voting for the March EBW Challenge

Voting for the March EBW Challenge Fashion Through the Ages starts today and goes through March 15!  You can vote at the EBW blog on the right side of the page.  Of course, I always want to encourage people to check out my entry (which is #6), but please check out all of the other entries as well.  There is so much talent in this group and so many unique, beautiful pieces.  They all deserve some attention.

Once again, this is my piece: Beaded Bangle Bracelet - A Material Girl's True Colors.

Marilyn (Starwaves) was very kind to include it in her EBW Fashion through the Ages - Part 1 treasury.  Thanks Marilyn!

weekend happenings

I spent a lot of time this weekend going through more old books that I want to list on Amazon or Ebay.  Just when I think I'm nearing the end of what I want to list, I find a whole new shelf or box that I haven't gone through.  This is a picture that I took in the middle of my progress today.

I linked my Amazon and Ebay shops above.  I have a lot on Amazon.  I only have a few listings up on Ebay right now, but I'll be listing more over the next month.  It's a lot of work, but every book we sell is one less book that we'll have to move again.

I've been working some more leafy pieces this weekend.  I'm going to list my EBW October challenge piece tomorrow.  Here's a sneak peak of it.

I'm going to use the longer leafy piece pictured above for the challenge.  I'll have a shorter one available for sale within the next week, too.

Finally, here's a picture of Angel that I took yesterday.  She's been spending a lot of time sleeping on the couch recently.

As you can probably tell by the scissors that I left there, that is exactly where I usually sit on the couch. :)

new jewelry displays, radish earrings

It's hard to believe but my next craft show is only a little more than 2 weeks away!  I still have a lot to do to get ready before then.  I did receive one important addition for my fall/winter shows in the mail today: new jewelry displays.  I hope that having a couple vertical displays will add to the overall look of my booth set up.

I know that they'll look even better when they have jewelry on them. I bought both displays from this seller on Ebay.  I was very pleased with the price and the shipping.  It only took about 2 weeks for them to arrive from China.  If anyone is looking for something like this for themselves, I highly recommend this seller.  I'll have more details about my overall display and upcoming show details soon.

I have only relayed my recent custom order saga to Jake and the EtsyBloggers.  If you want to hear the whole story, you'll have to message me privately.  Suffice it to say, I was going to have a big reveal yesterday or today and that isn't going to happen.  I will post more details about those custom pieces sometime next week when the whole thing is hopefully finished.  For now, I keep forgetting to post a picture of the wedding order that I had a few weeks ago.

I made custom versions of the two bracelets on the left (which were made to order anyway so it worked out well) for the flower girls, which is why they are so small.  The other four bracelets will be for the bridesmaids.  I included the button earrings in coordinating colors as a surprise gift.  This bride has been an amazing customer, and I'm still in awe that she ordered so many bracelets from me.  I hope that she has a wonderful wedding.

Finally, my newest custom order is for a pair of Luna Lovegood inspired radish earrings.  I found a pattern online that she liked and used the concept to create my own original version of it.  Here's a peak at the first radish, finished, with no post yet (she specifically wanted posts).

I love the way this design turned out.  I had no intention of making a second pair to sell, but I am definitely planning to now.  I will take more pictures of the final product and post them here sometime in the next week.

new goodies

I finally broke down and started selling on Ebay tonight.  I am not a huge fan of Ebay, largely because I got hacked through it a few years ago, but hopefully it will be worthwhile.  My username there is randomcreative if anyone would like to look me up.  I'll post the link at some point when I have more items listed.  I was planning to post here earlier tonight, but I got wrapped up in the Ebay thing instead.

Here I am now, though.  As promised, I've been working on rock garden and leafy designs this weekend.  There are some of the new leaf beads that I'm including in my new pieces.

I also got the daggers that I ordered from The Beadin' Path this week.  They don't have a huge selection of items, but they have a nice collection of daggers.  Ever since I completed my blue dagger design, I've been thinking about lots of other possible dagger designs.

I can't believe how nicely the purple shade shows here.  Aren't these gorgeous beads?