Get ready for the biggest OHM preview, this April release is HUGE!!! Release date is April 1st!

We start with Big Fat Killer Bee!

From OHMLAB #6, Laboratory Assistant: Brook IN.

OHM’s Big Fat Killer Bee is kicking some insect ass too! They are wearing an intimidating Corinthian helmet, protected by a stout shield emblazoned with OHM heraldry, and wielding some fearsome weaponry, from sharpened sword to brilliant stinger. No creature–six-legged or four, or two!–dare challenge this conquering charge!

The killer bee is actually a hybrid of the European honey bee and the East African honey bee, cross-bred in Brazil in 1956 to create a bee that could produce more honey. The experiment was a success…well, sort of. This new honey bee hybrid was indeed a superior honey producer, but it was also VERY aggressive; produced more soldier bees to guard the hive; swarmed faster and in greater numbers when threatened, and pursued its enemies further. Soon thereafter, two dozen swarms of killer bees escaped their quarantine and began to migrate northward toward the USA, conquering and dominating other bee species along the way.

Our Big Fat Killer Bee is a reminder of the old saying, bee careful what you wish for, sometimes a good intention has some unexpected results! Also, when you wear the Big Fat Killer Bee you tell the world that you are taking no prisoners! Bee-ware! Create your own killer bee swarm on your bracelet by adding a phalanx of OHM bee warriors! I may float like a butterfly, but I sting like a BIG FAT KILLER BEE!

This is a beautiful and fun collection: Alice!

A hanging tag with the inscription “Drink Me.” You’ll recall, at the very beginning of Alice’s adventure, she chases a mysterious WHITE RABBIT and tumbles down a deep, deep hole. Oddly, Alice is not hurt by her long fall, and finds herself in a lamp-lit hallway with many locked doors. Alice notices a golden key on a glass table but the key does not fit any of the doors. Finally, behind a curtain, Alice discovers a tiny doorway that the golden key can open, but poor Alice is far too large to fit through that miniature door.

That’s when she makes another discovery upon the glass table: a small bottle with a tag hanging from around its neck that reads “Drink Me”.

Alice hesitates, fearing the liquid may be poison; but there are no warnings or signs of danger on the bottle, so Alice dares to drink its contents. It’s delicious! The strange drink seems to be a mix of flavors including cherry tart, custard, pineapple, toffee, roast turkey, and hot buttered toast. Immediately, Alice shrank to only ten inches in height. But you remember the story: Alice had forgotten to hang onto the key and now it was out of reach on the tabletop. It’s easy to forget stuff when you’re drinking.

Our OHM DRINK ME hanging tag goes perfectly with our entire series of Alice in Wonderland designs.

A hanging tag with the inscription “Eat Me.” You’ll recall, at the very beginning of Alice’s adventure, she chases a mysterious White Rabbit and tumbles down a deep, deep hole. In a room with many doors there is a golden key that fits only the smallest of doors. After drinking a strange liquid and shrinking down able to fit though the door, Alice realizes she had forgotten to hang onto the key when she shrunk. Now it was out of reach on the tabletop.

Alice sees a little glass box under the table which contains a tiny cake and the words “Eat Me”. Apparently someone had foreseen her dilemma and supplied a potential reverse course. Sure enough, Alice gobbles the cake and begins to grow and grow until her head touches the ceiling. She can now grab the precious gold key. With both bottle and cake box empty, thankfully the effects of the cake are only temporary and to Alice’s surprise, she begins to shrink again until she can escape through the miniature unlocked door into a beautiful garden.

We celebrate this adventure with our OHM hanging tag EAT ME. It goes perfectly with the Alice in Wonderland collection. OR where else would you want a bead to scream EAT ME!? Oh the choices are endless!

There are many references to madness or craziness in the surreal and wildly nonsensical Alice in the Wonderland. There is, of course, the mad tea party and the wacky Mad Hatter who claims that his watch is two days slow. Alice also meets a Cheshire Cat who can fade away to invisible leaving only his smile. The Cat tells Alice, “We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.” Alice asks, “How do you know I’m mad?” The Cat answers, “You must be or you wouldn’t have come here.”

