OOAK Guinea Pig Charm/Pendants Update

Alrighty everybody :) After a long day of working out the details, here it is.

I am going to open commissions for these OOAK charms/pendants.  Orders will take about 1 to 2 weeks to complete between the forming/sculpting, baking/sanding, sketches/design layout, and painting and finishing.  The price of the pendants/charms are US $40.00 each.  They will come with a sterling silver split ring attached.  I will also be offering the option of a 25" sterling silver fine chain for an additional US $5.00 or US $5.50, depending on which style you are interested in.

From you I will need photos of the front, back, both sides, top and bottom of your critters.  :)  This way I can capture all of the patterns and details on your little one.

I will ship internationally from the U.S.  I haven't offered it before, so I am researching shipping prices.  So far, it looks like the most cost effective would be using the USPS.

As an example you can find pictures here: Guinea Pig Charm/Pendant

On another note, I will be reopening to shop with some sale prices on some of the pieces.  So if there is something you've been eyeballing you might want to take a look and see if its on sale :)

Custom Guinea Charm Pendants

Here is the custom guinea pig pendant/charm I created as a wedding gift for my friend :)

If you are interested in a custom order you can contact me with bluedesertrose1(at)yahoo(dot)com.  I'm working out the details like cost and time and international shipping costs.  Stay updated here or my Artfire shop blog.  :)

Holiday Ornament and a Christmas Giveaway

I know, I know, it's a little early for me to even want to think about the upcoming holidays.  Insert nauseous face here.  However, I have a good reason for bringing it up before Thanksgiving Halloween.  I have discovered a giveaway being put on by Craftbits.com.  They are giving you the opportunity to win anything you want up to $150 and $20 shipping.  A huge generous win your own Christmas gift giveaway.  :)

So, I have picked my gift out.  I have decided, and it was hard to pick, that if I were to win I would absolutely love to win the Harmony Wood Circular Knitting Needle Set from KnitPicks.com.  They are beautiful wooden interchangeable knitting needles, and I had almost forgotten about them seeing as how they are a little out of my budget for now.  I love them, and a very good friend of mine has some and she loves them.  The joins between the needle and the cable is very smooth and wont snag up my yarn as I work.  This would be an amazing gift.  :)

If you like to knit you should really check out Knitpicks.com

While I was perusing Craftbits.com, I came across something that took me back to when I was kid at Christmas.  Every year when I was little, I would decorate the tree with my family.  I could tell you about all my favorite ornaments, but for now I will just tell you about one.  It was a little scotty dog shaped ornament.  It was plain and brown colored, and kind of like a cookie with a ribbon thru it.  It was kept in an old butter dish with some tissue paper because it was handmade and fragile.  The best part about this ornament is that it smelled like cinnamon apples.  :)  So, while I was looking at all the little crafty projects on Craftbits.com I was really excited to find this project.  Cinnamon applesauce tree ornaments.  I'm so excited to finally know how to make these.  :)  I think this might be the ornament I make for the family this year.  I just need to find a cookie cutter that I would like to use.  Or maybe 2 or 3! Lol!  I never realized how simple it was to make these.  Plus, this is a nice craft to do with little ones.  Kids love to get dirty!

A Nifty Giveaway

Singingwoods blog is having a giveaway!  Even if you aren't interested in the giveaway itself you should check out the blog because she talks about other giveaways, jewelry, life, and lots of other nifty things.  Her current post is about her giveaway and also Fairy Doors!  So if you are interested in reading about stuff like this you should go check out her blog :)

Here are a couple pictures from her current post! :)

Charm Progress

Here are some sneak peeks of me working on Frankies and Pumpkins.

Some naked Franks waiting in the workspace.

Blank Franks waiting to be completed.

Since these pictures the Frankies have been finished up and are drying.  Hobgoblins are waiting for a baking.  Cats are being assembled. 

Haven't been super focused lately.  I was distracted by a photography challenge.  I wasted spent a lot of time going around and shooting random photos and playing with my camera.  Then there was this local butterfly gathering at the park that I went to.  That was pretty nifty though.  I've got big plans for next spring. :)  I took my very awesome film SLR camera with me and shot some close ups of butterflies and caterpillars.  It was a lot of fun :)  I learned a lot and it rekindled my old ideas and plans.  So not entirely unproductive.

I need to get rolling though.  These charms aren't going to make themselves, and the fairs are approaching.  After today I should have lots of time to just get working.  Lately its just always been something hindering my work.  Hopefully the added pressure will help me whip up some stuff.  I did manage to get my show book started for custom orders of my birthstone bracelets.  Its almost done.  :)

Time to get to work!

The Wish

Star Light Star Bright,

The first star I see tonight,

I wish I may, I wish I might,

Have the wish I wish tonight...

I wish I could win my Etsy Wish List.  

One of my absolute favorite websites is having a giveaway.  A wonderful amazing giveaway.  Craft Gossip has so many tutorials, craft ideas, giveaways, reviews, and so much more in all things craft.  This Etsy Wish List contest will be drawn on September 1st for $100!  Speaking of September 1st, it's perfect, because my birthday is just 7 days after that on the 8th.  This would be such an awesome present!

