31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 31

Happy December 29! Today's special is 10% off your purchase from my LuckyGirlTrading on Etsy store. Make your purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, send me a message with the words "Day 31 Deal", and I'll either send you a corrected invoice or refund your overpayment. This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my New Year's Giveaway!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 30

Happy December 30! Today's special is 20% off the purchase of any Sterling Silver 4-Sided Cable Necklace. These are chunky and fabulous! I've got them in 18-inch, 20-inch, and 24-inch lengths. Make a purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, send me a message with the words "Day 30 Deal", and I'll send you a revised invoice or refund your overpayment. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 29

Happy December 29! Today's special is 10% off any kumihimo braided necklace purchase from my LuckyGirlTrading on Etsy store. Make your purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, send me a message with the words "Day 29 Deal", and I'll either send you a corrected invoice or refund your overpayment. This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 28

Happy December 28! Today's special is 25% off the purchase of this Sterling Silver Round Bead Lariat. Send a message to me at luckygirltrading at yahoo.com or leave a comment on this post before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, with the words "Day 28 Deal" and your zip code and email address, and I'll send you an invoice via PayPal for $11.25 + 2.75 postage, for a total of $14.00 (Postage outside the U.S. is $3.50). I also accept checks and money orders from U.S. customers, just let me know your preference. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 27

Happy December 27! Today's special is free shipping and a surprise gift with any order of $35 or more from my LuckyGirlTrading on eBay store. Make a purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, and I'll add a gift to your order and refund your shipping charge. Just send me a message with the words "Day 27 Deal". This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 26

Happy December 26! Today's special is 20% off on the purchase of any Jewelry Pouches and Travel Rolls. Make your purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, send me a message with the words "Day 26 Deal", and I'll send you a corrected invoice or refund your overpayment (whichever is easier for you). Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 25

Happy December 25! Today's special is 10% off any chain purchase from my LuckyGirlTrading on Etsy store. Make your purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, send me a message with the words "Day 25 Deal", and I'll either send you a corrected invoice or refund your overpayment. This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 24

Happy December 24! Today's special is Buy 3 Get 1 Free on the purchase of any Set of Fortune Cookie Gift Boxes. Available in 2 sizes and 8 colors. Purchase one or more sets of these cute silk-lined fortune cookies before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, and I'll include a bonus fortune cookie with your order. Just send me a message with the words "Day 24 Deal". Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 23

Happy December 23! Today's special is free matching earrings with the purchase of this beautiful sterling silver love knot necklace. Purchase the necklace before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, and I'll include a pair of love knot earrings with your order. Just send me a message with the words "Day 23 Deal". Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

Make Something Mondays: Buttercream Mints

One of my adult children remembered that we made these when she was young--it was the year that everyone we knew received mints for the holidays. She thought it would be fun to do it again, this time with her step-siblings, so I searched and searched to come up with a recipe similar to the one I used about 2 decades ago (gosh, that makes me feel old!).

These are simple enough for even the little ones to roll into balls. Or blobs. We have some Monster Mints, and some Tiny Mints, so size is not too important. Here's the recipe if you want to try them:

1-1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp peppermint extract
7 cups powdered (confectioner's) sugar
food coloring

Cream the butter in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, mixing after each cup of sugar. By the last cup or two of sugar you may need to knead the dough by hand. (Our dough was too sticky, so we added an extra cup of powdered sugar.)

On wax paper, divide the dough into smaller batches (one batch per color). Mix several drops of food coloring into one batch, adding a few more drops of color as you knead if the color looks too pale. (You may want to wear disposable plastic gloves for this; one of us still has bright red fingers.)

Color all the batches of dough, choose one to work with, and let the others chill in the refrigerator.

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll into balls. Place the balls close together but not touching on the cookie sheet. You can flatten them a bit with a fork, stack them into snowmen, or just leave them as balls. When a cookie sheet is full, pop it into the refrigerator (or freezer if you're in a hurry) for about 30 minutes to firm. Repeat until you've used all the dough or are tired of making little balls. Store the mints in a covered container in the refrigerator or freezer (I like them frozen--they melt in your mouth quickly either way!).

