Open Call!
{Yo yo trees by Linda Augsburg}Ornament Thursday is one year old!
For the month of December, we are opening our doors to invite anyone who loves ornament making to join us in the fun!
Check out some of the details on our blog!
Category Archives: holidays
Holiday Tree Trimming Ideas #1
Ornament Thursday is going to start up with a vengeance every Thursday in December so I’m scrambling to come up with some new ideas. In the meantime I’ve been looking at what some of my online friends are doing with ornaments in their Etsy shops.
I’ve been looking at this beauty for awhile. It’s handmade by my online friend, Teague, in her glass studio located in Eugene, Oregon. I love the shape and and the bubbling effect in the glass. The stars and the lovely shade of blue just make it a keepsake piece.
The other thing I like is Teague’s suggestion for gifts like this beyond the obvious tree ornament. She says:
“Glass friendship balls have been given between friends and families for centuries. Traditionally they are hung in your windows year round, as a reminder of the sparkle and joy friends bring into your life. Give one to your friend today and feel free to display them year-round.”
What a great sentiment!
And if you are looking to decorate a tree, she’s got such a great variety of handmade ornaments to choose from.
Rockbottom Prices on Holiday Joolz…
Shameless Marketing Plug below:
Last chance on these Holiday Joolz in my Etsy Store. Anything left in mid-December is going to brighten the day of some yet-to-be-determined senior citizens at a local assisted living facility. I never did get around to re-inventing them so it’s time to move them on at below-cost prices!
And if jewelry isn’t your thing, check out the Half-Price Marble Sale at Chase Designs on Etsy. I’ve seen some of these in person and they are amazing.
Holiday Jewelry/Joolz?
Last year I wrote something about holiday jewelry and how I didn’t do a lot of it for a couple of reasons mostly related to cost of my Joolz and length of time most people wear very seasonal jewelry (though if you look at the stores, you wouldn’t be out of line thinking you could bring out the December holiday jewelry now! I’m still waiting for the temps to drop below 95 here).
I haven’t talked specifically with my favorite beadmakers about their plans for making holiday-themed beads, but I know based on the economic conditions, I’m not in the market for much along that line this year. In fact, I was thinking the other day that I have a handful of bracelets and a couple of necklaces in reds/greens that are due for an overhaul. I’m going to take them apart and see what new direction they take. (OK…I know that is exactly what I said I was going to do last year…and never got around to…I seem to remember a saying about “roads to somewhere paved with good intentions…”)
I have a show coming up the end of the month in Tucson (Girls Night Out) so that will be my incentive to rework a few of the holiday pieces. It’s been a nice show for me with repeat customers.
This set remains one of my favorites and I’m about to list it on Etsy. It is very non-traditional holiday jewelry (as in year-round wearability really!). Beads by Melissa Vess. Maybe it will strike someone’s fancy there!
July 4th
It’s July 4th and starting off quietly. No emails, no phone calls, just the hum of the A/C working overtime to keep us relatively comfortable.
Last night ended with a bang: The first “monsoon” storm of summer, only this one actually had rain with it. Hard, “coming at you sideways” rain. And lightning—the “light up the room” kind. And the thunder had two dogs and a teen comforting each other. Hoping no damage occurred as it sounded like it hit in the next yard over.
So we have humidity today and storms forecast for the weekend. It’s 7:30 am and 88 degrees but 45% humidty. That’s wicked for us. Until July and August we skate by with under 20% (“it’s a dry heat”). So looking at a high of 109 and that kind of humidity is not only miserable to be out in, it’s dangerous. Guess we’ll need to see if the video place is open or we might have to pull out the West Wing and Everybody Loves Raymond DVDs.
I’d say we’ll be watching televised fireworks but we’ll see. We can park about a mile away and see 4 or 5 displays from various casinos and communities in the outlying areas.
It will be a lazy day…plans for treasure bracelets and Melonhead Joolz and meals that don’t heat up the kitchen. Hope you enjoy your day too!
