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Creative Community: Rings & Things at the Great Spokane Art Party 2011

May 17, 2011

The slogan for the 2011 Great Spokane Art Party “Eat, Drink and Be Artsy” was very fitting! Saturday, May 7 was a fun-filled evening of delicious food, tasty wine and hands-on art. This inspiring fundraiser benefits Blueprints for Learning, a non-profit organization working to increase the quality of early child care and education in our community and the Community Building Children’s Center.

At the event, several talented local artists mentor participants in creating collage magnets, handmade clay tiles, watercolor paintings, printed silk scarves, mono-prints, handmade paper, stick puppets, felt beads, jewelry and more. Rings & Things has participated in the event since its inception.

At the sold-out event this year, we created nearly 180 individual pieces of jewelry! The project was interchangeable magnetic jewelry using buttons made by Justin East.

Russ and Dee donated the findings for the project, and various Rings & Things staffers and their friends worked the event. If you are interested in participating in this event next year, or in other community projects in the Spokane area, let us know!

Next on the calendar is the ‘Make It Art’ booth for kids at ArtFest. Also, please contact Russ if you’d like to help with recycling at ArtFest (June 3-5, 2011). Every year he coordinates the recycling efforts at this and many other community events!

Local art perched on mountains of recycling!

Design challenge: who won?

May 4, 2011

Thanks to a couple hundred πŸ™‚ of you guys for jumping in on our latest Design Challenge: brushed copper beads! *And welcome to you visitors from the Rings & Things News Flash email!*

From the dozen or so
brushed copper bead recipients, Rings & Things received dozens of awesome photos showing what they designed.

The grand prize winner is Kym Hunter! Kym built this simple but wonderful ring.

Front view (showing the flower bead)

We loved the simplicity, cleverness and cuteness of Kym’s ring! Besides two brushed copper beads (puffed flower and striped disk), Kym used just a couple of pieces of felt and some copper wire–to great effect.


BOOKMARK THIS PAGE!
GET INTO OUR NEXT CONTEST
…to be announced very very soon…


See Kym’s other brushed-copper bead creations at the original Design Challenge blog post. They’re in a photo gallery there with everyone else’s entries.

Don’t miss out! You’ll find jewelry there like Melissa Meman’s drape earrings, inventively using the small brushed disk beads (which she oxidized) as vertical design elements .

I promise you’ll have a great time browsing the photos πŸ™‚ Thanks for sending a friend the link, to share & enjoy!

The secret discount code

March 23, 2011

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Update:
See current Sales and Clearance items
— no codes required!

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I admit it: there is a secret discount code at Rings & Things.

Through Sunday, anyway.

Here it is — SALE1C4-10.

How do you use it??

Order these before March 27th passes you by:

5-Day Sale!

Thru Sunday, March 27, 2011: Roll into springtime with great deals: sparkling SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS round crystal beads, striking gemstone donuts and easy-to-use donut bails! Save 10-20% on these quality components.Your savings will be visible in your final Order Review (after entering payment info), just below the “Place Order” button. (No coupon needed, yay!)
Swarovski Elements rounds 10% Off: SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Rounds
Use versatile #5000 round crystal beads from SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS, and add sparkle to an endless array of designs in an endless array of colors! 2mm through 10mm rounds are on sale now for this limited time. (SALE1C4-10)
Gemstone donuts 20% Off: Gemstone Donuts
Add natural beauty to designs with gemstone donuts in a huge variety of semi-precious stones. Find round donuts in 7 sizes (from 15mm to 60mm), plus rectangle, oval, trillion, and new octagon & square styles! (SALE1C4-20)
Donut bails 15% Off: Donut Bails
Make connections with ease using donut bails in white, silver plate, antiqued silver, gold plate, bright brass, antiqued brass, bright copper, antiqued copper, gunmetal and sterling silver. Perfect for hanging focals & more! (SALE1C4-15)
Click here for free projects that feature sale items!
Click here for free projects that feature sale items!

Now, does that get a comment out of you?
Let me know what you think πŸ™‚


Spring BeadTour prevue

March 2, 2011

The first warm hints of springtime are dawning.
Once again comes the promise of new…beads!
Enjoy our spring BeadTour preview–
and we’ll see you at our bead shows, March 6 through June 30!

