Welcome to the B.B. Bellezza Virtual Open House!

Welcome to the B.B. Bellezza Virtual Open House!


UPDATE:  This Open House is Closed
Next Open House is Sunday, April 29, 2012 4 pm - 6 pm EST
Details here:  B.B. Bellezza 4th Virtual Open House

I recently had an in-person Open House at Building Character in Lancaster, PA, but knew that many people couldn’t make it to Lancaster. So I decided to have a Virtual Open House!

And now it’s time!!

To start off, thank you to the people who pre registered for the Open House! They received a special discount and the first 10 will be receiving a free gift.

What’s happening here today, anyway?

Door Prizes:
There will be door prizes, as listed below. Each ½ hour there will be a new blog post with the door prize shown. To register for that door prize, comment on the individual blog post for that prize. You will have a ½ hour to register and then a winner will be picked. The first prize will be posted at shortly after 2:00 and picked at 2:30 p.m. and so on…

2:00 p.m. -or shortly thereafter (winner picked at 2:30 p.m.)

2:30 p.m. (winner picked at 3:00 p.m.)




Both the natural stone necklace and bracelet 3:00 p.m. (winner picked at 3:30 p.m.)



3:30 p.m. (winner picked at 4:00 p.m.)

Remember, there will be new blog posts each ½ hour with prizes. Please comment for each door prize that you would like to win! I will draw a winner each ½ hour and post the winner in that prize’s blog post. Make sure I can get in touch with you (I can find your email address) if you win I will need your mailing address!
(So, refresh your screen each ½ hour to catch the door prize posts!)


Interaction:

I would love for there to be as much interaction as possible, so I am available via Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/BBBellezza) just @ me to get my attention AND I am available on AIM with user ID BBBellezza

If you have any questions or comments, please contact me either way. Twitter is my favorite, but if you have a more private concern, IM me or Email me at BBBellezza@comcast.net

Also, of course, comment right here on the blog, too!

And I will try to keep up with all of this! :)

About Me:
For those of you know do not know, I am Kimberlie Burkhart. I am a jewelry artist. I am also a full-time paralegal during the day.

I got started making jewelry actually quite a long time ago. I don’t exactly remember when, but I do know I had a pink unicorn duffle bag purse that I had filled with multi-colored beads and that I really liked making stretch bracelets.

I ended up going in a different creative direction for quite a while, as many of you know, I played the clarinet and saxophone and even majored in music in college – well, as one of my majors.




After moving to Lancaster about 9 years ago, I was going through some stuff and found my pink unicorn bag of beads. Well, from then on I was hooked again on making jewelry.

I feel I have grown significantly both in skill and in my goals and visions as an artist.

Bellezza means “Beauty” and I believe that you can find beauty everywhere. An abandoned board Game, hardware left in a shed, clothes that someone has outgrown, keys that no longer have anything to unlock are all items I give a second chance at beauty.





My main inspiration is nature and its preservation. I think that it is extremely important to do whatever we can to try to preserve the planet. It doesn’t have to big major steps, little tiny steps add up, too. I not only try to use as many eco-friendly practices as possible in my life and while making jewelry, but I also incorporate many recycled pieces right into my jewelry pieces themselves. I would like to show you a few pieces now.

About my Jewelry Lines:

HardWire Jewelry Line:

This line has jewelry made from hardware and wire that were unwanted and not being used. Some of the pieces were literally saved from the trash, cleaned up and made into awesome new pieces. Some of the items were gathered from sheds and garages where they were just hiding and waiting for the opportunity to be something special. People seem to have a lot of unused washers lying around, but I am not sure for what reason. I make them into cool jewelry. I also use power cords and telephone wires in this line.







I also love to use keys that no longer unlock anything, at least that I know of. You may find they unlock something!

Game Tile Jewelry Line:

This line uses game pieces such as scrabble tiles, dominoes, monopoly pieces and others that have been repurposed into unique jewelry. These pieces go in phases because everything is upcycled. Different papers I use including Japanese papers, cancelled stamps, vintage dictionary pages and others are attached to the tiles in a decoupage-like technique and then coated with a glass-like glaze. These pendants are water-resistent, but not water proof so take them off in the pool and shower. I also make pins from the game tiles.

Check out the mix and match scrabble tile pendants in my shop.

One of my newest lines is my Recycled Earrings Line.

I incorporate items that I have salvaged such as hardware with items like shampoo bottles, soda bottles, etc. that I have washed out and cut up.

Charm Bracelets:

I use wire-wrapped beads, some traditional charms and other not so traditional charms to create these whimsical creations. I also make charm necklaces.

I had a customer who recently bought one and calls it the “bedazzler” because it has so many pretty charms and sparkles.

