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Trollbeads New 2011 Spring Release is out and so is the verdict! There isn’t anything from the new release I would advise you not to add to your Trollbeads collection. Honestly it is, overall, the best of the best and I can’t wait to get to work with the beads in the gallery and really dig in designing with them! The best part of this new collection is the brand new availability of the Glass 1 beads in sets! A set is made up of 6 glass Trollbeads and you only pay for 5! Pictured below is the new "Beach Set".

  Sets have been available in Europe but TrollbeadsUS chose not to offer them in this way. With the new U.S. distributor we are able to offer a number of predetermined themed sets all based around beads from a particular release. Examples being the “New Black and White Kit” set which has 6 black and white Trollbeads from a 2010 release and includes the Black Armadillo, White Flower, Black Bubbles among others.

There is the ”Desert Kit” (shown below) which includes all three Desert Trollbeads, Deep Bubbles, Khaki Stripe and Desert Flower.

To view all of sets offered view the “What’s New” on Trollbeads Gallery. Two new sets have been introduced with the 2011 Spring Release using all twelve new glass beads, the “Beach Kit” and the “Flower Kit”. The “Milky Quartz” is the new Precious Stone addition and it offer us a white bead that ranges from bright white to a darker white so owning one is not going to be enough! The new Fantasy Pendant bead is the sterling “Shadow Flower” and it uses the Pearl of the Fantasy Necklace to form delicate petals that encompass the pearl. Beautiful silver work!

The “Double Heart” is a nice departure from the sweeter scale hearts already in production and it has a “techno-romantic” style to it lending it more to the contemporary look. Sales have been excellant and people seeing for the first time are surprised how much more they like it in person!

“Cherry Blossom” (shown to the left) offers a GREAT bead somewhat in the style of “Forget Me Not” but in a balanced bead. The size is so usable and round. The “Family of Kittens” and the “Family of Puppies” are needed addition as house pets go but they also serve to tell me I need stronger glasses. Both of these beads are wonderfully rendered once you see the detail. I am thrilled they have added more pet beads because we all know the dog and cat market is enormous and we definitely needed more to offer these loving pet owners. One of the best beads of this release is actually a surprise to me because before I saw it in person I simply though, oh this is nice. Then when it came in I ran around our stores and showed it to everyone exclaiming how amazing it was and that is the Palm Island. I mean let’s face it here in New England we don’t get very excited about Palm trees, or you would think! This bead is a beauty!!! You can’t see it in the website photo but the ball is a beautiful soft translucent ocean blue with, are you ready??? Sparkles!! It looks just like the shimmering seas and the tree itself is standing on a sand colored mound, hence the “Palm Island”. If the gang had this bead on Gilligan’s Island they wouldn’t have spent 98 episodes trying to get off the island. So my advice to you would be run, don’t walk to Trollbeads Gallery and order up! We have loads and loads of inventory or run to your local dealer as soon as you can!

As the year 2010 moves forward in the land of Trollbeads, the company puts forth a vote to the collectors to celebrate the completion of the Trollbeads Museum, a virtual museum showcasing the history of Trollbeads through all of the beads ever released. We were all asked to vote on the one bead we would like to see re-released to herald the new museum.  The winner was announced on May 31st...the big Earth bead designed by Nicolas Aagaard, a third generation Trollspring.* It would be released in the fall release. We love having the bead a part of the collection, thank you Nicolas!
The summer brought us the new earring componants and the announcement second annual People's Bead contest. The U.S. was thrilled that the winner was one of our own, Kristi Denning! Her "Ice Bear" design was introduced with much success in the Trollbeads December release.

Fall brought the introduction of the World Tour with the introduction of individual country sets of beads. The first stop was appropriately Denmark. The beads included an amber bead, a glass flower bead and 2 silver beads. They are shown below.

The World Tour beads are available only within the country of release yet with the determination of most collectors, many share with friends around the world.  I think my favorite bead is the Frog Prince from Germany.  The German set is featured below!

We will finish up the year with our final article of 2010's year in review part 5!

*Trollspring definition=noun. authentic trollbeads offspring.

*

As I was deciding what to include in my 2010 Trollbeads summary it astonished me to see how much Trollbeads accomplished in just one year.  Too much, in fact, it will take more than one blog to include all of the special releases that made 2010 such a remarkable year for Trollbeads and Trollbeads Collectors. Thank you Trollbeads!

