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Monday 12 May 2014

Trollbeads & X by Trollbeads (New & Upcoming Releases)

Well whilst I've been slaving away at the A to Z challenge I've been keeping a weather eye on Trollbeads up and coming news... and boy has it been a busy month!

Trollbeads Limited Edition Carved Ambers

Carved Trollbead Ambers (L-R: Fish, Rose, Fish, Scarab)

Ignoring for now the People's Bead 2014, the first new arrivals to get me bouncing in my seat were the possible availability of some very special Carved Ambers from Trollbeads.  Not usually seen for public sale, news broke last month that small groups of carved ambers would be available for sale in extremely limited numbers.

As an ardent Amber fan this was a must have for me and the hunt began!  It's a good job they are very scarce as I don't seem to have an off switch with these, I truly love amber beads and regular readers will know that no matter how many bracelets I make and break, I always have an amber combo on the go!

I was lucky to find and be quick enough to pick up 4 of these, mostly because I just happened to be online at the right time and acted very quickly.

Of the ones available that I've seen - the scarabs seem to have been the most readily available, but there were also fish, ladybirds, turtles, horseshoes, snakes and roses.  I would dearly love to find examples of ones I haven't got already but these were not cheap; it was a case of forget the budget because if you hesitate they are already gone!

An even more limited release of Giant carved ambers also appeared around the same time but the HUGE price tag coupled with the fact that these would be very big focal beads meant I chose to ignore these, well that's a lie, I dribbled over my keyboard a bit but decided I wasn't going to remortgage the house to pursue them.


Trollbeads Bohemian Summer Collection

Trollbeads Bohemian Summer Collection Necklace Pendants

Then came the news of the Trollbeads Bohemian Summer Collection, as a big fan of pendants (I've always worn pendant necklaces) I was really delighted to see the new silver pendants on offer.  Personally I will probably pass on the 2 limited edition glass kits (if you don't normally get to see uniques or shop online these are worth a look in store) but I can't wait to see the new silver pendants in person!

Although I like one or two of the pendants, I was so excited to see Trollbeads do something a bit different for them, there aren't that many pendants in the collection so to release 6 new designs at once is quite exciting.  I hope they keep up with designs that work well on necklaces as I finally got to treat myself to a silver TB chain earlier this year so I'm ready and waiting!


New Starter Bracelet by Trollbeads

The emails were coming thick and fast, next came news of a new starter bracelet by Trollbeads with limited edition glass and silver charms and a new limited edition lock.  Although to be fair this was a bit overshadowed by the news from X that followed!

My Sweet Stories - Trollbeads Starter Bracelet (Limited Edition Glass, Silver & Lock with a silver chain)

I'm always torn by these deals, I still don't have a faceted Aurora bead from the Stories of You Starter Bracelet because I didn't like the lock.  I also didn't buy my original Aurora bead with a bangle either...

This deal is more tempting as I like all 3 Limited Edition elements; I have no need of another bracelet as I never make up all the bracelets I have at the same time. However, I guess that given most of my friends keep permanent combinations together, someone else will always have need of a new chain!


X by Trollbeads "The Necklace Collection" and "Wishes do come true!"

Last but certainly not least.  The news that has left me super excited for a new release came with the surprise X by Trollbeads announcement, although the news had broken by Friday morning, I received the official email in my inbox by the afternoon.

X by Trollbeads pendants and necklace cords

I've not really blogged about the last few X by Trollbeads releases as whilst I'm a big supporter of the brand, X seemed to be heading in a more predictable cutesy flowers/animals direction, good designs but not ones that made me do a happy dance around my office.

Well let me eat my words here and now... because the images landing in my inbox on Friday were exactly the sort of direction I hoped that X would take as a new brand and had me jigging in my seat whilst reading before I could get out of it to do a happy dance, which was quite a feat as I'm still suffering with my shoulder but I gave it my best go!


Huge statement necklace pendants and a new set of necklace cords to go with them, a bronze decorative link and limited edition coloured blue/grey (Ocean Blue) X links, plus 2 starter bracelets with savings to be made if bought as a set.

New Limited Edition Ocean Blue X by Trollbeads Starter Bracelet
(Links are available to buy separately)

By the way in case you missed the news, yes that is a bird skull pendant in the first picture!  The price of the large focal pendants is pretty hefty so these are definitely investment pieces rather than something you'd buy on a whim!  If I had the money though I'd be having whims all over the shop (literally).


I am currently counting the pennies after my carved amber splurge and reworking the bead budget to work out how to get some new X in my life after May 23rd!


Well hope you enjoyed that whistle-stop tour of X and Trollbeads, I don't normally post a reaction to the new collection releases but this last month, in my opinion, has been rather spectacular.

I've been playing with my carved amber beads and have just made my first combo with those (100% inspired by copied from another fan of carved ambers), more on that later and there have been several new packages arriving whilst I've been busy with the A to Z Challenge and Hull Fashion Week, along with workshops and events, and retrospectives, so I just need to sit down and knock up a schedule for all these posts, oh yes, and write them all up.

So tell me your news - what have you all been up to?
Anything here to tempt you?

All photos used (bar the first one by Mars) are images created by Trollbeads and X by Trollbeads.  
Please do not reproduce any images without crediting the source.

2 comments:

  1. It has been a spectacular month, hasn't it!

    Your carved amber rose is absolutely gorgeous Mars! I'm sort of glad that I don't have the amber bug or I don't think I would have been able to resist putting my name in for one or two. I think that I will be saving up for the lock set though, as I do like the lock (and I've discovered that I really would like a chain in a length between the ones that I already have). For me it's the glass that I don't think I'd use, but since there are enough people who like multiples of glass, I'm sure that I can trade it for something else I'm more interested in.

    And as much as I am tempted by that X skull, I think I will live vicariously through you and Victoria. :D I'm only one small link away from finishing my all-metal X bracelet though (that's what I've been up to!) I almost feel a bit lost now, trying to figure out what my next project will be.

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    1. The amber rose, I still have to pinch myself that I have one, when I found out I could buy it I literally squeaked! Although they are all gorgeous, hoping to photograph the combo at the weekend so I can show you what I've done with them so far!

      I really have to sit down and work out a priority list for all the new releases, it's rare for me to want a Starter Bracelet but I love all 3 elements, and a few people have said they are not fussed by the glass so I'm hoping I can pick up another, as I've gone down the multiple route like many before me, my bead box is reminiscent of Noah's Ark in that regard.

      Ah that X Skull, I also *adore* Infinity which is slightly more affordable-ish on the pendants, love the cords, love the bronze decorative link, love the blue... just give me it all :D Congrats on being 1 link away from finishing!! That's great news :) can't wait to see the finished article, although the nearly finished article has been looking really good!

      I predict a weekend of photography and budget busting maths!

      Mars xx

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