Merry Christmas to Me!

Normally I let the business buy me a Christmas present each year, but this year things have been a bit slow, so instead I'm letting the business make me a Christmas present! I found these gorgeous roses, and made myself a shiny collar for the holidays:



It's adjustable in length, but I like it sitting right across my collarbones.



It's strung with silver and red glass beads - my favorite color combination!



Now for an occasion to wear it....



~

Friday Favorites!

Dropped the ball on these the last few weeks, but just in time for Black Friday!

Pink Topaz and Peridot Wire Wrapped Vine Statement Necklace in Sterling Silver, by nikhajewelry




Bandolier of Vintage Brass Casing in Machinegun Belt 60in, by eveningangel



Vintage Ecru Colored Gown..Classic STYLE 1930s Vintage, by VintageStarrBeads



BUTTERFLY - Sterling Silver Necklace, by efratjewelry



Bird Skull Cuff Links in Antiqued Silver, by billyblue22



Sadie - Hand Crocheted Skirt and Embellished Jacket, by AnnieBriggs



Zombies Ate My Brain Mug in Denim 16 oz., by KarinLorenc



Lush Gown, by HMSlatex

A year in the making, day 320

I got an unpleasant surprise today. I've been neglecting my twitter and facebooks, because with the allergies my eyes have really been bothering me and they burn and itch worse when I'm staring for too long at a white computer screen. I've been doing my work stuff and not much else for the last two and a half weeks. So about the only thing that's been hitting my Facebook wall was my RSS feed from Twitter with my new item listings. Bad!

They were marked as abusive and now whenever you click on a link to one of my stores, all you get a warning page from Facebook that my shop links are blocked for abuse. It's my own fault for setting these things up and not paying attention to them. I don't even remember which service I used to feed my Etsy to twitter - it wasn't the popular TwitterFeed or HootSuite. So I finally figured out, after an hour or two, how to get things to feed to my fan page, which I should have done months ago, and then this wouldn't have happened. Live and learn.

Did get some productive work done tonight, too, in between bites of tasty pepperoni pizza (or, as my daughter would say, Macaroni Pizza!).

Purple Glass Flowers Tassle Necklace on Sterling Silver



Agate Teardrop Necklace on Sterling Silver



I've also got a lot of 5 fire opal cabs listed in my meagre supply section. I got them in an odd lot of bits and bobs, and they've been sitting around staring at me making me feel guilty that I couldn't use them, so now hopefully they'll find a good home.



I also got over my wibbliness and listed the cinnabar butterfly piece in my Artfire shop:

Antique Green Cinnabar Butterfly with Glass and Purple Fluorite




Now off to finally watch Alice in Wonderland, which I missed in the theatres.

A Year in the Making, day 315

Back from day two of the Steampunk Erotic Festival at Little Red Studio. I am tired, I'll admit it. The mileage is showing. I used to be able to stand on cement floors for hours on end and be able to go out and play afterward. Not anymore. All I want is a glass of wine and an ice pack for my aching lower joints. I'm not even "old" yet. What fun to look forward to!

Yesterday was not quite a scorcher, but still warmer than was comfortable. It looked to be, and proved to be, much more temperate today, but I still wanted to make sure I'd survive the day. Yesterday I wore a loose vest and a pair of antique ivory cotton bloomers, with an ivory scarf wrapped loosely around my neck. Periodically I soaked that scarf in water, and it got me through the day with minimal discomfort. Well, that and the two iced bottles of Gatorade.

This morning, before heading out (the festival didn't start till noon) I made myself a black scarf to match today's outfit. It's all nice and wrinkled in this shot because I took it after I got home and it's been wrapped wet around my neck all day:



It's 100% cotton, with the edges finished in a scrap of Venice lace I had left over from a previous project, just long enough to tie once loosely around the neck and drape over my shoulder. It held water beautifully, and still looked stylish.

I made another piece specifically for myself today, too. Normally, my pieces become mine because I make them and then fall in love with them and decide to keep them instead of selling them like I should. But this morning, I set out to make a "mine" piece deliberately.

I have several antique keys that formerly belonged to a friend, now sadly deceased. I've done a couple of pieces in this style before, and was sad to see them go, so now I'll have my own, with memories attached:


Steampunk Key with Garnets by *dbvictoria on deviantART

A Year in the Making, day 299

Been a bit distracted the last few days - cleaning house, as my father decided to come in at the last minute for the holiday weekend. It's amazing how quickly the clutter takes over the house. Creep creep creep goes the clutter! But I did get a couple of new pieces made, and the pieces from the weekend listed as well.

Pyrite and Antiqued Sterling Necklace



Tequila Sunrise - Citrine and Burgundy Red Glass Necklace on Sterling Box Chain




I also made a bunch of trim for parasol ruffles. I started with 2 yards of pinstriped fabric, cut out 3" strips on a diagonal, folded it over and ironed it, then finished the edges. I'd initially done about 6 yards for the first gent's brolly I posted a few days ago, and decided Tuesday night to go ahead and cut and finish the rest, as I have two more umbrellas that are asking for similar treatment. I knew I was accumulating lots of strips, especially after I went through almost 6 bobbins sewing it, but it wasn't until I got done and measured it, at just short of 24 more yards, that I decided I may have gone a bit over the top!

Here's what 24 yards looks like:



I've got the ribs covered and trim around about 1/3 of the next brolly. Who knows when I might get it finished, though, with company in town. There's also something blooming at the moment that is making me very cranky - my eyes have been itching and watering for 4 days now. We were crabbing about having such a cold rainy spring, but now that the weather's shaping up I'm praying for rain again to wash whatever this crud is out of the air.

Here's the pieces from the weekend, now listed in my Artfire shop:

Blue and Silver Necklace Bracelet and Earring Set



White Glass Strung Necklace with Silver



Waiting for the benedryl to kick in. Hopefully this isn't riddled with typos, as I'm squinting at the screen and typing in bursts between sneezes. Unhappy Kitty tonight.

A Year in the Making, day 294

Very very sleepy at the moment - got distracted and didn't post these earlier, and now all I'm wanting is beddy-bye. I got a lucky score today, a whole jar full of new beads with which to play. "What?" you say. "Aren't you supposed to NOT be buying beads?" Yes, yes, I know. I am weak. What can I say?

Playing with stringing again today:





I got the skirt of my new done this afternoon, too, only the bustle left!

A Year in the Making, day 257

One two three one two three ....

I went to a dance class and had my first lesson in 19th century waltz. I'm still dancing in my head! Looking forward to more lessons. Somehow I can find the time, I hope.

Two new pieces today, one I actually made last night before bedtime.

Green Jasper and Wood Necklace



Steampunk Necklace - Sardonyx and Sterling Silver



Now off to nomnomnom on something. What, I'm not sure yet, but it will have avocado on or in it.