But was the Cheshire Cat correct? Was Alice GALLYMOGGERS, bonkers, crazy, loopy, nuts, cuckoo, or mad for stumbling into a place as bizarre as Wonderland? Was it only in her head? Alice tells the White Queen, “One can’t believe impossible things.” But the Queen replies, “I daresay you haven’t had much practice. Sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

OHM’s GALLYMOGGERS is a part of our Alice in Wonderland series.
Look closely at and you’ll see splashes of euphoric cream in bubbles of delirious blue tea or perhaps you’ll see only the white teeth of the Cheshire Cat as the rest him fades into a transparent dream. Maybe you’ll see Alice’s blue-and-white dress as she tumbles down the rabbit hole into a realm of wonder.

Once you wear our GALLYMOGGERS bead, you’ll believe six impossible things before breakfast!

OHM’s Alice in Wonderland collection includes, perhaps, from the most famous character in all of Lewis Carroll’s stories, the Mad Hatter’s MAD HAT!

Mercury was used in the manufacturing of felt hats in the Victorian era, and many hatters of Carroll’s day did indeed go slowly mad from mercury poisoning. In Wonderland, however, the Hatter is forever taking tea with the March Hare and the Dormouse. Why forever? The Hatter tells Alice that he was singing a song for the Queen of Hearts and she screamed, “He’s murdering the time!” And ever since, time has been stuck at Tea Time!

There were other oddities about this Hatter, as you’ll recall. For one thing, he asks Alice a very peculiar riddle, “Why is a raven like a writing desk?”

OHM’s MAD HAT is something wonderful and magical. It’s not just the peacock feather on one side, or the hat pins and sugar spoon on the other, or even this lovely old hat’s tattered appearance with years of patches, stitches, and hopes holding it together. No, there’s something more. Try this magic old hat on your bracelet and see for yourself. Maybe our MAD HAT truly IS a portal to Wonderland where adventures abound. Or maybe you’ll just go a little mad…and we could all use a little craziness sometimes!

A part of OHM’s Alice in Wonderland collection, this OHM design combines two ideas from Lewis Carroll’s magical masterpiece: the Cheshire Cat’s grin with the White Rabbit’s pocket watch.

Alice is dozing lazily on a riverbank, when suddenly a white rabbit with pink eyes scurries by. That’s not so unusual, thought Alice; but then, the worried rabbit pulled a brass watch from the pocket of his vest and muttered to himself, “Oh dear, oh dear, I shall be late!” Now that IS unusual, and Alice couldn’t resist following the rabbit until she tumbled head over heels down a long, deep hole.

It just got stranger from there. Alice had entered Wonderland. She was soon startled to see a smiling Cheshire Cat, with long claws and many sharp teeth, perched on a tree branch just above the forked path.

“What sort of people live about here?” Alice asked politely.

The Cat pointed down each path as he spoke, “In that direction lives a Hatter; and in that direction lives a March Hare. Visit either you like; they’re both mad.”

Alice frowned, “But I don’t want to go among mad people!”

The Cat shrugged and slowly began to disappear, starting with his tail and ending with only his smile still visible as he remarked, “Oh, you can’t help that; we’re all mad here.”

And so, as you follow your own WHITE RABBIT to unexpected adventures, and meet your own unusual characters in the Wonderland of your life, simply touch this magical MAD TIME and smile a big Cheshire smile. After all, as the Cat said, it can’t be helped. We’re all mad here!

Alice found herself in a beautiful garden, among bright flower beds, cool fountains, and a bush of brilliant white roses. Yet three gardeners, shaped like playing cards –the two, five, and seven of spades– were busily painting the white roses red. They were quite sloppy painters too, dripping and splashing paint everywhere.

From the story of Alice in Wonderland OHM offers this rose bush heart of overlapping blooms colorfully, ahem, accented with red enamel paint as part of OHM’s Alice in Wonderland collection.

“Would you tell me,” asked Alice timidly, “why you are painting those roses?”

“You see, Miss,” said the Two of Spades, “this here ought to have been a RED rose bush, and we put a white one in by mistake; and if the Queen was to find it out, we should all have our heads cut off, you know!” Sure enough, a trumpet sounded, and a great procession of playing card soldiers (clubs), playing card courtiers (diamonds), royal family playing cards (hearts), and the King and Queen of Hearts all marched into the garden. The Queen immediately noticed the half-painted rose bush and cried, “Off with their heads!”

Happily, Alice hid the offending gardeners in a flower pot and they escaped execution. Every time you wear this lovely OHM Heart on your bracelet, you’ll be reminded that even as we all screw up sometimes it’s how we bounce back that defines our character. If you plant white roses by mistake; don’t lose your head, just paint ‘em red!

