough to carry you through changes in trends and fads, since prices on these magnificent gems are likely to climb in the next few years due to shortages, ecomonic woes and environmental issues.
Weigh in on your thoughts regarding pearl farming, pearl jewelry trends and all things pearls here on our blog!


Until next time,
Peace, Love and Pearls Baby!!
Cheers,
~Shel~

Great Resources for Jewelry Artists


I'm posting some great jewelry business (or any small business, actually) resources here today because we could all use some help and guidance. With my thought that "There's enough for everyone" and because I believe that "what goes around comes around", being helpful just comes naturally for me, so I hope this information and these sites are able to help all my fellow jewelry artists (and anyone else, too!) out there!


The Home Jewelry Business Success Tips website and blog by Rena Klingenberg. This site, and her blog, are invaluable in helping with social networking/marketing, jewelry show participation, packaging, tips and tricks to selling your jewelry - everything!


Jewelry Marketing by David Weiman - The #1 Source for Handcrafted Jewerly Makers. David walks you through all the aspects of marketing your jewelry, the psychology of it, the pricing, the how's and why's - you name it, he's got your answers!


Art Biz Blog - For The Business of Being An Artist. This blog helps you with social networking sites like facebook, twitter, etc. and has some great insight into being an artist in the business world - packed with helpful knowledge!


Okay - there's a lot to focus on here, so that's it for today. There's tons more and each month I'll post a few more sites full of information that can help you build your business, brand yourself as an expert and keep you sane in the midst of ever changing technology and times!!


Until next time,

Peace, Love and Good Business Baby!!

Cheers,

~Shel~



Style Envy LOVES Our Animal Print Shell Bead Earrings!!

We're sending a big THANK YOU over to our friends at Style Envy!!

They're loving our Animal Print Shell Bead Earrings in 14K gold fill and we're loving them for it!!



Style Envy has all your designer needs in one place - fashion, jewelry, accessories - and they've got it all for LESS!! That's right - find the greatest deals and steals in they Style Specials section!


Shop early for your holiday needs and save BIG!!


Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Style Envy, Baby!!
Cheers,
~Shel~

Our Fall 2009 Facebook Fan Jewelry Give-A-Way Winners Are,...



Our Fall 2009 Facebook Fan Jewelry Give-A-Way Winners Are,...
Jessica Larkin Harmon - Wooden Links Necklace
June Cleaver - "Choco-Latte" earrings
Janet Brandt DuChanois - MiShel Designs Gift Cert (20%)
Suzanne Stevens - MiShel Designs Gift Cert (20%)

The correct answer to our "Name This Famous Pearl" is: La Peregrina!!
Hope everyone had fun playing our "Name This Famous Pearl" game.
Congrats to you all and thanks so much for particpating!
To get all the details and see everyone's answers - log on to our MiShelDesigns.com Facebook page!
Stay tuned for our next Jewelry Give-A-Way scheduled this winter (I'm thinking around December 1st would be a good time!!).
Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Pearls Baby!
Cheers,
~Shel~

MiShelDesigns.com on Facebook - Jewelry Give-A-Way


Hey there fans and friends,


Shoot on over to our MiShelDesigns.com facebook page and become a fan and you can participate in our Fall 2009 Facebook Fans Jewelry Give-A-Way tomorrow!


Go check it out for all the details!!


Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Free Stuff Baby!


Cheers,

~Shel~

Welcome to the Fall Business Women Online Expo!

I'm excited to be a part of the 1st Annual Fall Business Women Online Expo this weekend where we're showcasing our businesses with shameless self-promotion, learning about each other (networking) and having fun with contests, give-a-ways (or whatever we want) to entice folks to stop on by and check us out! What fun!


For starters, let's get down to the good stuff: the GIVE-A-WAYS I'm having!



