New Orleans Snoball Treat

     I've had snow CONES. But until I heard the advertisement on the radio, I didn't even know about SNOBALLS. There's a SnoBall truck parked near my office. I was curious about them. What's a SnoBall, and how is it different from a snow cone?

     Apparently, it's all about the ice. A snow cone is crushed ice, and when you eat it, it's crunchy. But a snowBall is shaved ice, and it melts in your mouth. I got one today to try it out. The flavor was "wedding cake" - kind of almond and sweet. It's really good. And I guess you can get it made with soft serve ice cream in the center, or with condensed sweetened milk dribbled on the top. If you ever get a chance, be sure to try one out.
     So I learned another new thing about central Louisiana culture. Have any of you heard about New Orleans SnoBalls??

Bring Back the Sun

     It's Sunday morning, and it's very chilly! I think it's going to be too cold to pour resin today - can you imagine such low temperatures at the end of April?
     But I have several orders of pewter to cast today, that will help warm up the studio, once I get things fired up. There's no heat at the studio, except the daytime temperatures outside!
     It came a tremendous rainstorm Friday night, just torrents. I was taking care of the grandson and listening to the rain coming down. And dropping temperatures - it feels more like September than April here.
     I hope to have some new items to post in the shop later, if the sun decides to come back today. BRRRR!

Big Sale at LLYYNN Etsy Shop

     If you haven't been over to the Etsy shop lately, you might want to pop over and check out the SALE ITEMS section. I've added quite a few bargains in there, and the APRILSPECIAL coupon code is still available, giving an extra 10% off even on sale items. If there's something you've had your eye on, you may want to see if your favorite has a new, special price!Don't wait, or they may be gone...

Wedding Necklace, Talented Designer

Photo Courtesy of Rebecca Wilson

     A while back, I made this polymer clay faux ceramic focal pendant bead, and a neat lady named Rebecca Wilson of Virginia took it home. She recently got back to me, to let me know that she made this gorgeous necklace with it. I always love to see how things are turning out, and this one is a stunner. And, it has a happy story. Rebecca let me know that she had been hanging onto the pendant, until she learned that a dear friend of hers was getting married. So Rebecca created this beauty for her to wear on that special day.
     And, to top it off, Rebecca recently picked up a few things in the Etsy shop, and told me that she's going to make jewelry to participate in a raffle for Habitat for Humanity to raise funds.
    Warms my heart - and such a gorgeous necklace. Thanks, Rebecca, for telling me your great story!

Looking Back, Working Forward

     This is a heart that I created before I moved to Louisiana. Do you ever make things, then sort of move on to other things, and kind of "forget" about something you once made? I seem to do that sometimes.
     Because it made me think of a pebble, with words in it from a poem, I called it a "sonnet pebble."

     Sometimes, I go back through my own "sold" section in the Etsy shop, to remind myself of things I've made in the past, and I ran across the "sonnet pebble" piece. I decided to make a new one. Of course, every piece is unique, and it's almost impossible to reproduce something exactly. This is the one I recently made, the words inside are a little bit different. 
     Do you ever go back through your old photos and see something you made and realize, I had forgotten all about that one!? 

I Am A Fan of These Beauties

Photo Courtesy of Heidi Post

     I've been wanting to make time to create some jewelry using the pewter. I made some pieces for myself to use, but I just have't set aside that time to put things together.
     Recently, I got a message from Heidi Post, sending me links to her blog, showing photos of ways she has been using the pewter. And I just love what she's done!

     This one is the Normandy Blush Fleur connector, and she used a chandelier crystal with it. (I have one of those big crystals - I would like this look for myself to wear!)

Photo Courtesy of Heidi Post

     And this one uses the lovebirds pewter charm as a connector, with darling blue pearls. See the pretty blue dangle under the disco ball rhinestone? Gorgeous.And her clasps are wonderful!

Photo Courtesy of Heidi Post

     And this one so cleverly uses my spoontop connector in the center of the necklace. I'm never certain how the pewter charms and connectors will be used, so it facinates me to see pictures of the finished jewelry!

     Thank you, Heidi, for sharing these and curing my curiosity. They are all lovely, and I want all of them for myself! Beauties!