Did you know that Humpty Dumpty invented a word that we still use today? In the famous nursery rhyme in which Humpty Dumpty “had a great fall?” and, before he was shattered into scrambled eggs, Mr. Dumpty lived in Wonderland and, perched upon his wall, he proudly explained to Alice the meaning of “portmanteau.”

The portmanteau already existed as a type of suitcase equally divided into two sections, but Humpty Dumpty applied the term linguistically when he said, “You see it’s like a portmanteau — there are two meanings packed into one word.” He gave examples from the Jabberwocky poem: “slimy and lithe” becomes the word “slithy” or “miserable and flimsy” becomes the word “mimsy.” Today, we have many portmanteau words: “brunch” (breakfast/lunch), “smog” (smoke/fog), “sitcom” (situation/comedy), “infomercial” (information/commercial), etc. You could even make up your own.

The word “saganistute” appears to be a portmanteau for “sage” and “astute.” We love that word here at OHM; so, as part of our own “Alice in Wonderland” series, we proudly present our new glass bead entitled SAGANISTUTE. Sage, in classical philosophy, means “someone who has attained wisdom” or someone who lives “according to an ideal that transcends the everyday.” Astute describes one having “mental sharpness and perception.”

Brilliantly this creation transcends the everyday, and if you look astutely, you will find sage advice in the sprinkle of sparkling magic wafting through the twilight sky and alluring depths of the wonderland around you. Saganistute: “a wise person of poetry and vision.” That’s you!

“Follow the White Rabbit.” So says the message on Neo’s computer screen which harkens us back to Lewis Carroll’s Alice and her own fantastic pursuit of the WHITE RABBIT into Wonderland.

Indeed, “follow the white rabbit down the rabbit hole” has become a ubiquitous metaphor for anyone who follows an unlikely clue into extraordinary, amazing circumstances that challenge or transform one’s perspective, reality, or personal beliefs. It could also reference mind-expanding journeys of a chemical nature.

Grace Slick of the psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane wrote and sang a song called “White Rabbit” which mentioned Alice in Wonderland, the Red Queen, the White Knight, the Dormouse, and the hookah-smoking caterpillar. “One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small” Grace sang. She said the song was about more than just strange trips; it was about following your curiosity and seeing where it leads.

As part of our Alice in Wonderland series, OHM proudly presents our own WHITE RABBIT glass bead. As you turn the bead in the light, you see how it sparkles with marvelous inspiration, glitters with extraordinary magic, and lures you into fantastical dimensions that challenge your perceptions and surprise you with wonders that defy belief. Go ahead. Follow your curiosity and see where it leads.

This charming friend is part of OHM’s Alice in Wonderland collection: the famous smoking Caterpillar. Alice was hunting through the flowers and foliage of Wonderland looking for something edible, when she came upon a giant mushroom. Standing on tiptoe, she peered over the top of the massive shroom and came face-to-face with a sleepy Caterpillar smoking a hookah pipe.

“Who are you?” asked the Caterpillar. “I hardly know, sir, just at present,” replied Alice. “At least I know who I WAS when I got up this morning; but I think I must have been changed several times since then.” The Caterpillar puffed away on his hookah for awhile and then said, “So you think you’re changed, do you?” “I’m afraid I am, sir,” said Alice. “I can’t remember things as I used to, and I don’t keep the same size for ten minutes.”

Perhaps the Caterpillar should have told Alice that such bewilderment, forgetfulness, and frequent changes in size were actually the first signs of aging. They happen to us all the time!

But even though we now forget why we entered a room — or that our eyeglasses are still perched upon our own foreheads — we are reminded daily of the Caterpillar’s most important question, “Who are you?” It’s not the gray hairs that matter, nor the changes in size; it’s the YOU inside, that you wake up to every morning, that determines if your life is an adventure of wonders. Wear our OHM WHO ARE YOU proudly. You KNOW who YOU ARE and you’re OHMazing!

And next a fun and colourfull glass collection: Dessert!

When you were a kid, did you ever eat an ice-cold Blue Raspberry slushie on a hot summer day and see your tongue turn blue? Or maybe you loved that chewy Blue Raspberry candy? Is there really such a thing as a Blue Raspberry fruit? Well, that depends upon what you want to believe.