This post was inspired by Jolly Mom and Go Graham Go!, the ingenious moms behind Make Something Monday. We'd love for you to join us next Monday!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 22

Happy December 22! Today's special is a 10% off any gift certificate purchase from my LuckyGirlTrading on Etsy store. Make your purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, send me a message with the words "Day 22 Deal", and I'll either send you a corrected invoice or refund your overpayment. This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 21

Happy December 21! Today's special is a make your own deal on any purchase at my LuckyGirlTrading on Bonanzle store. Make me an offer with the words "Day 21 Deal" before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, and I'll accept all reasonable offers. This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 20

Happy December 20! Today's special is Buy 2 Get 1 Free on any fused glass items from my LuckyGirlTrading on Etsy store. Make a purchase of 3 or more fused glass items before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, and I'll refund the cost of the lowest-priced item if you pay immediately, or send you an invoice reflecting the discount if you prefer. Just send me a message with the words "Day 20 Deal". This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments on fused glass items only. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 19

Happy December 19! Today's special is 10% off any order from my LuckyGirlTrading on eBay store. Make a purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, and I'll refund 10% if you pay immediately, or send you an invoice reflecting the discount if you prefer. Just send me a message with the words "Day 19 Deal". This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 17

Happy December 17! Today's special is a Free Shipping on your purchase of $25 or more from my LuckyGirlTrading on Etsy store. Make your purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, send me a message with the words "Day 17 Deal", and I'll either send you a corrected invoice or refund your overpayment. This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 16

Happy December 16! Today's special is a Buy One Get One Half Off on your purchase of books or patterns from my LuckyGirlTrading on Etsy store. I came home from my Thanksgiving trip loaded with vintage sewing patterns and more crafting books than I can count! Make your purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, send me a message with the words "Day 16 Deal", and I'll either send you a corrected invoice or refund your overpayment. No limit on quantity; take one pattern or book at half price for each pattern or book you purchase at full price. Half-price items will be items of equal or lower cost than your qualifying purchase(s). This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

Make Something Mondays: Long Silk Kumihimo Cord

A jewelry store owner contacted one of my suppliers looking for finished kumihimo braids. The supplier recommended me (how cool is that! I am still over the moon!). After a couple of discussions we determined that she wanted a thin 2.5mm diameter braid, 36 inches long plus tassels. I think she was going to add a donut pendant and tie the ends in a simple knot.

I braided about 60 strands of 6-foot-long black silk thread into this beautiful braid. At this size I can only braid a couple of inches an hour, so it took a good number of days to finish. You can see my braiding set-up in this post.

Now that I've finished, the store owner has changed her mind and doesn't want the braid. I'm fine with that: I can list it for sale and it will find its way to an owner who will love it. I now have a good idea of how long it will take me to finish many different sizes of braids, something I did not have a good handle on before this project. And I love working with silk thread so much--it feels so terrific!--that I may make a few more braids like this one.

This post was inspired by Jolly Mom and Go Graham Go!, the ingenious moms behind Make Something Monday. We'd love for you to join us next Monday!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 15

Happy December 15! Today's special is 25% discount on this beautiful ruby and diamond bracelet. 10K yellow gold hearts are set with rubies and diamonds, creating a piece of jewelry destined to be cherished for years to come! Purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, and I'll reduce the price from $370 to $277, plus the actual shipping cost. Just send me a message with the words "Day 15 Deal" and your email address, and I'll send you an invoice for the correct amount via PayPal or Google Checkout. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 14

Happy December 14! Today's special is 25% discount on this beautiful sterling silver and gemstone bracelet. Sterling hearts are set with amethyst, citrine, garnet, peridot, white topaz, and swiss blue topaz gemstones, creating a lovely rainbow of color and sparkle! Purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, and I'll reduce the price from $74.95 to $56.21, plus the actual shipping cost. Just send me a message with the words "Day 14 Deal" and your email address, and I'll send you an invoice for the correct amount via PayPal. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 13

