Lynda's Christmas Workshop Is In Full Swing!

No shopping for me this weekend. I am working, sans elves, in my little workshop, creating more Christmas ornaments and holiday themed jewelry pieces for my shops.

I've been working to improve my image transfer pieces. I found some beautiful, vintage Christmas card and advertising designs on a Dover Publications CD, and I collect vintage gift wrap, another good source of inspiration. Here are my latest creations. "Good Cheer" got a big thumbs up from the family, and I think "Wake Up, It's Christmas!" is adorable. What do you think?

The images were saved as TIFF files and then edited in photoshop. I've found the best results come from the image being darkened and the colors more saturated than the original versions, although you have to be careful when manipulating red. It will bleed through white clay in a heartbeat.



These were a bit trickier. The original images are in black and white, and I wanted a red and green silhouette. It took awhile, but I finally got it right.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I love Thanksgiving. It has been my favorite holiday since I was 10 and found out there wasn't a Santa Claus. We learned in school of course that we might not be here if it weren't for the Pilgrims, but that took on a very personal meaning for me when I started doing genealogy research 30 years ago and learned I am a descendant of four of the Mayflower passengers: Isaac Allerton, his wife and daughter, both named Mary, and Richard Warren. Daughter Mary married Thomas Cushman and one of their descendants made his way to the Barnwell District of South Carolina about 1780, and a few generations later, here I am.

I resisted the pull of genealogy research for many years. My paternal grandparents tried to convince me, while I was in high school, to write down our family stories and to go with them to visit cemeteries and dusty, musty old records depositories. Of course, at 13, I couldn't be bothered, and now they are gone and I would give anything to have them back so I could sit at their feet and listen again. So, I urge you to talk to your older family members, learn your history, as much as you can from then, and then start your own journey in genealogical research.

Tomorrow, while I am chowing down on turkey and cornbread dressing and all the fixins' that make a Southern Thanksgiving meal not to be missed, I will remember and honor my Mayflower ancestors, and the sacrifices they made to leave their home in 1620 for a wild new world.

Black Friday-Cyber Monday 50% Off Sale!

If you purchase 4 or more items from either of my Etsy shops, SCDiva.etsy.com or PCDiva.etsy.com between midnight e.s.t. November 28 and midnight e.s.t. December 1, 2008, your discount will be 50%! This offer does not include items already marked down or gift certificates. Standard shipping rates will apply.

If you purchase 4 brooches regularly priced at $20 each, you pay $40 instead of $80! If you purchase 4 necklaces regularly priced at $50 each, you pay $100 instead of $200! You may also combine different items, 2 brooches and 2 necklaces, or 3 brooches and 1 necklace, or 3 necklaces and 1 brooch, ANY combo of 4 pieces from the regularly priced items will get you the discount.

This offer is good in either of my shops, but you may not combine items from both stores to get the discount. You must purchase 4 items or more from SCDiva.etsy.com or 4 items or more from PCDiva.etsy.com.

So, if you have some of my exclusive designs on your wish list, or if you are looking for a one-of-a-kind jewelry design for that special someone on your gift list, there will never be a better time to buy!

Regardless of whether you take advantage of the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale, I have many affordable gift options in both shops, and I'll be adding more this week, right up to midnight of Black Friday!

Here are a few items from my SCDiva shop:

Definitely Diva Southwestern Bling Necklace and Earrings Set
Regular Price $60.00








Earth & Sky Necklace and Earrings Set
Regular Price $85.00











Carved Olive Jade and Tiger Jasper Necklace
Regular Price $75.00







And here are a few items from my PCDiva shop:

Purrfectly Lovely Kitten Pendant
Regular Price: $15.00










Angels Sweetly Singing Pendant
Regular Price: $15.00











Two Little Angels Christmas Ornament
Regular Price: $15.00







Happy Shopping!

Lynda

Angels We Have Heard On High - Sweetly Singing

I am in full Christmas Mode (sorry Thankgsiving, but you're still my favorite holiday!) and I have been experimenting and creating Christmas ornaments over the past several weeks. PCAGOE members are swapping ornaments, and I had three to do for that project. I am very pleased with the way they turned out, and there is a lot of me and my personal taste in them. I hope the people who receive them like them, too.







