Brave Girls Giveaway!

Welcome to my blog, fellow Brave Girls!! I am so happy and excited to have you here! And to my current followers, if you haven't heard about the Brave Girls Club, you DEFINITELY need to check it out. It's an amazing place full of love, hope and encouragement. They have a class called Soul Restoration, which I've been wanting to take since I saw them debut it. I can't believe I haven't taken it yet, because it looks like a truly incredible experience. If you want more information on it, click the image below:

They also have a Brave Girls Camp, that I would seriously consider trading one of my kids to go to. Just sayin'. ;) hahaha!! I'm kidding, of course. But you get the gist of how badly I want to go. lol

And even though I haven't taken the SOUL Restoration classes yet, I still feel such a connection to the Brave Girls and to pretty much everything they do over there, that I wanted to be a part of it even if I'm just doing a giveaway on their page. I would love nothing more than to send this:

to one lucky Brave Girl! This, I think, by far is one of my most favorite pieces that I have created. I love all the colors, working together, shining and sparkling in the light. There are so many yummy beads in here, it's like having a different necklace every time you move with how they move around and shift.

Here's some close ups:

And, if you'd like instructions on how to make it, so you can make one for yourself, check out this blog post I did a few weeks ago: http://vintage53.blogspot.com/2011/05/blingity-bling-ribbon-rhinestones-blog.html

Also, while I have your attention here, check out the purple box on the lower right hand side of my blog. I was involved in an amazing blog hop earlier this month, and we're working to raise money to send to a women's shelter to help families who have been victims of domestic violence. There are some really amazing prizes you can be entered to win by sending cards with messages of hope to our sisters out there. To count for entry, cards need to be postmarked by June 30, but if you can, please send a card. It'd be amazing to be able to share messages of hope and strength to as many women as we can. :D

Ok, back to the giveaway here! To enter:

Leave a comment on this post. Tell me one amazing thing that you love about yourself that you have learned from being a Brave Girl. Let's get some positive mojo going!! I'll start: One thing I love about me is I know that no matter what life throws in front of me, I can and WILL make things work out. :) I'm definitely an "it doesn't matter if the cup is half full or half empty, because I know how to fill it up" kind of person.

Your turn!

For EXTRA entries you can do the following, and please leave a separate comment for each thing you do. If you lump it all together into one comment, it will just count for one entry unfortunately. So be sure you get your extra entries!!

• Be a follower of my facebook page HERE

• Be a follower of the blog

• Share the giveaway by posting it to your own facebook

• Share the giveaway by posting a link in your own blog

• Tweet about the giveaway

So that's SIX entries you could have! Entries must be in by midnight on Tuesday June 28th. I will post the winner on Wednesday June 29th.

Good luck everyone!! And thank you for taking the time to visit my blog, I am so grateful to have you here.

Have an amazing day! -Brie

Blingity Bling! Ribbon & Rhinestones Blog Hop Day 2

Day 2.

Project. Super bling jewelry.

Objective. WOW 'em with bling!

First of all, I want to extend a HUGE welcome to all the new followers! I am SO excited you are all here, and can't wait to show off some more fun things. I have a lot of exciting projects in the works! Second, a GIGANTIC Happy Birthday to Stacey, our host for this blog hop. I am truly honored to be included in this hop, and to count myself among so many talented women. I hope you've had a chance to check out all their blogs and projects. And good luck to you in all the giveaways!! So much fun blog candy! If you started with my blog and want to start at the beginning of the hop, check out Stacey's  blog at http://CreatingACraftyLife.blogspot.com/

Here is the complete lineup:

1. Stacey ~  http://CreatingACraftyLife.blogspot.com/
2. Kim ~ http://rickettscricuts.blogspot.com/
3. Gina ~ http://californiascrappin-gcinderella21.blogspot.com/
4. Janet ~ http://createatdreamscrapbooks.blogspot.com/
5. Tanya ~  http://ScrappyScavenger.blogspot.com/

