Featured Product of the Month Contest – March 2012

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March’s featured product will be our size O18 jump rings – any metal.  For March, we are upping the creative ante and challenging you to create a project using one of our more obscure sizes.  We do not currently have a weave samples post for this size so you’re working without a net*!  (We know you can handle it though *wink*.)

But wait, there’s more!  We have added a special place on each submission form for you to opt in to add your weave suggestion to our first ever fan-sourced weave samples post.  We figure we have some of the most creative customers around, so why not make a place to permanently share your suggestions as a resource to everyone!

*Okay, so Rebeca couldn’t help but offer a few helpful hints!  She says, “O18 is used in Jacob’s DNA ladder for the outer rings.  It’s also great for high AR stuff like Half Persian 6-in-1.  Oh!  And it’s good as large rings in Japanese (connected with D20) for a quick-to-put together, light and airy piece.” 

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

*NOTE: the submission process changed as of January 2012*



Make a project which primarily uses our featured product. The project can most definitely use other rings and components, but the featured product should really be the star of the piece. Please see the complete rules and details below for more information about qualifications.




Take a picture of your project and submit it using our official Featured Product Contest form (link below.) You may post the piece online somewhere and provide us with a link, or upload it directly in the form. You will be asked to provide your name and an email address we can use to contact you in case anything goes wrong with your submission—or if you are the winner of the contest!

GO TO THE SUBMISSION FORM

Submissions are closed at midnight CT on 15th of every month and are limited to 2 per person.




Get Votes! Submissions will close on the 15th of each month at which point the B3 Staff will choose our favorites. The top entries will be eligible for voting through a survey which we will post to our blog. If you are one of the finalists, feel free to share the link with friends via email, Facebook, Twitter or any other means.

Voting will close on the last day of the month.

 


We will award the top voted finalist each month with a $25 B3 Gift Certificate and will feature YOUR project in a special blog post and possibly even future B3 ads to inspire fellow chainmaillers all over the world.



Complete contest rules and details: Submissions are limited to 2 per person and must use the featured product of the month as determined by Blue Buddha Boutique. The project is not required to be made from Blue Buddha Boutique rings, however any winning projects that use primarily rings from another supplier or rings made by the artist will not be eligible for posting on our blog or use in our ads to prevent false advertising. Pieces do not have to be specially created for the contest but should be no more than 12 months old. Current employees and interns of Blue Buddha Boutique are not eligible for this contest. Finalists are chosen by Blue Buddha Boutique and voted upon anonymously by the public to determine a winner. Submissions may be disqualified at the discretion of Blue Buddha Boutique if they are deemed inappropriate in any way. If a winner does not claim their prize within 15 days of notification, the second place winner will be awarded the prize.

Teaching assistant needed for Bead&Button class!

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Attention Milwaukee-area chainmaillers!

Rebeca is looking for an assistant for one of her sold-out classes at the Bead&Button Show.  The class is for her Tapered Mobius necklace.  It is an intermediate level class so we are looking for someone who works at an upper-intermediate or advanced level.  Date, time and location for the class is as follows:

Tapered Mobius NecklaceTapered Mobius Necklace
3 hours
Sunday, June 3, 2012
7:00pm-10:00pm  

Frontier Airlines Center
Milwaukee, WI

It is a paying gig!  If you are interested, please contact [email protected]. Be sure to outline your qualifications (previous teaching experience in any field is preferred, but not required).  Attach images or include links to your chainmaille work. At least one image should be close enough to show your craftsmanship (the quality of your closures, etc).

If you are selected, you must be able to provide your own transportation to the class (so you don’t have to be from Milwaukee, but it certainly helps!).  You will also receive a free kit in the colors of your choosing, to make the project well in advance of class. You’ll also need to meet with Rebeca (a phone call or Skype conversation is perfectly fine) to review the class outline and go over common troubleshooting issues.

Vote for March’s “Maillers’ Choice” kit!

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B3’s Maillers’ Choice Kit continues to be a hit! This month you’ll customize yet another one-time only kit for our Shaggy Loops necklace project – inspired by Rebeca Mojica’s “Fringe” collection of finished jewelry.



