Now Accepting Bitcoin on Etsy!

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Bitcoin accepted here cryptocurrency thelonebeader Etsy entrepreneur

Dear friends, just a quick announcement to let you know that I now accept Bitcoin as payment on Etsy and for customer orders via my website. I have been doing some research on this subject and I feel that cryptocurrency is here to stay and may eventually become the way of the future. Also there seems to be little risk for sellers to accept this form of payment. So, if you are a Bitcoin enthusiast looking for a custom hand- beaded animal pin pendant, dog jewelry, or bead-embroidered pet portrait, you have come to the right place. If you would like to purchase from my Etsy store, please use ‘Other’ as your payment method when checking out, and write that you’d like to pay with Bitcoin in the “Note to Seller” field. Once the order has been placed, I will send an invoice to your Etsy email address. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL FEES WHEN PAYING WITH BITCOIN. NO RETURNS or REFUNDS WHEN PAYING WITH BITCOIN, however I would be happy to work out an exchange if needed. 🙂 If you have any other questions, please ask. Thanks for looking! 🙂

Rare Beaded Blue-Winged Amazon Parrot

Posted in animals, bead embroidery, birds, etsy, Mexico by

Dear friends, recently, I returned from my annual trip to Mexico and had an amazing vacation! This was my fifth visit to the Yucatán Peninsula. On this trip, my compañero and I travelled like locals to really experience this beautiful country. We swam in the ocean, rode bikes on Cozumel, went snorkeling with barracudas, visited a Mayan Jungle Spa, and ate a lot of guavas and guacamole!

Yucatan Mexico Uxmal Ruins Pyramid of the Magician

We then took a bus to the west side of the peninsula where we visited the ruins at Uxmal. This was one of my favorite days and definitely worth the trip. This is a very important Mayan site. The best part is that it’s not very crowded, so you can really explore and enjoy the architecture at your own pace. The artistic detail of the stones used to build these majestic pyramids is mind-blowing! This is also a good place to go birdwatching as well as admire iguanas in their statuesque poses:)


We also visited the northern tip of the peninsula the day we went on a birdwatching excursion. We went Birding with Steven, and had a wonderful time. Steven picked us up before dawn. We drove north to a tiny village where we saw many hawks, vultures, falcons, mockingbirds, parakeets, flycatchers, woodpeckers, grosbeaks, and my favorite bird, the Turquoise Motmot. It was a very peaceful way to spend the morning.

Female Mexican Sheartail Hummingbird Rio Lagartos Birding with Steven Playa del Carmen
Steven then took us on a 2- hour boat ride at Río Lagartos (aka. alligator river). Río Lagartos is a fishing village located on a lagoon which is part of a natural biosphere. There we saw so many beautiful waterbirds: one pink flamingo (all by himself!), a huge hawk, an osprey catching a fish, tons of herons, a stork, a kingfisher, tons of pelicans, and a mangrove warbler. And back in the village we also spotted a Mexican Sheartail hummingbird! This species can only be found in the Yucatán. I managed to take the above photo before she flew away. Overall, we saw over 70 species – not bad for one day!

Rare blue winged Amazon Parrot bead embroidery pin Yucatan Mexico Etsy sale beaded animal beadwork jewelry brooch tropical bird beads

While I was studying Mexican birds, I also learned that a new species of parrot has recently been discovered deep in the jungles of Yucatán. This bird is a Blue-Winged Amazon Parrot! Those who have discovered them estimate that only about 100 of the birds exist, which would make them rare and endangered. So, I decided to create a bead-embroidered pin to give this bird some attention!  Rare blue winged Amazon Parrot bead embroidery pin Yucatan Mexico Etsy sale beaded animal beadwork jewelry brooch tropical bird beads

This piece is currently available for sale in my Etsy shop. Please click the pics to take a peek and share. If you are interested in a custom beaded bird pin or portrait of a different species, please send me a message! Until then, I will be dreaming about my next trip South of the Border. 🙂

Upcycle a Vintage Filigree Locket

Posted in animals, bead embroidery, dogs, etsy, necklaces, pendants by

If you’ve ever wondered what to do with an old filigree locket or other jewelry piece, here is a little inspiration! Recently, one of my customers wrote to ask if I had ever made a beaded locket before. I had not, but was intrigued by the idea. My customer wanted a ‘mourning’ locket which featured a beaded portrait of her beloved pet Papillon named Star. Star had passed away as a result of bladder surgery. The locket was meant to hold a lock of her dog’s hair.

At the time, my customer did not have a locket in hand, but after an lengthy search (and a bit of trial and error) we found a vintage one which would work on Etsy. So, I cut out a piece of beading foundation roughly the same diameter as the locket. Then, I created a felt foundation in the shape of the dog’s head which I stitched to the beading foundation. Using size 15 Japanese seed beads, I carefully beaded a tiny portrait in black, gray, and white. I also stitched on a tiny star-shaped stone bead just below her nose. After I completed the first layer of beadwork (above), I added a second layer of beaded fringe to accentuate her beautiful hair (below).

After I completed the portrait, I peyote- stitched a silver and gray frame around the beadwork. This extended beyond the edge of the beading foundation and added some visual interest to the piece.


