Trollbeads information that can inspire your creativity with your own Trollbeads collection. Share your thoughts, be involved and please leave comments!

...but were afraid to ask!

Part 1. It's All in a Name

The Unique glass beads by Trollbeads are undeniably the one category of Trollbeads that is open for all kinds of interpretation depending upon your own experience with and knowledge of these incredible beads. To begin this discussion let’s start at what to call  these beads as this is one area that confuses many collectors. I remember a couple of years ago having a debate with our Trollbeads Gallery Forum members on what the best name is and it was really quite arbitrary with the name being different on different websites and in different countries. 

Lund (our past U.S. Distributor) referred to them as “Assorted Beads” but that name was too vague for me and we were permitted to call them anything that fit but not "OOAK".  Many dealers in the U.S. chose to call them "limited edition" beads but for me this didn’t work either.  Owning an art gallery my idea of a limited edition is something that has a finite end and I’m sure no one has been counting the beads as they were being made. Another problem with calling them limited edition is that Trollbeads had actual limited editions such as Brilliant Hearts and later Crazy Lace Agate, for two examples. Calling them "Limited Edition" would surely confuse the collector because these releases had nothing to do with Unique beads.

In Europe the dealers were selling these beads as “OOAK” beads  (which is  an acronym for "one of a kind") but as I mentioned Lund did not allow us to use the term due to legal ramifications. They believed the term to be misleading, where most all of these beads were not one of a kind.  This difference in the terminology may not seem like a big deal yet it was for the U.S. dealers.  At this point in time collectors the world over would run computer searchs for the term “OOAK” Trollbeads and where we could not use the term, it cut us out of a lot of internet searches. This was a big drawback for the U.S. dealers but I also understood the issue involved. The discussion I mentioned on our Trollbeads Gallery Forum brought up interesting points but I remember one of my Forum members telling me that “Unique” literally meant one of a kind and she was right of course but my use of the word was more about something being different from the norm. Since we had been using the name on Trollbeads Gallery since the early days, people had come to know the Unique beads on Trollbeads Gallery were in fact the same as the OOAK beads in Europe.

So call them what you want but on Trollbeads Gallery they will always be known as Unique!

In future blog articles I will be discussing the styles, values and origination of the Unique Trollbeads. Please contact me if you want anything specific or have anything to add!

The photograph above was taken of the Unique Trollbeads I was sent for Trollbeads Fest 2010.  I can't wait for the Unique beads to arrive for Trollbeads Fest 2011!

How do you see your Trollbeads when you look at your collection?

Do you see a challenge and feel threatened? Do you keep your bracelet the same at all times?

Or, do you see a blank canvas with little tubes of paint bursting at the seams to get utilized?

I will take a wild bet and say that there are equal amount of collectors in each group.  What I would like to do is help those of you feeling challenged to feel more comfortable and get you to see your collection as a collective group of possibilities and not as an insurmountable challenge.

For me it’s all about color, texture and balance.  It’s really that simple.  Take your Trollbeads and arrange them in color families.  Once you have done that the trepidation in your mind will seem more manageable.  It’s actually a lot of fun sorting through the colors and you’ll get to feel closer to the creative place of mind and that will help enormously.  Now take each color group and put them in seperate little containers, I find the Lean Cuisine containers great for this because they are black which is neutral.

Now here is where you may want outside guidance.  If you trust your taste and trust your instincts you may not need this next step but I find it a fun way to get started if I am looking to do something new.  You need to find a color wheel.  For the time being you can Google one to use on line but the colors will only be as true as your monitor. Any art supply store should carry them and at the end of this article I will leave an on line link to a source for them as well.  They are around $5.00 and worthwhile owning. There are 2 different color wheels.  The one most commonly used for art projects is the Primary Color wheel and the other one is the tonal color wheel, the tonal wheel is pictured just below. I find with Trollbeads both the tonal and the primary wheels are very useful because of the wide range of colors in the Trollbeads line.

Simply place your bead or beads under the see through window next to the best matched color. Then you just need to dial the wheel as it instructs you to and get guaranteed successful color combinations.  It may sound involved but it is easy and you’ll feel confident in using your Trollbeads in combinations you never thought of before.  I know there are many collectors who find their own color combinations but for the color challenged this is a fun and easy way to go!  Look at the color on the wheel opposite the color your beads are close to and you'll find a great color combination. Below is the Primary color wheel.

