Greetings Trollbeads Collectors:
I can’t believe I haven’t written a blog in quite a while, when I checked I was shocked. The good news is I have been too busy to sit down and concentrate to write a blog and the bad news is I have been too busy to concentrate. There has been so much new and so many updating it seems I am always playing “catch up”. It was a very busy fall and Trollbeads Fest was another great event with many happy return visits and a lot of happy new comers. We are busy planning the 2018 Trollbeads Fest and it will be in the first weekend of October. So make your plans now!
As far as what’s new since my last blog I could spend hours rehashing all the releases since the last blog but I think we all know what they have been. One very special bracelet kit release was the “Wishful Sky” bracelet and it is still available for only $109.00. It comes complete with a chain, a star lock, a silver star bead and the most beautiful faceted blue glass bead. The depth of tone in the glass bead is so rich and eye catching.
The Christmas Glitter kits were remarkably popular because they are beads you can wear all year long and are primarily glitter! If you count the kits I have sold in my gallery and on the site I have gone through over 150 kits. That, by a long shot, outsells all the other past Christmas Kits. A sample of the glitter kits is shown below. It’s not only the craftsmanship of the beads that make these kits sensational – it is also the variety and the overall neutral nature of each bead. My most sincere hope is that the artisan group responsible for making these beads is now creating a new batch of unique beads. I have purchased more of these beautiful kits so I can keep offering them to you.
Speaking of unique beads…have you seen the “Unique Beads” Book that came out in the fall? It is a remarkably beautiful book telling the story of the path to humanitarianism the Trollbeads family have taken to create their bead studios in places in the world that need work. It is a colorful hard bound book showing you the beautiful faces and environment of the artisans from Tibet and the other studios. If you are a serious Trollbeads collector it is a must have. We can only ship within the U.S. at the price it is at. Email us for postage quotes outside the U.S.
In addition to the Glitter Christmas Bead Kits, the Winter Christmas Kit was a good seller as well giving you all the wonderfully colorful tones of the Christmas season. This is another Christmas kit that we all think out ranks the older kits. Of course the critter outsold the other beads so we had to change to selling them in trios. Each bead is a good additon to your collection so take a close look before they are gone. All 6 beads are beautiful!
Along with the two kits I have mentioned the animal spacers from this release were great. They added the Generous Piglet and the Grateful Turkey Spacers to the Fox Spacer they had released in the fall. If you have had a chance to see them click on the links and do so now! As far a bead categories go I am so happy to see the addition of the Spacer collection and love seeing all the new versions being added. The 2018 Valentine bead is the Rose spacer and it is gorgeous and wonderfully textural.
The most recent collection released is the 2018 Spring “Enchanted Forest” Collection. With the Peacock being the major theme it has made many collectors happy. From the unique Peacock Feathers bead to the critter Peacock unique beads Trollbeads collectors have always shown their love of the peacock and Trollbeads was listening. The Blooming Katniss Pendant (shown above) is stunning but also has so many versatile ways to be used. See it on a Fantasy Necklace below. There are two glass kits that have so much variety yet can be worked together to make wonderful creations. You need to look at all the beads to appreciate the entire collection but we all have favorites. The Enchanted Peacock Pendant is dramatic and beautifully etched and can be worn on the newest edition of the Fantasy Necklace Collection, the Peacock Pearl! This newest edition to the Fantasy Necklace group was an introduction to the new pricing of this group. From now forward all the Fantasy Necklaces will be priced the same in every size. FOr an example the White, Pink and Peacock Pearl Fantasy Necklaces are now all $145. Speaking of pricing changes recently there have been subtle changes to make the Trollbeads prices the same the world around. You will notice tiny changes in some of the glass and stones and some of the silver which has gone down. The changes are both up and down but the majority of the decreases is in the Gold Beads.
Besides the standard releases there have been great improvements to the Jumbo Unique beads with a great variety of beads. To see some of the newest released kits click here: Jumbo Beads. They are fun to work with on all Trollbeads carriers but I prefer necklaces and mostly Fantasy Necklaces and of course Bangles! Below is a Jumbo bead on a chain necklace with beads from the 2018 Spring release!
The 2018 Retirement is the biggest news. As far as retirements go, historically this is a huge one! We are very sad to see so many of the older beads but we know for the new beads to continue and offer us wide varieties we must say goodbye to older beads. Take this link over to the 2018 Retired Beads so you can see what is on it. On my Trollbeads Gallery Forum we have a discussion going about the release and the beads many of us will miss the silver classics such as Harmony, Transformation, Ice Bear, Indian Elephant and Jugend just to name a few. The silver/gold Happy Universe is one of my all time favorites and that has been retired. The glass beads in the group are plentiful and varied. All time favorites of many are the Azure Bubbles, Milan, Florence, Khaki Stripe and the Mixed -Green Armadillo. There has been much discussed as far as the inventory Trollbeads has in these beads as it seems they have been shedding their inventory even before the announcement and there are some beads no longer available for retailers to order. As a dealer I have always ordered heavy and quickly when it comes to any retirement but my advice to all is the purchase the beads you’ve had on your wish list before they are gone. Below are Horses, Jugend and Indian Elephant!
Link to the 2018 Retired Beads.
If you are on Instagram please look up TrollbeadsGallery and follow us. You will see great inspiring photos and when good unique beads come in I try to take a shot before I list them.
Thank you for reading and I hope to be writing more often. It's one of my New Year resolutions!
Louise Rogers
