Those of you who wish to have purples in your trees: the amethyst I bought DOESN'T FIT ON 24 GAUGE WIRE. And yes, 24 g is extremely thin. When sewing thread is almost too thick to string beads on...well, let's just say I didn't think about that before I bought the strand. I did just order more moonstone, stars, and amethyst Sunday, so I can resume duties again once they arrive. So here's the list so far:

1) mcgarrygirl78: small size; garnet (this should be done this week. Will let you know.)
2) jenjennyjen: small size; greens **paid**
3) vomviersen: large size; purple/dark blue/dark red
4) ehlara: large size; amethyst & garnet
5) elanorofcastile: small size; greens
6) isolabela: **pending**
7) wingsofchaos: small size; dark purple/blue

aoibhe: grey moonstone
secretchristine: Leo colors

Setting up my Etsy shop (huzzah!) that I finally decided to dive into last night. Working on rules, shipping costs, and banner graphics. I think that my two star tree pendants are going to go up for sale there. Will keep y'all updated when I have...erm...actual updates. Probably won't get much graphics-fu until this weekend. But am hoping to have at least those two pendants to put up there by Sunday.

After a horrible effing week, full of Not Fun, I edged back from the brink long enough to start a good portion of everyone's tree pendants. I wish I had them all done and ready for y'all, but...yeah. *sigh* Nothing has exactly gone according to plan recently.

Here's the newest one, because random inspiration struck:

( The stars in the sky, bring tears to my eye, they're lighting my way tonight )

Oxidized copper wire, brown goldstone stars

Also, should...erm...get my domain/craft blog semi-running. Um. Yeah. I will eventually get all the info and be ready to move over to the new server. Once my life stops being so dramatic. ^^;; And stuff. What's new with everyone? <3

1) mcgarrygirl78: small size; garnet
2) jenjennyjen: small size; greens
3) vomviersen: large size; purple/dark blue/dark red
4) ehlara: large size; amethyst & garnet
5) elanorofcastile: small size; greens
6) isolabela: **pending**
7) wingsofchaos: small size; dark purple/blue

aoibhe: grey moonstone
secretchristine: Leo colors

elanorofcastile wanted to see a size comparison for the two pendants, so here it is:
( Trees, trees everywhere! )

I'm thinking, since mah xtinethepirate (who bought the original garnet tree shown) declared her price, I'm gonna use it across the board: $20 for the smaller pendant, $30/35 for the larger, both of course, depending on materials and the intricacy of said pieces (I have IDEAS! people, although for the sake of my sanity and the future of this little endeavor, I'm sticking to simple right now. *grin*) Also, I will make the piece and take pics of it before I send it off - so everyone can see and be happy with what they're getting, or tweak whatever needs tweaking.

Also, I'm planning on doing a wee pendant raffle once I get my supplies and get into a groove of sorts. Prolly both LJ and twitter.

Okay, so maybe I am. Or, at least, I'm not an Ent. But I'm wondering how an Ent tree pendant would turn out now... *grin*

So I'm taking a rough estimate out here in LJville of those of you who would like a tree pendant! I know I've had a couple of requests, and since I just put down a huge order with Fire Mountain Gems for beads/supplies for tree production, I thought I'd make this little venture sort of "official", so to speak. You guys are the best friends a girl could ever wish for, and I want to thank you all for the words of encouragement and, most surprising to me, the desire to actually PAY REAL MONIES for something I made. You guys = ♥

1) mcgarrygirl78: garnet
2) jenjennyjen: **pending**
3) vomviersen: purple/dark blue/dark red
4) ehlara: **pending** ??

By dint of being my Ohana:

aoibhe: grey moonstone
secretchristine: Leo colors

It might be a little while - my order will take 1-8 business days to get here (course, FMG is in Oregon, and I'm in Washington, so not exactly a slow boat to China, if you know what I mean.)

Now, I just need the wherewithal and motivation (and possibly skill?) to get my domain up and running... *sigh*

So I took a wire tree pendant class today...and these two lil beauts are the end result (cross-posted...well, EVERYWHERE. Because I am ridiculously proud of myself.)

Moonstone + Copper Wire:



Garnet + Copper Wire:



Am seriously thinking of making up a bunch of different sizes and gemstones and sticking them on etsy to see if they'll sell. Honest opinions, would any of you buy them? Dunno what I would price them out to be either...But I know that I'm gonna get a BUNCH more wire tomorrow and make more. So. Addictive. Also, they photograph beautifully on my library copy of Fellowship Of The Ring. =P

Welcome to mah new bebes:

Echo (lil one in front) and her brother Eddy (down near my toes)!!