Most Blue Raspberry foods are made from the White Bark Raspberry — which has a tarter flavor than red or black raspberries — with a generous dose of electric blue food dye added of course. This coloring was created to distinguish raspberry-flavored foods from the reds of cherry, strawberry, and watermelon.

Do you remember your first Candy Crush? Was it a candy ribbon from Grandma, lollipops, cotton candy, candy canes, or that colorful hard candy that you could suck on and roll around in your mouth for delicious hours? Hard candy is nearly 100% sugar, boiled to a thick syrup, and poured into molds to cool and harden. Simple, pure, perfect. That describes our Ohm Candy Crush bead, which will carry you back to those warm summer days of childhood and your first sweet infatuation. And you won’t get sticky fingers or a colored tongue!

Coconut jelly, also called “nata de coco”, was invented in the Philippines in 1949 as an alternative to a pineapple gel-like dessert that was in popular demand but seasonally limited. The coconut version quickly caught on and spread throughout Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines. Coconut jelly is made by combining sugar, pandan leaf, and agar-agar powder with coconut juice and coconut flesh, heating and then chilling to a firm gel. It can be served in a cup or bowl, or sliced into cubes to be eaten by hand. Our OHM Coconut Jelly bead also shows the clear coconut water mingled with succulent slices of sweet coconut flesh. It’s a blizzard of sugary sensations!

Pandan is a tropical plant used widely in Asian cooking as a flavoring. The leaves are used either fresh or dried, and they have a nutty, spicy-sweet fragrance and flavor that enhances many Asian dishes, especially rice and rice pudding, cakes and desserts. The pandan can be steeped in coconut milk for an amazing pandan chilled dessert: green jelly cubes, young coconut flesh, and rich sweetened cream. Our OHM Pandan bead brings this same spicy flavor and brilliant color to your bracelet, evoking the aromatic green leaves of Pandan flecked with bits of sweet coconut meat and dollops of luscious cream. It’s so decadent your other beads will be jealous!

OHM is delighted to offer you our delicious new Pinkberry glass bead that will add luscious color and delectable flavor to your bracelet. But, things aren’t always as they seem. Our bead is an illusion, a reflection of color that dazzles your senses on multiple levels, almost like there’s a crust and a filling and tiny berry seeds and, oh my, your mouth is watering and you’re scrumptiously mesmerized. You’ll absolutely lose your head over Pinkberry if the Queen has anything to do about it.

Rose Petal Jelly is a beautifully light, sweet, fragrant jelly made from organic roses — no chemical florist roses will do — hand gathered at night when the scent is at its most powerful and intoxicating. The rose petals are cooked with sugar, rose water, lemon juice, and liquid pectin and then chilled. Rose petal jelly has been enjoyed worldwide for centuries from Persian cooks to English High Tea with Devonshire cream in the 1700’s. Ukrainian cooks make a rose petal jelly for filling donuts. In Thailand they serve it over shaved ice. Our OHM Rose Jelly bead on your bracelet will add the delicate lushness of a fresh bouquet of dew-kissed rose petals, deliciously swirled in clotted cream. You might even crave a spot of tea in the garden and wonder why!

Sugar was first produced in India in ancient times. The rest of the world mostly used honey as a sweetener. They discovered a method for turning sugarcane juice into granulated crystals that were much easier to transport. The word for these crystals was khanda from which we get the name candy. Now, we enjoy sugar cubes in our coffee, powdered sugar on our donuts, a sprinkle of sugar on strawberries or breakfast cereal. But is there anything better than something sugary sweet DIPPED in more sugar? OHM’s SUGAR DIPPED glass design is a double dose of intoxicating sweetness that’s as creamy smooth as butterscotch dipped in creamed sugar.

Candy is special because, unlike dessert, you don’t have to wait or share; it’s a small piece, just for you, anytime! Candy first came to America in the early 18th century from Britain and France; but it was still considered an expensive luxury. In 1847, the invention of the candy press, followed by the invention of the revolving steam pan in 1851, made it possible to mass-produce candy for everyone. Children could buy penny candies with their allowance. Now, almost every store has a candy aisle and rows of colorful, tempting treats by the check-out. And who can resist those bright colors and seductive sugary sensations? Enjoy this SWEET TREAT with all the glossy, glistening, swirling temptation of your favorite candies. Go ahead, you KNOW you deserve a Sweet Treat! Just don’t bite!

Next is the Earth collection with a long awaited design!

