Z-O-M-G!

... We've been busy, guys. Like.. really, really busy; both Sandy and I got real day jobs that take up a lot of our weekdays, and the weekends are full of everything we're not getting done during the week. The GOOD news is that we're still working on TPD.... which means that if you want us to make something, all you have to do is ORDER! :D

I actually just finished making some beautiful memorial charms for my ex-sister in law's family, and I've been working on simplifying the webpage order form for Awareness Bracelets! Before, I had everything separated by type and color, and pretty much just repeated every page 100 times with different colors.... which was HIGHLY annoying, and very hard to take care of from a web designer point of view. So I did away with that!! Now, there is ONE page for ALL of the bracelets, and you pick and choose from a list of pull down options and go! 1-2-3, That's enough for me!!

"Memorial Baby Charm Necklace with Birthstone"
Soon to be added to the webpage!

A couple of weeks ago I decided to rip all of the yarn out of the blanket I had been crocheting for almost 2 years, and started over again. I've added in some white, and it looks quite a bit different. Nicer, cleaner. Here's hoping it doesn't take me another 2 years to decide that I hate it, and rip it all out, and start over again. haha That's kind of the problem with me and crochet: I have finished a total of TWO projects..... ever. Everything else I've ripped out over and over and over again. I know it sounds silly, but I always find something wrong with the piece I work on. It's too small, it's too large, it doesn't look the way I wanted, it's the wrong color, or I've run out of yarn and don't have the money to get more. So.. out it comes, back into a ball of yarn to one day make something else! I tell my husband constantly that I don't really like to crochet, I just like to count things... over and over and over again. :D It's kind of nice to see the blanket progressing the way it was originally supposed to, though. And it's SOOOO warm when I'm working on it, at only 1 foot wide... I'm sure it will be *amazing* when it's finished. (I hope!)

"Crocodile Stitch Crochet Blanket"
Basically an abnormally large amount of double crochets
with a slip stitch thrown in  every once in a while for fun. 

I've also been coming up with some new jewelry pieces. I had a friend challenge me to make my own professional jewelry (after attending a Premier Jewelry function and stating "I make my own jewelry, and I could probably make MOST of this as well!")... so I'm going to give it a go! We'll see if any of it ends up for sale.... or if I just keep it in my own jewelry box of shame. haha

What have you been up to? Anything crafty to keep you entertained during the long winter months? Share your projects in the comments! I'd love to see them! :)

-Lanine

Hello again. :)

So, it's been a while since either of us has posted here! What with all of the various holidays, webpage adjustments, and life happenings... well, it's been a little busy. But, Happy New Year! Time to start prioritizing, and working on new things.

For those of you who know me in person, you know that my son was born with a defect of his left ear called Microtia-Atresia. For those who don't know us, then I'll explain just a little bit about it. Basically, his ear didn't form all of the way. So, while he has an inner ear, an ear drum, and even a little bit of a folded up ear on the outside... he's missing all of the parts in between. Since his right ear works perfectly fine, this isn't a completely end-of-the-world type disability.... but it does have its problems (like unilateral hearing loss, for one. haha). I don't like to go on and on about it and my son functions as if it doesn't even exist. Of course... he's only 4, so he hasn't quite gotten to the mean teasing stage found in most schools.

So, long story short, I read a publication that I get through the mail every month called "Hands and Voices Communicator". It's kind of a little newsletter for members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community in my area. It's cool... but usually there's not a lot in there that applies to me and my family. This month though, there happened to be a cool little article about Microtia-Atresia, and falling through the medical "cracks". Yes! Finally, connection! Someone else, in WRITING, actively talking about it! AND she had a Facebook group! Yes! So I joined, and was immediately welcomed, and given advice... and have tons and tons of articles to read through just waiting for me in the group... all within the first 24 hours. Awesome. :)

By now, I'm sure you're wondering why I'm telling you all of this (other than: Just because I can! muaha!). Well, that's the cool part. There's a lady in the group that is selling Swarovski Crystal support bracelets in order to make money to adopt a child who has Microtia-Atresia. (If I could find her info, I'd give it to you... if anyone knows her info... let me know!!!) She has a GREAT cause... and if I had money to send her, I would totally do it.

However.... this got me to thinking. While MA is not exactly a Common birth defect... it IS known. And there's only the one single lady out there making support/awareness jewelry for it... and I can't even FIND her outside of a couple people mentioning her goods. There's no color code, there's no ribbon, there's not even a recognized symbol for the disorder (other than the ear, since that is what is most often affected)! So, now I want to make some. I don't wear bracelets, and I rarely wear necklaces (I'm a tshirt and jeans kind of girl. Most of my jewelry doesn't go well with that kind of wardrobe. :)) But this one? Yeah....

This one I'd wear.


Interested in joining the group? See: Microtia-and-Atresia-Support-Group

Cancer Bracelets Amongst Other Things...

Wow! It's been quite some time since I've posted! We've had a lot going on recently, including family being in town, and my husband's birthday, plus father's day to contend with! But finally, things have (hopefully) slowed down to a normal pace again, and other than dealing with the summer heat I should be all set and ready to spend some more (much needed) time with TPD!

So, by now you should know I've been working on some Cancer Bracelets for Sandy's office. After a LOT of thought (More than I should have spent, but for some reason my brain wasn't working right..) I've come up with a look, feel, and cost that I'm comfortable with.

I'll sell these pretties for $5.00; they are made mostly out of plastic and pewter, and are strung on an elastic cord. They supply that less expensive option that was lacking from the supply out there, while still looking nice enough to wear with almost any outfit. I'm also working on some Chinese Crystal bracelets that will run between $10.00 and $15.00, and those are the ones I'm going to be able to offer a donation from.

While I'm originally only making these for the cancer patients at Sandy's office... Look forward to the option to purchase these (and many other) awareness bracelets on the webpage, soon!

Also, don't forget to friend us on Facebook, or if you're reading this from Facebook, make an account and join us on here! It always makes it easier to keep up with projects when you know someone is paying attention. :D For those of you on Twitter, we also have an account @ThePrismDragon! (And to give you a hint on my OCD Perfectionism... I seriously just spent the past 10 minutes trying to come up with a way to fill this space so that my blog post wouldn't look so weird under this picture. No wonder these bracelets took so long to come up with!! In other news: Hah! Mission Accomplished. :D hahaha)

Organizing stuff

This weekend, I'm staying at my brother-in-law's house. I forgot my beading stuff and asked Lanine to bring it to me when she brought her hubby and son down for the day (read late afternoon/evening). The best time for me to work on it is when we have a family gathering as there are more hands to help sort as we buy stuff in the bulk. Lanine always shows everything neat and tidy in the white plastic bins. I decided that you needed to see the chaos that is always going on at my house. I'm not nearly as organized but can pack it up quickly and take it almost anywhere without mixing it all back together. Here are some pictures of my sister-in-law's table with the plastic beads we are currently organizing.

I'll post more later when I have more time and I am at home with my "fail" and "success" photographs. This way, I'm also no longer the silent partner/funding only. After all, this *is* a mother and daughter business *and* we've both been really busy this last week with family things (and me with my other job). My hubby and his brother are wanting me to finish making the lasagne.

And while you're at it, please do your job.......what's that you ask? Create a login to blogger so that we know we have more than 2 followers. If you have a Gmail/Google entity/email, just use it or Real I.D. (even Yahoo has that). Thank you to all of you that have joined/liked our Facebook page too!

{*hugs*}

Sandy

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