For March, you’ll be customizing a one-time-only kit for a chunky Shaggy Loops Necklace, inspired by Rebeca’s new Fringe Collection of jewelry. Just like last month’s Shaggy Scales Earrings kit, this kit is being created especially for “Maillers’ Choice” and is not regularly available on our website.

Voting for the Maillers’ Choice kit starts today and closes on the 10th. Your top-voted combination will be made into kits and released on our website on the 15th.



We had such an overwhelmingly positive response to the 12-Hour Sale last month that we will again release the Maillers’ Choice kit for a 12 hour period – no limit on the number! Make sure you’re on our mailing list to receive updates on when exactly the kit will be released so you don’t miss you chance to buy.

 

Happy 9th Birthday B3!

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You may have noticed that the logo in the upper left-hand corner of our website is looking a little extra “festive” today – that’s because it’s Blue Buddha’s 9th Birthday!  We are so excited to be celebrating 9 years.  We’ve come such a long way in that short time – growing from Rebeca working out of her spare bedroom to fill her handful of weekly orders to a team of 13 employees, supplying people in all 50 states and 40 countries with our top-quality chainmaille jewelry supplies.  Here’s a big thanks to B3’s customers, supporters, mentors, designers and employees for getting us this far and here’s to many, many, more!

Our jump rings surprised us with a party – complete with noisemakers, party hats and of course, cake!

 

A close up of our cakes (left) and Rebeca’s mom, Rita stands in for Rebeca (who is out at a leadership retreat this week) to blow out the candles (right).

Some of our team members mugging for the camera – from left: Max, Erik, Nadja & Jason (making a fashion statement with our decorations!)

Nom Nom Nom!  We love cake – a vanilla cake with strawberries (left) and a chocolate, chocolate, chocolate cake (right) – our jump rings know us so well!

We also wanted to share some very sweet birthday wishes we received from our community members on Facebook.  Thanks for all your kind words – we love you right back!


Happy Birthday to the biggest and best Chainmaille supplier :) – Tammy R.

Happy Birthday, and here’s to many more! Thanks for helping making all my ring-crazy dreams come true! – Jo H.

Happy birthday, B3! At the rate you’re growing, world domination won’t take as long as we all first thought. Hope y’all find a bigger home soon and we can play during open studio again. – Lisa S.

Happy Birthday, and congratulations! I remember taking some of Rebeca’s early classes at Caravan, and am so proud of all the wonderful changes over the years. Here’s to many more birthdays! – Sharon B.D.

Happy creative dream to permanent reality day! – Melissa L.

Happy birthday to the greatest business that supports my addiction to chain maille! :) – Audra P.

Happy birthday, B3! So glad you are there to inspire (and supply!) us chainmaille fanatics. ♥ – Meridy M.

Happy Happy Birthday! I hope there are 100 more!!! – Meta G.

Happy Birthday B3, may your pliers stay strong and your reign be long! – Deni C.

 

Changes to Shipping Rates

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Most domestic customers are probably aware that the United States Post Office has recently raised its rates.  This increase has forced us to raise our rates a bit to keep up.  We regret having to do so and hope you understand why, as a small business, these changes are necessary to keep Blue Buddha strong and growing.

New Domestic Priority Shipping fees are as follows:

$7.75 for orders up to $99.99
$6.75 for orders $100 – $249.99
FREE! for orders $250+

Some of our Standard Shipping rates have increased as well.  These fees vary as they depend on the value of your order, but you may notice slight changes to the shipping prices for these orders as well.

The good news (Yes! There is actually good news in this post too!) is that we have found way to LOWER our International Shipping rates.  International shipping has long been a struggle for us but we are thrilled to announce that we now have simpler, lower rates.

New International fee are as follows:

Canada and Mexico $10.50
All other Countries $14.95

As always, very large or heavy orders may incur additional charges.  If you think you order may be large or heavy enough to require additional shipping, you can feel free to contact us for a quote prior to placing your order.  Read more about this on our shipping page.