LUNA represents both the inner child and the inner mother, trust, faith, and unconditional love. This sphere has been revisited after the love of the LUNA BOTM, we have a newly carved moon with a myriad of craters. LUNA 2.0 has the same heartfelt meaning from OHM.

A mother putting her baby down for sleep…

“Good night my sweet child. Please know that I love you very much!”

“I love you too, mommy. But how much is…. very much?”

“Oh, very much is a lot. My love is so big, that it fills up all of space, time, and eternity. My love is limitless.”

“I still don’t understand. How much is limitless? Is it as big as a car? Or as big as a house?”

“Oh, it is even bigger than that. I love you to the moon and back!”

“Hmm. That’s a lot. I understand. Kind of. The moon is really far away, so your love must be really big. But mommy, the moon always changes! Sometimes the moon goes away. Does it mean that your love goes away too?”

“Sweet baby. My love is the moon itself – it is always there – even if you can’t see it. Sometimes you will look up and see a full moon – big and bright. When that happens it is me and my love watching over you. And there will be other times. You will look up and see no moon at all – but have no worries! Even during the darkest times, my love for you will still be there – just like the moon is always there, even if you can’t see it. You might feel lonely and forgotten during those dark moon days. Darkness and light must co-exist for balance – but don’t be afraid. My love will guide you in light and in shadow. Your Mother’s love will stay with you forever – in your heart and all around you, orbiting you for time immemorial.”

When we say BLUEBERRY what images come into your mind? Are you thinking of a warm blueberry muffin sprinkled with sugar and slathered with butter? Or perhaps a fresh blueberry scone with tea or coffee, or a creamy blueberry yogurt? Maybe you crave rich, homemade blueberry jam on crackers or toast, or a generous wedge of fresh-baked blueberry pie a la mode?

Ah, so many wonderful things come to mind with BLUEBERRY! From Mom’s blueberry crisp or blueberry cobbler, blueberry syrup on pancakes, blueberry popsicles, blueberry chicken salad, or a cool refreshing glass of homemade blueberry wine. You might start your day with a handful of ripe blueberries on your breakfast cereal or a cold blueberry smoothie! All of these and more will come to mind as you add a dash of rich color and sweet temptation to your bracelet with this OHM BLUEBERRY bead!

Berries have been an important source of food for humans since our Hunter-Gatherer ancestors first plopped this sweet, juicy little fruit into their hungry mouths thousands of years ago. Did you know that tomatoes, grapes, eggplants, bananas, and chili peppers all fit into the scientific definition for berries? We’ve got another one for you: the Dustberry.

Lighter in color than a blueberry — with a slight dusty hue which gave it its nickname — the Dustberry shares something in common with the elderberry and the red or white mulberry: it’s poisonous when unripe, but sweet and edible once it ripens and excellent for making jams, baked goods or the wonderfully subtle DUSTBERRY wine.

Perhaps you are like the DUSTBERRY: maybe a bit of trouble in your wild and unripe youth but now you are sweet, mellow, and quite tasty in your maturity. Good for you! Wear our softly colorful DUSTBERRY glass bead proudly and celebrate the fact that you just get better, sweeter, and yummier with age!

Did your parents, friends, or teachers ever tell you, “You will go far in life”. But how far is far? The Arctic tern, a white seabird, migrates about 24,000 miles every year, which is roughly the same as flying completely around the Earth. Human astronauts hope to soon visit our nearest planetary neighbor, Mars; but the Red Planet is thirty-three million miles away! And that’s the close one! Of course, distance is relative. In the tiny world of insects, a Honey Bee scout can forage up to ten miles away from its hive, a flea can jump 150 times its own body length, and a Monarch butterfly can migrate 4,000 miles from Canada to Mexico.

So, how far will YOU go to achieve your dreams? A wise teacher once said, “Set a clear intention about something you want; stay focused on your goal; be persistent; get back up when you fall, and love yourself through the whole journey.” In celebration of Earth Day and all the travels of our lovely planet, we offer this beautiful glass bead GO FAR. We believe you truly will.

You’ve probably heard the ancient Chinese proverb that says, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This tidbit of wisdom was written by the philosopher Laozi, a contemporary of Confucius, and it still resonates with us today.