1. Be one of the first 3 folks to leave a comment at the bottom of this post telling us what you like most about our blog and/or website (www.MiShelDesigns.com) along with your name and email (so I can privately get your mailing info) and you will win a pair of our "Herringbone Weave Pearl Drop Earrings".

2. The first 3 people to become our friend/fan on our MiShel Designs fanpage on Facebook on Saturday, September 26th, will win a pair of our 14K GF Faceted Lemon Quartz Drop Earrings. Log onto facebook and go to our MiShelDesigns.com page, became a fan and then send us a private message with your email so I can get your mailing info to send you your pretty pair of earrings!
Okay - is that easy or what?!!

Now, for our juicy detials. And, since most of you are surfing the net w/little time to spare - we'll keep this short (no pun towards myself taken!!) and sweet.

The "We" behind MiShel Designs is me, myslef and I - with lots of love, support (and purchases) from my family, friends and return customers! I'm Michelle Buettner and I love to laugh, have a quirky sense of humor, twirl my hair constantly (when I don't have jewlery tools in my hands!), would stop breathing if I couldn't create jewelry and I consider myself one of the luckiest people on the planet! I hold a Graduate Pearls Diploma from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and I love to drool over pearls, gemstones and all things jewelry. My jewelry, even though somewhat trendy, tends to be classic in design and taste and can be worn season after season.
Okay - there you have it. Have fun checking out all the fabulous designers who are participating in the 1st Annual Fall Business Women Online Expo - and please, please share their info w/your friends. We all love handmade items and it feels great supporting those who are passionate enough to put their creativity out in the world for everyone to enjoy!














Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Pearls Baby!!
Cheers,
~Shel~


Find Us Here:
http://www.misheldesigns.com/
http://www.misheldesigns.blogspot.com/
FaceBook
Twitter
Myspace

Fall Business Women Online Expo

Hey - grab your 'fun hat' and click on over to the Fall Business Women Online Expo this Saturday, September 26th!


It's a fantastic way to network w/other independent online business owners, learn some new ways to network within your chosen online social media sites and have a great time to boot!
Plus, you and your friends can find some fantastically great buys for the upcoming holiday season. Nothing feels as good as supporting independent designers AND getting great stuff!


Check it out!!

Until this weekend,

Peace, Love and Pearls Baby!!

Cheers,
~Shel~

Social Media: Does it really influence women's buying decisions?


Okay - I'm really trying to follow the advice of all the pro's and guru's out there who tell me (and everyone else, too) that part of my over-all marketing plan must include as many social networking sites as possible (that apply to what I do, anyway) and that I must take full advantage of these tools if I want to succeed and I want women to buy my jewelry.


In reading "Surprisingly, Women's Purchases Largely Uninfluenced by Social Networks" by Ann Hadley today, I was 'surprised' - as it says - that women's purchases are largely UNINFLUENCED by all the social networking sites - especially the ones I participate in like Facebook, Twitter and Myspace!


My question, after reading the above article is this,...."Do you think that women's purchases are becoming more influenced by these social networking sites because all the pros and gurus out there are 'stearing' things in that direction by touting what they want to be the outcome? Or are you, as a woman, largely, or in anypart, truly influenced by social networking sites such as facebook, twitter, and myspace soley on your own, and do you base your purchases, name brand or independent, on social networking sites and their information?"


I'm interested to hear what types of social networking has helped you in any type of buying decision.....please weigh in.


Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Pearls Baby!!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Fall Designs

I just finished this for my sis today - part of her fall collection.




I haven't oxidized the earrings yet - that's tomorrow!

I like the way the blue-ish grays and purples mix nicely with the blackened silver. Reminds of Fall as I look at it - cooler nights, autumn smells of apple cider and cinnamon - oh, that's nice!

The sleek chain with the baroque shaped pearls mixes things up and gives it a bit of an edgy look!

I hope she likes it!

Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Pearls Baby!
Cheers,
~Shel~

New Trends


I just came across this article in the Open Forum that I'd like to pass on:

Trends: New Luxury


It's loaded with info on how the trend on luxury goods and services is shifting and how smaller businesses are taking new and innovative steps in capturing a broader clientele.

I found certain portions greatly beneficial to the "Pearl Buyer Representative" area of my business where I assist clients with shopping for and purchasing luxury pearl jewelry and accessories.

Click on over and check it out and see how you might be able to apply some of the suggestions to your business and possibly create new ways in which to assist your clients!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Pearls Baby!!

Cheers,
~Shel~

Get Your Silver Jewelry Featured in Lark Books!



Make great silver jewelry? Have it featured in a Lark Book!

Call for Entries: 500 Silver Jewelry Designs




Go check out the rules and regs and download an entry form now!


Good luck to all of you who design gorgeous silver jewelry.


(Wish my pics were up to par - 'cause I'd enter a couple things myself!)

Until Next time,
Peace, Love and Silver Baby!!
Cheers,
~Shel~






Creating,...

I've been really into creating this past week! Sadly, though, I'm only wanting to create what I want and not what I'm supposed to be creating - funny how that works, isn't it?! LOL!!


Anyway - I got a new daping/doming block this past week and have been loving life while "tap, tap, tapping" metal into shapes and creating fun things.
This has spawned a new line of jewelry I will be coming out with by the end of September - if not sooner. It's a personal/sentimental, spiritual line of jewelry with symbols, words and stones of meaning. Very simple yet fun and cool!

I'm really enjoying creating this type of jewelry because there's such a 'shift' in the world right now (and it's been happening for awhile now) and we all seem to feel the need to 'be connected' to something/someone, to share our hopes and dreams, goals, feelings, emotions and many other things and "put them out there" for the Universe/God to take and shape from dream into something solid.

I'll keep you posted and give you a sneak peak here over the weekend,....


I'm also getting ready to post some *FREE* jewelry making tutorials over at jewelrylessons.com - so for those of you wanting to do some creating of your own, go check things out. There's tons of tutorials on this site from many talented jewelry artists and so many of the tuts are *FREE*!


Right now I've got an article that was posted over at jewelrylessons.com about teaching jewelry classes with something 'more' - go check it out under the articles section.


Hope your day is filled w/love, health and happiness!!


Until next time,
Peace, Love and have fun creating beautiful things!
Cheers,
~Shel~

To Adorn,......

"Adornment is never anything except a reflection of the heart." ~CoCo Chanel~



Yes, the iconic CoCo Chanel and her pearls!


If you were to adorn yourself today to reflect your heart, what would YOU wear?

Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Happy Adornment!
Cheers,
~Shel~


















Our Top Picks for Who, What and Where!

