A very good day...

Today has turned out to be a good day. The last few days have been really hectic, so a little brightness is very appreciated. My hubby's back from a stint away, the sun was shining, I chatted to some lovely people, and the postman brought me two packages of gorgeous beads. 

Since my other half hasn't had post in weeks, he begged to open one of the packets. He even knew it would be beads - that's serious withdrawal. The first package contained beautiful lampwork beads by Tania Grey. I LOVE her beads. Want to see?

 

I got them from Tania's Swappage Emporium. The Emporium is a little site she set up specifically for swapping. Tan swaps for more than just handmade items or beads. She'll take coffee, frit, handmade goodies, and much more. This time, I'm sending her some soap I made.

I love the blue and yellow set - it even has tiny yellow spacers. They remind me of bumblebees, but if you look closely, the dark glass is actually a gorgeous cobalt blue.

 

My absolute favourite is the tree bead. I've never had a tree bead before, so it's only fitting that this one looks like no other I've seen. 

If you want to swap with Tan, have a look at her Swappage Emporium. She'll be filling the shelves with new lampwork on July 26th. Tan's also started a Facebook page for her site where she'll add other handmade goods.

Now, the second package was from Davida of the Old Bicycle Shop. She is an absolute gem. Davida was offering a prize on a forum I frequent. I ended up tying for first place with my Summer Nights necklace. She even let me choose the beads I wanted from her shop and sent extras. Here's everything...





I've coveted those watch faces for ages. And those faceted gunmetal beads, and...and...Davida really spoiled me. Since I want to share the love, I'll be sending some of these beads to a lovely lady in America.

Now I'll tell you about the beads. The watch faces are from the Czech Republic and made in the 1950s. They're really charming beads and came in a few color choices. I went for the green (I have a plan!) and light blue. Davida sent me extra little Czech beads from the 1960s in matching colors.

I chose a vintage crystal chaton (also for the plan), and Davida added another sparkling blue one. The faceted gunmetal beads are from the 1920s, there's a vintage metal component, a button, and a selection of bright glass beads from the 20s to the 70s.





And that is why today is a good day. Hope your weekend is just as wonderful!