Thanks to you, we raised $600 for Best Friends Animal Society! I’m so happy that people were excited to help this cause.

So to those of you with new necklaces, pat yourselves on the back and enjoy your new shiny toy – you’ve helped save the lives of pets in great need.

You can always make direct donations to Best Friends by heading here.

StartUp Nation is running its annual Home-Based 100, a voted list of the top 100 internet-based, work-from-home, small companies. It’s a huge honor for those chosen for the list and a major source of media attention for those just building their companies.

You can vote once per day (and enter your own business too) at StartUp Nation.

The Family’s Coming
On Saturday my mother and sister roll into town for two weeks. I’ve been trying to get the house in order and since it’s my sister’s first trip to the US, I’ve been spending a lot of time figuring out how to show her the real American experience. From pie and chowder, to Redwoods and museums, I have turned two weeks of planning into an obsession.

Preparing for the Fall Shoot
My sister being in town also means I want to take her on another photo shoot. I got such great pictures of her wearing my jewelry the last time I visited her, that I really want to stock up again. I’ve got about 15-20 new pieces of jewelry waiting to go online, and Laura’s going to be their advocate!

Citizenship
I went for my citizenship test on Tuesday – It’s all done, went well and now I just have to wait for the final confirmation. I don’t know what to do with myself in the car now that I don’t need to play the study cd.

Charity Event
The Best Friends necklaces have been flying off the shelf. Care2 interviewed me about it and I’ve been in full order-filling mode ever since. The response has been so moving. I’m thrilled that people want to help and knowing that there is such a great overlap between jewelry lovers and animal lovers makes me very happy!

And that’s on top of all the usual commitments and goings-on. I’m going to need another vacation pretty soon!

Every year, millions of animals are put down because they are unwanted or their medical needs are too great. Best Friends Animal Society aims to create “a better world through kindness to animals”. With a determined dedication to being a no-kill shelter, this organization is committed to rescuing and treating animals.

I’ve created a sterling silver, smokey quartz and iolite necklace. All proceeds ($20 per necklace) of every sale will go to benefit the Best Friends Animal Society.

See the necklace here and do something good for the earth today!

The necklace is only available until August 31st or while supplies last.

Here’s a little peak at one project that’s just about done:

I’m all excited about fusing again so there has been lots of fun with torches and hammers! More to come soon.

I know, I can’t believe CNN didn’t cover it either. To help you get over that shocking failure of the mainstream media, get 25% off today only by using code: birthday

Sale ends tonight, July 20th at midnight Pacific Time, so start shopping.

You must enter the code to receive the discount. Discounts and offers cannot be combined.

You know how addicted to chain I am, so of course I love the idea of these full torso chain accessories. They looked incredible over tank tops.

Most of the pictures I took were of jewelry stands. I love seeing what people come up with to display their work and I’m always on the lookout for ideas. This designer used grassy-looking patches to work with her leaf-motif.

Getting the right blend of height and shape on a display is really challenging. I love the idea of stacking the neck stands behind earring boards. Most used decorative frames as a way to add height, but placing the necklaces behind creates a far more interesting horizon line, and you don’t have to worry about covering your risers so much. The only downside was that it created too much of a wall between the designers and the customers.

Yes, more jewelry. The trays for earrings and pendants gave this a yard-sale feel without being cheap. Customers love delving for items, always on the lookout for a bargain.

I couldn’t really use my flash, so these are pretty blurry, but the range of colors and shapes were fantastic. This black and white A-line skirt was one of my favorite pieces.

So many of the models were in pink, salmon and plum. While these are all summer outfits, I think the colors are going to be big even in fall. I adore the hat on the left. The slightly different hue between the shirt and the hat make for a better blend, so she looks colorful and bright without looking like she tried to match.

I had such a great time. Thread comes back to San Francisco in November, and I may just have to apply for a booth. Designing in a vacuum is never good, so it’s always wonderful to step outside and get a boost of energy and inspiration from talented artists. What events can’t you wait for this year?

Congratulations to Jennifer F!

And here’s one final bonus for you lovely people. One fan on Facebook today will win a $30 gift certificate. I gave out a couple of these this month, so here’s one more to say thanks. Find me on Facebook here.

I have a lot planned this month to celebrate, so be sure to check back regularly. I have an interview with my model, Laura Loveard – the cutie who rocks my jewelry throughout the site. I’ll also be showing the design stories behind some of my favorites pieces and giving you a closer look at the studio and me.

Let’s get the fun started!

The major event for the month is a HUGE prize pack, which includes:

• A pair of my best-selling Sterling Silver Garnet Earrings
• A pair of silver charm slave earrings
• Two bag charms/key chains – one for you and one for a friend
• A pair of Sterling Silver, Aquamarine and Labradorite Earrings
• A $40 gift certificate so you can pick something special

Valued at $270

Enter by leaving a comment on this post, telling me why you want to win.

You can get extra entries by doing any of the following – leave an extra comment for each entry:

• 5 entries: Write a blog post about this giveaway (mention the link to your post in your comment)
• 2 entries: Sign up for the newsletter (you must confirm your subscription to qualify)
• 1 entry: Subscribe to the blog’s RSS feed
• 1 entry: Become a fan on Facebook
• 1 entry: Post why you want to win on my Facebook wall

You can also get extra entries by following me and tweeting (no need to leave a comment as long as you include @elenaadams in your tweet):
RT to win a jewelry prize pack from Elena Adams to celebrate 5 years! http://bit.ly/dbJ1mY @elenaadams

Help me celebrate by spreading the word. Thank for all your past support and referrals!

Entries are unlimited, and a winner will be chosen at random. Entries close May 27th at midnight.

I’m going to Sweden! While my husband hits up a graphics conference, I’ll be playing in Stockholm with two of my oldest friends. I know almost nothing about the region, but a quick glance at the variety of museums, galleries and historically preserved parts of the city has me very excited to explore it. I’ll be taking lots of pictures, so perhaps I’ll post some when I’m back.

Stay tuned while I’m gone for the announcement of my huge 5 year anniversary giveaway. One winner is going to receive a jewelry prize pack!