Thursday, November 18, 2010

Thursday Giveaway...

This week, one lucky winner will take home a $75 gift certificate courtesy of The BeadChest! Their tag-line is, "African bead superstore and more." When they say that, they're not kidding! The BeadChest is filled with a wide array of African beads from all over the continent. Whether you're looking for recycled glass beads from Ghana, metal beads from Ethiopia, clay beads from Mali, or bone beads from Kenyathey've got it! Navigating their website is like getting a tour of continent through its beads. Some of the beads are over a hundred years old and have been made in the same way for generations. Looking at the beads, an intrinsic part of everyday society and culture, you get a real feel for the people who make these adornments and the people who worn them for centuries. The beads are touchstones to rich traditions and bring so much to the pieces that they're incorporated in. I love how something with such deep roots can be transformed into fashionable, contemporary jewelry. The BeadChest also carries a variety of trade beads, Czech glass and Afghani jewelry! Lots to chose from, for sure!

While you peruse the selection of beads at The BeadChest, be sure to check out the The Ultimate Guide to African Beads and their blog. Both are filled with useful information about where the beads come from, what they're made of, who made them and what the differences are between each kind. I found the blog entries "Why are trade beads dirty?" and "What tribes are most known for their African Beads?" particularly interesting and I definitely feel more knowledgeable about the subjects after reading them.

Imagine what you could do with $75 worth of FREE beads! You could pick up some brightly patterned glass beads from the Krobo tribe, Maasai seed beads, or mock coral beads from the Yoruba tribe! $75 dollars goes a long way; most of the beads featured on the website are extremely affordable and are great deals!
To win this generous gift certificate for $75 for The Bead Chest, all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post. It's just that easy! One lucky winner will be randomly selected from the comment section of this post on Tuesday (November 23rd) at midnight EST. Please leave your name and contact information if it doesn't already appear next to your comment. This giveaway is open to all participants, including international readers!

Bonus Points: If you really want to increase your chances of winning, you can earn additional entries by blogging, updating your Facebook page, and/or Twittering about this Thursday Giveaway. Be sure to mention that the gift certificate is for The BeadChest and include a link back to this week's sponsor (http://www.thebeadchest.com). Don't forget to add your act of social media kindness as a SEPARATE comment to this blog post for your extra shot at this gift certificate!

Extra Bonus Points: So, are you really in it to win it? Earn another entry by stopping by their website and taking a look around. Report back here with a fun fact you learned or an item on their website that you've just got to have. Leave it as a separate comment for an extra chance to win! CLICK HERE to go to their website.

58 comments:

TesoriTrovati said...

Wow. Cool! I have never heard of them and I am checking them out right now!
Thanks, Andrew!
Enjoy the day!
Erin

Crazy Mama said...

oh, please, me me me! lol that would sooo awesome!

Crazy Mama said...

i also posted to my blog about your giveaway. (crossing fingers!)

Janice said...

What beautiful, beautiful beads.

Edie said...

Thanks for introducing me to another place to buy lovely beads! I'm reading their blog now.

edie
purpleone at gmail dot com

Edie said...

reading around on the blog - I didn't know that raffia was so hard to reuse if it became untwisted! I suppose all the raffia I have ever seen was only lightly spiraled, so I'll have to order some beads just to check out the possibilites of real raffia, too!

edie

ikkinlala said...

What a wonderful site!

ikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca

wizardewu said...

These are such gorgeous beads.

eugeniewu at gmail dot com

wizardewu said...

tweet: http://twitter.com/wizardewu/status/5502112007987201
eugeniewu at gmail dot com

wizardewu said...

Facebook post: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=130290050360901&id=100000413913778

eugeniewu at gmail dot com

wizardewu said...

I thought that it is interesting that the Krobo Powder Glass beads are made in molds from recycled broken bottles and scrap glass. Such a great way to reuse and create something beautiful out of waste products.

eugeniewu at gmail dot com

Amy F said...

I'd love to win!

Niky Sayers said...

Oh fab give away! I learnt so much about african trade beads over the summer as my daughter was doing a school project on them!

Juli Cannon said...

WANT!

Excellent store~ very unique treasures.

Alice said...

What a generous giveaway! Thanks for the link to the site. My sister will be traveling to Africa in the next year and I hope to have her pick up some beads. This site will be a good place for information.

Alice
thepetersons13@mchsi.com

Yeli said...

I will check out their website. Sounds interesting. Thanks!

Spirited Earth said...

gorgeous giveaway.
going to check them out right now.

Shannon Chomanczuk said...

Oh wow! I hope it's me this time!!!
I am off to check out their website now.
Thanks Andrew,
ShannonC

Shannon Chomanczuk said...

