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

Louise Rogers

Recent Posts

Trollbeads Summer Trunk Show Dates Announced !

Posted by Louise Rogers on Wed, Jul 17, 2013 @ 10:07 AM

Trollbeads Gallery 715 

Trollbeads Gallery

Summer Trunk Show!

August 9, 10, & 11, 2013

Save the dates!!!

 

 

 

I have chosen this Trollbeads bracelet to open this blog about our Trollbeads Gallery Summer Trollbeads Trunk Show for a reason!  As with all Trollbeads Trunk Shows when you buy 3 Trollbeads you get the 4th of equal or less value for FREE.  So imagine buying 3 of the beautiful faceted Precious Stone Trollbeads to go towards creating this stunning bracelet and receiving the 4th bead free...that is a free $63.00 bead!  I also adore the Cells Trollbead for a spacer bead with the beads are larger like the faceted Trollbead stones are. You can buy 3 Cells beads and get the 4th free.  I just like to inspire your collecting juices! 

Besides the "buy 3 get 1 free" special we will be offering the following extra deals for you!

-Buy a Trollbeads Bangle and receive 2 FREE Trollbeads stoppers. Save $40.00!*

-Buy a gold Trollbead and receive $100 off. Receive $50 off Gold/Silver combination Trollbeads!   Gold Special starts at beads with a retail price of over $500 and the combination silver/gold beads at $250.00.

As always we will be offering gifts at different levels of purchase...stay tuned for an update here or for look for our email!

*If you haven't purchased a Trollbeads Bangle yet or haven't even considered it yet please take a moment and look at our Pinterest Board of Bangle Inspirations. (click for link). Many of the photos are from our own Trollbeads Gallery Forum member photos.

You can't imagine how handy it is to have a bangle when you are short of time and want something sensational to wear out at the last minuteIf you don't want to check out our Pinterest Board at least check out a few photos I have below.  They are fun, fast and they'll inpsire your creativity.  There are 4 sizes and if you click here you can read about the sizing and select the right size for you or you can call out toll free number and talk to us!  Treat yourself to something new this Trunk Show!  888-758-3641.

If you haven't joined the Trollbeads Gallery Forum yet...please do it now!  We will be having more bracelet challenges like the July 4th Bracelet challenge we had where 4 Trollbeads were given as awards.  It's fun, educational and rewarding! We would love to see you there! Join  3700 other Trollbeads enthusiasts and see 24,000 Trollbeads inspiring photographs all here!

Trollbeads Gallery Forum Join us!!

 

describe the imageThis blue & white Bangle design features 3 blue and white Unique Trollbeads and the new Silver Urchin Trollbead. There are so many unique beads you may all have that aren't on a bracelet right now...so use them on a Bangle!

 

 

Bangle with Triple Pearl Wearing a single yet sensational bead like the Triple Pearl Trollbead makes a sophisticated statement especially for our lighter Summer outfits!

 

 

 

Bangle Daisy Trollbeads 35 

The Gold/Silver Daisy Trollbead is the center bead of this Bangle design and with the contrasting Gold stoppers book ending the design the Prisms between are light and airy.  If you buy the Silver/Gold Daisy bead during the Trunk Show you will only pay $295.00, saving $50.00.

 

 

 

Royal Orange Bangle 411

Here I had some fun with the limited edition Royal Orange Trollbead along with Gold Berry Trollbeads and the Gold & Diamond Bougainvillea Trollbead. The Royal Orange was a very small release and we still have a few at Trollbeads Gallery.

If you like the Berry bead but like silver better...we still have some of the retired Silver Berry Trollbeads available too!

 

Topics: Trollbeads Gallery Trunk Show, Trollbeads Gallery Specials, Trollbeads Trunk Show

New Trollbeads SPECIAL at Trollbeads Gallery!

Posted by Louise Rogers on Mon, Jul 01, 2013 @ 11:07 AM

Starter bracelet special ba As many of you know Trollbeads Dealers in the United States are permitted two special offers at any given time. In the past we have offered $100 off Gold Trollbeads and $50 off Silver/Gold Trollbeads as one of our specials.  Our other special is to offer a free Trollbeads silver chain, which is a $46 savings when you purchase any lock (excluding the tiny one) and this special will remain the same as it is extremely popular given so many want to keep a design as is and start with a new chain each time!  As we have stopped offering the Gold and Silver/Gold bead discount we are now very happy to offer the "Start Your Story" Special.

This is a great way to start your friend on a Trollbeads bracelet as the savings is so great at $60!! With this special you get the Trollbeads silver chain, a sophisticated Plain Lock, a Lucky Knot Trollbead and a Group 1 Glass bead of your choice!  Look through the Glass 1 Group Trollbeads (all $31 glass beads)and see if there is one that reminds you of a friend.  I can find many I know would be perfect to start my friend's story or one to start a new story for myself and below I offer you 6 examples from my own experiences!

1.Fireflies During the summer my friends and I would go out at dusk and hunt Fireflies with small glass jars.  I remember poking holes in the top of the jars to let in air.  We would bring them into our bedroom and turn off all the lights and just stare at them until we fell asleep.  In the morning we would dutifully let them go but the memories live on.  I now enjoy doing that with my grandsons.

2.Beach Ball Close your eyes and think about when you got a new Beach Ball.  Take a deep breath and I'll bet you can still smell that brand new plastic Beach Ball scent. I can remember dodging the balls in the waves as we either threw them at each other or away from each other.  I'm sure you can think of a friend who would love this memory awakened for them!

