Goodness!

You people have been busy! I logged on this morning and peeped at my favorite on-line haunts and found that the Ltd Agates are disappearing like hotcakes! The Turquoise Striped are obviously in the lead as I can hardly find one anywhere. Still lots of pinks around. Make sure you check out the online shops I have mentioned previously on my posts - many are posting individual agates & I'm sure they will be loading more in the days to come.

One though - if you'd like an agate or two but don't have the cash, see if you can pair up with a friend or two & split a kit.

No Woman is an Island...

A snippet of the Trollbeads stock photo - visit www.trollbeads.com - the BEST in the world!!!

Finally! At last! We can afford our own personal private desert Islands!!!

Well at least in Trollbeads form anyway. :) I'm fascinated with the concept of this new pendant style bead that has been floating around the Internet (in the little ads for the new TB release next week.) The idea of the palm on the sand fading into the deep ocean of glass below is clever & amazing. I'm looking forwards to choosing one in person, as I think this and the other Beach theme glass will lend themselves well to variety in individual beads. And variety is exactly what sends collectors on the hunt for that "perfect" glass bead.

I am just really, really thankful that the Ltd Edition Skeleton did not appear in miniature on this bead at the base of the palm tree. I definately want my own island and I'm very happy to NOT share it with Skelly!!! Hope that gave you a laugh.

Happy Trolling everyone.

Spring Beads - Preorder in US

http://http//www.totallytrollbeads.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi?keyword=New+Spring+2011+Release&action=search

UPDATE: It's been taken down now. Hope those who caught it now have their shopping lists prepared!!!!

World Tour & New OOAKs

Some of the World Tour beads are now on Diamonds4ever.dk - Germany, Netherlands, & Italy as well as the Denmark ones. This is really great because for some collectors it is impossible to find secure ways to buy & D4E comes highly recommended and has great customer service.

www.diamonds4ever.dk/troll_beads_world_tour_beads-c-369_752.html

Also they've just uploaded some nice individual OOAKs today.

www.diamonds4ever.dk/system/applications/products_new.php

Phew! I'm tired, busy Trollbeads day.

Praise the Heavens! TB HQ finally dumps LUND!!!

**POST REVISED**

Unconfirmed rumour has it: Trollbeads in Denmark is not renewing Lund Trading's distributorship & will be establishing a head office in the USA as of February 1st.

Thank the heavens! This is what so many of us have been hoping for!

Hopefully now the North American market will be able to have access to all promotions, OOAKs, Limited Editions and other things that Trollbeads has to offer.

Maybe the small town local shops can have equal status & not be discriminated against for serving a small population versus a major mall location in a large city. Maybe our shops can order new releases to have in stock on release day ?

Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you Trollbeads for listening to all of the avid collectors in the US & Canada that have emailed & expressed our desires!!!!

More thoughts to come, I'm off to celebrate!!! WE LOVE YOU LISE!

Get ready for the Beach!

I've seen some sneaky peaks of the new release. All I can say is I really, really love the colors & themes. I think this Spring 2011 release will blow you off of your feet!

There are 2 glass sets - one a Beach theme and the other a Flower theme (as suggested by the Lavender flower bead TB HQ posted on their FB page.) But today I wanted to discuss the Ltd release of Agates. There will be 4 sets: Turquoise, Turquoise Striped, Pink, & Pink Striped. Hues of turquoisey & pink with brown & white stripes - so pretty!

I am assuming these beads are dyed, so think carefully when purchasing as some of the past dyed beads (China jades & Hot pink agates from the 2010 releases) have had fading problems especially when exposed to sunlight for long periods of time. I'm not saying don't buy them, just make sure you really love them & will enjoy them even if their appearance alters slightly over time.

Here is your eye candy for today. Tomorrow I'll discuss the Palm Tree Pendant - a great statement piece that reminds me of the Thomas Sabo statement charms but in Uber Troll style.

Trollbeads & Ethics

We always hear a lot of negative comments with every price increase. Couple that with the horror some people experience when seeing the little baggies displaying "Made in the PRC" (People's Republic of China), it is easy to imagine the stereotype of "Made in China" that our precious beads are perhaps being made in dusty, sub-standard factories with child labour & unsafe working conditions for pennies each while being sold as high end jewellery at the end of the chain.

I recently came across this news report that states Lise Aagaard Copenhagen, the company that designs & distributes Trollbeads, has joined the Responsible Jewellery Council and is, "fully committed responsible practices in meeting high standards of ethical, social, and environmental performance."

They go onto say "Our retailers and customers can be confident that Trollbeads takes its social corporate responsibility seriously and strives to ensure that it's ethical and quality control is second to none." Source: Professional Jeweller, http://www.professionaljeweller.com/article-7864-trollbeads-joins-the-rjc/

This gives me some comfort that the high prices we pay are not just making someone rich, but are perhaps a reflection of the high quality of materials and careful & responsible choice of which factories are given the contracts to produce the beads. I'd like to think that the workers are paid fairly and are able to work in a safe & comfortable workplace.

Trollbeads is quiet on this issue, but I'd love to see more information given to the fans on the these topics. I know I can justify paying more for a bead if I have the knowledge that the production of that bead, from start to finish, is done in a responsible manner.

New OOAK kits of 6

Alert: There are new OOAK kits of 6 beads on:

http://www.diamonds4ever.dk/system/applications/products_new.php?page=1

Sneak Peek of Spring 2011 Release

Thank-you Trollbeads Denmark for this photo! They have given us a sneaky-peek of the new release beads that are coming out Jan 31st. You can visit them here on Facebook to see the photo and keep up with new Trollbeads news directly from the source:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/trollbeadsofficial

ALERT! US Price Increase!!!

Yes, that is one BIG dollar sign. That's because it's just been confirmed that Trollbeads in the US will be having another price increase February 1st. Glass 1 increasing to $31 from $29, and silver etc jumping up significantly too.

Quick! You don't really need underwear & socks, or deodorant for that matter. Skip it so you can buy your must-have bead!! If you have been on the bench about buying a special bead or have Valentine's presents to shop for, please get out there & shop, shop, shop!

It is a sad day in troll-land. :(

Rough Stones

Collectors in the Netherlands and in Belgium are in for a treat: Ltd Sets of 12 gemstones are for sale there exclusively. A rough cut assorted bunch, sure to please those that like the natural look.

As for the rest of us, the new release is rumored to be January 31st. This should have either the Spring line of beads and/or the Valentine's special treat. I've had my ear to the ground but if anyone in DK knows, they are not sharing the info.

In the UK neck of the woods there is discussion about OOAK glass rising to the Glass 2 pricing. This may coincide with the UK price increase which will be the same day as the next release, Jan. 31st. So get shopping everyone.

Also there are rumblings & rumours of Trollbeads focusing on less OOAK production in favor of more Ltd Edition Glass Kits, like the Spring Flower kits & Christmas in Australia/Hawaii ones. I'm hoping this is not true, as the beautiful new style OOAKs have really been a crowd pleaser over the last 18 months or so.

More news when I hear it...