Painting With Color and New Work

     Want to see something new I'm working on for the Etsy shop? I mentioned earlier that I was trying for a smaller sized bezel, that could possibly be used for bracelets or necklaces. I have always liked the look of antique optical lenses, very quaint and antique. So I worked on a similar size and look for a bezel, and this is what I came up with.

      To put in as inserts, I worked on some unique polymer clay pieces, to resemble ceramic or carved ivory, but with bright colors and fun images. These three have a bright color range, with a crewel embroidery flower, a bluebird and a french postcard design.The bird and the flower are rounded, and the postcard is flat.

     These four have a more muted, vintage tone to them, with a cameo, two button reproductions and a french token in them. The french token and the cameo are flat, the others are rounded shapes.
These bezels measure 1 1/2" from the top of the connection loop to the bottom of the bezel, they are a 1 1/4" round diameter. 
     There's a hole a the bottom for a chain or fastener to attach, and I can see them as either a necklace focal or used with chain and a clasp for a bracelet.
          I really like the way they turned out, but your feedback is very valuable to me. What do you think?

Giveaway Winners!

      It has been a crazy week! I intended to do the announcement of the giveaway winners last Friday, but then life happened! Sorry to keep you waiting, but I'm back on board again, and ready to end the suspense.
     The local Mall had a "Mad Hatter Tea Party" event on Saturday, and the granddaughter and I went to enjoy. It had lots of pink flamingos, characters dressed as Alice and the Mad Hatter, and white roses for little hands to paint red. We'll have to see if the images affect my output in jewelry charms over the next week or so, I'm so susceptible to what I see and hear.
     I'm sharing this image of a "Bee Joyful" Heart pendant charm I made last weekend, although it has already found a home out of the Etsy shop. I do intend to make more of them, as I like the message and the way the pendant turned out.

      Without further waiting, the winner of the rectangular ivy pendant is Heidi Post, for being so decisive about the one she liked. 

     And the oval ivy pendant is Emanda, for sharing her preference for the oval shape.
     If you will both email me your mailing addresses, I will send them out to you, and thanks for participating.
     But Wait! There's More! For all of you who posted your thoughts on the Ivy Giveaway, there's a Coupon Code in the Etsy shop for 20% off anything you'd like, even the pieces that are already on sale! When you purchase, just use Coupon Code IVYGIVEAWAY to get your immediate discount. And thanks again for participating in the giveaway, it's fun for me to hear your thoughts about what I'm working on. 
     Keep an eye on the shop, I have some totally new pieces I'm going to add - I'm excited about them, and hope you'll like them. It's a new bezel shape and size, with some special focal pieces in them.
     I'm headed over to the studio today to finish up some orders in pewter, and get some more resin ready to pour. The weather is just right, warm enough and not humid. I have to pour when the weather permits!
     

Textbook Eggs

      I ran across these hand-colored drawings of eggs in an old german textbook. I can't read the german, but I thought the egg images were fascinating. I used to collect old books, and have one on german grammar, but these look so unique. So I had to use them in my round bezel.

     This one has great looking speckles on the egg, and the shape looks hand drawn. It would be super to find an old naturalist's journal, with plants, flowers and animals cataloged in it. I put them in the Etsy shop - and the April Sale is on until the end of the month. Use the coupon code I set up for you - it's so easy!
     Don't forget to post on the giveaway - it's still open, and I'll be closing it soon and announcing the winners. Right now, the odds are pretty good - so add your name to the list.
     I'm excited to share what Lorelei Eurto created with one of my rectangular pendants! Check it out - it's super cool, love it.

New Direction in the Compass

      I love things that have an antique look. Pocketwatches, compasses. Things that look like they have a story to tell. I've made several compass-themed pieces, but it's been quite a while. I found these antique compass rose designs, and I couldn't resist them.

     Years ago, in Texas, I had a sailboat that I took out on the lakes. I enjoyed crewing on the larger sailboats, too, especially during the races. So I get a lot of pleasure you of these old-fashioned compass designs. To show you the way, and take a heading.
     I made them the right size to fit in the new pewter bezel. It makes them look very vintage, don't you think?

Easter Egg Pendants

      If I ever wonder what inspires me, I just have to look at the recent batch of pendants I just finished today, on Easter Day. We didn't color any eggs at my house this year. But just look at these nests with green or blue eggs in them. 