3.Lucky Clover I can't tell you how many hours I spend lying on my stomach searching for 4 leaf clovers in my childhood.  I guess I even had an inordinate passion for detail then too! I had one friend I could definitely share this Trollbead with as her yard always seemed to have a great quantity of them.

4.Rose I'd have to say that this bead brings me back to my own back yard and I'd have to share this Trollbead with my sister.  We were paid 5 cents for every Japanese Beetle we could catch in out jars.  From the red and pink roses to the Rose of Sharon we would test our competitive nature while we made our candy money.

5. Beach This is probably the most popular bead for the "Start Your Story" special.  Beaches for people mean so many, many things.  From crazy and wild childhood romps to quite walks in the rain hunting sea glass or shells while sharing a special moment with a friend. I have an old boyfriend that comes to mind with beaches that I could share this with... but my husband might not like it!

6.Lavender Stripe I have this friend and she is totally obsessed with lavender! It's in her house, on her body and now, of course on her wrist!

From just this small group of samples you can see that Trollbeads can mean so many things to so many people and with this special you can draw your special friends and siblings closer by sharing the memories you have together by sharing Trollbeads.

Thank you to Trollbeads for offering this special! 

If you have chosen a Glass 1 Trollbead for a friend or sibling with a special meaning behind it PLEASE share it with us in the comments section! 

 

 

 

 

Topics: Start Your Story Trollbeads Special Offer

A Deeper Look: Silver Trollbeads with Stones & Glass (& Bonus Gift!)

Posted by Louise Rogers on Sat, Jun 22, 2013 @ 09:06 AM

Trolleads Gallery Summer be 

Recently I found myself thinking about Trollbeads in a different way.   If you know me at all you know that I think about Trollbeads about 16 hours a day but this time it was different. My train of thought came from a Trollbeads bracelet I was photographing and it is in the photo above.  It dawned on me that the Small Summer Jewel Trollbead was what made this design come alive and this led to wanting to bring attention to certain bead categories that we may all be overlooking. 

Trollbeads is an extensive and historic line of beads and still to this day it amazes me that there are so many distinct and special categories of beads. I can't even imagine just starting a collection with the task of learning all about them so let me help you if this is you.   After selling Trollbeads for so many years now I think I have become complacent about just how special and how deep the line really is and I’ve decided it’s time to write about some of the sleepers.  It’s time to bring some attention to the designs that originally brought Trollbeads the design accolades it has earned through the years.     If you have ever gone from Facebook Page to Facebook page all you will see is talk about Unique Trollbeads.  Yes they are fun and exciting but you need the special silver beads to make the whole design work.

The Summer Jewel Bead above is accompanied by the Winter Jewel Trollbead with darker, warmer toned crystals.  This design was also accompanied by a large version of both but these two were retired this year.  Trollbeads retires beads from time to time and although retired you can still acquire the beads (for a short time) on Trollbeads Gallery. The fun part of this bead is that the crystals are movable parts and if you have this bead it's very likely you'll find yourself twirling the beads like worry beads.  There are very few Trollbeads with moving parts and it's a great feature.

Trollbeads Wisdom bead FB 6  The Wisdom Trollbead is another one of the most cherished Trollbead in this category and this particular bead has 5 semi-precious stones, each with a rich meaning.  Remember Trollbeads are about stories and the story to this bead is quite special. I have inserted the Wisdom bead's description here so you can read about it of follow the link!  The Wisdom is also available in 18K Gold.

Trollbeads Wisdom Bead in Silver


"Five precious stones that together symbolize wisdom. An opal for loyality, an amethyst for peace of mind, a garnet for devotion and grace, a turquoise for courage and success and a lapis lazuli for competence.  This is a beautiful bead and one you will find many people commenting on!  Designed by Soren Nielsen." 

Another favorite (I know I do tend to have a lot of these) is the bead, the Three Flowers Bead.  The leaves around the bead are so sculptural and hold the dichroic* glass in a perfect bud like fashion. The dichroic glass comes in a variety of colors but green-aqua-blue are the most commonly seen.  Below I am featuring one in an orange tone which works so well with the bracelet it is on.  Like the Wisdom Trollbeads the Three Flowers Trollbead comes on 18K Gold.   The silver Three Flowers link:  The Three Flowers Trollbead.

Trollbeads Gallery 3 flower.FB

The next silver glass/stone Trollbeads I want to show you or remind you of is the Troll featured beads...and I really mean Troll.  The three I want to show you are Troll With Gems, Troll With Big Feet and Glass Trolls.  These are wonderfully creative and add whimsey and depth (I mean this too) to your Trollbeads designs.  Each bead listed above is linked to the listing so you can read about them but below is a little collage I made to highlight them. All three of these three whimsical Trollbeads were designed by Soren Nielsen...as were the others!

TrolbeadsGallery trolls  Blog.622

There are great many more Trollbeads that are created with silver and stone and/or glass. To see and enjoy the full array follow this link:  Trollbeads Silver With Glass/Stones

For a full definition of Dichroic Glass I turned to Wikipedia!

* Dichroic glass is glass containing multiple micro-layers of metals or oxides which give the glass dichroic optical properties. The main characteristic of dichroic glass is that it has a particular transmitted color and a completely different reflected color, as certain wavelengths of light either pass through or are reflected. This causes an array of color to be displayed. The colors shift depending on the angle of view. Dichroic glass is an example of thin-film optics.

If you have enjoyed this "Deeper Look" please, please let me know by leaving a comment!