February 2010 Trollbeads released a Limited Edition of the Crazy Lace Agate beads.  This bead is one of many different colors and forms of agate and is a deep rich pink with veins of purple, gray, rust and black running through the stone which gives the beads a wide variety of appearances.  For the first time there were actually two shapes created.  Europe was offered the smooth Crazy Lace Agate and the U.S. was offered the bead in a faceted version.

Crazy Lace Agate is known as a healing stone.  It provides balance and it protects the wearer.  It brings laughter to its possessor.  Crazy Lace Agate is used to help in making decisions by balancing the energies used in the physical, the emotional and the mental which keeps the possessor focused and better able to make good decisions.

As with all of the limited edition releases, only the Premium Trollbeads dealers were offered the Crazy Lace Agate beads.  Premium Partner dealers are dealers that offer no other competing interchangeable bead line. Crazy lace Agate was only available for a very short time and is no longer attainable through Trollbeads. Trollbeads Gallery sold many of these beads and is always looking for more to sell under our retired Trollbeads line.  We have the beads and will soon be adding them to our retired website. Please email if you have any you would like to part with! http://RetiredTrollbeadsGallery.com

email: Louise@TrollbeadsGallery.com

*Photo taken by Trollbeads Gallery Forum member! The four smooth pick beads are Crazy lace Agates.

Professional photographer Celia Pearson was visiting recently and I handed her the Trollbeads Coffee Table Book to watch her reaction.  Celia is a highly visual person and I wanted to see her reaction from a non Trollbeads collector's point of view.  While she finds Trollbeads fascinating, she isn't a jewelry person.  I always show, discuss and sell the book to Trollbeads collectors and I thought it would be fascinating to hear Celia's impressions.  She has illustrated books with her photography and I was eager to see what her reaction would be.  To understand Trollbeads could she see it from the the pages within this book?  I think she did!  LR

I was visiting Louise Rogers recently and she introduced me to the book An Icon in Jewellery Design: Trollbeads.  She’d already introduced me to Trollbeads. I think they are fascinating and beautiful - so creatively designed. I haven’t purchased any, but that’s only because I’m a person who wears very little jewelry.  When we opened this book together, Louise and I, I was immediately drawn to its strong and vibrant photographs. I am a lifelong photographer, so it was natural that I would notice the images.

All at once I understood Trollbeads better. The story of this family, and its company and designers, is compelling. Just as the beads come alive in the creative and inspired hands of the designers, the story comes alive in the book’s amazing photographs. All are flawlessly composed, and without exception the images are imbued with a sense of vitality and energy. There is life in these pages.

Trollbeads, too, seem to be imbued with this same life (so well described by the book’s stunning close-up photographs of them), and now I see that the vibrancy and integrity of the humans behind these beads is part of that life. They are an inspired and inspiring community and not only do they share who they are in this book, they seem as well to invite us to become a part of them.

This family and company have an unerring sense of and ability to share what I believe many of us want. I believe we want fine things, a sense of the life all around us (and in us), and community. Beauty, vitality, connection. The photographs in this book power that message, and the Trollbeads take on an added significance as they become a symbol for those things.

Thanks, Louise!

Celia Pearson

Celia Pearson Biography

Celia Pearson has been a fine art and assignment photographer for many years. Richard Bond’s lectures in Annapolis, Maryland in the 1970’s sparked a passion that has defined her adult life. Her fine art photographs are collected privately and are in two permanent museum collections: The Academy Art Museum in Easton, MD, and The New Bedford Museum of Glass in New Bedford, MA. Her work has been shown in galleries in Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. The Cape Cod Museum of Art has just mounted an exhibit of her sea glass images that will continue through October 10, 2010. 

Pearson’s photographs of architecture, interiors, and gardens have been published in national magazines such as Coastal Living, Metropolitan Home, Southern Accents, and Residential Architect. Book credits include Pure SEA GLASS published by Sea Glass Publishing, with more than 85,000 copies sold since publication in 2004; and Wayne L. Good Architect: Tradition Elegance, Repose, a monograph published in four languages.

As a result of the book Pure SEA GLASS Pearson's work came to the attention of Maryland Public Television and was the subject of a segment on ArtWorks. MPT’s host, Rhea Feikin, described Pearson’s “innate ability to find the essence of an object that resonates with beauty”.

The artist lives in Annapolis, Maryland.