It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by a large task or difficult challenge ahead of us, yet Laozi reminds us to keep our focus only on the first step. The rest will come, one step, one inch, at a time. The folks in AA have a similar saying, “Do the next right thing.” As we celebrate Earth Day with this series of beautiful glass beads, we are reminded too that Nature formed herself over millions of years one tiny drop at a time. When you are faced with a scary task or a big job to do, just touch this bead on your bracelet, breathe, and take that first little inch forward. You are on your way!

Wild limes were first grown in Indonesia or Southeast Asia around two thousand years ago, and today, limes are still an important part of Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, and Mexican cuisine. Dried limes are favored as a seasoning in Persian and Iraqi cuisine. The two most popular breeds of lime are the thin-skinned Persian lime (that’s probably the one at your grocer) and the tart Mexican lime, also called the Key Lime, which makes a wonderful American dessert, Key Lime Pie. In Australia, limes are used to make marmalade.

Limes are a great source of Vitamin C, and in the 19th century, British sailors were issued a daily allowance of limes to prevent scurvy. This was a closely guarded military secret, as the ability to remain at sea for long periods while maintaining healthy crews was a distinct naval advantage. Eventually, British sailors earned the nickname “Limeys” for their daily dose of limes.

Limes have higher contents of sugar and acids than lemons do and limes are much enjoyed in favorite cocktails like the margarita and the gimlet. Most guacamole recipes also call for lime juice; so, grab some warm tortilla chips, some creamy guac, and a cold, slushy margarita with salt around the rim, and celebrate with this LIME glass bead creation. Just like the fruit, our LIME bead adds color, zest, and delicious flavor to your bracelet. Cheers!

She is the beauty of rain-bowed water tumbling over a rocky falls. She is the awesome power of ocean waves and the spray of the sea splashing against the shore. She is also a gentle summer rain, a clear lake, the soothing trickle of water over stones, and the stillness of snow. MAMA AQUA is the life-giving water of our planet Earth, and she nourishes our crops and gathers the birds and beasts to drink at her rivers and streams.

Mama is the Queen of the Sea, the goddess of rivers, the myth of the siren and mermaid. Mama has been worshiped as a purifier by many, and philosophers consider her the element of intuition and emotion. Mama Aqua is royalty and majesty. She wears a crown of precious coral reef, and her flowing waves of hair are filled with creatures of the sea.

Mama is part of you too. Your body is 78% water and you cannot survive without her. She is the long cool drink of refreshment on a hot day or the cleansing depths of your favorite swimming spot. She is the salty smell of the sea and the rhythm of the tides. Mama is powerful; She is fragile. Water covers 71% of our planet’s surface; yet, despite her importance, she is often unappreciated. Her coral is dying, her fish are poisoned, and one billion of Terra’s seven billion people drink water that is not healthy.

We must cherish and love our beautiful Mama Aqua, for if we take care of her, she will nourish, clean, feed, and refresh us in return. Be good to your Mama.

Maple syrup oozing slowly over a buttery stack of pancakes. Maple icing on a donut. Maple charcoal simmering beneath your favorite smoked meats. MAPLE CANDY!!!!

Maple is considered a tonewood, meaning iit carries sound waves well. A rich, glorious music emanates from maple violins, violas, cellos, and woodwind instruments. Sugar Maple is a hard wood used for bowling pins, pool cue shafts, gymnasium floors, butcher’s blocks, and fine woodworking. There’s a touch of maple in many things, even in this Canadian whiskey I am sipping. Maybe you prefer Tennessee, we won’t tell. It’s all touched by maple.

Then, of course, there’s the beauty of the maple tree itself, from its blossoms in early spring — offering nectar to bustling bees — to the whispered rustle of its cool and soothing summertime shade. Perhaps the maple tree shines best in autumn as its leaves explode into a fiery inferno of reds, yellows, and orange. The maple leaf is on the coat-of-arms of Canada, and on the Canadian flag. The maple is a symbol of strength and endurance, and has been chosen as the national tree of Canada.

There is indeed a touch of maple in many things you love. Then again, you’re probably still thinking about that thick maple syrup sliding down your breakfast pancakes, waffles, or French Toast…

You are receiving tactile information right this second — your fingertips touching your computer mouse or phone, your butt sitting in your chair — and this sense of touch is so omnipresent that often forget to think about it. Did you know there are actually TWO touch systems in your brain? There’s discriminative touch which tells your brain the physical facts: location, movement, and strength of a touch. But there’s also the emotional touch system that sends your brain information about the emotional context of a touch: a warm hug from a friend, the touch of a lover, the special bond between mother and child as they cuddle.