BONUS for My Blog Readers!!  If you purchase any of the Silver with Glass and Stone beads I will send you a gift of one of my special Dangles! It is a token of my appreciation for reading my blog!  If you buy a bead from this section I will email you and ask you what kind of dangle you would like!  It will be made just for you! Below is just a sampling of stones, sea glass and charms I use.  I also have a Dalamtian bead I can use with a charm too.

 Trollbeads Gallery Dangles

 


Topics: Silver Trollbeads with gems, Silver Trollbeads with Stones

Trollbeads Gallery Announces July 4th Release & Design Contest!

Posted by Louise Rogers on Tue, Jun 11, 2013 @ 17:06 PM

 

July 4th Unique Trollbeads Are Here!

Trollbeads Gallery July 4

It’s that time again! For the 6th  year now Trollbeads Gallery is happy to present our exclusive   July 4th celebratory release of red, white and blue Unique Trollbeads.  We save (or hoard, depending on how you look at it) red, white, blue and a combination there of all year long to offer our collectors this special release each year.  There’s one thing we can most likely all agree about when it comes to Trollbeads collectors and that is their penchant for loving to wear their beads to celebrate and enjoy all holidays!  

When you think of it getting all “decked out” for a holidays is one the huge benefits of the most attractive features of Trollbeads.  Think about all other holiday jewelry you have ever had or ever seen and I’ll bet most of it is…well junk.  Am I right?  It may be fun and tacky in a fun way but let’s face it…it’s not something you can call beautiful.   This is where the interchangeable feature of Trollbeads comes shining through.  With the many standard glass Group 1 Trollbeads you can create great individual and personal holiday creations but with Trollbeads Gallery offering of unique holiday unique beads you have the chance and the option to make your Trollbeads holiday jewelry even more personal and even more totally original.  Our special holiday offerings began 5 years ago in June after a year of collecting appropriate beads and we continued the tradition at Halloween time and then of course as many of you know at Christmas time.  

Our selection of red, white and blue beads is limited due to the quantity of unique Trollbeads released in the last 12 months in this color combination and as you can imagine there really isn't a lot of them so I fortify this selection with red unique beads and blue unique beads. When you select from our offerings remember to keep in mind that the red beads can be worn on your Christmas jewelry and on your Valentine's creations too!  The blue beads I have on offer for July 4th will offer you limitless uses through out the year as well and as we know there are many standard glass Trollbeads that the blue beads can be used with.

Our Design Contest!

So let's get that Patriotic spirit going and get yourself some spirited unique Trollbeads to create your July 4th celebratory design and show it to us on Trollbeads Gallery Forum and win a special Trollbead!  If you aren't a member please join and enter our design contest! We will all vote for the winning design. The winning design will be given the Gold & Silver "Pursuit of Happiness" Trollbead from the United States World Tour beads with a value of $231.00! The 4 runners-up will win a Group 1 Glass bead of their choice!

 

The Pursuit of Happiness

Please note!

 This special release is a tradition here at Trollbeads Gallery and we love having you all so excited about our own special releases. There are times when other dealers may think to themselves that what I have created with my enthusiasm and with the time I've invested is something they cannot attain but if anyone put the hours and hours into their effort, they too can do equally as much.  I can't claim to say this is the best way to conduct a business, financially speaking because what other retailer would be crazy or stupid enough to tuck beads aside for 12 months of the year for one special release?  Or who would spend every day and night listing beads?  It isn't a smart way of doing business but it's little things like this that gives me my energy to keep my love of my Trollbeads business going strong the way I have. Being a small business owner I find staying energized is a constantly evolving task.  In my Trollbeads life I absorb myself in finding the best unique beads, photographing them and listing them for my customers.  Last week just as my store turned 36 years old,  my latest Trollbeads site turned 2 and I was busy listing unique beads and hit the #7000 mark.  That means in two years I have listed 6000 beads (I started at #1001) and this doesn't even include all the holiday listings I have completed in the past two years.  I don't know about you but that's scary to me.  That means I have photographed, processed the images, listed the images and written descriptions for 3000+ beads a year...all by myself. Yes, I am a control freak and the word delegate is not in my vocabulary.  You do the math...no don't, you'll have me committed.  So if you are a dealer and wish you could accomplish what I do...go for it!  I will give you any help I can but don't tell me I didn't warn you! :-)

Trollbeads Gallery July 4th

 

 

 

 

Topics: Unique Trollbeads, July 4th Bead release, Holiday Trollbeads

The Trollbeads Summer Stones are Hot!

Posted by Louise Rogers on Tue, Jun 04, 2013 @ 16:06 PM

Summer stones bangle           Trollbeads Limited Edition Summer Stones

The Trollbeads Summer Stones are now out and these beads have been selling like the proverbial hotcakes!  The Trollbeads stones have always been popular with certain collectors and now with this limited edition release many collectors who missed out on the European release a couple of years ago are able to buy and buy at a lower cost.   At $31.00 a bead these have been very well received.   People love the uniqueness of each bead and love the saturation of true stone color that highlights these beads.   The release has been so popular Trollbeads US has run out of their initial allotment and are receiving new batches from Trollbeads Denmark daily just to keep up! 

The Summer Stones have been released in Kit form to retailers around the globe and most retailers are cutting the kits offering the buyer their choice of stone.  So far at Trollbeads Gallery we have sold more Amethyst beads but as time goes on we will see how the stones far on the whole.   The kit includes 6 stone beads including African Amethyst, Dalmatian Jasper, Canadian Jade, Red Mud Jasper, Rhyolite and Zebra Jasper.   From what I can see so far the bead with the most variation is the Rhyolite but the Red Mud Jasper too has varying shades of red, brown and orange.