We've been asked lately to give some tips on how to teach good jewelry classes, and then several of our clients have asked where and who to take classes from and what classes I would recommend - so today's blog is a list of the above. Now, I can't list all the classes I'd recommend because that's an almost endless list, but here's a good selection for starters!
First, here's an article we wrote for Rena Klingenberg's Home Jewelry Business Success website:
Rena's site, and her blog, are great tools for those in the hand-crafted jewelry business and our article gives those jewelry artists interested in teaching classes some great pointers to keep your students coming back for more and how to get them to refer you to others as well!
Now, for who, where and what - here's my top picks for some great classes from some great instructors - both online and in person!
For wire wrapping and bead stringing:
MiShel Designs (of course!) We give private jewelry lessons in our Glendale, AZ studio and we also teach at some bead shows, so just call 602-625-7299 for more information.
For just about any type of jewelry making, our friends over at Creative U in Carefree, AZ have a great line up. Call Creative U at 480-575-8500 for all their classes and info. They're a fun, very knowledgable bunch of gals!! Oh, and did I mention that they're lots of FUN!!
For Precious Metal Clay (PMC) our friend Kathy Hunter over at the Loft Art Studios in Scottsdale has you covered!! Kathy's classes are very informative and lots of fun and she'll definitely get your creative juices flowing. Plus, she's got lots of other instructors (and guest instructors too, who stop by her studio to teach) so check things out by visiting The Loft Studios and Gallery website for all her classes and info.
For super cool wire and metal jewelry Connie Fox has some of the best classes around. She's located in sunny San Diego and her website, Jatayu, has all the information on her classes. Plus, she has several free online tutorials and fabulous beads and supplies for sale, too!
Now - there's several instructors who are super great, but unfortunately I haven't gotten to take classes from them in person yet (notice I said, YET! - I only 'know them' via their books, DVD's or online tutorials), and they are:
One of the best books on the market (my opinion - hey, it's my blog!!) for beginning wire work is All Wired Up by Mark Lareau. Basically, it's the backbone for all you need to get started bending wire with very easy to follow instructions and illustrations!
Beaducation - Lisa Niven Kelly and the rest of her fabulous instructors such as Kris Silva, Lisa Claxton and more! Anything wire - chainmaille, stamping, bending, soldering, cold connections, weaving, etc. They have lots of free online tutorials as well as all the tools and supplies to get you started creating wonderful jewelry!
Then, there's Eni Oken's website for all, and I mean ALL, the jewelry making you could ask for! Go to Jewelry Lessons by Eni Oken and Friends to learn all sorts of wonderful things! This is a comprehensive website - filled to the brim with everything to help you create beautiful jewelry!
Sharilyn Miller - Fabulous jewelry instructor! Sharilyn's book Bead On A Wire (she has others, too!) is fantastic for learning basic and a bit more advanced wire techniques and she has several DVD tutorials available on her website too, from wire wrapped rings, tribal jewelry, rubber stamped jewelry and more. Go check it out!

Okay - I've got tons more info for you up my sleeves, but it's summer and my sleeves are short right now - so if you'd like more - just send me a message and I'll share whatever info I can with you!

Until next time,
Peace, Love and Happy Learning!!
Cheers,
~Shel~

And The Winners Are,...

Our give-a-way of Three (3) FREE pair of earrings for answering our jewelry question in our last post are:

Lisa C. of Flaggstaff, Arizona

Jackie R. of Casa Grande, Arizona

and

Marsha H. of Casa Grande, Arizona

All three won a pair of our 2009 "On The Vine" hand crafted sterling silver hoop earrings wire wrapped with small, freshwater cultured pearls in 'Tahitian Blues'.

Congratulations and stay tuned for out next give-a-way!

Until next time,
Peace, Love and FREE jewelry baby!!
Cheers,
~Shel~

Fall Jewelry

Okay - so I've read all sorts of articles, blogs, trend forecasts, etc. on what's hot and what's not this Fall 2009 season - but I'd really like to hear from all of you - our MiShel Designs Fans and customers (and anyone else out there who likes to wear pretty jewelry!).
So, give us some feedback...do you like big earrings, layered necklaces, lots of bracelets (before you have to cover your arms for winter) or do you like it all?
And, what colors (don't worry about trends now, folks!) truly get you in the fall mood or keep you thinking of cool fall nights, crisp colored leaves blowing in the wind and the smell of apple cider and cinnamon?
We're going to take everything you post and come up with some 'cool' designs for you this fall!
And, the first three (3) people to respond and post something will get a FREE - yep, I said FREE - pair of our latest "On the Vine" hoop earrings in some great Tahitian/Peacock colors!



So, start typing and get yourself decked out for FALL!

Until next time,
Peace, Love and "Fall"ing Pearls!!
Cheers,

~Shel~

Confused between Summer and Fall !