6. Brie~ http://vintage53.blogspot.com/ <---You are HERE! :D
7. Cathie~ http://cathiescafe-scraphappy.blogspot.com/
8. Nicole ~ http://creationsbymommy.com/
9. Kristy ~ http://www.scraptasticalkreations.blogspot.com/
10. Martha~ http://pattisscrapingtime.blogspot.com/
11. Haidee~ http://created2bunique.blogspot.com/
12. Zoe ~ http://www.CraftyX.blogspot.com/
13. Kristal~ http://www.gettingcricky.com/
14. Raven~ http://www.love4stamps.blogspot.com/
15. Jess~ http://www.kinderstampo.com/
16.Deb~ http://craftydeb-ddscrafts.blogspot.com/
17. Esmeralda ~ http://noahsarktwobytwo.blogspot.com/
18. Karle ~ http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1890631198460&set=a.1890626638346.104027.1621905895&type=1&theater

Now on to my project! Which is also my giveaway. :D

I'm really excited about this necklace! Now I know it doesn't have ribbon or rhinestones in it, but it sure sparkles like rhinestones! And you can always weave a ribbon through the chain for some added fun. :) I love all the bright colors in here, it's the PERFECT unique summery/springy accessory. And one of you readers gets to WIN IT!

For the rest of you who don't win it, I will have it available on my Etsy site. AND I'm giving everyone who goes there a coupon code for 15% off your order! Use the code: BLOGHOP15 at checkout.

For those of you who'd like to make this for yourself, keep reading! I've got step by step picture instructions.

These are really the only tools I use for all my beading: needle nose pliers, flat nose pliers and wire cutters. You can also buy these with padding things on the pliers, to protect the metals you work with from getting kinks in them:

Here are the things you'll need for your bead charms: 1-3 beads, including a silver spacer bead (you don't have to use a silver on EVERY charm you do, but they look really nice spaced out among them), an eyepin and a jump ring. The other supplies you'll need for the rest of your necklace: a length of chain & a lobster claw, or whichever type of clasp you prefer.

First, measure your length of chain. I always just put it around my neck and figure out where I want it to fall, then I add a link or two. Attach a lobster claw with a strong jump ring. I actually used a link from a smaller chain to attach my lobster claw.

Then this is all you do for the rest of the necklace. Just repeat these steps a bunch of times, until you have as many beads and charms as you want on there.

String a combination of beads onto your eyepin. If the hole of the bead is too big for the eyepin and it slips off, add a smaller bead or a silver spacer bead first to keep your larger bead on.

Take your needlenose pliers and clamp onto the stem of the eyepin 1/8"-1/4" away from your top bead. Wrap the stem over the pliers until it is parallel to itself. (This is why I take pictures. It's easier to see sometimes. lol!)

With your flatnose pliers, wrap the stem around itself.

Continue to do so until it's wrapped several times around. This takes a little bit of coordination, it took me a few tries to get it done smoothly myself when I first started doing this. If the wire is too long, clip it with the wire cutters.

Next, you're going to attach a jump ring to the loop you've just made. Remember, always open a jump ring by separating it away from and towards you, like pictured above. Never open it by spreading it apart the other way.

Before you close the jump ring, attach it to the chain. Just repeat that over and over, with different bead combinations until you fill your necklace up to your liking. :)

Here are some close up shots of how I clustered the beads on this necklace:

I attached most of them to the chain itself, but there were a few that I attached to the loops of the other bead charms, just to give it added depth.

And the shot of the final project again:

Want to win it? Yes? Here's how:

• Enter a comment to be counted for your first entry.

For additional entries:

• Be a follower of this blog - leave a comment on this post telling me you are a follower.

• Go and "Like" Vintage 53 on facbook. Click HERE to go to the facebook page. Leave a comment on this blog post, letting me know you are following me there.

• Share this giveaway on your own facebook pages. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you shared.

• Share this giveaway on your blog. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you shared.

• Tweet about this giveaway. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you tweeted.

So you'll have 6 chances to enter! Remember to leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry. I'll pick a winner on Tuesday of next week, which is the 24th.

Thank you all for the support and for sharing the page! I really appreciate it and am grateful for each of you. :) Have an amazing day everyone! And good luck!