Trollbeads Summer stones

African Amethyst: In the world of art Purple has always been the color of inspiration and individuality.  As a stone Amethyst helps us understand that the limitations we place on ourselves are the hardest ones to overcome and the hardest to live beyond in order to mature and grow.  Trollbeads has always offered a great variety of purple glass beads so there will always be beads to use this with. If you have the faceted Trollbeads Amethyst this stone will go with it beautifully as stones that are smooth versus the stones that are smooth each highlight the stone in unique ways.  On a Trollbeads Bangle bracelet I can see having a faceted Amethyst bead in the middle with a smooth African Amethyst on either side.

Dalmatian Jasper: For a patterned bead this is the most consistent of the beads.  It features light brown or darker beige and like the dog that shares its name – it is a symbol of loyalty.   Dalmatian Jasper is a grounding stone, bringing to its wearer a sense of calm and tranquility.

Canadian Jade:  What a beautiful Jade this is.  We have seen a variety of Jade come through Trollbeads but this Canadian Jade is so pure in color.  Jade is said to bring mental agility (I am planning on filling a 32” necklace with them and see if it works) and to have a balancing and harmonizing effect. 

Red Mud Jasper: What a unique bead this one is!  Much loved for the warmth and colors of the Trollbeads ambers and I have found the longer the collector has been buying the more they like this stone.  It is a stone of protection, stability and strength.  It is supposed to balance emotions (but what fun would life be if it actually did this?) and increases your connection with the earth.  It is said to bring positive energy and joy into your life.

Rhyolite:  Now this is my personal favorite!  But I am a big fan of green.  Rhyolite is a stone that helps us live in the moment instead of the past.  It is capable of improving our ability to deal calmly with challenging circumstances and it helps make us aware of our own strength.

Zebra Jasper: Although we have the faceted version this is a much more affordable bead and if you are lucky enough to have the faceted version these will look great with it.  The pattern on the Zebra Jasper, like the other jasper stones, is very organic and every bead is a special unique.   

On our Trollbeads Gallery Forum there have been some very inspiring uses of the new Summer Stones so if you haven't yet discovered the forum please join us and see what other collectors are doing with their Summer Stones.  It's fascinating and fun! Trollbeads Gallery Forum  (click on link)

Trollbeads Gallery Summer S

Topics: Trollbeads Summer Stones, Lt. Ed. Summer Stones, Limited Edition Summer Stones

Trollbeads With A Twist

Posted by Louise Rogers on Wed, May 15, 2013 @ 18:05 PM

Twist Trollbeads Collage

 

 

 

 

Trollbeads with a Twist is a category we have had on Trollbeads Gallery for about 2 years.  It’s a sleeper of a category but when someone discovers it they become “twist” fan and will continue to check in to see if I’ve added something new.   The listings are not plentiful but I try to always offer you beads to choose from!  What is Trollbeads with a Twist? 

Trollbeads with a Twist is just as it sounds.  Here you will find standard glass beads and stone beads from the Trollbeads line that are in some way unique from the bead as it is usually offered. This is due to the fact that every Trollbead is made by hand and there is bound to be differences.  With  working with customers purchasing Trollbeads in my gallery I discovered that there are those collectors who love to seek out the unusual beads.   We all search for that special something that speaks to us whether it’s a color or a theme but when you’re hunting for beads that are somewhat “off” from what they are meant to be the discovery is all that much more rewarding.   With this in mind I was wondering how I could offer this experience for people who don’t have local Trollbeads retailers. There are many collectors who only have the opportunity to buy Trollbeads on line and that is when “Trollbeads With a Twist” came in to being.  Through the years I have had some great offerings in this category and I am sure to have many more.  I also include retired Trollbeads but many times this is merely so my customers can actually see the retired bead before they purchase it. 

If you are wondering why I don’t offer more beads in this category it is because there are only some beads that come in with a unique look or that vary at all in their appearance.  Think about your collection of standard glass beads, not including your unique beads, and think about the beads you love the most and I’ll bet they are the beads that vary from bead to bead.   Don’t get me wrong as there are many stunning beads that don’t vary but for me it’s the ones that do I feel closer to.  It's the thrill of finding the perfect bead.  Some of our all time favorites are Azure Bubbles, Blue Desert, Organic Bubbles, Wildcat and of course the Armadillos.  The numbers next to each of the Twist listings refer to the number of beads I have listed here and when Azure Bubbles got up to the 80’s I started over again!  Blue Desert is always a fun one because there are so many features that can be unique to it.  Sometimes it is green, sometimes pinkish red with the blue.  The level of the “glitter” within the Desert beads is good to check for also.  The Wildcat is now retired but in its day I had versions that included ones with a heavy presence of black, some with more green, some with more blue and some with more of a brown presence.    The Feather beads are also great beads to keep your eye on!  The Red Feather and the Blue Green feather are retired but I still list them as I made sure I had plenty in stock when they were retired.  The “feathers” in each bead can come out in so many style from a calm “combed” look to a crazy “teased” look.

Another very important distinction between beads is the size.  Some beads can come in a whole range from tiny to huge and collectors tend to hunt out their preferred size when given the choice.

Below is a list of Trollbeads that make great twist beads that are currently in the line!