In a rare moment of quiet this month, I thought I'd write a little end-of-the-year post. This month, and especially the past two weeks, I've been off in the land of NonInternets spending time with my Ohana. Tomorrow, the first day of the new year, I start the trip head back to Washington with isolabela and back to normal life, whatever that is. But I'm here now, and for all that matters, I've spent the holidays with my family by choice. It gave me time to think, and it gave me a chance to breathe, and it gave the knot in my stomach a little time to loosen.

This year has been...challenging. I'm not sad to see it go. Hell, I'm not really all that sad to see the '00s of the 21st century go. I read somewhere that this decade has been the worst America has seen since the Great Depression, and I believe it.

But what I am looking forward to is whooping it up with secretchristine and aoibhe in whatever way we wish.

Here's to hope for the new year, and for all of you and all that you hold dear. Thanks for being the bestest friends a girl could ever wish for. ♥

Oh yes, folks! The hallowed, gloriously dubbed EEEcember visit to my Ohana is a week away, and that means? Laminator gotta start the list making (although, BEING a Laminator, I have several lists, ongoing and rewritten for months. Since at least I bought my plane tickets in August.)

To Finish:

~ T's monkey (75% Head/ears/tail still needing to be knit, then stuffing and sewing up.)

~ J's Yoda (0% but that shall be remedied this weekend)

~ Project that shall remain nameless since the person it is intended for reads this lj =P It's awesome though, just thought y'all should know =P

~ Wrap/pack ohana presents (shipping from work Monday)

~ Ship Mary's yarn/xtinethepirate's mini package (again, from work on Monday)

~ If at all possible, rip out the crap heel of the Christmas stocking I knit and redo it. Finish the crochet edging around the top

~ Cancel plane ticket home - road tripping it back to WA with isolabela!

~ Attempt to not flop and/or squeal with uncontrollable glee every 3-5 seconds (this might be the most difficult thing on the whole list)

~ Annoy just about everyone I come in contact with for the next week with the aforementioned flopping/squealage of glee (this...is not something I'm worried so much about. =P MY MIRTH, LET ME OVERFLOW WITH IT! So nyah!)

...to be continued

I'm trying to eat better and I'm trying to spend less money. Hn. Neither, oddly enough, are very easy. I'm slightly picky, and I tend to get bored with the same damn thing over and over again. (ie: I'm not a fan of pork, and really not a fan of re-heated pork, nor do I like yogurts with fruit chunks, oatmeal unless it's in cookies, Top Ramen makes me sick, may be the only person in North America that has never liked PB 'n J sandwiches, etc.) When I was living alone, I somehow found it easier to figure out the lunch thing, but it got sorta boring: rice cakes with cream cheese, cucumber/carrot/pepper/celery slices with low-fat ranch, vegetarian "buffalo wings" or "chik'n nuggets" (sooooo good, btw, even for those of us who dig meat.) I'm trying to do water all the time (yay for having a Sigg bottle!) instead of juices or sodas, but man...I attempt to shop for lunch stuff and I just get the same old same old. Today it was bagels, lunch meat, trisket crackers, and yogurt. And to top it off, I normally need a little something in the mornings (right now, it's blueberry frosted Shredded Wheat cereal with soy milk) and for my mid-morning break, before the big deal lunch around 12:30/1pm. Why, WHY, is lunch so hard?

I attempted some Google-fu today and looked for ideas, and actually found a few, but I ask of you, beloved f-list, what are your tried 'n trues, your favorites, or even blogs dedicated to this very subject, etc. I am so desperate here, going out almost every day is killing the budget!

~ Chicken Pesto sandwich (they suggested a crossiant. I'd probably use a crusty sandwich roll and add mozarella cheese.)
~ Mini Layered Salad (with peas, cheese, carrots, lettuce, etc.)
~ Mini Taco Salads (I might be sorta obsessed with taco salad...)
~ Antipasto/Cold Pasta salads (but because of the aforementioned slight pickyness, I'm still looking for recipes)

Any help? <3

Stolen from mcgarrygirl78 and aoibhe :

One little compliment can make you feel amazing. So give me a compliment, anything in the entire world, even that my shoelaces are pretty. Put this in your journal. And once you get some comments, put that entry in a memory or tag and when you are feeling down, just go to that entry and this will remind you of how great you are.

Comments screened, because that's how everyone else is doin' 'em, and I'm all sheepy today! <3