Okay just got back from their site and I want every metal bead they have! I especially love the bronze bicone beads and the heishi copper strand.
I learned that the original snake beads dated back to the 1800's. In old ages, they were created in Europe.
Thanks again for the giveaway,
ShannonC

Joanie Hoffman said...

I hope you're doing well.
Thanks for the giveaway.
happy Friday,
Joanie

Erin S said...

I love ethnic beads! $75 is an awesome giveaway!!! I could do a lot with that. thanks for the opportunity.
Erin S

Erin S said...

I just went to the BeadChest website--wow, what a great selelction! I am the most intrigued by the snake beads. Super cool!
Erin S

Nally said...

Ethnic beads from BeadsChest are really cool. I especially like glass ones, recycled from Coca Cola bottles.
Great giveaway!

MoonRae said...

thank you for another fabulous giveaway!!
~Sharon~
lunrei(at)yahoo(dot)com

Jean Katherine Baldridge said...

wonderful giveaway--WOW!

jean!

MoonRae said...

The BeadChest is not new to me...trust me I've been there more than once,my eyes have been on some rare Dogon beads and a couple of coptic crosses....I'm wishin'
~Sharon~

Winchell Clayworks said...

I had never been to their site before...what a selection!

Sally Anderson said...

I love their stuff! Would love to win some, too! Thanks! --SallyA

Craftymoose Crafts said...

Oh a new site to discover! Thanks for the chance to enter the giveaway!

Michele said...

Great site!!! I'm going to look at it more right now!! Thanks!!

Ann said...

Thank you for pointing their site out. I had not heard of them.

Ann
mycriticaleye.com

Hannah said...

Awesome! I had never heard of them before, and just finished perusing their site. I may have to make an order soon.

Hannah said...

Wow! I've never heard of them, but I'm off to check them out!

Hannah said...

I never really thought about how far trade beads have to travel- over 8,000 miles!! No wonder they can get dusty!! The Bead Chest has some seriously AWESOME beads. I especially love the recycled glass beads!

AJ said...

Oh gosh! $75 worth of trade beads! I could make so much tribal dance jewelry. Squee! What a wonderful prize!

Lisa Crone said...

What a generous opportunity! Thank you so much! :)

Here Bead Dragons said...

What a neat shop. Always appreciate your contests as it leads me to new and interesting places.

Nicki said...

So generous - please count me in.

Nicki said...

oh and I have been to the website and the ethiopian heishis look like they are made for me.

Nancy Markosky said...

Great giveaway and so many beautiful things to choose from- thank you!

Nancy Markosky said...

I went to the website and was amazed to learn that they cush Coke bottles into a fine powder and bake them in clay molds with leave stems to make the hole. As the glass fuses together, the leaf burns away. Very interesting!

Unknown said...

This is a really generous give-away!
I learned through The Bead Chest website that recycled glass beads have a hole in them from firing a cassava leaf stem!
I am most attracted to the African beads because they use things from nature to create their beautiful work, this encourages me to always look outside the box when trying something new, I do not always have to have the latest tools to create!

Thanks for hosting the give-away, Andrew.

Cyndi L said...

Ohmygosh, what LOVELY things they have! I want them all ;-)

Unknown said...

I've never heard of this company until today. I really must have the myrrh beads -- especially this time of year. I am really looking forward to replenishing my supply of brass beads as well. Thanks for the spreading the word about this great resource.

an ika said...

generous site and giveaway
i am new follower

anna_k67(AT)yahoo.com

Sally Anderson said...

I added this to my FB page (SallyBohnerAnderson)

Unknown said...

this is a favourite site of mine. I love African trafe beads & these people have them in spades!

Unknown said...

two beads I really love from this site are the snake beads(so named after snake vertebra & the way they fit together) & the recycled coke bottle beads, such an iconic green

Abracadebra Designs said...

Wow, Thanks for introducing us to this great shop & Thank you for always hosting such great giveaways. - Debbie

Xmichra said...

Definately would love this!!You are pretty awesome in posting all these give aways!

Xmichra said...

ooo... Cheveron beads would be my pick. To be the aristocrat of the bead industry all in a necklace... what inspiration!!

Jeanne @ Gems By Jeanne Marie said...

oh no, not another fabulous source for beads. My wallet is in trouble!

Xmichra said...

I did a post on this as well, inspiring beads!

http://xmichra2.blogspot.com/2010/11/something-interesting.html

Melody said...

This is a great giveaway. Thanks for the chance.

melodyj(at)gmail(dot)com

Melody said...

I like Rose Recycled Glass Beads (small)

melodyj(at)gmail(dot)com

skygrazer/Christy said...

They have some cool stuff. I really like the recycled glass beads.

Susan Marling said...

I was unfamiliar with them so I am going over to check them out. I love African recycled glass. Thank you for introducing me once again to something new.
rmar261783@aol.com

KeRobinson said...

AHhhhh! We can never have too many beads! These are gorgeous! :)