1. Azure Bubbles-the queen of Twist Beads!  Some collectors have made bracelets of just this bead!

2. Blue Desert-so many great versions.

3. Organic Bubbles-varieties are not as plentiful as they are in the Azure Bubbles but still can be found.

4. Florence and Milan-always fun beads to check out for the varying bumps and tones.

5. Fireflies – once you start looking at this bead you will see how the wings change.

6. Milky way - a nice variety of silver particles in each bead.

7. Silver Mountain and Golden Cave-always varies in so many great ways.

8. Chakra Colors and any of the Chakra beads as the gold banding can vary.

9. Cozy –love the variety of black lines within the bead.

10. Whitecap-This bead is a great twist bead! Although a blue and green bead it can also have pink!

11. Moon Ocean-some can have a  coating of mirror glass and can be light blue or dark blue.

12. Faceted Stones as these are natural and differ from stone to stone.  My favorite one is the Golden Quartz because there is a wide variety from dark to very light!

Great Twist Retired Trollbeads

  1. Wildcat - A wide variety of tones
  2. Grey Wolf - Came in wide variety from wild and wooly to thin calm lines.
  3. Orange and Green Armadillo - So many tones!
  4. Clear Brown Braid- So many unique types of braids.
  5. Clear Blue Braid- Again this bead seems to have a variety of braids.
  6. Issy - The orange whisps of glass varied in depth and in tone.
  7. Twisted Bud - So many kinds of twists!
  8. Fur Animal- Again with fine details they can vary.
  9. Red Feather and Blue Green Feather - our personal favorite.
  10. Aventurine - as this was another stone bead that came in a variety of colors from very dark green with sparkly inclusions to a very light green.

If you check my Trollbeads with a Twist and see a bead you love sold just remember I am always adding new beads so keep checking back!  Prism Small Trollbeads

Here is a perfect example of a "Twist Trollbead" yes. this is a Turquoise Prism!  Usually the bead has a soft flow of purple going through the bead but this one the purple ended up on one half and the turquoise is on the other!

 

Topics: trollbeads, Unique Trollbeads, Twist Trollbeads, Trollbeads with a Twist

Free Unique Trollbead by Purchasing $99 Trollbeads & CONTEST

Posted by Louise Rogers on Tue, Apr 30, 2013 @ 20:04 PM


Trollbeads Gallery Unique beadsExciting News!! 

From May 1st to May 12th Trollbeads Gallery will be offering you a free unique bead when you spend $99 on our website!  You can go directly to our Unique bead offerings by clicking on this link:  Trollbeads Gallery Unique Beads.

Trollbeads is offering this to Celebrate Mother's Day! Thank you Trollbeads!

To follow Trollbeads guidelines you may only receive one free bead at a time so if you spend  $99 (and slightly over) you can chose one free unique bead but to receive more than one bead free you need to place multiple orders!   In other words if you intend to spend $300 (or more) you can get 3 free Unique beads but you have to do it in 3 separate transactions.   To receive the free Unique bead just add it to your cart and as you are checking out simply type in Free Unique Bead in the "Coupon Code" box.  If by any chance you find a unique bead that is higher than the $45.00, which is the  average unique bead cost, your invoice will show the $45.00 credit only. 

I will be adding Unique beads every day as usual so keep checking back as the days go by!

You may want to go through our popular "Twins and Trios" category were we list unique beads in twos and in threes.  Four of the kits are shown above. Like my regular unique bead offerings I try to add new kits daily.  Many people like to have matching glass beads to wear on either side of a silver bead on the Trollbeads Bangle bracelet and the trios are great because we match 3 beads for you so there is not so much guessing if you are worried about your ability to match on-line!

 

Build You Own Trollbeads Bracelet Contest! 

Another new program brought to you from Trollbeads!

This is very simple!  All you have to do is visit:

TrollbeadsUniverse.com/What's-New page and fill out an entry form.  That's it!  Enjoy the deep wealth of the site while you are there.  The Trollbeads Museum is fascinating and there is a wealth of information for you.

Last day to enter is 5-12-13 and there is no purchase necessary. Check back to the same site for the results!

From Trollbeads Universe:

Enter to Win!Sunglasses silver bead

Build Your Own bracelet ($500 value) or Start Your Story Bracelet ($99 value)!

Two winners will be selected and announced the week of June 3rd.

GRAND PRIZE: BUILD YOUR OWN BRACELET - $500 VALUE
RUNNER UP PRIZE: START YOUR STORY BRACELET - $99 VALUE

Good luck and enjoy :)

No purchase necessary!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Topics: Trollbeads Twins and Trios, Free Unique bead, trollbeads, Glass Unique Trollbeads, Trollbeads Universe

Meet Trollbeads Designer Mette Saabye!

Posted by Louise Rogers on Mon, Apr 29, 2013 @ 18:04 PM

Metta Saabye Trollbeads 

Please note that the blog has been changed to reflect the "future" date of this release.  We had jumped the gun on this release believing it was April 1st! 

On April 19th Trollbeads will introduce a brand new collection of jewelry by Mette Saabye.  Mette has been one of Trollbeads bead designers for many years and in this introduction Trollbeads gives us a whole new direction of jewelry! 

Like many of the Trollbeads designers Mette is an artist and jewelry designer her in own right and has her own avid collectors.  They visit her here at her studio and follow her jewelry through her shows at galleries and museums. Many of her pieces are considered avant garde and extremely artful and for the first time she has designed a group of "Elderberry Designs" jewelry including rings, a brooch and earrings for Trollbeads to include in their line.

Her fresh designs and fresh attitude is probably what attracted Lise Aagaard to Mette from the beginning.  Mette has a style that is all her own and with the jewelry just released we can see how Lise was attracted to her artistry and flair. It's easy to see Mette's personality in her designs and if you've been lucky enough to ever meet her you can see her warm smile come shining through the flowers in these new pieces she has so painstakingly created.

