Custom Painted Truck for Little Boys Room

I had so much designing this truck. I actually drew it all out last week, and then didn't get time to paint it until yesterday. It took a long time, but I finally got it how I wanted. It is silver with all kinds of cool custom decals, bats, vampire eyes, guitars, fishing pole, baseball and bat, flames and more. If you have a special little boy in your life, this would make an awesome gift. It is signed and dated, and available in my Etsy store. I did my second pencil drawing of a covered bridge. I am still not completely pleased with it, though it was a huge improvement from the first one. I think the lesson on Perspective is the hardest of all the lessons. I will share those in a future post. Have a wonderful Tuesday evening!

Getting Ready For the Holidays and Some Odds and Ends

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  So, this blog will be changed to all pink for the month of October. 

As you probably know the holidays are quickly approaching.  I have been racking my brain feverishly thinking of all the things I want to create by then.  I don't think I have enough time, lol.  I just finished a crocheted orange and black blanket that I absolutely love.  I used a different method for changing colors and it was so much easier.  It will be in my Etsy store tomorrow.  I must tell you if you are a Cincinnati Bengals fan, or love tigers you might want to check it out.  My goal, eventually, is to make a crocheted blanket in every color combo for every football team. 

To help my readers, and followers on Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook, I will be doing a flash sale every day until December.  There will be a different special each day.  To ensure I do not attract re sellers, my jewelry pieces will not get drastically marked down.  Sorry, but if there is something I can't stand is someone buying something they did not create with the soul purpose of selling it for more.  My Twitter is @melissasjewelry, Pinterest is iaminterested, and Facebook Melissa's Menagerie of Stuff.  Look me up and follow along.  I will not be posting all the flash sales here on this blog, so you will have to follow along in one of the other places.  It will show up on the Facebook widget on this page, so you could still visit this blog and find it easy enough. 

Speaking of jewelry.  I was so happy to see some of the jewelry casting sellers, that I used to buy from on Ebay, selling on Etsy.  Though I am currently learning new ways to create jewelry, I have always loved and been drawn to traditional settings.  So, I will definitely be making some new pieces using those traditional settings.  Just not sure when, lol.  I guess you will  have to visit this blog often and find out. 

I have noticed one thing, about Etsy.  There is a whole group of people who do not think that making jewelry with traditional settings is handmade.  Trust me I can tell you hand setting gemstones in those settings is for sure handmade.  Maybe I don't melt the silver, and then cast the setting myself, but I do hand set the gemstones, and it is not easy, and it takes a long time to learn how to do it too.  It is a craft, and if they want to be rude so be it. 

Have I Been Busy?

Yes, I have been very busy. So busy I feel like I can't keep up with my blogs. Some of that has to do with the fact that the kids and I are back to homeschooling. As you can imagine that takes up a lot of my time. The other day I was really feeling the need to draw. So, I drew out some pieces, and now I have to either paint them, or color in with colored pencils. Drawing takes a long time, at least I think it does. Since I am new to drawing, it takes me even longer. I have a very special truck drawn out for a boy's room. I will share when I am done. The gift bag shown below, was painted black and then the pink cat painted on. I love painting the gift bags. I have sold one, a penguin bag, but would love to sell more of these. They are great as gift wrap, then the person it was used for can frame the art and keep it forever. Check out my Etsy store to see all my hand painted gift bags.

Christmas is Coming Buy Hanmade Ornaments as Keepsakes and Gifts

One of my favorite gifts to give to family, and friends, are special keepsake Christmas ornaments. Why? Because ornaments are special. They can be used for years, and handed down from generation to generation. I love Christmas ornaments so much, that I decided to start making some special ones. I had done some painted ornaments, and I think two or three of them sold. So, those became part of our annual Christmas tree. Now, that I feel my painting skills have improved since then, I may try painting some again, no sure. But, I have a whole bunch of resin Christmas ornaments, in various sizes, shapes and colors, plus some of these crocheted ornaments created with cabochons and yarn. This one is for a dog lover, more specifically a Maltese dog lover. My mom used to own Maltese and she just adores them. You can purchase this ornament, or any of my ornaments, in my Etsy store. I will be adding new ornaments along the way to Christmas.

Teal and Orange African Butterfly Acrylic Painting

I love butterflies!  I have decided to do a new set of paintings of butterflies.  I also want to do some holiday gift bags, and still drawing with my children.  So, I have a lot of Art in my future.  I am also working on a Tiger stripe blanket.  This is an African butterfly.  It only lives there, and I so wish it would visit my yard.  But, I can still appreciate its beauty in my art work.  The only thing I did not consider is whether Forget me Nots grow in Africa.  It is signed and dated, and available in my Etsy store.  All my paintings are originals and one of a kinds.  If I do decide to paint something twice, it will not be the same as the original. 

Orange and Black Infant Baby Pumpkin Cocoon with Hat

I love making these crochet baby cocoons. I make them in the designs and colors of my choosing. They make great photo props, Halloween costumes, and also to keep baby warm at night. The cocoon is like a warm, and safe sleeping bag. This one is a Halloween pumpkin. The hat is the carved face of the pumpkin. So adorable. This will fit a newborn infant, boy or girl, and up to one month old. Check it out in my Etsy store. 

How To Make Easy Jewelry

I Am Having A Giveaway You Get To Pick Your Prize

This is a Facebook event.  I hit 300 likes on my Facebook fan page, so I promised a giveaway.  It is simple.

You must live in the USA, Canada or Great Britain.  You must like my Facebook page and join the event.  Joining the event counts as your entry.  Everyone who joins will have their name put in a hat, and my ten year old will pick the winner.  One lucky winner gets to pick their prize from my Etsy store, value of 24.99 or less.  Please be sure and read the whole event description before joining.  You can find it on my Facebook page.  I will try to bump it to the top, to keep it in view.

Come on and join.  Everyone loves free stuff!

For All You Spider Lovers Hot Pink and Neon Blue 3D Spiders

I know there are people who love spiders. I can't say I love them. I leave them alone, as long as they are not in the house. I was bitten by a Brown Recluse two years ago, so I have a respect for them that others may not. One day, while in my local Dollar Tree, I found these awesome spider molds. Of course I bought them. I made these lovely hot pink, and neon blue resin spiders. They both have had a hole drilled, and a wire wrapped bail. These could be worn as a pendant, hung on a Halloween or Christmas tree, or a keyring applied for a super cool keychain. Check them out in my Etsy store. I only have the two shown, so you will have one of a kind pieces.

Learn to Crochet Single Crochet is First

My daughter is ten, and she thinks she wants to learn to crochet. I tried a couple times to teach her the single crochet chain, and it didn't go well. It is easy for me to do, because I have been doing it forever. Not so easy to teach it to someone else. So, I am gathering some how to crochet videos for anyone who wants to learn to crochet. I find watching someone else do it more helpful than reading or looking at pictures in a book or post. Watch for new videos. I will try to share a new tutorial, for crocheting at least once a week, or every other week.

White Lace Infant Baby Girl Angel Cocoon Halloween Photo Prop With Pink Wings

The wings are sold separately from the cocoon and headband. Some people might not want the wings. The wings do not attach, they just lie behind baby. The cocoon is a crochet v stitch that looks like lace, and is my favorite stitch. It is white for a newborn baby girl to three months. The headband has tiny pink pearls at the tips. These make awesome sleepers to keep baby warm when sleeping, photo props, Halloween for baby's first Halloween and this one I think would be beautiful for a Christening. It is available in my Etsy store now.