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Thursday 18 September 2014

Beads, Budgets & Collection Conundrums!

Well last month it appears was all about breaking the budget... I should have known I was tempting fate because just as the last "naughty" parcels were dropping on my doormat and I'd been chatting with a friend over coffee about savings; my electric toothbrush and then my washing machine went kaput!

So, there was one last naughty parcel to come before I reached the "no more orders expected" point.

Time to look at what I'd got left to spend on the new collections... which now, as you might have guessed (or know if you've read yesterday's post), was a lot smaller than my original proclamation of "Ooh how exciting I have a bigger pot than usual for new collections!"

When I first started to draft this post it was small; by the time I came to publish this post it was zero... oops! (Make that two last naughty parcels to come)

So that means I not only need to pick the absolutely must have, want to use them right away pieces from my wish list, but I must also wait until next month.

Given that we are then edging towards Christmas releases, do I wait even longer to make choices out of all of the collections yet to come, ignore new ones completely and pursue an existing project (taking advantage of the US 4 for 3 promotion running in October), or dabble in the available collections now and risk no funds for anything else - argh!  

This is before I even think about the Elfbeads launch and superb offerings from Great Lakes, or get touched by his noodly apendage offering from Ohm Beads.

So, before my brain implodes with the possibilities; today I am going to concentrate on the just the collections I mentioned yesterday:



Based on what I like and would most likely use I have a short list of the most favoured contenders... okay so this is actually a long list... I've not added up the cost of this little lot as I already know some of these pieces represent my whole budget by themselves - but these are my top picks!

Redbalifrog Frog Lock and Trollbeads Giant Lotus

Trollbeads Lapis Lazuli 

Trollbeads Lotus Top and Tree of Awareness

Trollbeads Sleeping Bat and Spooky Bats Lock

X by Trollbeads Bronze DNA and Bronze Flow Links

X by Trollbeads Bronze Lovers Bond and Zip Me Lock

X by Trollbeads Hanging Around and Protect Links

X by Trollbeads Royalty and Skull Me links

As you can see both X releases scored very highly on my wish list, I love *all* of the Halloween release and I'm a big fan of the new bronze links!

For Trollbeads, again Halloween was a winner with the bats, which along with X I would wear all year around, bats & skulls are not just for October you know!

Out of the huge offering from Trollbeads for Fall, I favour just 3 key silver pieces, although they are quite substantial and 1 of the stones, from Redbalifrog it's the Frog Lock; I think that is one of the nicest locks I've ever seen.

So what to choose?  Y'know what... I still don't know!

Out of my top picks which would you choose if you were me?

6 comments:

  1. Oh I share your pain! I would love the Royal, Protect and Skull x links but the Royal is looking very pricey! I looked up the pre-order links from ET site and it looks like I will be ordering from Germany. I'm in a bit of a pickle as my brother is going to America in Oct (but not back in time for 31st) and i hoped he picked things up for me. But he wants me to order and get things sent to his hotel and I really don't trust that. I get so annoyed by the pricing in £s $ and Euros..... everything seems better value in the States.

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    Replies
    1. I love the Skull Me single link in particular from that set! I often order from the States, the £ vs the $ often works out more advantageous even when the customs charges are factored in, providing it's a large enough order to negate the Royal Mail charge too.

      I'm also torn by the bronze links as they are more affordable and I'm really enjoying wearing my X at the moment, but I really like Giant Lotus (would love multiples of that) but I think some of the bigger pieces will have to wait for now as it's just not practical if I'm going to achieve my budget goals.

      I've committed the bulk of my budget next month but I may have room for a little one somewhere!

      Mars xx

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  2. Well it didn't take me long to cave in! I just order Royal, Skulls and the Redbalifrog Sugar Skull from Germany. At least the euro gives slightly better value ...cough splutter..... plus I get points on my credit card??!!

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    Replies
    1. Oh fab choices!! I do love a nice skull :)

      I favour them all year round so Halloween themed releases for me are just super extra great all year round beads as far as I'm concerned. Maybe I should offer a boarding service for lonely skull beads that other people only use once a year??

      Mars xx

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  3. Ah the 'old goth' in me gets me every time!

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    1. Me too, add in flavours of old crustie, indie, alternative, hippy as well and you get a definite leaning towards these types of beads... I was more a pretend punk as I was a bit too young... although do remember forgetting it's not a good idea to run when you have on bondage trousers (that were attached at the time)... luckily it was a grassy bank or it could have been a lot more painful than just my pride ;)

      Mars xx

      p.s. there may be a bat heading my way...

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