The Primary color wheel takes into account the very strong colors such as purple, bright yellow and the strong pinks you'll find in Trollbeads. Below is a bracelet I made showing the use of the yellows and purples from across the wheel.

When it comes the silver Trollbeads you will need to become familiar with the textured beads and the smooth and shiny beads.   For a good balance I like to see a little of both.  My personal favorites tend to be larger beads as I like to make a statement.  You probably already know what scale your prefer.   For texture I like the Zanzibar Trollbead, Ocean, Treasures and Wine Harvest.  My very favorite for smooth and shiny is the Spot bead and for a spacer feel I like Two Sides to Everything.  Once I noticed the difference between having shine and not having any shine I make sure I always have it on every bracelet.  Imagine a mantel piece in your home.  You may have a wreath over it and maybe a couple of wooden candlesticks.  It’s fine but it doesn’t feel perfect.  Now take away the wooden candlesticks and place a set of glass candlesticks there instead.  You’ll find the effect to be more pleasing to look at because the shine brings attention to the mantel piece.  It is the same principal with your Trollbeadsso make sure you add some shine!

Color Wheel Source: http://www.firemountaingems.com/details.asp?pn=H202073TL

  This article has been written by Anna Teresa Bellinzis, a Trollbeads collector from the Netherlands and our own Trollbeads blog contributor! This is her third article! Thank you Anna Teresa.

Trollbeads fans can be divided in several groups. The ones that immediately pop up in my head are young mothers who start collecting after their first child is born. They buy beads that really have a special meaning for them. I think of baby boy, baby girl and hope. And also the letter beads, cherub, baby and one of the Horoscope signs.

There are people that wear Trollbeads as the modern bead that it is. They buy beads at specials moments. Graduation, a new house or job, birth of a child, anniversary or birthday. They collect bit by bit beads and their bracelet grows quietly to a piece of jewelry with a great story behind it.

There are grandmothers who buy a Trollbead bracelet for their grandchildren, having the Trollbeads as a part of their relationship makes them closer.

There are men who want to express their creativity and love with a Trollbead bracelet that is really personal and that can express how they feel. You know there are men that need help in that area!

There are collectors who are attracted like bees are to honey to the gorgeous beads that are like little pieces of artwork. Of course the meaning of the bead matters, but the color, the shape and the detail really stand out.

They can’t pass a jeweler without peeking in the bead case. Stare and drool all over a single bead as if it is their first one.

Collectors that can stare and drool all over a single bead as if it is their first one. I guess I belong to that last group collectors. I see Trollbeads as a finishing touch of my outfit. And since I like to wear every day another outfit, I like to wear different beads every day. Some days I like to wear serene outfits and make a matching ton-sur-ton bracelet and necklace . Other days I really want to sparkle and shine and make a splashing bracelet. So I have beads in almost every color and every style. Before I go to bed, after putting my clothes ready for the next day, I take my bead box and start making my bracelet. Of course I can change my mind in a minute. So when I pull out the bracelet after brushing my teeth my husband starts laughing out loud and asks: Are you going to wear something else, dear? But sometimes I ask myself: why bother? Who cares which beads I wear? Do you get compliments every day about your designs? But I know people do notice, my mother for one. Last night sitting at her kitchen table she took my wrist and looked for minutes at my beads. She really liked the purple flower mosaic, adored the fairy and loved the happy universe. She said that if she had Trollbeads she would play with them every day. Her pleasure is a real compliment for me and the money I put into my hobby. But even without compliments like that, I will always wear my beads. Just because they make me feel pretty.

Photographs (and beads) are from Anna Teresa!

At the end of this past February the distributorship of Trollbeads in the United States changed.  The new distributor is Trollbeads-United States a company based in Princeton, NJ completely owned and managed by the parent company, Trollbeads Headquarters and the Aagaard family.  The past month has been a busy one for the Aagaards and Trollbeads-United States from setting up their ordering and shipping processes and hiring management and support staff.   Many of the U.S. Trollbeads stores have been eagerly waiting to see the changes implemented and to find out what the changes will mean to both retailers and to our customers.  While the drama is still unfolding I can tell you, as a retailer, the changes worth noting are all positive.