The new Mette Saabye Trollbeads jewelry collection consists of eight pieces with half of the pieces being her stylish rings. The will be offered in five sizes.  The other rings offered are a smaller scale.  My favorite of all the pieces are the earrings which range in size and in style. There is even a pair of clips offered and let me tell you if you don't have your ears pierced it is very difficult to find clips these days! The most simple of the earsticks otherwise known as posts and are quite affordable and very sweet with one flower.  The larger pair offered have a "bunch" of three flowers and each flower has a 18K gold center.  This is my favorite pair and one I will purchase for my own use.  The largest pair are the ear clips and are called "Elderflowers Earclips". This is a grouping of six flowers around a center flower and all of these flowers have the 18K gold center also.  Earrings this size are always very flattering and the clips allow the larger earrings to sit on your ear in the best position regardless if your ears are pierced or not. To see the whole collecton visit Trollbeads Gallery on April 19!

The creme de la creme is the Elderflowers Brooch!  A stylish statement piece that many of our wardrobes are missing!  The brooch is over two inches in diameter and looks like a bed of "sweet william" flowers, growing altogether.  It is quite dramatic and beautiful.  The photo below is a Trollbeads model wearing Mette's pieces. I am sure we would all look as beautiful if we were to wear the pieces as well...but isn't the brooch stunning?  Congratulations to Mette for having her designs selected and thank you to Lise at Trollbeads for stepping outside of the "bead" box to produce this line.

MSbyTB key smallimage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A while ago I was very fortunate to travel to Denmark to work on a project and had the privilege of visiting Mette in her own studio in Copenhagen.  I have to tell you she is just as lovely in person as she is in her photographs.  Mette's studio is tiny and magical with walls finished in gold leaf making the studio seem like a gem itself.  When you are in it you feel like you're in a special treasure box surrounded by fascinating jewelry created by Mette and a small selection of other very talented jewelry designers. Behind the viewing area there is a small design and workroom where Mette and her assistant work with complete with all the jewelry tools you can imagine.  It was so much fun to see it all - the beauty of the front and functionality of the workshop.

When you see the jewelry created by Trollbeads designers I think it's fascinating to see if you can discover what of their style or themes come out in the Trollbeads they have designed.  If you have the Coffee Table Trollbeads book you have already been able to see this but being in Mette's studio was a special treat for me trying to see the relationship between her own jewelry pieces and the that of her bead designs for Trollbeads.

The special photos below were taken on my visit.  You can see from the outside view just how dear the studio is and how it was decorated for the holidays.  Below the outside view is a photo of her studio and the jewelry cases next to a photo of Mette laughing and enjoying herself.

Mette%27s exterior

    Mette Saabye Studio

Mette%27s shop

Topics: Trollbeads Mette Saabye Jewerly Collection, Trollbeads brooch, trollbeads, Trollbeads Earrings

Trollbeads Gallery Trunk Show April 25-29

Posted by Louise Rogers on Tue, Apr 16, 2013 @ 20:04 PM

Trollbeads Gallery Bangle April Event: Trollbeads Gallery Trunk Show

When: April 25 - April 29, 2013

Where: Trollbeads Gallery & Rogers Gallery

Why: To save you money!

How: Call our Toll Free Number

1-888-758-3641  OR

Place your order on line and simply state in the "notes" section the Trollbeads you would like free! 

In other words you pay for the first 3 and the 4th bead (which needs to be equal to or less then the beads you are buying) will be free and this is the bead you write into the note section.

Now is the time to start your list of all those new Trollbeads you've been wanting to get!  Why?  Because Trollbeads Gallery is having their Mother's Day Trunk Show on April 25th,26th,27th and 29th!  You can buy any 3 Trollbeads and receive the 4th bead free!* Not only that we are also offering Free Gifts with Purchase on two purchase levels.* The Trunk Shows are the only time we are permitted to offer our customers the specials we are offering now.  So please take advantage of it!

This is an event many collectors look forward to so they can purchase any new beads or even the beads they still need to catch up on while enjoying considerable savings and getting great free gifts!

We've been hosting Trunk Shows for years and years and it's a happy time for all of us here at Trollbeads Gallery and Rogers Gallery so get in the swing of things and check out our website to start your list! Trollbeads Gallery.

We would suggest you look at the following categories just to wet your whistle while we sharpen our pencils! There are too many categories to mention but surf around and look at all of our offerings!

Trollbeads Retired Beads: We have always been known to offer the most varied and most in-depth selection of retired beads...but as Trollbeads increases in popularity we are finding our stocks are dwindling and once a Trollbead has been retired it is gone! The more current the retirement the better the availability but the older ones are definitely low in stock! 

New Trollbeads: The most recent release "The 2013 Spring Trollbeads" is one of the all time best ever.  Especially if you happen to love the beach...and the various beach themes.  The "Happy Summer" Kit below is just a sampling of two new glas bead kits from Trollbeads.  Each of the beads below create stunning bracelets when used with other Trollbeads. Bleow you can see a few of the "Happy Summer" glass beads along with the best selling Big Butterfly.  We adore the Big Butterfly on the new Bangle Bracelet also.  The Bangle Bracelet is highlighted in the photo above with unique Heart Trollbeads and the new Swarm of Butterflies.