Okay - I've been up here in the mountains at my sis's cabin (the neighbor's actually - house sitting their house and doggies) in Nutrioso, Arizona for several weeks and have been loving the pine and aspen trees, cool breezes, 4th of July parade and fireworks, cookouts, late night 'barn games' the kids play and even the occasional spotting of the bear, wolf and mountain lion; it's the perfect back drop for fall (fall inspired designs, that is!). However, my brain seems to be thinking (feeling) that I'm "missing out on summer"! Is that strange - or what?!!

My subconscious is somehow longing for 'summer'. True summer. You know,...pool parties, picnics in the park, the smell of coppertone, fresh seafood, sunsets that don't come until after 8:00p.m., red ripe tomatoes from Illinois (the best!!), the sound of the waves crashing on the beach, warm sunlit days ('m getting those), baseball (I'm really not into baseball - unless the Diamond Backs are playing!) and all that summer stuff.


Even though I've barely used up half my spring/summer bead stash from the Tucson Gem and Mineral show this past February, my brain keeps going to those lovely faceted transluscent gemstones in light blues, pinks, misty greens, pale yellows and bright oranges! Maybe it's because I'm used to 115F degree temps in the summer, or going to the beach instead of the mountains, but, none-the-less, as a designer - it's time to get the "Fall Line" up and out!!
Fall is what I need to concetrate on becuase that's what designers's do in the spring and summer - they design for fall and winter,...and by the fall/winter (or before) they start designing for the spring and summer...I feel like a baby who has it's days and nights mixed up! LOL!!

But, even though I'm a bit 'confused' right now - I'm loving every minute of the cool summer breezes in the mountains, the clouds, the occasional rain and thunder, the friends and family I am getting to spend time with, and the cute, old-fashioned, little towns that are up here - it reminds me of home (you know, my home town of "Mayberry" as I refer to it!). And, I always loved my hometown best in the summer. Maybe that's why I'm thinking of summer gemstones and colors instead of fall ones.
Although,...fall was beautiful there too - with it's golden yellows, burnt oranges and soft reds with flecks of olive greens and light browns....ooh....I can see fall now!!
Maybe I just needed to visualize! And write,......

Okay - Until next time,
Peace, love and fall colored pearls!!
Cheers,
~Shell~
Please visit our MiShel Designs website.
And, you can find us on Etsy now, too!
Our Facebook page is here and we're on myspace too!








Happy Independence Day - USA !!!


Wishing everone in the USA a very happy and safe Independence Day!
I'm celebrating the 4th and a sending big THANK YOU to all those who made it possible - for with out you, we wouldn't be living the free lives we're living now.
Words are just not enough,.....


Until next time,

Peace, Love and Freedom!!

Artist's Review - Ying Yang Pendant from Artbeads.com

We liked the review that came from another jewelry artist on a different Artbeads.com item and basically decided to following suite - so to speak - and make this a short and sweet one (I know, hard for you to believe, coming from me, huh?!).

We photographed the pendant, front and back, as Jewelry Artist, Gayle Dowell, of "This Artist's Journey" said all suppliers should do, even though pendants like the one we have really don't need it as much as the one she had did. (Please follow the link and check out her review)

We ordered the small Ying Yang Pendants - "H-16mm by W-12mm" from Artbeads.com and were pleased with their 'heft' and found them to be perfect for earrings, charms and necklace talismans. Nothing 'cheap' about these - perfect quality! Quality = A+

We thought of the obvious, and about our "Basic Earring Class" we teach, and decided to start with a pair of "Ying/Yang Earrings" in black and white - with a small 'twist'. These simple, yet stylish earrings, can be made in as little as 15 minutes - provided you already have your own ear-wires/hooks. Our ear-wires/hooks are handcrafted, but we still managed to make these 'go to' earrings in about 25 minutes. Ease of use = A+

We're actually pretty excited about these little 'gems' because we see all sorts of potential - charms, earrings, dangles from a 'bridal' anklet of all blue stones for your 'something blue' when you get married and have to 'mesh' with your significant other - the 'Ying' of your 'Yang', so to speak.....the possibilities are endless. Versatility = A+

The price from Artbeads.com for the Ying Yang pendant is extremely reasonable. Money wise: $, $$, $$$ = $
Overall Grade: A+
We enjoy using Artbeads.com and encourage you to give them a chance when ordering supplies for your next 'creative moment'!
They've never let us down!
Until next time,
Peace, Love and Great Beading Supplies, Baby!
Cheers,
~Shel~

More Designers we're loving right NOW!

