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

I learned a new word about myself!

That's right... I've come to the conclusion that "Masochist" now applies to me. Don't know what that is? Well, to save your precious brains from the rule of the internet that states "DON'T GOOGLE THAT!" I will explain it as: Someone who enjoys pain. Though in my case... it's all based around beads.

Why? You ask... (If you didn't ask that then you either don't really care, and thus have no reason to be here..... or you're in the same boat as me. haha) Well... in general beads are small, hard to see, and make me wrack my brain to come up with new designs. Then I go and add a webpage into that mix, that I am coding entirely by myself, PLUS purchasing new stock and coming up with NEW designs, making friends through facebook, AND running a blog... and my brain starts to explode a little. Or maybe it just oozes at the seams. Either way... I just keep coming back. Why? Because I'm addicted. Yeah... Bead addiction was something I knew about myself YEARS ago.  Pretty Shine'ys attracted me from every angle, and I was happy to label myself with those words.

But this new word? Yeah, that comes entirely from these multiple bead mixture packs we buy sometimes. No matter how many times I spend two days bent over them sorting through every single bead, I still keep going back for more!

There's no way around it... I have to admit it, and add one more word to what makes me "Me"... I am truely a glutten for punishment.

~*~Lanine~*~

Busy!

Happy Uh... Thursday? Well, hey... at least it's not Monday, right? :D

We have been *BUSY*. Busy with Business, as well as Busy with "Life". I just wanted to drop in and let you know we haven't forgotten about you... our 4 VIP readers. :D

In parting, I offer you the same advice one of my favorite bloggers has given her readers... Go outside and find your closest patch of grass, take off your shoes and feel the blades of grass between your toes. Tilt your head up to let the sunlight stream down on your face, and remember a time when this was all it took to make you happy.

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)

International Gem and Jewelry Show

Last Weekend, Lanine and I had a horde of family come in and invade my brother-in-law & sister-in-law's home. Yes, we really did brave the rain and wind and cold and head down to Larkspur to the Colorado Renaissance Festival. At one point we could see our breath as the temperature plummented before noon. The sun tried valiantly to push through several times but the clouds won in the end. It wasn't muddy until later in the day. I ended up with a new hat to help keep the water off my head halfway through the day but tucked the feathers away for later. Like Lanine said little weather couldn't stop a family tradition. We had a blast.

So back on topic for this post. Lanine and I are headed to the International Gem and Jewelry Show today. We are going to look for some more beads and findings for our old and new projects. One of our new ones is way more expensive than I had planned so we are looking for the best options without being low quality. Who knows, we might even attend a beading class as we will have no tagalongs with us. Of course we will probably have a bizillion phone calls asking "aren't you done yet?" unless I confiscate my daughter's phone. hehehe In March I found a great deal on some beads that are angel wings and dragonfly wings.
I will have some time in July to do some more organizing of my items so I can get them online for you to purchase. Last week, I found some of my gemstones, leather goods, and assorted other items while unpacking clothes for the renaissance faire. More and more goodies will be appearing on our website so be sure to check back at least once a week in July. We will be certain to announce them here as well as on Facebook and Twitter.

So, for now we are off and running to the gem & jewelry show! We'll be sure to share the treasures we have found! After all, I promised to share my photographing techniques .... which reminds me .... what did I do with that silver colored, satin piece of cloth/drape/sheet I bought a few weeks ago ........

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.."