I also made myself a Frosty. This fine fellow was created from Whipped Cream Studio by Sculpey clay to which I added a touch of Buttercream sculpey. Sounds yummy, doesn't it? I wanted him to look like a fat, little marshmallow and after an hour of sanding his little curves round, and he looks good enoughtto eat!



And, speaking of good enough to eat, among the items listed is my Christmas Kitchen Potpourri blend. I love making potpourri, and this Christmas Kitchen blend is one of my favorites. It is chock full of dried apple and orange slices, orange peel, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, nutmeg, apple pie spice, rosehips and is flavored with orange essential oil. It comes tied with a festive Christmas ribbon attached to a complimentary, handmade Cinnamon and Applesauce heart ornament.

This blend can be displayed in a bowl in the kitchen or simmered on the stovetop in a heavy saucepan or dutch oven. I highly recommend it be simmered. The aroma will float through your house and put anybody in the Christmas spirit! One bag contains 4 very generous cupsful. The ingredients are all natural, no artificial or dyed filler, and because they are natural, the aroma will last a long time.












I also have some great Christmas themed brooches in the shop, including these sweet, little Candy Cane and Christmas Waves brooches.

I have lots more items to add to my scdiva store and my pcdiva holiday shop, so be sure to visit often over the next week. Between November 28, 2008 (Black Friday) and December 2, 2008 (Cyber Monday), I am offering the wholesale price of 50% off list for anyone who purchased Four (4) or more REGULARLY PRICED items purchased in one, single transaction. This offer applies to both my shops. Items cannot be combined between shops. I'll be blogging more about this in the next week, so keep me bookmarked! Thanks so much!

Lynda

Friday Favorites November 21, 2008

I took a trip down memory lane on my weekly cruise through Etsy this week. I found some Mister Potato Head earrings and some ornaments that made me think of toys I received on Christmases past, which in turn got me thinking of other Christmas memories and traditions.

Ever year we got to pick out or make an ornament for the tree. Some years, it meant a trip to the Hallmark store, some years we would make something special, and some years we would hang ornaments given to us at school or church or a party. Of course my mother has saved every one, and it is a treat to see them on the tree every year and to recall how they got there.

So, waxing nostalgic had me searching for ornaments and things which reflect some of the toys I had or favorite ornaments. They just happen to all be made of Polymer Clay! Hmmm...wonder how that happened? These items are fantastic examples of the versatility of Polymer Clay, and I wanted to spotlight some of my fellow PCAGOE members and their sculptures. I envy this kind of talent. This is something way beyond my abilities. Aren't they awesome? There are some fantastic gift ideas in the collection, too.

Remember that beloved sock monkey? He's here! I just love SpiritMama's Sock Monkey ornaments. This one is meditating, but Waxela has several to choose from in her shop.

I have fallen in love with TheGlassPie's earrings. I remember begging for Mr. Potato head stuff one year. That was in the stone age of course, and by "stuff", I mean the plastic ears, nose, glasses, etc. Back then, you had to furnish your own potato! Yes, children, it is true, and decorating old Spud kept me and my brother and sister fascinated for hours. You kids today have it so good, you just don't know how good, because after a day or two, old PH got really smelly and icky. My Mother had a strict one potato per kid rule, although we couldn't help but sneak more. Is it any wonder our french fries all had holes in them? Hee Hee

Polyclarific's Dolly Needs Pie setting takes me back to my pre-teen years, my dollhouse and hours spent playing "family". I used to make my own dolly food, too. This is so special and gets me choked up just looking at it.

Hey, can somebody make me a PC Easy Bake Oven? Seriously? I would love to have one on my tree, but I can't sculpt worth doodly.

I remember trips to the Hallmark store, too, to commemmorate a special occasion, baby's first Christmas, newleyweds' first Christmas together. Lynnslittlecreations' 2008 Snowball Fight ornaments reminds me of that. I just love Lynn's work. She has an amazing imagination.

And how about birthstone guardian angels from polymer clay! Personalized and monogrammed items are cool, and these little angels from Kathys711 are so sweet and would make the perfect gift for the teenager on your list.

So, come on, check out these and more items from our talented PCAGOE artisans!

