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

New Happenings

Happy Monday! I hope everyone in the US had a great Independence Day, everyone in Canada had a great Canada Day, and everyone else in the world had an awesome weekend (Or anything else you may have celebrated! Feel free to clue us in under the comments... We'd love to hear your stories!) Between the torrential downpour we had here in Colorado last night, and the lightning and thunder, my family chose to stay inside and watch the fireworks from our balcony. :)

So! Back to work. :D As many of you may know, as you are fans of our Facebook page, I joined a group on Facebook called It's Better Handmade Group. They have a really awesome goal... which is to connect people who make handmade goods to new customer bases via OTHER people who make handmade goods. The idea is basically that you can post your goods to the group's wall... but you have to share someone else's link on your own wall in return. It can be a little bothersome to some people on your friend's list that really don't want to see a constant slew of advertisements... and so I promise that.. unless I REALLY REALLY like something and REALLY REALLY want to show it to you.... I will only post ONE link per day... if I even get around to that much. :)

On that same note.... because Sandy and I can't afford the listing price on Etsy at this moment (yes.. I know it's only like 30c per item... but trust me, it's out of our budgets right now), all of our sales go through the webpage. And because of the coding that I use (frames, and ancient debunked HTML mostly) linking to individual pieces while preserving the whole webpage is not exactly possible right now. I'm working on it.. and researching some new codes (and trying to figure out how I can make my husband go back to Computer Graphic Design school, so that he can relearn Java and Flash for me. hehe), but it may take me some time to figure out and implement. SO... I'm going to start spotlighting different pieces here, on the blog. Not only will this give me a linkable place that I can share with others, with a direct link to the main webpage... but it will also give me a place to TALK about the pieces; what they are made of, why I love how they look or feel, what I did to make them.. and it will allow YOU to give ME feedback on each piece as well! AND It will keep my procrastinating lazy bones hard at work on this blog, instead of letting whole weeks go by without a post. :D

In parting news, the cancer bracelets were a hit at Sandy's office, and we had to order some new findings in order to make more! So as soon as those arrive, look forward to some new merchandise on the webpage. I hope you all have a great Monday!

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)

Colorado Renaissance Festival!

That's right... this weekend is the opening weekend for the Colorado Renaissance Festival. (Does anyone else stumble over renaissance when trying to spell it?! I always want to put two N's in as well as two S's.... haha) My family (and extended family) attend almost every year, rain or shine (and thankfully this weekend looks like it's going to be rainy. Yay!) and this year is no different. Of course, the birth of my cousin's first born makes this year a little different, because we finally get to meet her and her mommy, but for the most part it's still the same. The same shops that have been there since I attended the first time (that I remember) at age 11, some of the same shows even!

But we don't just go for the Steak on a Steak, and the entertainment. We also go for IDEAS. Not that we'll be stealing anyone's jewelry ideas, especially since we tend to avoid those shops due to their overpriced manners... but everything around you can give you an idea. The ribbons, and flowers, and colors, and designs. Leather, bone, fur and silver studs for the biker gangs barely disguised as Vikings. Satin, Canvas and Tapestry for the nobility, floating around like Galleons awash in a sea of tourists; A red rose with a black lace ribbon upon their breast to show that they are staff and not to be approached by the scummy underlings like us, who can't tell the different between a Gunne Sax hippie wedding dress, and a full Tudor period dress complete with all 7-15 layers of costuming designed in as accurate of a manner as possible to the real thing. A smattering of black, red, and gold.. and some rotted bone thrown in for Pirates and their wenches. Bells and coins and the sheerest of silk for the scantily clad, and oft overweight, "Gypsies" (who are really nothing more than over glorified East Indian belly dancers). Glitter, gauze and shimmering wings, and not to forget the flowers, for the little fairies who act touched in the head in order to attract a larger crowd to their odd behaviors and tricks. The shiniest of metals, and colored coat of arms for the brave knights who bash each other theatrically for the joust (3 times a day!). The rainbows caused by misters constantly spraying water under decorative lattices woven with silk flowers to cool off weary travelers who have started to feel the particular exhaustion caused by heat and nothing but beer to sup on, since water costs $5 for a 10 oz bottle.

You'd think, to hear me talk about it, that I wouldn't bother going anymore, since I obviously don't enjoy it. But really, that's not true. While my appreciation of the entire thing has definitely morphed into a more cynical eyed view, I still enjoy dressing up in my (as accurate as possible, and just as painful to wear) Tudor period gown that I bought for my wedding day (and never got around to wearing in that capacity, since we never had an official wedding ceremony) and carting my husband and son around to see all of the acts, and ye olde shops. I go to pick up hints of glitter and subtle design, and let my brain work them all into a whole that I can later turn into a piece of jewelry, or a bookthong, or a short story in the back of my head. I go to see family, those who I only get to see once or twice a year. And I go to escape the often times over whelmingly mundane lifestyle I lead. When I have money I do some light shopping, and when I don't I window shop and plan for the next year that I do. I put on all of my jewelry, no matter how gaudy, and I flaunt the wares that I've made and am proud of.