To Celia, Many thanks for looking into my world! Louise

Trollbeads is the original interchangeable bead line and through its 35 years Trollbeads continues to show its collectors why they remain head over heels ahead of the dozens of subsequent copycat bead lines.   Yes, there is at least one other company, Pandora, that has higher recognition in the market place, has higher sales and is many times larger but that is not what being top is all about.  Definitely not in my book because Pandora’s size and sheer volume has made the brand too common. What is there in Pandora to be emotionally committed to? How can you feel passion for a conglomerate making cookie cutter beads?  Trollbeads as a company, as a brand and as a product is so much more for so many reasons.  Is it that Trollbeads is still family owned and run?   Is it that Trollbeads are created by true artists who start with their sketches then moving on to wax models and then to the actual mold? Trollbeads are not computer generated designs like other bead brands. If you think of Trollbeads as a “being”, which many of us do whatever the reason, Trollbeads is the true folk hero of bead lines.  A major category of folk hero is ‘the defender of the smaller populace against the oppression or corruption of the established power structure’.  How perfect is that for Trollbeads when looking at Trollbeads in the bead marketplace today? Trollbeads does not bend to the common marketplace pressure to deliver beads like the other brands do such as cute cartoon-like children, puppies and birthday cakes. The Trollbeads designers continue to have the artistic freedom to create beads they believe in. Throughout the years Trollbeads collectors have contributed to this heroic brand through understanding the true essence of Trollbeads and understanding the deeper personal meaning to each bead. Just look at this year's winning "People's Bead Award" winner "Ice Bear" by Kristi Denning. Almost the whole of the Trollbeads collecting world voted on it because it fits the collection perfectly.  The "Ice Bear" bead truly captures the spirit of Trollbeads, the voters and Kristi's passion for the environment.  Brand new bead!

In October 2010 Trollbeads Gallery and Rogers Gallery presented the first Trollbeads Fest or “convention” of its kind in the United States. Creating the perfect weekend for collectors meant the planning took months of work but it was all worth it. Trollbeads Fest was a huge success. Mary Jo Coe, the National Director of sales at TrollbeadsUS who was present at Trollbeads Fest 2010 said “Incredibly the event was the “essence” of what Trollbeads is all about.”  There is an intangible energy within Trollbeads that brings out a similar energy in its collectors and its this phenomenon that is creating a cult like following for Trollbeads.  It is incredible to be a part of it and to watch it in action. I can’t put my finger on it but it is truly magical and to many of us that is what Trollbeads is all about. If you would like to see more of the Trollbeads spirit you may want to go to the website for the Trollbeads Fest and look through the slideshow of images.

Take a look at Trollbeads Gallery Forum.  It is clearly a very energetic group of some of the most enthusiastic Trollbeads fans in the world.  The Trollbeads Fest became a reality through the Forum and for many of us that are active forum members the closeness we all felt at the Trollbeads Fest was not unexpected.  For many it was a continuation of friendships that have formed through Trollbeads all over the world because of this one shared passion, our very own folk hero beads, Trollbeads.  It may be a shame so many cookie cutter bead brands have sullied the market since Trollbeads were born but the people who truly understand and feel the energy Trollbeads exude, it matters not.

What are your thoughts as a collector? 

Trollbeads Fest! 2010 Very Happy Attendees!

Thursday July  28, at 8:00 P.M.(E.D.T.) Trollbeads Gallery will be listing over 60 New Unique Trollbeads.  There are extraordinary new Amber sets. One set has 2 rare Pink Amber in it!  There are Mini Beads and of course many beautiful Unique Trollbeads.  This is a very inspiring groups of summer colors for a mid summer celebration! Remember when a Unique Trollbead is purchased, it is gone!  Tune in on time! Please take note, in between releases we will add Unique beads so keep your eyes on the site!

 Trollbeads Gallery has earned a reputation of offering one of the best selections of Unique Trollbeads.  The term "Unique" was an original term Trollbeads Gallery started to use three years ago and it remains a perfect term for us.  Trollbeads U.S. (the U.S. Distributor of Trollbeads) refers to the beads as "Assorted" and the European market refers to them as OOAK or "One of a Kind".  The dealers in the U.S. have been asked to refrain from using the OOAK term as it has a misleading connotation.  While these Trollbeads are unique there is often more than one of each style created.  Our "Unique" term is referring to the beads' style more than the quantity made.  Whatever the name, the beads are spectacular!  What differentiates these beads from other Trollbeads Glass I beads are their designs and also they are not given names.  In the U.S. Trollbeads retailers are alloted a limited quantity each month.  From the quantity we receive we split the shipment between our store Rogers Gallery and our website.To access the new Trollbead Uniques follow the link below!