Okay - here's another in the series of "Designers We're Loving Right NOW!"

Pade Vavra - Her Herkimer Diamond designs are way cool - check out these bangle type bracelets - awesome!! And these earrings are anything but typical!!




And everyone's favorite these days - Melissa Joy Manning's jewelry - because it's pretty cool! And very 'organic'.



And then, for the fun of it - there's Kathy Frey's Anemone Pendant!









Okay - that should give us all sweet dreams!!


Until next time,

Peace, Love and Pearls (and fun jewelry, too!) Baby!

~Shel~


Creating


I love creating jewelry. Especially jewelry with clean, simple lines, that's versatile and goes easily from day to night attire.

Here, our long silver and pearl link necklace, made especially for my niece for her college graduation, is one of those lovely pieces!

We've had so many comments on it, I thought I'd share it with all of you here on our blog.

Similar versions will be for sale soon on our MiShel Designs website!

Have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day weekend and please remember those who have ever served our country - we wouldn't have our wonderful way of life without their dedication, sacrifice and love.

Until next time,
Peace, Love and Pearls, Baby!!
Cheers,
~Shel~




Style Envy - shop and save!

Hey there fashion fans!
We're blogging to you today about one of our favorite sites - Style Envy!
Style Envy is THE place for fashion and beauty specials. You've just gotta visit Style Envy before you shop anywhere else! You'll find the latest coupon codes, free shipping offers, the latest trends and the best new designers. Shop designer fashion for less and save! Seriously!!

Here's a sneak peak at what you'll be able to find (other than our designs, of course!!)

Heart's Desire Jewelry (yep, we're featuring another jewelry designer - because, hey, there's always "plenty" when you believe there is!!) They like to support the American Heart Association (like we do), they have gorgeous jewels, and they look like a fun bunch!!



White Python and Leather - oohhh....Beatrix-Ong! Oh Yes!



Hey - we're Arizona girls - we love the 'flip-flop-sandals-gone-glam look!!
Okay,...stay tuned for more!
Until next time,
Peace, Love and Pearls -and jewelry, and fashion, and more!
~Shel~




Our Favorite Jewelry Designers Right Now!

We were asked who inspires us and who we think is the absolute King/Queen of jewelry designs right now and who's jewelry you should go check out (other than ours, of course!) , so here's a list of "Who we're loving NOW!"


Todd Reed - OMG!! His stuff is amazing - no need to say anything else! He's the King!








Todd Reed Bracelet - amazing or what?!!



Dominique Cohen - Could her stuff be any hotter than it is!?!! Not likely - She's our queen!






Jewelry by Dominique Cohen.




And then there's Margaux Lange - Simply Fun!! Check out her Barbie Jewelry - it's so wild, you just can't stop looking at it! I want the 'eyes'.....they're way cool!






Okay - that's it for now.....we'll give you more on another day!!
Until next time,
Peace, Love and Great Jewelry!
Cheers,
~Shel~

Artbeads Components Review

We've been ordering components and supplies from Artbeads.com and using their items in our designs for about 5 or so years now, so it was really wonderful when they asked us to review some of their products here on our blog.

We create lots of jewelry using some very basic 'staples' (as we call them) such as 2mm seamless round beads, as well as various styles of chains, some pendants, Swarovski Crystals and more from Artbeads.com and we've chosen several items which we'll post over the next month or so to blog about. We're very lucky as Artbeads.com put no stipulations (include the "good, the bad, and the ugly") on how we review any of these produts.