Trollbeads Gallery Butterfl

The newest 2 Faceted Stone beads to join the line are Ruby Rock which was released with the Mother's Day Release and the very popular Agate Dendritic which is to the left of the Big Butterfly on the bracelet shown above!  This bead is a nice neutral bead in whites and greys and can be used with so many other beads.  The stone beads are so popular because the facets always catch the light, as you can see it does above, and catches your eye at the same time!

The Deals and Steals!:

Purchase any 3 Trollbeads receive 4th Free!

Receive a gift of the New Stackable Travel Case for Orders over $250 (shown below)

Receive above gift and a gift of one of the following rare Retired Trollbeads* for orders over $550

*Two Trolls, Mink, King and Queen,The Elf Bead, Zig Zag, Eight Faces, White Pearl Drop,

Pink Pearl Drop,  Black Pearl Drop

*(while supplies last)

Traveler Stackable Bronze Jewelry Box

 

 

Topics: Trollbeads Gallery Trunk Show, Trollbeads Gallery Specials

Buying Trollbeads on Ebay - Your Collection and the Brand

Posted by Louise Rogers on Fri, Apr 12, 2013 @ 11:04 AM

As an Authorized Dealer of Trollbeads I have a stake in stating the case of why not to buy your Trollbeads on Ebay. Obviously I want to protect the brand but my somewhat biased position does not overstate the fact there will always be scams by sellers offering "authentic" Trollbeads which are not Trollbeads. This is a buyer beware for the new collectors. I will repeat throughout while there are reputable sellers on Ebay but these are not the sellers I am referring to. If you have been following my blog or my posts on Trollbeads Gallery Forum you know where I stand.  I offer up what information I receive for you (the collector) to take in and do what you want with.  It seems I send these warnings out every couple of years to keep the newer of the dedicated collectors in the loop. 

Forgive me my strong mindedness on this issue but I've been a dedicated dealer for a very long time, I have a strong connection to the Trollbeads company/family and to Trollbeads collectors around the world. For these reasons I feel it is my duty to warn collectors about counterfeit beads. Thousands of these beads have sold and continue to sell and with each bead sold there is one more chance that your collection can become less valuable. It doesn't even matter if you own a counterfeit bead or not. History has shown brands that are counterfeited are ultimately negatively affected.  Why else do brands spend billions on long legal battles against counterfeiters? If you collect Trollbeads and you want to protect the future of your collection then it is your duty to stay away from these sellers.

I started a thread on Trollbeads Gallery Forum which brought out good points on both sides of the aisle because as mentioned there are reputable sellers on Ebay.  It is always good to get a conversation started to share information and in this case you have me telling you the perils because I have seen first hand how bad the situation has been.  With any brand once it gets to a certain level of desirability the counterfeiters are already pushing product off their conveyer belts. You need to keep in mind that the manufacturers in China are so adept at counterfeiting everything that nothing is sacred.  Antique specialists at the Smithsonian are confounded at the degree of competence in copying everything from antique paintings, furniture and jewelry.  If you think you can judge a Trollbead because it has a LAA hallmark forget about it.   The stamp is easier to copy than the bead.  But with that being said I know there are also sellers on Ebay who are serious collectors whose bead collections are evolving (as collections tend to) and this is their only outlet to sell. We need to keep this in mind too. So as you read the snippets of the thread keep in mind it boils down to three things.

1. Purchase from Authorised Trollbeads Dealers.

2. Purchase from known reputable collectors. (Takes research)

3. Just keep in mind one thing: Buyer Beware.

The following are excepts from our Forum thread and being shared here to help educate new buyers. I am pasting in the way the comments appeared and I've stayed as true to the thread as I could with my cutting and pasting abilities. I think I am supposed to mention something about the opinions below may not be those of this blog...or something like that.  It may seem fragmented but just take the information as you want and as you will see we have sellers protecting their position in the light of my comments against fraudulent sellers. 

I started the thread by posting the photo accompanying comment.

Fake Trollbeads chain

  This is a chain someone ordered thinking they were ordering a real Trollbeads chain. It is NOT a Trollbeads chain.  I received this photo through a dealer.  They received it from a customer who asked them if this is an authentic Trollbeads chain, as even the collector knew something was wrong. I have to admit I never even thought the chains would be be copied. Not only are the beads being copied but the chains are too. Buyer beware.  

Comment: Collector 1

Always good to be warned, there are some really ruthless people out there.......many thanks for this Louise xxx

 

Comment: Collector 2 (new to TB)

that is sad, but more common that we think that folks try to make money off other unsuspecting folks.  What is the tip off that it is not real?  The weight?  I am fairly new to TB and I would have been fooled........You have to admit, a serpentine chain is a serpentine chain. They have been made for a long time.  What makes it authentic TB?  A hallmark or something else?  Or is it not silver?  curious I am......

(note to collector 2: The Trollbeads chain is a much different chain from the standard Foxtail from the strength to the weight and to its construction)

Answer: Collector 3

The Troll chains do have the LAA mark on the large ring end and I suspect that weight does also play a part in this item.........I know many who have recently bought from one particular eBay seller have said that the weight is not what it should be.
Sad fact but there are fakes about but it's forums like this that can help and make us all be more aware :-) xxx

Comment: Louise Rogers

I feel self serving when I say this but if you don't buy from an authorized dealer or from someone you personally know you're asking for trouble.  Ebay has destroyed the validity of many brands and while this is one side of the Auction site...it is very valid to be careful.  We all have too much invested in this lovely and historic family owned brand to want to see it hurt as all of us are hurt each time a fake Trollbead sells.  There are collectors here on the Forum that sell on Ebay and you just need to know the good from the bad!!