One change that is most notable is the availability of Unique Beads and the quality of the Unique Beads.  The original U.S. distributor offered the Unique beads only to the premier dealers and limited them to a certain number each month.  Unique Trollebeads are now available to the retailers wanting to offer them and their quanitities are not limited. The beads themselves are altogether different and in time this change of style will create a time frame for collectors to judge the date of these beads.  To accelerate the sales and clear the stores of the old style Unique beads, Trollbeads-United States has allowed it’s dealers to run a special price event for the month of April.  Both our website, TrollbeadsGallery.com and Rogers Gallery,our actual store, is offering 3 Unique beads for $75.00.   There are many "old" familiar styles going away and they will be missed so check out your local stores and the websites and get them now before they are gone!  A sample set from Trollbeads Gallery is shown on the left.

Replacing the old beads will be the beads we have become familiar with through the European sites but are now available to the U.S. dealers.  The new Unique Trollbeads are extraordinary and are works of art showing more detail and more degrees of difficulty to create.  Isabel Aagaard, who is working in Princeton on a temporary basis, just visited Rogers Gallery during our Special Event* and she spoke about the new Unique beads explaining how some of the designs are executed which of course left us all wanting for more! Our attendees listened with focused attention as Isabel, who is the owners’ daughter, explained how she creates Unique glass beads. Isobel was also the designer for the “Origami” Trollbead.  This leads me to one more important change in the United States.

Based on availability, Trollbeads designers will be visiting the U.S. stores during Special Events and will be sharing how glass beads are made, to the extent of eventually having them make glass beads at the event.  Demystifying this process will only serve to support our love of these beads and will make collectors want more.  I know I do.  We plan on having the glass bead artists at Trollbeads Fest! 2011, in September.

Now in its second month of operation, Trollbeads-United States has shown us the promise of a great future for Trollbeads here in the United States and this discussion will be continuing in another blog soon!

 *Shown above at Rogers Gallery is Isabel Aagaard, Louise Rogers and Kristine (from Denmark Trollbeads).

This is Anna Teresa Bellinzis' Second Guest Blog. To read about Anna Teresa, go two articles back.

Have you ever tried to explain to someone, not Trollbeads connoisseur, what you like about those “little glass beads”? Because that is what they are in the eyes of the uninitiated. Beads that look similar to other brands and are too expensive. Many people have gaped at me after I told them what the beads cost. And that I am on different forums discussing the ‘little glass beads’, driving miles and miles to get a retired item, make hundreds of photos of them and wear every day different combinations... People know about my hobby but don’t understand how a jewellery brand like Trollbeads really can grab you. Well, it did and I have to admit there have been days that I could not speak two sentences to my husband without mentioning the word Trollbeads. And there have been moments that he really could not hear the word Trollbeads again. But this addiction, or should I say passionate hobby, has brought me so many good things. For instance. I have Trollfriends all over the world. From Australia to America. Friends that I have met in person. Friends that I have helped obtain special beads, friends that help me go through tough moments. We understand each other. Help each other make our collection even more beautiful than before. I can even count jewelers to my new group of friends. We email, phone and share information. For me Trollbeads doesn’t only stand for buying beads. It is the complete package that brings me joy. Find that one perfect bead. Make a stunning bracelet with it. Capture the beauty of it in a photo and share that with sympathizers. Like I said before: playing with beads is like meditation after a day hard work.

I like to share my happiness with other people. Specially with my family. (Also very handy to make your husband partner in crime.) So I have bought my husband a leather bracelet with freya lock and different (retired) beads like tupilac mouth, lucky knot, happy fish, triangles, anniversary Viking, four frogs and the retired letterbeads of me and our sons. (His bracelet is pictures above)  My oldest son (6 years old) has his leather bracelet with elephant lock waiting for him. When he gets his swimming certificate he can enjoy his retired clown, tupilac mouth, tupilac big, anniversary faces and turtles. Beads that I picked with much care for him because every bead has his own story that stands for my son. Every night he enters my room and wants to see his ‘funny faces’. His joy fills my heart with so much love. Below is my son's bracelet and a photo of him with his Trolls.

So when I talk to people about my  hobby, they may not understand my love for those funny looking trolls, but they see the spirit in my eyes and hear the enthusiasm in my voice because that is what Trollbeads brings me.  