So here is my super special birthday Etsy Wish List:

1:  Friendly Ghost Necklace by marymary handmade ~ $32
My nickname is Casper, and the first time I saw this I fell in love with it. :)

2:  Tutorial - Learn How to Transfer Images onto Polymer Clay by Analiese ~ $10
I love working with polymer clay.  I have wanted this tutorial for some time now.

 
3.  Daily Illustration 1/15 ORIGINAL by love and a sandwich ~ $18
Believe it or not, but when this artist was requesting ideas on her DeviantArt blog, this was the variation on my suggested idea that she drew.  I love the drawing, and would go bananas to have it hanging on my wall!

4. Glenda Kitty Is Soft and Grey by chet and dot ~ $14
Kitties have always been where its at for me since I was a little kid rocking my kitty shirts and coloring kitties.  Plus, this kitty was recycled from a soft cashmere sweater.  That's just awesome.  I won't even begin to go into how I feel about handmade plushes!  Lol <3

 5. Sarah's 12 Favorite Color Schemes - and WHY they work (E-book) by sarah hornik ~ $10
I love Sarah's beads.  My sweetheart got me one a few years ago for my birthday.  Its pink and purple and soooo sparkly.  Her color schemes are great and I would love to have this E-book for reference and inspiration.

 6.  Crochet Pattern- Francisca dressed as a butterfly by Owlishly ~ $4.75
Her amigurumi's are so adorable!  I think butterflies are beautiful and would love to crochet her. :)

7.  Nannerpus Charm by egyptianruin ~ $6
Hilarious, cute, and fun.  Who doesn't want their own Nannerpus?  He loves pancakes.

8.  PDF Pattern - Baby Sprite by Amigurumi Paradise ~ $5
And last but not least, baby sprite.  I look at this pattern and can already visualize all the cute variations I can make.  I have a bunch of little girls in my life that I would like to make this for. :)






The grand total comes to $99.75!  So thank-you Craft Gossip!  I hope my wish comes true!  :)

Cats

Hey everyone, I am reposting this from a different website for everyone.  It is about something close to my heart.  I appreciate you all reading it.  Thank-you
~Jen

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I don't know how many people actually ready my journal entries, but I like to pretend it's a whole lot. :)

Over the last year and a half, my neighborhood has had many stray/feral cats. They have been born next door, and they come and go. They are cute, and I feel bad that I don't have the extra income to take care of them like I want to. (Don't know if I have mentioned that being unemployed sucks, well it does.)

I took care of the very first litter that was born, socialized them and found them homes. Unfortunately, more were born after that. I have managed to come this far in time without getting too upset about them not having homes and multiplying. That all changed last Sunday. I discovered that one of the adult females, I've named her OrangeSmudge, has had her first litter. This was the straw that broke the camels back so to speak. My heart was crushed. I hadn't seen new kittens in quite a while. I thought that it wasn't going to happen again. Wishful thinking.
So, I freaked out on a few friends. Conversations and emails were full of "OMG I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO?!?!" and so on. Once I calmed down, I did some research Google style.

I found a local group that helps trap, neuter, release, otherwise known as TNR.  I also found a kind woman that is willing to take the 5 babys, socialize them, fix them, and adopt them out.
MY HEART SOARED. :D I am so happy that there are kind people out there willing to help me, a stranger, and feral kitties that they have no ties to otherwise.

So, I would say that there are 6 adult kittys, and 5 babys, that I know of living about my neighborhood. I am trying to coordinate this mass trapping soon. To get each cat fixed, ear marked, and shots, it will cost $25 a cat. Thus is why I am now reaching out to the interwebs for help. Between myself, and two ladies that are helping, we have 3 cats covered. Which is AWESOME. Unfortunately, its not enough. No one else as of today has stepped forward and offered to chip in. I understand completely that times are tight (two people living on one income hasn't been easy, and that most likely doesn't come as a shock to many people I know). However, if anyone would like to chip in or donate some dollars to my cause, or buy something from my shop to help out that would be AMAZING.

My Shop has some stuff in it on Artfire. Here is a link. <[link]>
and if you would just like to donate the money on paypal. Here is my account.
bluedesertrose@hotmail.com
I think you have to choose something like send money - personal - gift, or something like that.

I am looking to raise at least $200 to help the 8 other kittys.

The TNR process is a nice option for kittys that aren't social enough to live in a home. It keeps one more kitty from being euthanized, whether it itself is or one in a shelter waiting for adoption is because it took its place. Having neighborhood kittys keeps the mice away :) Plus once they are fixed, there are less babys, less catfights, less spraying, and less kitty loving making sessions under house windows. All in all, a pretty responsible way to maintain a feral cat colony.

I've never asked people online for something like this. (Not even for my car that needs to be fixed right now... Lol) So, I feel bad begging for money, and that's why I am offering a coupon to anyone who wants to buy something from my shop. Every dollar for me will help the cats & kittens, and the discount will help you a little too.

Just enter HELPKITTYS for a 10% discount.

AND OF COURSE
THANK-YOU THANK-YOU THANK-YOU
in advance for all your help
<3, Jen

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I have written this because I am trying to be responsible and do the right thing.  Take care of animals that can't take care of themselves.  Following the words of Bob Barker and having pets (and strays) spayed or neutered to control the population.

I love animals very much, and I have had a cat (and dog) for almost all of my life. 
Thanks for reading,
~Jen