Comment: Collector 4

I have to respectfully disagree.  All authentic Trollbead foxtail necklaces & bracelets are NOT marked "LAA".  I don't know why, but they are not.  I have 4 Trollbead foxtail necklaces that I purchased from an authorized TB dealer and two are marked 925, but two do not have any hallmarks that I can see.  I have posted some photos below.  All these necklaces are authentic Trollbead necklaces. but yet none of them are marked "LAA".  Two have the 925, but non have LAA.

In addition, I have purchased three Trollbead bracelets over the last few years from three different authorized local TB dealers and 2 are not marked "LAA".  Only one is marked with the "LAA" hallmark, but all three are marked "925".  So I guess what my point would be is that Trollbead's Headquarters has made it hard to tell what is real - and I guess what is not.  As all of my necklaces and bracelets are authentic but yet they are not consistently marked.

I do think one must be careful where one purchases Trollbead items, but lets not put all eBay sellers in the "bad" category as fraudulent sellers.  There are many eBay sellers that are honest and selling authentic items at a discount.  But just because a foxtail bracelet or necklace is not hallmarked with "LAA" does not mean it is not an authentic Trollbead chain. As I have several chain that prove this.  They are all authentic, yet not marked consistently.  I think it could possibly have something to do with where or what year TB produced the chains.   Some items could be at a dealers for years before you purchase it and therefore it could be marked differently than one that is produced today by Trollbeads. 

Here are some photos of hallmarks (or lack of hallmarks) on bracelets and necklaces.  All authentic Trollbeads, but each different.

The photos below are from Collector 4. 

Trollbeads Chain 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

describe the image

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trollbeads chain 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comment: Louise Rogers

Great Photos Thank you.

Comment: Collector 4

Your welcome :)   I love this forum and I think it is so incredibly great that it is here for all Trollbead collectors.  It provides so much useful information - all in one place.  This forum provides a great place to convey accurate information, warnings and general knowledge in all things Troll.  So I for one am grateful that you have created this "place in space" where Trollbead collectors can come together and learn.  And I can only image the amount of time it takes to keep it up and running!  So I would like to say thanks for creating it :)

There are times when a hallmark means nothing as I have written about this in the past too. If they can fake the bead or the chain they can fake the hallmark!  Just KNOW your seller!  

Comment: Collector 4

I truly agree with that statement "know your seller".  That is excellent advice!  :) 

Comment: Louise Rogers

The other issue to note here is Feedback rating system.  I knowingly bought fake Trollbeads once just to see them and when they came in I contacted the dealer and told them I knew they were fake and...shock of all shocks (and I mean this) I was told I didn't have to return them but if I gave him positive feedback he would refund my payment!  So how many people do you think say no to that?  So you know how cheap he gets them for if he can just throw them away!!  So he had a perfect rating but now we know why.  I worked with Trollbeads on this (a few years back) and they took him down but I am sure he was up again under a new name.

Comment: Collector 4

That is crazy!  And this is what gives ebay a bad name.  This is what infuriates me over sellers like this!!  Hopefully that person is long gone.  Or so we hope so.  In other words, I hope they have not popped up back on ebay under a different name and playing the same dishonest game.  As I know that some sellers do that.

In this case, the seller was using "feedback extortion" to get you to leave positive feedback for him.  This is against all Ebay rules and is grounds for being suspended from selling on Ebay.  Which is what Ebay did in the end to this person.  Thankfully!

The feedback system does work better now, as opposed to a few years ago.  And that is because buyers do have the upper hand over the sellers.  Which (as a seller) I do not think is truly fair, but I can understand the need for it due to some dishonest sellers.  And that is that buyers can leave negative feedback for sellers, but sellers cannot leave negative feedback for buyers.  This has allowed buyers to leave TRUE feedback for sellers without buyers being afraid of sellers leaving retaliatory negative feedback for them.  So now buyers are not afraid to leave truthful and negative feedback for sellers - if they have a problem with the item that they purchased. 

But when other buyers agree to such behavior (buyer leaves positive feedback and then he will get a refund) as you have mentioned from this dishonest seller, the buyer is doing a very BAD disservice to Ebay's feedback system.  The buyer is lying and not providing an honest opinion of the transaction.  What the buyer should do is leave negative feedback to WARN all other buyers to stay away from purchasing from this buyer.  That is how the feedback system was essentially setup to work.  It is a system to warn people of transactions that have problems.  Unfortunately, sometimes it doesn't work the way it was designed to.  But nothing is perfect and foolproof.

Comment: Collector 5

I very rarely buy beads on eBay for all the reasons mentioned, but, when I am interested in something on there, I ask other collectors if they are familiar with the seller, look to see if the seller accepts returns (right or wrong, I feel that if they don't, then they don't really stand behind their listing and I find that suspicious), and lastly, ask the seller if they are a member on any of the on-line fora out there. If they are, then I open a dialogue with them on that forum to ensure that they really are who they say they are. I do not ask them to complete the sale outside of eBay, it is more of a way to verify their identity and trustworthiness. This is not necessarily foolproof, because I have heard of sales going bad and even the other forum moderators could not resolve the issues BUT the seller's reputation was damaged. I do have a list of collectors who sell on eBay and I would not hesitate to purchase from them!

If you are interested in learning as much as you can about this brand please join our

Trollbeads Gallery Forum where there are always Trollbeads conversations, inspiring photographs, dedicated collectors, challenges, swaps and so much more.

 


 

Topics: trollbeads, Trollbeads Dealers, Perils of Shopping on Ebay