Icy eebeads world

Mother Nature hit us with a cold blast this past week in Pennsylvania and at eebeads.com. Keeping warm at our warehouse was a bit of a joke. Our walls aren't insulated like an office building, they're just cinder block. And our windows aren't those fancy gas filled double panes either...just Plexiglas with bars...so, that's right we froze last week (and our windows froze as you can see in the picture). Shouldn't complain too much, with the heat running constantly, we could get it up to a balmy 60°. We turn the heat off at night when we leave, so when the first person shows up (she's nuts and comes in at 7:30) I don't even want to know how cold it is.

I usually work alone on the weekends and shut all my office doors and turn on a space heater and that usually works pretty good. Not yesterday or today...took 2 space heaters to keep my fingers working. Ugh. Well, the good news is today it's up to 36° and that's definitely a lot better than last week.

What's it like where you work or live? Are you freezing, or do you live down under and your dying from the heat? Send me an email at blog@eebeads.com or leave a comment below. I'd love to hear from you!

Vintage Brass Challenge

A while ago I learned of a company that was selling vintage brass charms. Then I learned the prices these pieces were wholesaling and retailing at. Just about fell off my chair and concerned my employees at the state I went into. So I started contacting the companies that make the charms and found out my plater could do the exact same finish. The result? We added 25 new charms and findings to the site with the rich chocolate finish at prices that beat everyone. And I do mean everyone (as of this posting). Seemed like a challenge was in order (geez it's been a while since the last one) so here goes...

The Challenge: With this challenge you'll receive up to $10.00 worth of our Vintage Brass Charms and Findings from eebeads.com (your choices). You can create anything you want with these items using the brass and other beads and findings (we'd like them from eebeads.com but they don't have to be). Send your creation(s) in the mail back to me (within 10 days of receiving the pieces) and I'll get it up on my blog. I'll email you a list of questions that I would like answered about the brass pieces. Once up here I'll mail your creation back to you. You must also agree to let me post your full name and city and state where you live.

This challenge is officially now closed. Come back and visit in a few weeks to see what the beaders made with this new line of charms!

p.s. Even if you don't want to take place in the challenge, feel free to leave me a comment below (it can be anonymous) and let me know what you think of the pieces and the prices.