      The bezel is new, too. This one is smaller than the one that holds the 1 1/2" rounds. It has a nice texture to it, and has narrow sides. I needed a slightly smaller bezel to hold some of the resin I've been creating with a smaller diameter circle. 

     The other thing that's new is my new etching point for my dremel, that allows me to sign and date the backs of the bezel pendants. I like the personalization of it. 
     Here's hoping your holiday weekend was enjoyable, with family, festivities and feasts galore!

Lilies and Cookies

     I bought some cookie dough and icing, so my daughter and I can make Easter Egg decorated cookies today. Sugar cookie and peanut butter, yum! She found the cookie cutters, and we decided to plan a creative afternoon.

     Yesterday I finished these three round pendants. Two of them have a lily design, which seems fitting for Easter. But they're not so completely holiday designed that they couldn't be worn at other times, too.
     This year the holy days for many of us all happen on the same date, which makes it extra-special. I hope your celebrations with family festivities are wonderful this year, however you commemorate them!

Good Friday Giveaway

    Good Friday is today, and I don't have any pendants with palm leaves. The closest thing I have are these ivy pendants I've made.
   I said I would do a giveaway after April 1, and I intended to have four rectangular pendants in the giveaway. They turned out to be popular, and have found homes! Which is a good problem to have. 
    So today I'm doing this Good Friday Giveaway with my two ivy pendants, and I'm headed over to the studio to make more florals to list in the shop. I'm getting the clear message from the poll on the left sidebar that you like the floral pieces. That's such a big help. I'm easily distracted and like a lot of images myself, so focus is genuinely needed!
     As an extra push to shopping this month, I have an APRILSPECIAL coupon code set up in the Etsy shop to give you an automatic 10% off anything you purchase - and lots of things on sale already at great price savings. I just put some pewter items on sale, so you might find something you love at a super price!

     For the giveaway, please tell me which of these two ivy pendant shapes you prefer, and why. Two people will win, picked at random from the oval-preferrers and the rectangule-preferrers - so tell me of these two images, both taken from the book of french designs my friend sent me, you would choose to design with, and why that shape.
     As a bonus, I'd also like to know if you think the orientation should be up-and-down or side-to-side for designing jewelry. Would you prefer the oval go sideways? Would you prefer the rectangle go up-and-down? 
     Oval? Rectangle? Which would you prefer to design with? You might be picked by the random number generator to win it! So post your answer here to enter the giveaway! I'll announce the winners next week.
     And if you're a follower of the blog, mention that - it's good for extra points ...

Geranium

       This red geranium flower, with its pretty green leaves, was made over two weekends. I'm still experimenting with the resin, getting the colored domes to look vintage and antique.
   I like to plant geraniums in the flower beds in the summertime. Soon it will be warm enough for them. I can't wait!
     Don't forget to make your voice heard in the poll on the left sidebar - help me figure out what images are your favorites, so I know what to make. And for those who have voted - THANKS!

Paris Souvenir

      I found these french postcards, with their views of the Eiffel Tower, and came up with a new pewter bezel to put them into. I wanted it to have texture and simplicity, with an old-fashioned feeling. I got the bezel made, molded and test cast last Sunday.

     I'm always on the lookout for images of the Eiffel Tower. I especially love old french postcards, travel tags and letters. Do you see the legs of the Eiffel Tower in the background, behind the word "PARIS," on this oval.

     I'm itching to make something with these, but went ahead and listed them in the Etsy shop. I might keep my favorite one aside, just to make up into a necklace for myself. 
     I like these simple oval bezels - and I can turn them side-to-side or up-and-down as needed!

Palm Sunday

     Today is Palm Sunday. No fooling - on April 1st, April Fool's Day, it's Palm Sunday. Kind of an odd combination, I think. Yesterday, on the last Saturday in March, my daughter and I went to the local Zoo with both of the kids. It was a lovely day, and we had a great time. The little man was in the stroller, and the granddaughter ran the trails and rode the train.
     In the afternoon, I worked in my square foot garden beds, to get things ready for planting. I didn't make it over to the studio yet this weekend, but I'll be going later today to ship some orders. Thank you to those who took advantage of the Giveaway post coupon.
     To start April off in the right way, I've put a 10% coupon code in the Etsy shop. When you purchase in April, use the coupon code APRILSPECIAL to save 10%.
     No fooling!