New OOAKs (uniques)

Well the pitter patter of tiny packages have continued to drop through the letterbox at a steady pace.

I've been collecting a lot of OOAKs across November ~ one of a kind beads or uniques as they are more commonly known.  (I just like really like the term OOAK so I keep on using it from personal preference rather than accuracy).  Much like my first post on OOAKs I decided to save* them up to blog about them all together.

For a great guide to OOAK/Unique patterns then Trollbeads Gallery has the most extensive one here, Charms Addict has started one here as an ongoing project and adds to it as time goes by (it's always a nice surprise to see a new "chapter" on her blog) and Trollbeads UK have this to say on the subject of OOAKs.  So now you know more about OOAKs... what did I get?

The first one in the picture (red dots, purple pattern on a white bead) came all the way from the US, although I had a little tussle in customs, followed by a bigger tussle at the Royal Mail over this one bead.  I live in the UK, so packages over a certain value attract VAT (the threshold at which you pay VAT has been lowered in the UK from April 2012 so you are more likely to pay VAT) so although I didn't have any issue with paying the VAT, I was rather cross to be charged a flat rate fee from the Royal Mail for "handling" the package; such was the fee that it was almost 3 times the cost of the VAT and made this little bead a much more expensive one than I had expected.  It's still a lovely bead, although it makes me scowl a little when I think of the Royal Mail charge!

The next four OOAKs in the picture came from the lovely Trollbeads Studio, also in the US, they were doing a promotion on buy 3 get 1 free, combined with a "bead party" on facebook - which is where you get an opportunity to "ask" for certain beads that are featured.  I only got 2 of my 4 choices on the night (beads 4 & 5 in the photo), but picked another 2 up from the shop inventory which were just as fabulous.  Bead 5 is my first glitter OOAK as the tiny gold dots are made of glitter!  These were all delivered in a lovely box, on a pillow with ribbons and tied with netting and a handwritten note.  This was such a delightful package to receive!

Finally my last, but not least, OOAK came from another collector, I thought I was being very good for once, as of the 4 she had for sale, I really wanted 2, but stuck to just the 1, my favourite!  This bead has such an amazing deep blue colour with the green that it stood out as being a bit different to a lot of OOAKs I have previously seen.

So that is my OOAK spectacular for November, I'm developing a particular passion for translucent OOAKS that have swirls, stripes and bubbles!


*... I need a little manoeuvring room for some artistic licence here; I got so excited about my swap OOAK that I blogged about that all by itself, before receiving the last of my OOAKs featured in this post, but you can read about why I couldn't wait here).