Happy December 13! Today's special is a free fused glass pendant with your purchase of $35 or more from my LuckyGirlTrading on Etsy store. Make your purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, send me a message with the words "Day 13 Deal", and I'll choose a pendant from my private stash and add it to your order. This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 12

Happy December 12! Today's special is a 20% savings on your purchase of $50 or more at my LuckyGirlTrading on Bonanzle store. Make your purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, send me a message with the words "Day 12 Deal", and I'll send you an invoice with the discount. This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 11

Happy December 11! Today's special is 30% discount on this beautiful pink jade necklace. Suspended from a 30" sterling silver tipped pink ribbon, the 12mm diameter pendant is lovely gift. A favorite among breast cancer survivors, this necklace also works as a pin: tie it in a fancy bow, add a safety pin, and you've got a multipurpose piece of jewelry! Purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, and I'll reduce the price from $15 to $10.50. Just send me a message with the words "Day 11 Deal". Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 10

Happy December 10! Today's special is a free satin neck cord with your purchase of any fused glass pendant from my LuckyGirlTrading on Etsy store. Make your purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, send me a message with the words "Day 10 Deal", and I'll include a satin cord with your order. This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 9

Happy December 9! Today's special is a free gemstone flower pendant with your purchase of $100 or more at my LuckyGirlTrading on Bonanzle store. You can get complete details on this lovely Citrine and Iolite Flower Pendant here. Make your purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, send me a message with the words "Day 9 Deal", and I'll include this pendant with your order. This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

Make Something Mondays: Holiday Ornaments

I'm cheating a bit today; I didn't make these myself. My adult daughters made them and gave them to us as early Christmas gifts. These were created with plain ornaments from the dollar store, glue, glitter, sparkly pipe cleaners, and a bit of imagination. They had little helpers, of course, and the kids had a good time trying out different combinations of color and materials.

Everyone in the extended family now owns a custom-decorated ornament. I wish I had managed to get a group photo before they were all packed up!

This post was inspired by Jolly Mom and Go Graham Go!, the ingenious moms behind Make Something Monday. We'd love for you to join us next Monday!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 8

Happy December 8! Today's special is a free month with your purchase of any 6- or 12-month Gift of the Month Club subscription from my LuckyGirlTrading on Etsy store. Choose from Temari of the Month, Earrings of the Month, Pendant of the Month, or Jewelry of the Month (alternate months of pendants and earrings). Make your purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, send me a message with the words "Day 8 Deal", and I'll extend a 6-month subscription to 7 months, or a 12-month subscription to 13 months. This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 7

Happy December 7! Today's special is free pack of anti-tarnish strips with any order over $35 from my LuckyGirlTrading on eBay store. These strips can be cut into smaller pieces to protect dozens of pieces of jewelry, flatware, and other precious metal objects from tarnish.

Make a purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, send me a message with the words "Day 7 Deal", and I'll include the anti-tarnish strips with your order. This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

31 Days, 31 Deals: Day 6

Happy December 6! Today's special is a free gift with your purchase of $20 or more at my LuckyGirlTrading on Etsy store. Make your purchase before midnight tonight, Eastern U.S. time, send me a message with the words "Day 6 Deal", and I'll include a special gift with your order. This offer is good for both U.S. and international shipments. Check back tomorrow for my next December Daily Deal!

My New Wreath

We don't have nearly enough holiday decorations for our home, and Mr. LuckyGirl and I can rarely agree on things related to decor, so getting ready for the holidays is going pretty slowly around here. One thing we agreed on is that we both love this wreath, and I was thrilled to find that it's even more beautiful in person!

Handcrafted by Terri of Daisy Designs Florals, my new wreath was not only affordable, but made to be both sturdy and attractive. I've got to find some other spots for wreaths, because Terri's got a few more creations that I have my eye on.