ATB 3/2011

When it comes to our Trollbeads collections we are always trying to come up with a new way to use our beads and to get the most mileage we can with the beads we have. Ideally you would like to use your Trollbeads with as many colors as you have in clothes in your closet. Am I right?

I think this exercise is particularly useful for new Trollbeads collectors. With a basic group of say 10 glass Trollbeads in black and whites and only 3 larger silver Trollbeads you have the core of many, many very useful bracelets. As you can see from the featured photograph we have used 5 distinct color groups and used only 4 interchangeable beads on each bracelet to create a unique look. There are so many colors within Trollbeads to work with and so many different medium options. From the glass you can branch out and use Amber, Picasso Jasper, the new limited edition Agates and so forth. Then once you have completed this collection you can move on to pulling out the black and replacing them with browns and taking out the white and using the off whites. The core beads still consist of a neutral palette but a warmer one. With this warmer core you can add aqua blues, which are sensational with browns, olive greens and a host of other warm colors.

Glass Trollbeads  

This is a good reminder for all of us to enjoy our Trollbead bracelets  in many different ways. One of our Trollbeads Gallery Forum members noted that this is an ideal way to bring your Trollbeads on vacation!  One Trollbead Bracelet with many looks!

 How I met Trollbeads!

I have always loved jewellery. I am a Leo and like to express myself. With my outfits, my hair, my accessorizes. About eight years ago I started to make my own necklaces and bracelets. I sat in my living room with beads and tools all over the table. Every spare moment I had I was busy with beading and creating. I think I have an eye for color and design: people really liked my items. So I sold them to my sisters, friends, colleagues and even jewellers.

Then I became pregnant with my first son. I adored him and soon my hobby was driven to the background. I was a mother now and with my job as journalist I had no time for other things. Son number two followed quit quickly and in June 2009 I welcomed my third son to the world. In my first years as a mother things had changed in my life. I noticed that I needed a tidy house to keep overview. So all the stuff I collected in my life little by little made room for baby stuff. I didn’t mind. I only kept what was really important to me: photos, diaries, jewellery.  And the box with beads and tools was moved to the attic.

On a Saturday in july 2009 my mother took me to the jeweller to buy me a gift for becoming a mother again. We bought earrings with pearls. The salesgirl wrapped the gift and gave me a little brochure from another brand. At home I took the brochure and I turned over the leaves over and over again. What I saw where beads in sparkling colors and great designs. I was attracted to them, could not believe I did not know about this brand that was called Trollbeads. I did some research on the internet, called for my husband and said: what if I would buy one of these. And I did. One week later I was the proud owner of a silver necklace with an antique flower, dolly (retired), drop black (retired) and a flower lock.

Since that purchase I discovered more and more about Trollbeads. I read on sites and forums about the Aagaard family, retireds, unique, designers and the story behind the beads. I started visiting dealers and soon knew everything about the brand. I don’t need to say that all that research  involved buying more beads. But that was all for a good cause. After years of being a mother, a wife and a journalist I had found a new hobby that I could easy combine in my busy life. It gives me a great new way to express myself. Playing with the beads is relaxing after a long day of work and best of all: my new love doesn’t cry, doesn’t wear diapers and fits in a small box!

Anna Teresa is a journalist and lives in The Netherlands. Anna Teresa is a member of Trollbeads Gallery Forum and a good friend to many of her fellow forum members!

This week Trollbeads United States published a list of their top selling beads for the last 30 days.  As expected the list is dominated by new beads but it's fun to see what has made it to the top 15! I have created a link to make it easy for you to see the beads. Just click on the bead's name and it will take you to the bead.

As someone who works with Trollbeads everyday my favorite new bead is White Cap, pictured below! Each White Cap Trollbead is very different, much like the Azure Bubbles Trollbead is different.  Some have darker blue or light green running through the bead and some even have stripes of subtle red running near the base.

Both new Kits, the Flower Kit and the Bead Kit have made it to the top 15 as this is the first time North America has been offered the glass beads in Kits. The benefit is saving money because you pay for 5 beads but you get 6! 

Shown to the left is the Beach Kit!

The List!!!