But really? I go for the Steak on a Steak.

My Goofball family in 2006.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"..About that time two young and lovely girls just happened by
And one says to the other with a twinkle in her eye
See yon sleeping Scotsman so strong and handsome built
I wonder if it's true what they don't wear beneath the kilt.."

A Mascot is Born.....

Before we started a webpage, Sandy and I sat down (in Y!M) and talked about names, logos, color scheme, website design.... and a mascot. Not happy with anything in the clip art section, or any of my previous creations... I sat down and penciled a dragon. I spent at least two days working on him, making sure he looked just the way I wanted him to... and then I scanned him in, loaded him into photoshop to "ink" his lines... and then I promptly gave up. He was a mess. Smudge lines everywhere, and no easy way to color his lines in without losing too much detail and spending at least another day cleaning him up. So... he sat in a folder, alone, waiting for the day when I might get around to coloring him. I opened him up a couple of times.. dusted him off... but still didn't feel confident enough to make him look the way I wanted him to.... so I always put him back and let him alone until a better time.

But then we got a domain! (*yay!*) And I really needed something more than that little clip art dragon that used to be in the corner of the webpage.... and so I pulled our little prism dragon out again, and got to work, and finally, after several hours of work.... he was inked.. and colored, and ready to be placed on the webpage!

Which is, of course, when everything went down hill. I then spent the next two days working on code, and trying to get the measurements right, and the frames to work, and ARG STAB ARG! until... FINALLY... on the morning of the third day... I threw everything out the window, and started over. haha And it was glorious... and now you too can see the glory of the Prism Dragon that I spent so long working over. Or maybe you can't.... because Internet Explorer makes me stabby, and refuses to leave my frames alone. So the coding may be a little wonky for you.... and if you have a resolution less than 1280x1024, I'm sorry... his wing might not show up as well as it should. But again... IE makes me a little stabby, and I can't figure out how to fix it right now... so for now that's what you get (until I can figure out a better method!). But rejoice! For you can see him in all of his glory, here, so you aren't missing anything that anyone else is seeing. :D

Please welcome our new Mascot... the Prism Dragon.... and know that he will eat anyone that displeases him. >:D

Exciting New News!

Guess what! Guess what! We are now hosted! Change your bookmarks, because we can now be found at http://www.theprismdragon.com/!!!! Yaaaaay!

Bear with me a couple of days... I need to fix a couple of links and pages... but the site should be fully functional, otherwise. :D

Exciting new things...

Exciting new happenings! Yesterday I went out to the local Hobby Lobby with my Mom, Dad, and the Boychild to pick up some new organizers for the large amount of beads Mom had picked up a couple of weekends ago. Soon after walking in to the store, I happened upon this lovely black hand figurine. It was in the glass section so I didn't figure it was going to be affordable, but then I noticed the 50% off sign right next to it. Really???? 50% off, you say?? I looked at the price tag, and my heart sang with joy. It was TOTALLY affordable.

So why in the world would I want something like this, and how does it pertain to TPD (The Prism Dragon)????? Other than the fact that it's just plain AWESOME... it's a jewelry display. That's right... it's something to hang jewelry from, and then take awesome pictures of it. Or just to set on my desk and stare at every once in a while. Whatever!

Now, I *could* use this for the bookthongs, but really it's designed for jewelry. "But Lanine," you say "You don't HAVE Jewelry to display!" And that would only be partially true. True, I don't have anything up on the website, but that doesn't mean I don't have anything laying around waiting to be photographed. AND that doesn't mean that I don't have piles and piles of beads that can't be used for bookthongs because the holes are too small! Just lying around... staring at me forlornly, making us both wish that I could make something with them. But now I have a display, so you will probably be seeing much more of this little hand. :)

On the same note.. (backwardsly speaking) a co-worker of Sandy's (Mom's) saw my bookthongs, and asked her if I could also make necklaces. You see, her son liked the LOOK of those little hemp necklaces, but just couldn't handle the scratchiness. So I thought about it, and researched the different knots and beads and materials, and finally settled on black waxed cotton as an alternative. I made several 'experiments' in order to figure out length and bead placement, and then I got to work. And guess what?? Her son loved it so much, she ordered a SECOND one (shown on the right. The first one was blue in a similar pattern, which was only supposed to be a guideline because I hadn't really measured it, but she liked it so much she wouldn't let me have it back. haha) So, kind reader... is this something you might be interested in? Something I should be making more of?