Also I have lots of necklaces, bracelets and earrings as well.

Jewelry, of course, is my favorite but I love to do a variety of projects.

For example, Recycled Rag Dolls. These dolls are made from clothing that has been outgrown and is no longer useful. I hand embroider or hand paint each face as well. Each doll’s hair is made from felt.

I can custom-make these dolls out of clothing that is meaningful to you, as well.

Another product I love to make is Ceramic Tile Coasters. These are made from discarded ceramic tiles. I use a variety of papers to decorate the coasters and then they are sealed with a waterproof sealer. They have felt on the bottom to protect your furniture.

Okay, on to the very fun parts of the Virtual Open House!!

Special!
During the Virtual Open House only, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Eastern Time only today, use the code VOH15 and receive 15% off your total order in my Etsy shop. If you pre-registered, use the code you received in your email to receive your discount. (Sorry, you cannot use both!)

In addition, just let me know, and I will send along a dream pillow or sachet with your order. I don’t want to automatically send it along because I know some people have allergies.

OR

I will send along a little extra trinket of some sort: a stretchy bracelet, a seed bead necklace, earrings, etc. This will be a surprise!

Just tell me in the notes to seller section when you check out. Either “sachet” or “trinket.”

When you are checking out, make sure to click on the “Commit to Buy” button, but wait to pay until I send you a new invoice (will come to your email address) to get the discount! Or I can refund the extra if you pay before the discount is applied.

New Products:

Now for some new product fun!

Spoon Necklace:

This is my very newest concept. I know that jewelry made from tableware isn’t necessarily a new concept, but this is the first I have started to create with it. My spoon necklaces come complete with embellishment, for example, this one has a cute little flower glass bead.

Peek Through the Secret Keyhole – Gems

Perhaps you saw my blogpost about my “Peek Through the Secret Keyhole” necklace. This is now a new line! My newest piece has vintage rhinestones inside. They jingle around inside; however, they are captured inside and cannot get out!

Of course, Peek Through the Secret Keyhole – Steampunk is also a beloved favorite of mine. Sometimes I love a design so much I make one for myself. That is the case with this necklace! I have been wearing my own personal version for weeks almost daily. I love it.

This is made with vintage brass keyhole covers (escruetans) and brass chain. Inside, if you peek through the keyhole, you’ll find the insides of a watch!

Flowers

I love flowers and I have been making all sorts of them. The best part: these flowers won’t wilt!

I make fabric flowers:

But my favorites are made with upcycled materials: Newspapers, magazines, and pattern tissue paper:

And now, introducing:

Scrabble Tile Subscription Service

Each month receive a new unique Scrabble Tile Pendant! You can choose between 4 different types of Scrabble Tile Pendant Subscriptions (Dictionary, Japanese papers, Cute, or Mix it up! – more information below) and 2 delivery options: Pick up at First Friday at Building Character, or mail delivery the following Monday(more information below.)

With your subscription, you pick out one (1) free cord or chain of your choice that are available at my stand or in my shop (cotton cord, black velvet cord, silver plated chains, or ball chains. Link these.) You can use the same cord or chain with each pendant that you will receive.

About each subscription type:

Dictionary: For this subscription, each month you will receive a different pendant with a word and partial definition from a vintage dictionary or encyclopedia. Each subscriber may receive different words, depending upon availability of dictionary/encyclopedia pages each month. The words will be uplifting, hopeful and cheerful type words.

Japanese papers: I love the gorgeous color combinations of Japanese papers. Many of the beautiful floral and graphic pendants you have seen at my stand or on my website are Japanese papers.

Cute: These include sweet graphic images of hedgehogs, owls, squirrels, mushrooms, to name a just a few.

Mix it Up!: Each month you will be surprised among the categories!

Delivery:

Your monthly pendant will be available for pickup each First Friday at BUiLDiNG CHARACTER 342 N. Queen Street, Rear, Lancaster, PA if choose to pick up. If you choose the pickup option, but cannot make it one month, I will automatically mail all subscriptions that have not been picked up at First Friday. Shipping is free within the United States. (If you are having this shipped outside of the United States, please let me know because there will be a shipping charge involved.)

OR if you are not local to Lancaster, Pennsylvania (U.S.A.), then I will ship out your pendant monthly.

Prices:

3 Month Subscription (3 pendants) $20.00 (save $1)

6 Month Subscription (6 pendants) $38.00 (save $4)
12 Month Subscription (12 pendants) $76.00 (save $8)
THANK YOU!

Make sure that you refresh or check back here every ½ hour for the door prizes! Each will be a new blog post!

Thank you so much for all your support! Have fun!