Many of the items we will blog about will have not only the featured item included in the design, but several other items from artbeads as well. And, we're going to include links to all of the Artbeads.com items we use so you can easily find them for your own beading pleasures!

Since it's basically summer time (well, here in Arizona it is because it's already hit 100 degrees once this year and it's supposed to be 104 in a couple of days!) we decided to do our first review on a wonderful little Thai Silver Sun Design Pendant - in the Hill Tribe Silver Pendants Section of Artbeads.com - and it couldn't have pleased us more!

We wanted to create a lightweight, airy and fun pair of "summer" earrings - your 'go to' earrings for all summer - so, we paired these little beauties with some faceted citrine we picked up at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show this February and hand forged these large oval hoop ear-wires with sterling silver 20 gauge round, half hard wire for the beads and pendants to dangle freely from. Very simple, yet versitile and fun!

We were very pleased with these little pendants when they arrived. The thickness of the silver is quite nice - not too heavy, yet not so light they will bend. The antiqued (blackened) sun pattern in each pendant is quite nice and each one shows slight variations of the pattern due to the individual hand-crafted nature, allowing them a truly organic look and feel.

The 'bail' on each tiny pendant is perfectly suited for the size of the pendant, yet is still large enough to be strung with seed beads, or anchored on to flexible beading wire for a multiple-strand necklace or bracelet.

These little pendants/charms are perfect for designing a cute pair of earrings (our choice), hanging them on a bracelet with other small pendants and/or charms to create a really cute 'moving' bracelet or for putting one center stage on a small chain with a few natural stones, beads or gems (pearls!!) to have a simple, yet striking necklace.

Rating these (our idea - not artbeads.com) on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best and something we'd highly recommend) we'd give these little Thai Silver Sun Designs Pendants a perfect 10 and not only because they're right up our alley as far as their style goes, but for their durability and quality, their fantastic price - only $3.89 each! - and their unlimited design options. Plus they're super stylish and fashionable right now, too!

Please weigh in and let us know what your impression of these earrings are using Artbeads.com's Sun Design Pendants.
Until next time,
Peace, Love and Artbeads.com baby!!

~Shel~

Color Is,....

Hi there gang!


We're really liking the latest blog post from JCK Online Blog - Jewels on Jewels - and her mention of color and how important it is!

Check it out here: Jewels on Jewels

So many beautiful colors are making their way into our lives this spring in jewelry, clothes, accessories, and all sorts of other items as well. Spring (and summer, too!) seems to be a time when people venture out and experiment with all sorts of new colors - colors they normally don't think about.



We've been hit with the 'color-bug' here in our studio too this spring and we're going to be sharing some of our latest creations throughout the spring and summer (if we can get them posted before they leave the studio in the hands of our customers!) - so stay tuned for some colorful beauties!



Until our next colorful time,
Peace, Love and Pearls!


~Shel~

Woo Hoo!! Style Envy Picks Our Earrings For Spring!


We're so excited that Style Envy has picked our earrings to feature in their Spring Looks for under $250.00! How sweet is that?!
Go check it out and shop all the great finds over at StyleEnvy.com!

Click here to find those gorgeous earrings on our site as well,...after all, graduation is coming up, Mother's Day is around the corner,...I mean there's always an occasion for gifting someone a gorgeous pair of earrings, right? Even yourself - because you deserve it most!!

Have a fabulous weekend, and until nex time,
Peace, Love and Pearls Baby! (especially the ones featured!)
Cheers,
~Shel~

This ROCKS!!!

Just wanted to share with you and email I received over the weekend from Janet over at the Carlos Santana House in Los Angeles who's involved with the Prom Project that we donate our designs to each year:

"Michelle,

I saw your beautiful earrings at the Santana House Prom Event today. You are so amazing, not only with your creative designs, but with you generosity. You made some young girls very, very happy.