Touch is crucial from the moment you are born. Our physical and emotional development as infants hinges on being touched and held often. Throughout life, we continue to need those important touches — a shoulder to cry on, a vigorous handshake of congratulations, a soothing backrub, a kiss, a tickle, a caress, a warm snuggle before sleep — but, perhaps, just as important are the nurturing touches we give to others. The best touches are a giving not a taking.

KUGUSA is the Swahili word for touch and OHM is proud to offer this new design gorgeously covered with gentle touches, both literal and emotional. This new glass bead not only evokes the leopard-like beauty of its Swahili name, but it will remind you of the joy and importance of daily touches both given and received. We need touching like we need air and water, and a nurturing touch need never be feared, for it leaves only lovely impressions of love and happiness on your skin, your heart, and your spirit.

The limited-edition release is limited to 333 serialized pieces. A certificate of authenticity is included.

MSTARI is the Swahili word for lines and you can clearly see that our new OHM design is entwined with sensual, mesmerizing lines against a mysterious background. The word mstari originally comes from the Arabic word mistara meaning an instrument for measuring — so the Swahili word is sometimes also applied to mean builder, crafter, machinist, or anyone skilled with lines.

Sometimes the word mstari is used a person’s name. This proper name Mstari denotes someone who is practical, forthright, independent, decisive, and capable. Mstari is driven, efficient, and likes to build or develop things into a success. Mstari moves in a straight line from an idea to a goal to accomplishment. Are you a MSTARI? Then this bead was created especially for you.

Or maybe you just like lines and beautiful stripes of color. You are in good company. Mstari is often used in Swahili to describe animals that are marked with lines, stripes, or rows of patterns, like the zebra, the tiger, or the giraffe. With Mstari on your bracelet, you declare yourself to be an independent builder of successes and in touch with your inner tigress.

The limited-edition release is limited to 333 serialized pieces. A certificate of authenticity is included.

Water waves are usually divided into three categories: capillary waves (or ripples), sea waves (which are propelled by the wind), and swells (waves that continue onward after the wind has ceased). Swells are driven by gravity and can sometimes travel thousands of miles before reaching land.

WIMBI is the Swahili word for wave, like a formation of water. However, there are many other kinds of waves besides water, as you well know: radio waves, light waves, shock waves, microwaves, heat waves, and more; but they all share the same definition: A wave is a disturbance of a field in which a physical attribute oscillates repeatedly… or seems to move through space.

Our OHM WIMBI glass design also undulates with waves of shimmering color that could be splashes of cool salty water from the sea churned with frothy foam against sea rocks or sand. Or it could be waves of light arcing across infinite galaxies, or waves of steamy heat in the desert, or wave after wave of music or inspiration or smokey desire. Whatever rippling “disturbance in a field of calm” appeals or applies to you, this is your WIMBI.

The limited-edition release is limited to 333 serialized pieces. A certificate of authenticity is included.

This lovely collection has a limited edition and a regular part!

The freedom of the open road is a glorious experience. OHM’s scooter is perfect to start your journey, and sometimes now is the perfect time to invite a friend to join you. Remember to STAY SAFE with this limited edition helmet dangle. Only 99 of these sets have been made. The motorbike, RIDE ALONG, is available separately as a regular release (not limited edition). Each bead in the set is serialized and engraved with an individual code. A mini certificate of authenticity with the number in the series will be included.

The freedom of the open road is a glorious experience. OHM’s scooter is perfect to start your journey, and sometimes now is the perfect time to invite a friend to join you. RIDE ALONG is available as a regular release and as part of a limited edition set.

Our ROLLED OVER SLIM tire is perfect to symbolize a motorbike or bicycle. In 2015 ROLLED OVER was released and proved ever so popular with its unique texture. Here we have reimagined the same concept on a slimmer scale. Pair it up with RIDE ME or GRAND PRIX, or RIDE ALONG for a perfect travel bracelet.

Next on is more of the Slim collection!