What's New!    (New Beads Thursday Night 7-30, *PM EDT)

Trollbeads Gallery continues to share and support our love of Trollbeads through out our Forum and Facebook page.  To thank our Facebook friends and to find some new friends we are offering a wonderful group of useful Trollbeads gifts. Our Trollbeads Facebook Page is having a drawing every Friday through the summer.Join in the fun and win a great group of useful Trollbeads products.  The silver earrings were created by Tina Yelton at Whimsy and are so much fun to design your combinations and wear!

To enter the drawing all you need to do is to click on the Thumb's Up to

"LIKE US" tab and you will be in the running! 

Just follow the link and join us!  The prizes shown in the photograph are listed below:

1 Troll Collector's Clutch

1 Troll Polishing Cloth

1 Pair of Whimsy Silver Earrings that hold Trollbeads!

August 14th Update!  We have changed the prize from earrings to a sterling, stick style, Trollbeads holding necklace.  Our summer prizes have been enjoyed by our Facebook page fans!

Trollbeads Gallery Facebook Page

www.TrollbeadsGallery.com

www.Retired TrollbeadsGallery.com

TrollbeadsGalleryForum

Our drawings are held at Noon and we send the winner a message notifying her/him of their win.  The winner has 48 hours to email us back or we choose a second name!

If you haven't yet joined the Trollbeads Gallery Forum you may want to join for the following reasons and when you discover what is there, you'll have many of your oiwn reasons!

 1. Hear about new beads, bead retirements and any pertinant updates from Trollbeads first.   Timely information like this can be the difference between getting a bead and not!

2. Share your collection through photographs, everyone wants to see the Trollbeads you have. Beyond anything else on the Forum our 8000 plus photographs have inspired more collectors than any other source available.

3. Meet collectors from around the world and hear what they are collecting and how they are using their beads.  Remember Trollbeads has been around for 35 years and some of these collectors have retired beads we have never even seen before.

4. Make many new friends who share a passion with you. Many of our Trollbeads Forum members have traveled great distances to meet each other and to go Troll hunting together.

5. Read fun commentaries such as:

"The Top 10 Reasons you should embrace your Trollbeads addiction". (Under the Troll Masters Group)

6. Join one of the 3 dozen different groups. Including:

"Those that revere retired Trollbeads" group.

"Trollbeads for Men Club" group.

"Troll Master: For Addicts with 4 bracelets and above!" group.

"Troll Jedi Masters-Collectors with 10 or more bracelets." group.

7.Learn about the upcoming 2010 Trollfest!! 

Link to Forum: http://trollbeadsgalleryforum.ning.com/

I have a unique perspective from a Trollbeads collectors point of view and this has helped me understand something.  Not only am I a Troll collector, I have a Trollbeads store , I am a seller of Retired Trollbeads, a Trollbeads Gallery Forum moderator and manager, a Trollbeads website manager and that's just the tipof the iceberg.

My perspective is one of experience, research and personal friendships to the largest and most enthusiastic collectors of Trollbeads around the world.  Some of these personal collections rival the inventories of many authorized Trollbeads stores. But these collections aren't created by greed or by the  "have to have more than so and so" thoughts, they are created by a depth of passion that goes way beyond many of the "collectables" of recent decades. Compare it to other subsequent beads lines, all of todays bead line are subsequent to Trollbeads so pick any of them and make a comparison.  There is none.  No other line has the depth of colors and materials Trollbeads has not do the silver and gold beads have the fine artistic quality to them.  There just isn't another bead that can muster this much passion and when one starts collecting them  they just can't and won't stop.  There are over 500 beads in todays offerings but that doesn't even begin to describe the color families of glass or the color families of jade, pearls, aventurines, you name it.  The best part of this unparalleled selection is that collectors join in the creative process and design bracelets, many of them, based on themes,color ways, personal meanings and eras of the beads themselves.  When there is 35 years of Trollbead history, there are plenty of eras from which to create and to draw from for the many ideas you may have.

When working on your Ocean or water themed Troll bracelets make sure you visit our Retired Trollbeads Gallery to see the Flounder bead! Hurry before he gets away!  Or when you start working on your pale blue themed Trollbeads bracelet check out the Light Blue Stripe.

So don't ever consider your bracelet finished if your chain is full, it is only the beginning of your Trollbeads Journey.