Manmade Red Rainbow Calsilica beads


Birdseye Rhyolite beads


Cubic zirconia (CZ) beads


Peridot beads and Black Silver Leaf beads


Rhodocrosite beads, Rose Snowflake Obsidian beads, and more manmade Red Rainbow Calsilica beads


Cape Amethyst beads, Lapis beads, and Aquamarine beads


Have you been to our popular BeadTour bead shows yet?
We come to dozens of cities across the USA, with thousands of strands of new beads at 15% off wholesale prices!
GET INVITED
πŸ™‚

Mardi Gras: A Celebration of Beads!

February 3, 2011

Here at Rings and Things, we eat, sleep, and breathe beads. In fact, some nights I think I actually dream about beads! We are by definition bead enthusiasts. Every year I can think of only one day, in one city, that celebrates beads in a way that can possibly rival our passion here at Rings and Things: New Orleans on Mardi Gras!

Let the good beads roll!

Each year, 46 days before Easter Sunday, the Big Easy erupts into a Bead Mecca. Beads are thrown from the balconies, collected by party-goers and hanging from the trees. The city is literally decorated in beads like a Christmas tree is adorned with tinsel.

In honor of such an amazing display of beads, I have decided to design some Mardi Gras-inspired jewelry that can be easily re-created to celebrate the big day, whether you live in New Orleans or New Hampshire!

This jewelry features beads in classic Mardi Gras colors; Purple, Green and Gold. (Did you know? — these symbolize respectively Justice, Faith and Power.) There are also cute little gold Fleur de Lis charms, an image synonymous with New Orleans. The jewelry is done using all gold-plated findings.

All of the supplies to make these items are readily available at our on-line store, www.rings-things.com! Any questions on making the jewelry? Contact us at 1-800-366-2156 and mention this blog!

Mardi Gras is on March 8th this year. So hurry and get your jewelry making supplies to celebrate Fat Tuesday in style! These projects are both affordable and fun!

Tiffany, Designer, Rings & Things

P.S.: Want more Mardi Gras jewelry inspirations? Enjoy our “Mardi Gras Memories” bracelet and “Mardi Gras Choker” designs!

Live blog: Red Tag Sale!

December 28, 2010

3:30 PM, Thursday:

Thank you sunshine! Here’s that new wonderful “dangle chain” we’re featuring at today’s Red Tag Sale! (1/2 hour left, here at the Spokane warehouse.)

It’s dangly. It’s chain. It’s dangle chain!

And I leave you with this Happy New Year wish…

This could be you…saving 50%!

2:29 PM, Thursday:

The great bargains just keep coming! “What wood” bracelets!

Save…50% on wood bracelets!

Bright colors? Check. 50% off bargains? Check.

Body parts? Check.

To save 50% till 4pm today: (1) Go to Rings & Things’ warehouse. (2) Shop.

(3) Look for this sign, you’ve made it!

10:25 AM, Thursday:

Sunny with a chance of crowds! I see quite a bunch of excited showroom shoppers already. And I didn’t even peek in the other big room…

I have to share dangle chain with you. We’re featuring this in the Hall of Beads, between the 2 rooms:

It’s like an endless chain of charms. Cute!

(Got to get you a closeup photo of the dangle chain still. You’re going to love it!)

Another metal item you’ll find today, for half off:

Metal beads: satin finish, matte, trade beads…

And just to give you a sense of how full of fantastic finds the warehouse is today…

Beads piled higher & deeper than the snow outside πŸ™‚

8:38 AM, Thursday:

Big 50% savings today only! It’s the last day of the sale. Streets are plowed, and we’re now laying out countless great beads & findings to greet you here. (Dangle chain…I want, I want…)

On Facebook, Jan posted these action photos from the Red Tag Sale:

So many beads!!

2:49 PM, Wednesday:

Signs you’ve reached the right place, as you seek out our Red Tag Sale:

Flags against the snow!

The way is lit after dark

Crackly matte agate beads at 30% off!

12:54 PM, Wednesday:

Action shots!

Helpers being friendly

This just in…

Beads being brilliant

…and affordable!

10:08 AM, Wednesday:

Doors are open for day 2!

