GIVEAWAY! Mr. LuckyGirl is Unemployed

The global financial crunch has reached our lucky home; Mr. LuckyGirl was notified that he's being permanently laid off. And no, I'm not giving him away--he's a keeper! In true Lucky fashion, he's been taking advantage of his extra free time and is putting his metalworking and jewelry-making skills to good use.

For his first line of jewelry for Lucky Girl Trading, I told him what sort of earrings I'd like us to make, and he took my idea and ran with it. He's been testing out both fine silver and sterling, hammering earwires, soldering tiny tubes, and hand-coiling and soldering tiny springs.





These earrings and more of Mr. LuckyGirl's creations are now available in the precious metal jewelry section at Lucky Girl Trading on Etsy. We'll be adding more items often, so check back every few days to see what's new.

To help kickstart the new pieces, I'm offering these earrings to you at 25% off! The regular price is $20 per pair, but if you make a purchase by September 30 and put "blog kickoff" in the notes to seller during checkout I'll take $5 off.

I'm also going to give away the winner's choice of any pair of Mr. LuckyGirl's earrings!

To enter: Visit the precious metal jewelry section at Lucky Girl Trading on Etsy, then leave a comment here telling what you do (or don't) like about these earrings. We love all feedback, both positive and negative, so don't be shy!

For an additional entry: Write a post on your blog, linking to both this post and Lucky Girl Trading, then leave a separate comment here with a link to your post.

For one extra entry: Copy, paste, and tweet: Win earrings, support indie artisans @LuckyGirlTradin http://tinyurl.com/mjtjlh

This giveaway is open to jewelry lovers worldwide. Entries will be accepted through September 30, 2009. On October 1 we'll use the randomizer thingie to select a winner.

New Fused Glass Plates

Things have been hopping in my studio this week, and I've got some new plates that came out beautifully! The two above are about 7 inches square, perfect for serving sushi or snacks, or displaying a candle or other treasure.




I've got two new small smiley face plates ready--these just make me smile! These are about 4.5 inches square and cute as can be! I've also got a blue one that didn't make it to picture day, but should be available later today or tomorrow.

You can get all the details on these plates at Lucky Girl Trading on Etsy. I've got more exciting things to share over the next week or two, so check back often to see what's interesting here. Or use one of the buttons in the right column to subscribe to this blog and you'll never miss a beat!

Happy 50th Anniversary Mom & Dad!

I apologize to all of you who've been wondering why I disappeared. A few days after my birthday was Mr. LuckyGirl's birthday, then my parents' wedding anniversary, so we've been partying! The anniversary meant a road trip, and although we came home on Tuesday, it always takes me a few days to recover.

We held a party in a pavillion at a local club so there'd be room for all of the guests. We had over a hundred friends and relatives there, and it was great to see so many folks come out to celebrate with us. The photo above is a near-life-size plastic standup I had made from a small wedding photo. I was thrilled with how well it turned out! The folks at PartyStandups.com did an awesome job!



Here's a shot of Mom and Dad posing with their flat selves from yesteryear. The flat people were shipped folded, so they were easy to transport. Once we attached the easels to the back it became impossible to fold them again, so now Mom and Dad get to look at a giant wedding photo every day (as do all of their neighbors!).

Happy Birthday to Me Sale--Share My Celebration!

I've always loved learning about how other people celebrate birthdays. Here in the U.S. it's common to give the birthday child a "spanking," with one light whack for each year. In Serbia, however, people tug your earlobes one time for each year. I'm avoiding anyone who even looks at my ears today, because I'd have enough tugs coming that I worry my ears might come clean off my head. :0

I'm celebrating with a sale! Take 10% anything and everything in my Etsy shop today. This includes all chains, something I rarely discount. And Temari ornaments and Kumihimo necklaces, things I've never discounted before. And of course it includes all fused glass jewelry, glass decor items, supplies, craft books, and whatever other treasures you may find there.

Include a Happy Birthday message in the notes to seller as you check out, and I'll refund your overpayment or send you a revised invoice before you pay, whichever you prefer. Shop now, this sale ends at midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time.