King Chicken
Dolly Needs Pie
Zen Monkey Meditating
Cheerleader Ornament
Father Christmas Bracelet
From The Tropics Birdy
2008 Snowball Fight Ornament
Mr. Potato Head Earrings
Birthstone Guardian Angel Ornaments
Your Dog As A Superhero
Frog and Flower Fairy Figurine
Bear Booty Photo Ornament

Friday Favorites November 14, 2008

I know I have mentioned before that my favorite color of blue is indigo. Not only is it the color in our state flag, it is just a gorgeous color, and I decided it would be my color of choice for this week's Friday Favorites.

Isn't batfineart's digitally enhanced photograph of pelicans, titled Birds of A Feather amazing? I absolutely love it!

I think my favorite item, however, is JenniferRydinDesigns's limited edition King Lear tile pendant, which features the art Elizabeth Schuch of immortallongings. It is a stunningly beautiful pendant.

Christmas In Paris

Don't I wish! The closest I will get is this "Christmas In Paris" Treasury I made today.

It features a handpainted Christmas Holly Ornament from one of my favorite Etsy artisans, Kirsten of ThePaintedPalmetto, a fellow South Carolinian, no less! You must visit her shop to see all her jaw-droppingly gorgeous, handpainted Christmas ornaments.

Friday Favorites November 7, 2008

I actually grabbed a Treasury slot and filled it with my Friday pics for this week and titled it "A Pink Grapefruit Sunrise", but it expired this morning.

I love these shades of pink, the salmon/coral/peach/blush tones which have a little more orange-red in them than baby pink. There are so many lovely things in this collection: The Fresh Blooms bracelet made by my friend Jacki from CityDetails, the gorgeous Deco Hollow Lentil polymer clay bead, made by my fellow PCAGOE team member Valarie from VAharoni; and the print "I Can See The Whole Farm From Here" from BucksCountyFrames

And, I love the innovative way Mudcakes displays her handmade buttons, don't you? Very cool!

The The Coral Frame by SecondLineFrames, was made with wood salvaged from Hurricane Katrina's damage, a simple but stunning message of survival and rebirth, it just makes me feel happy.

Congratulations, Beetreebyme!

Mary Elizabeth, a/k/a beetreebyme, won first place in the PCAGOE November challenge for her entry "Autumn Fairy". She's a little 3.5" beauty!



Peggers took 2nd place, ArtByLilin 3rd and IrisMishly 4th. Congratulations, ladies! Wonderful pieces!

Let's Hear Those Sleigh Bells Ringing

I have never gotten the Christmas spirit this early, but I am almost giddy with it on November 6th! Part of the reason is that I've been working on Christmas ornaments for a PCAGOE ornament swap, and part of it is because I've been prowling around Etsy looking for stocking stuffers, which turned into shopping for Christmas ornaments, which turned into shopping for Christmas "stuff". I didn't have to go far to look (should have known!) because my fellow PCAGOE members have gotten the Christmas spirit early, too. This little Polar Bear is so cute! He was made by Peggy of Peggers. Did I mention I am a nut about Polar Bears, ever since visiting Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC on a school field trip. They are awesome creatures, and very beautiful in their own way, and I love that Coke commercial where the baby Polar bears slide down the hill.


Peggy also made these beautiful Poinsettia magnets. They would make great "Secret Friends" gifts.

PLEASE VOTE! No, not THAT Vote!

Although you should definitely exercise your right to vote in the other important election Tuesday, I mean please vote for your favorite entry in the challenge sponsored by PCAGOE! This month's theme "Autumn Leaves". Aren't the entries wonderful? Lots of imagination at work here! My entry is #3, my Aubergine Leaves Necklace. I hope you like it, I loved making it. The pendant is heavily glazed with an aubergine glaze that resembles pottery from the 1920s and 30s. The base is a beautiful shade of pumpkin, custom blended. The gorgeous gemstones are Tiger Jasper, which has a dazzling array of Autumn colors in each stone. It is my new favorite gem!

To vote, please visit our guild website at PCAGOE between now and November 4th at midnight. Two lucky voters chosen at random will win some wonderful, unique polymer clay prizes made by our talented members. One of my pendants is a prize in Pack #1, so I hope you'll vote and I hope you win! If you do, come back here and let me know, okay?

Thank you!