Once everything was complete, I opened the locket and carefully stitched my beadwork to the front of the piece. This took a bit of time and very tiny stitches in between the rows off beads. I stitched around the inside of the locket a few times to ensure that the piece was secure. Below, you can see – the stitches are barely visible!


I hope this unique bead embroidery piece will provide some comfort to my customer as she remembers her dog for many years to come. I think it will also be quite a conversation piece! What do you think? 🙂


Custom orders are always fun and challenging. If you have an idea for a custom bead- embroidered piece, please send me an email using the Contact form above or message me via Etsy. Due to another travel adventure, all Ready-to-Ship items purchased in my Etsy shop between Feb. 2 – Feb. 14, 2018 will ship out no later than Feb. 16, 2018. Most Made to Order items will ship according to production time stated in listing. All PDF beading patterns (English & Spanish language) will be 15% off Feb. 3 – Feb. 18, 2018 only. Thanks for looking! 🙂

Spanish Beading Patterns Now at the Tienda Kindle!

Posted in Amazon, bead embroidery, Patterns by

Dear friends, just a quick note to let you know that several of my bead embroidery patterns are now available in Spanish language at the Amazon Kindle store. Learn how to make your own beaded dog jewelry en español! Please note: these are single patterns, not books, and they are priced accordingly. Please click the screenshot below to check it out. Descriptions are in Spanish as well, just as they are in my Etsy store.

Beading Patterns Tienda Kindle the Lone Beader Bordados a mano con cuentas bead embrodiery beading Spanish español pattern tutorial

 

I hope to have a couple more patterns translated in the near future, so please check back or follow me on Facebook and Instagram! Thanks for looking! Chao! 🙂

Stay Warm and Do Beadwork

Posted in bead embroidery, Boston, zazzle by

Dear friends, I hope your New Year is off to a great start! We received quite a lot of snow here in Boston so I have been staying in and doing beadwork! I have also added a few new items in  The Lone Beader’s Boutique on Zazzle. Check out my new Lone Beader Definition slouchy t-shirt and hoodie dress! I have had this ‘definition’ posted on my website for over 10 years now. After reading many comments and emails, I have realized that many of you can relate..

Lone Beader Definition Slouchy T shirt Hoodie Dress Zazzle shop beading beadwork beads yoga top introvert

 

Lone Beader Definition Hoodie Dress Zazzle shop beading beadwork beads yoga top introvert

Now, you can express yourself and tell the world that you love to do beadwork without saying a word. Wear (alone or with leggings) to bead shows, bead retreats, and definitely while beading! Also, please check my Facebook and/or Instagram pages for more items coming soon! Thanks for looking! 🙂

Havanese a Happy New Year!

Posted in bead embroidery, beadwork, dogs, etsy by

Dear friends, I hope you are enjoying the holiday season! I have been so busy beading holiday orders for my Etsy shop this month, that I haven’t had much time for anything else. Today, I would like to share with you one of my recent custom orders. This dog pin was inspired by an adorable Havanese named Nacho.

Bead embroidery Havanese blue eyes beadwork bead embroidery animal dog jewelry shopping etsy amazon photo

My customer sent me a photo which I used to create the sketch below:

Bead embroidery Havanese blue eyes beadwork bead embroidery animal dog jewelry shopping etsy amazon sketch

Here is the finished product. It is not an exact replica, but I feel it is a pretty good likeness. Beadwork always makes the piece seem a bit larger, especially when I add layered beaded fringe as I did on the dog’s face. I think this effect adds to the whimsy of the piece.. Here, I used several different shades of black, gray, and white 15/o seed beads. I also used gray 13/o Charlottes on the dog’s front legs to add a bit more dimension. The dog’s owner was pleased with the outcome. What do you think?

Bead embroidery Havanese blue eyes beadwork bead embroidery animal dog jewelry shopping etsy amazon vanderpump dogs

I still have a few more beadwork orders to catch up on this week. Please stop by my Facebook or Instagram pages to view any updates. Also, I would like to mention that my New Year Sale is now happening on Etsy! All ready-to-ship beaded dog jewelry, beading patterns, bead kits, and art will be 20% off now through January 5, 2018! No coupon needed! Thanks for looking and have a safe and Happy 2018!!

Item of the Month: Beaded Norwegian Forest Cat Pin

Posted in Amazon, bead embroidery, books, cats, etsy, Videos by

Dear friends, it seems that Norwegian Forest Cats are popular this month! I recently received another order for a white one- this one has blue eyes! This piece is a pin which can also be worn as a pendant. I used Japanese size 15 seed beads and 1 x 4mm micro bugle beads to create this piece. Check out the finished beadwork in this amateur Facebook video I posted below. Please Like, Comment, and/or Share this video on social media. I am planning to post more videos in the future!

 

Also, my Etsy Black Friday Sale has begun! Save 20% on the purchase of any ready-to-ship beaded artwork, dog jewelry, beading pattern or bead kit now thru – December 1, 2017! NO coupon code needed. Also, please check out my brand new Amazon Influencer Shop where I will recommend beading books that either I have read or are currently on my shelf as well as other products related to beadwork, dogs, art, travel, and health. That’s the news for now. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I will be busy beading:)