Even after the snow has melted the danger is not gone. You prepared last fall, and during the winter months, you are cozy and ready for the expected. While stuck inside you’re reserved for your fate of cabin-life. When the spring comes there are many sparks of hope, but always beware of the illusive frost. For a taste of winter can set you back a year. #winterisalwayscoming

Through a deep haze we awaken to the light. There are some things to be said about transitions. What they are we don’t know. Ask around before being distracted by the shiny. Always remember, you will find deep knowing in the sage advice of others. They don’t have all the answers, though you may find them in the stillness between their words. #sageadvice

For every key, there is a keyhole. We travel through this life looking for companionship. We want ship-mates who we trust with our lives. Who are capable of loving themselves as well as us. Who are open to shifting changes of life. Who we are comfortable giving a piece of our heart to hold. Whose piece of heart fits the hole in us? #sourpill

You are the key to your future. No one else. When you exist for the purpose of living your best life the doors begin to open, in your mind as well as the real world. The space between C to D is a whole step, yet it’s only half a step from F to G. Be wary of remaining stuck in a pattern. Find the rhythm in the wisps of sounds in your ear and follow the music. #riseandfall

Choices are made every day to brave the frost and walk through the haze to turn the key. You drop the ball when you forget you have a choice. It is OK. It will be OK. You are OK. Allow the sun to wash over your cheeks. You have another chance to try. #dontffuckitup

Another great glass collection coming this month is Vacation Drinks!

50 ml Vodka

20 ml Blue Curacao

100 ml Lemonade

1 orange slice

Ice cubes

Pour vodka and blue curacao in a shaker with ice, shake well & strain into ice-filled highball glass, top with lemonade. Garnish the brim with an orange slice.

OR use some Blue Raspberry syrup in some soda water with a squeeze of orange and call it a day.

40 ml Vodka Citron

15 ml Cointreau

15 ml Fresh lime juice

30 ml Cranberry juice

Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Strain into a large cocktail glass. Garnish with lime slice.

OR grab some pinkberry lemonade and top with fresh lime slices. The whole point is to have fun making pretty drinks. Life is but a sensory experience. Do what you want to make it the fullest it can be.

40 ml White rum

20 ml Dark rum

15 ml Orange Curaçao

15 ml Orgeat syrup

10 ml Fresh lime juice

Ice

Shake with ice. Strain into a glass. Garnish with mint and a slice of lime. Enjoy.

OR toss some orange juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, and some almond syrup with some soda water and then serve in a glass with a splash of grenadine in the bottom. You are in charge of the vacation. It’s your time to chill. Do what you want.

40 ml White rum

30 ml Fresh lime juice

6 Sprigs of mint

2 t Sugar (or 20 ml sugar syrup)

Soda water

Cracked ice

Muddle mint leaves with sugar and lime juice. Add a splash of soda water and fill the glass with cracked ice. Pour the rum and top with soda water. Garnish with sprig of mint leaves and lemon slice.

OR skip the rum and add a few drizzles of honey. Experience the full breadth of your vacation by staying present while creating memories. Or get sloshed. Both are valid paths. This is your time to tap into your flow and do what you really want to do.

Exclusive for OHM Thailand are the next two releases!

Ice Cube is useful in a cold drink or on a bracelet during hot summer days!

April is the hottest season in Thailand. The sun directly overhead for most of the day as the heat radiates and spreads throughout the country. In some provinces, the temperature reaches 40 degrees Celsius, so ICE CUBE is the perfect OHM Thailand Exclusive for the Summer.

The newest cube-shaped glass bead from OHM is designed like a chilled ice cube. Watch it starting to melt when put into a favorite drink as you like a fresh fruit cocktail or pearl milk tea, sweet and rich. The cold ice frosting the outside of the glass. Refreshing the body, rejuvenating and revitalizing the soul. Although the weather outside is hotter than mercury, inside it’s cool because ICE CUBE is here helping to cool you off from the heat.

Fan is a must to keep your head and your wrist cool!

OHM FAN is something that all OHM fans who love vintage style shouldn’t miss. Do you still remember them? Brass fan blades with an open cage, the blades making that distinctive noise, clipping against the hot air. The classic model, the “Soyler Wheeler,” was designed by an American engineer invented by using an electric motor propeller fan. From then on electric fans have become popular throughout the world. They have become an important piece of equipment for every family’s daily life in Thailand. Just by pressing the button, cool air comes to help cool off from the heat.

Although the world has advanced to air conditioners, the fan is still an affordable cooling option and the style of these vintage designs is never out of date. From home decoration to this unique bracelet beauty from OHM we are bringing the cool breeze to mind. Embrace the vintage adaptation and a retro-style worthy of collecting.

And there they all are, what an awesome release! So many gorgeous beads to make some great bracelet designs!