Special note: Even if you can’t attend our Spokane Red-Tag Sale, you can still join our year-end savings extravaganza, via our 5-day sale! Get 25% off already-discounted closeout prices on SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS crystals, gemstone beads, glass beads, jewelry findings and more!

5-day sale started 9 am Pacific Time today β€” look for the yellow & red sale icon next to items in our store. Once the sale has started, your savings will be visible on your check-out summary (before entering payment info)! This goes through Sunday!

Click here to shop our closeouts sale! Click here to shop our closeouts sale! Click here to shop our closeouts sale! Click here to shop our closeouts sale! Click here to shop our closeouts sale!
25% Off: Closeout Beads & Jewelry Findings!
Get an additional 25% off already-discounted prices on our huge selection of closeouts, including SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS crystals, gemstone beads, glass beads, jewelry findings and more!

7:42 AM, Wednesday:

Just to entice you hardy Spokanites to our warehouse for today’s bigger red-tag savings (30% off!):

  • 2nd and 3rd Avenues are both already nicely plowed!
  • We’ve laid out these must-have, adorable new colored storage tins:

    Sweeter than a box of chocolates!

    (PS, I’m working on finding out what metal these shiny darlings are made of.)

  • Checking across the hall from our showroom, I see the bead elves have laid out literally thousands of strands of delicious beads, like this sample:

    I counted dozens of jaspers!

1:50 PM, Tuesday:

AnneMarie Lewis on Facebook contributed this:

“Here’s my haul for today…”

“…think I’ll head back tomorrow!”

1:24 PM, Tuesday:

Gold plate for a buck!

Probably worth its weight in gold…

11:59 AM, Tuesday:

Arla DeField on Facebook says: “I just got back from the Red Tag Sale and must say, if you miss this, too bad. Amazing, Fun and lots of great stuff on sale, along with all the regular Great stuff! Plus, you can get into parts of the building normally not open to the public! FUN FUN FUN!”

Not our regular great stuff πŸ™‚

11:04 AM, Tuesday:

Hi, I’m coming to you now through Thursday from Rings & Things’ traditional end-of-the-year event, our Red Tag Sale! You can tell it’s live from that exciting shaky-camera look… πŸ™‚

‘Most unique item’ winner

There are so many unique finds to choose from. You can even buy pirate heads!

A small part of the sale

What we really have tons of, is beads. Like kajillions of beautiful Czech glass beads! (Above.)

Today (Tuesday), everything is 20% off at the sale, so come to our Spokane showroom / warehouse for fantastic finds…and findings!

Keep checking back as I add updates of great finds & other fun stuff… — Dave

Red Tag Sale time!

December 23, 2010

Showroom Red-Tag Sale

December 28, 29 & 30, 2010 10am – 4pm:
Come early for the best selection. Come back for increasing savings!
Tuesday: 20% Off Wednesday: 30% Off Thursday: 50% Off

Help keep your visit enjoyable:

  • No pets, strollers or small children please
  • No holds, returns or exchanges during the event
  • You can place “will-call” orders for catalog items before the event
  • Bring a friend!
  • Purchases will be taxed without a Reseller Permit

Click for Directions to our Showroom.

The showroom will be closed:

  • December 27
  • December 31 thru January 2

A Glimpse at Past Red-Tag Sales:

Bins of stock packed the showroom.
Bins of stock filling the showroom.
Customers discovered gemstones in every shape, color and size!
Customers found gemstones in every shape, color and size!
Visitors stocked up on ribbon, chain, beading cable and much more at great sale prices.
Ribbon, chain, beading cable and more, at great sale prices.

American Craft Week! October 1-10, 2010

September 17, 2010

Have you made plans for American Craft Week?

From the CERF newsletter:

“American Craft Week is a nationwide, grassroots celebration of American craft. The goal of American Craft Week is to raise broad awareness of, and appreciation for, American craft. Galleries, schools, artists, museums, craft fairs, non-profits and festivals all across the country will be holding events showcasing the work of American craft artists between October 1 and 10. There will be demonstrations, open studios, artist talks and conferences. To see what is happening in your area, or to sign up to participate by hosting an event yourself, visit www.americancraftweek.com.”

Are you planning an American Craft Week event? Feel free to let others know in a comment below!