#61424 Pastel Flower

#61421 White Petals

#11149 Cherry Blossom

#63037 Flower Kit

#61415 Conch

#63036 Beach Kit

#61417 Beach

#64605 Kimono Kit

#61418 Sea Urchin

#61422 Grandma's Favorite

#11405 Double Heart

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I love the Internet and I love the ability to find so much information with very few strokes on a keypad. It’s a gift for readers and for blog authors but for the authors this is a gift that comes with a responsibility.The responsibility is to offer accurate information they can count on to form their own opinions.

The title question came to mind because of a Trollbeads blog I recently read. The blog offers information about Trollbeads gossip and is usually entertaining to read. In general, with the freedoms allowed to “anonymous” bloggers, no commitment is necessary by the writers to seek the truth before publishing, after all a lot of blogging is just opinion. The unfortunate thing about the written word; many people take it as the truth. The case I am referring to is opinion but many people may not understand this and it is important that they do. I appreciate this author’s view point but there is a position they have taken and have commented on before, I feel the need to oppose because it can hurt Trollbeads retailers and ultimately the collectors. It has to do with the writer’s opinion on the prices charged for Unique beads. Unless you are an authorized dealer who has personally signed legally binding contracts and the rules are different for each country a business is registered in, you cannot know all of the facts required to voice opinions on pricing. Before commenting publicly many things need to be considered. I am speaking for other Trollbeads retailers as well.

1.The retailer understands that UNLIKE any other product offered by any other source, they DO NOT have a choice in what unique beads they receive to sell.  The beads are purchased unseen. They DO NOT have the ability to return the product if it is unsellable. The retailer also may NOT discount and may NOT have a sale on these beads. This type of buying situation is unheard of in most industries. We do however have the choice to not order these beads to sell but is that in the best interest of the collector?

2. If you are a dealer you must consider the financial ramifications. If your order comes in and there are beads that are the best of the best, there are also similar quantities that are unsellable. If you charge the same price for the best as you do for the unsellable beads knowing you will never sell the undesirable beads, you will never make back the investment or even the required profit to make it a viable on-going category for your business.

3. As a retailer selling this product you have 2 choices.

   A: Is to sell them all at the same price, selling only the desirable beads, learning after a short time that it is a losing proposition and you stop getting them in to offer.

  B: Is to price the beads according to their desirability and in doing so cover the cost of the undesirable beads no one wants. It is a simple formula for succeeding in selling unique Trollbeads which is the only way for us to continue to offer the Unique beads collectors want.

To check the going prices go to the links below.

Regards, Louise Rogers

Trollbeads Gallery Uniques

Trollbeads Gallery New Uniques

Think about the first collections you were consumed by. If you were lucky, as I was, it was young in life. You had someone in your family or in your group of friends who showed you a collection and you became enthralled with the idea of having something to collect. That is how it happened with me. I can still remember every collection I was ever shown and I can tell you everything I ever collected and I remember with fondness the innocence of my desire to “collect”, not so much to own but to have an interesting group of one thing, a collection. It gave me a sense of pride and it formed a thirst to hunt down whatever it was I was collecting. What better way to teach a child about themselves and about the value of what they choose to collect. The most serious collection I had was collecting stamps. I would take my allowance to the old stamp store and buy a package carefully encased in a wax paper envelope and run home to see if I was lucky enough to find one my stamp book was missing. It gave me the sense of amassing, of working to earn something and I began to understand the value of money. How many young children do you know today have this in their lives? One of the benefits of being a Trollbeads retailer is being able to see children and see their minds working as they pick out their first beads.

     We once had a 3 year old who took shopping with Nana as a very serious endeavor. Cate would get up on our step stool and do her own choosing. No matter what Nana showed her she always had her own idea. Think about the memories both child and grandmother will always have. Cate never takes the bracelet off. She is shown in this photograph with her Trollbeads bracelet.

The idea of earning the beads comes later and girls and boys around the age of 7 to 8 do understand the concept of money and will work for allowances to purchase their own beads. These collectors have their own story books with the beads they want circled and starred. There are so many benefits of having young people collect something they are fascinated with. Beyond the value of the money, they learn what they can do without to add to their collection. They learn to take care of their collection,polish it, protect it and watch it grow. Trollbeads tell a story and who enjoys stories better than anyone?  Children! Are there young children in your life that could benefit from collecting Trollbeads?