Thanks again,
Janet G. "

Does that ROCK or what?? What a fabulous compliment and what an amazing feeling to know we've helped out a bit with completing a young girl's prom wardrobe, making her feel a bit extra 'special'!

Thanks to everyone at the Santana Youth Action Center for allowing us to participate and for giving us great feed back!!

We're looking forward to next year!

Until next time,
Peace, Love and Pearls!!

Cheers,
~Shel~

Prom Drive Donations

MiShel Designs is proud to help out a few of the Prom Drive Donations in the country! Here's a pic of just of few of the designs we've wrapped up and sent off for some lucky girls to enjoy this year.
Please offer your help if you can by donating a gently used prom dress, bridesmaid dress, or cocktail dress that is tastefull and appropriate for teenagers to wear, along with any designer shoes, handbags, jewelry or gift certificates to hair salons, nail salons or spas to allow girls who might not normally have the opportunity to do so, to be able to attend their prom and enjoy it to the fullest!


For more information or to help, please contact:

Carlos Santana House's Youth Action Center / Violence Intervention Program
Prom Dress Drive / Prom Project
Attn: Anne Marie Herwig
1721 Griffin Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90031
323-221-4131 xt. 170
email: mailto:aherwig@vip-cmhc.org

~ AND / OR ~

A Cinderella Affair
Attn: Alisa Mauldin
c/o Tempe Cummunity Council
34 E. 7th Street
Tempe, AZ 85281
480-858-2309
email: alisa_mauldin@tempe.gov

Until next time,

Peace, Love and Pearls!!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Santana House's - Youth Intervention Program's "Prom Project"

Once again, MiShel Designs is proud to contribute to the Santana House's Youth Intervention Program's "Prom Project" by donating several pieces of jewelry for the girls to wear to Prom.


The idea came from the young girls on the Santana House Youth Council. They wanted to make it possible for some high school seniors in the neighborhood surrounding the Santana Center, who might otherwise not be able to, to attend their Prom by providing them with dresses, jewelry and make up and hair styling. They work in conjunction with the Los Angeles Violence Intervention Program. You contact the Carlos Santana House Center, located at 1721 Griffin Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90031, at 323-226-2095 for information on how to donate.


We've gotten rave reviews from the girls and are told they love our jewelry. And, from my conversation last night with this year's coordinator, things are moving along splendidly, but they'd love to accept any donations or services you can provide. So, even if it's out of your area (it's not in our backyard, either, but we still wanted to help!) please contact them if you have any ways in which to contribute. These girls deserve a great prom night!



We'll be posting more information here on our blog and also pix of our designs we'll be donating this year. Plus, be sure to sign up for our newsletter on our MiShel Designs website as we'll have more info in our March edition!
Until next time,
Peace, Love and Pearls!
~Shel~
P. S. - These are a few of the items we donated last year!



Our Oscar "Best Dressed" Picks!

Here's our picks for "Best Dressed" at the Oscars!



Marisa Tormei - Wow!

Natalie Portman - Beautiful!

Kate Winslet - Stunning!

Jennifer Aniston - Very Classy!

Anne Hathaway - The Epitome of Old Hollywood Glam!


The not so good - well, we're not going to go too deep here because even though their acting is incredible and their charitable causes noble, some peoples tattooed bodies stood out more than their little black dresses and others, well, their choice of dresses looked more like 'black and gold wall paper in a hotel', wedding cake toppings, big-bowed bridesmaid "mistake" dresses and drab curtains than Oscar worthy gowns,....so we'll just stop right there.
And, although we were happy to see some people with great jewelry choices - Penelope Cruz, Amy Adams, and all of our above mentioned 'Best Dressed" of course, we'd LOVE to see more pearls than diamonds any day!!

Who impressed you the most on Oscar night? Do tell! Who should fire their stylist,...or maybe get one!!??


Until next time,
Peace, Love and Pearls,
~Shel~