We've Got Plenty Of Something

For years we've been accumulating, and acquiring, through acquisition after acquisition an agglomeration of beads.

Turquoise and yellow turquoise, carved beads.

Amassing stones and stockpiling them into congeries, securing a selection of semi-precious gems and crafted ceramic or glass blown beads made for colorful surprises when opening containers oft left dusty in a backroom. Sometimes lined with silver, or cut from naturally occurring elk horn we added only the genuine and unique, like naturally occurring Koa wood, or Freshwater pearls from restocking farms.   

Searching for more of a classic keepsake,
the eye will pause on beige.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, for almost a decade, shopping bags came home only to embarrassingly compile them into a mess of jars next to batches of assorted boxes, clumps of baskets and Martha Stewart storage cases.

Shopping trips usually served to amass anthologies of off the beaten track stories and an assemblage of adventures,  bringing together the needs to form a company and start bringing crowd attention to issues while offering something sparkly in exchange.

Lengths of luscious color

So very lucky to have one of the rarest and most valuable collections of beads, stones, and materials. Consider a Valentine's piece from Australian South Sea pearls mixed with golden South Sea pearls from the Philippines and Indonesia. 

If it is a custom-length necklace you are looking for, we offer pieces by the inch. Any length is possible, from 12 inches for an infant, to 200 inches for a red-carpet look.

(Maui Bead Shop, 2011)

Because one-of-a-kind is the meme, we are perfect for someone wanting to create their own piece, or simply looking for a lovely way to stand out an event.  

You'll be sure to get a compliment when your individual style is spotlighted.  Since 25% goes to charity, when someone tells you your pretty, you can tell them it's on the inside as well by sharing and introducing them to the cause you helped.

Remember, no one else will be wearing the Missing Link that you found, as no two of our pieces are the same.  So enjoy the ride, and check in often.

Lisa Lindo
EBay key words "Lisa Lindo Missing Links"

Global Green USA: Our Spotlight For January

What a crazy beginning to this year. Good things and sad news things and all I can think of to do is put one foot in front of the other and work to make things better every day.  Spreading messages of hope and sharing whatever I learn with others brings a yin to the loud yang of the news, helping to feel like we can still make a difference.  Like I can make a difference.

So far in 2011, we've had private showings in Los Angeles, Maui, New York and D.C. for the pieces being auctioned to benefit Global Green for the month of January.  Global Green USA (www.globalgreen.org) is the only national environmental non-profit headquartered in Southern California with offices in New Orleans, Washington DC, and New York, and is one of over 31 national GCI affiliates throughout the world to foster a global value shift toward a sustainable and secure future by reconnecting humanity with the environment.

We look forward to your continued suggestions of causes we should spotlight in the future, and communities that you would like to see carry Missing Links.

Traveling around, it is so clear that everywhere I go we are universally sharing the need for Peace, calling out to an end to senseless violence.  Yes, I'm a peacenik.  It's more important than ever to speak loudly these days about your beliefs, your hopes for change.  Or at the very least, incorporate your beliefs into the way you choose to make money.  Right?

Well, it turns out, without really meaning to do so, I've been collecting things.  In my desire to learn about what kind of good is already being done in the world, I collected stories, shopping adventures, jars, and containers, and tools and books.   Wherever I went, I always managed to make time to dash away and discover whatever vintage jewelry shop or local beadery might be open. 

I made a hobby out of working with semi-precious stones (since 2003 actually), and started sitting with artists and beaders from Holland to Hawaii, studying color choice and adding bags of brightly colored beautiful bits to my collection.  Gathering seed beads, hammered silver, items of pewter, beach glass and gems that make me just blush, like Garnets and Citrine.  My first teacher started out the first class by saying, "Never go shopping for beads unless you have a lot of time, and a lot of money."  Lucky for me, I had both.  And I'll go more than a few extra miles to find that intimate item I can add to our collection of odds and ends, ribbons and starfish, dreams and causes. Often pleasantly surprised that the walk itself swept me into adventures I would never have had otherwise.  But those stories are for another time.

When I moved to D.C., I decided to round up all the different hiding places I had filled with my sparkly divalicously decadent loot.  Now, surrounded by rainbows of carvings and facets, I have to say, I could open a bead store myself and probably not run out of stock for years.  ;-)

I believe in working with sustainable materials, stones I've carried around with me as I go, adding to my jars and baskets, bowls and boxes of stones, pearls, glass beads and art beads and Czech glass, and silver lined beads, and blown glass pieces, items made from discarded elk horn, just amazing how the wide range of colors and textures grew and grew.  It's from these elements and intentions that all of our Missing Links items are born and seeing the response from all of you is so very encouraging. 

Our next private showing (snow or shine) will be Wednesday, January 12, 2011 in Baltimore, MD.  To receive an exclusive invitation, or even if you are unable to attend, please "like" our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/MissingLinksFound

and visit our blog frequently at:
MissingLinksFound.blogspot.com

Missing Links: FOUND

Aloha!

MISSING LINKS is a unique hand-fashioned jewelry line made from world traveled semi-precious stones. Pieces are partnered with an inspiring parable and social action campaign providing missing links between art, philanthropy, & sustainability.

Please join us on a journey of exploration of relevant issues, social change & sustainability, all while looking and feeling fabulous!  Follow our blog and Twitter to find out where our "Solutionary Gifting Circles" (TM) will be taking place online and how to host one of these eco-friendly, conflict-free, social shopping circles in your own town!

Join our Facebook Fanpage for MISSING LINKS FOUND... and come visit us often.  ;-)

Feel free to contact us for special orders.  We delight in creating custom sustainable pieces of wearable art with tremendous sentimental value to the owner.  We combine one-of-a-kind center accents from India, Thailand, Paris, Amsterdam, St. Tropez, New York, and Maui with our client's special dreams, hopes and whimsies incorporated into what will surely become an heirloom piece.

May your day be filled with Beauty!

Lisa Lindo
Designer & CEO