OHM Bead of the Month - Love Cage

My justification for still being on budget despite buying this with February's budget in January was... well, it won't come until February as it's pre-order, so that's okay then!

OHM's Bead of the Month for February - Love Cage

This is my 3rd Ohm Bead of the Month purchase and they just keep getting better... the packaging was sublime and beautiful all by itself.

The bead came inside a cage, inside an Ohm pouch.  The cage opened up and included the bead info that also acts as your Limited Edition Certifcate showing your bead's number (only 555 beads were made globally) along with a white feather, the leather bracelet and a lovely little bird dangle charm also in silver.

I put it straight on when it arrived, and to be honest, it's not really been off my wrist since - winner!

Have you indulged in any Ohm yet?

First beads of 2016 - Midnight Brilliance

I seem to be going preloved, new, preloved in my bead purchases this year - and yes that is 3 months worth all paid for in January!  I knew that trying to start the year by being uber-strict in the amount I was going to spend was a tad unrealistic.

I ignored the new collections generally and decided to go down the preloved route with a 3rd Trollbeads Midnight Brilliance when one popped up for sale.

No. 3 in the middle, it's a tiny bit bigger than my first 2

Oops, what do you mean I haven't shown you the first two I bought last November??

When Midnight Brilliance was released by Trollbeads last year as a Limited Edition Black Friday bead - it came with a hefty promotional discount as part of the launch - 25% off if you bought it between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  Ergo, it meant I could save quite a bit of cash as I knew straight away I wanted two... part of what I call my "Noah's Ark Bangle Obsession".

My original 2 Midnight Brilliance beads

I guess this is another exception of when I did go for it at release date!  It wasn't a cheap bead so the 25% off promotional price brought it down to a more acceptable level, but I knew it was going to be popular as well as cheaper and I really didn't want to miss out on a pair!

...with matching clear overlays

I asked the retailer to send me two matching ones as I didn't want to end up with another Sahara Night situation...

I have two Sahara Night Facets (below) that have very different amounts of clear and never look quite right if I try to match them on a bangle, nor a bracelet or necklace for that matter; must buy a 3rd in the hope I get eventually get a pair.  No wonder I deviate from my budget so often!

NOT matching clear overlays

I thought I was done with my January shopping, but I couldn't resist adding this lovely preloved amber to the mix,  It has striped ridges with some circles in a pattern that I don't have on any of my other amber beads.

I've just had a sneaky peak in my bead box and think I have enough amber beads to make up a 3rd amber bracelet, hmmm, not had a play with my ambers for a while.

Enough Amber left over for a 3rd amber bracelet?

How many multiples do you indulge in - beads, shoes, boots, jewellery?

Do tell! Or are you strictly singles all the way?

Collections pass me by...

I've been reflecting over the last month on the changes in my bead buying and to a certain extent my interest in collections; I've become far less bothered about the main collection release dates at the time of their release.

Trollbeads Cambridge Preview Event - January 2015

2015 started as it usually does, and I really enjoyed the preview evening at Trollbeads Cambridge for the Spring Collection and the event at Jeffries Jewellers in South Wales for the Trollbeads Easter Collection in March, but after those two releases I've somewhat lost my way.

Wrist Shot - Jeffries Jewellers - Easter Event March 2015

I've not gone to see any of the new collections on release day, and I've not seen some of them at all - and I'm not talking about just the recent Spring or Valentine beads released in 2016 either.

If I look at what I bought over the course of 2015, it was a real mix of new, preloved, main brands and artisans - but, and here is the main difference... compared to previous years there has been a lot less of buying new collection pieces on, or near, release day*.

Ohm's Bead of the Month - October 2015

*with the exception of the Ohm's Bead of the Month beads and Elfbeads Deal of the Year, as those were a buy now or forever regret your decision kind of purchase!

So where is all this rambling taking me today, well nowhere really, since I started with my New Year's Bead Resolutions I've become fascinated with my own spending habits and bead acquisition in it's own right and I've noticed a stark contrast to how this year has started compared to previous years.

But don't worry, I've already spent March's bead budget before January finished - some things never change!

Have your bead buying habits changed over the years?