Earth Day Promotion Reminder

Remember to visit my jewelry shop for Earth Day specials!

Lucky Me!

Heather Alexander makes beautiful pendants and jewelry out of sea glass as well as creating children's jewelry and other items. She also has a great blog on which she ran a contest this weekend. I was the lucky winner, and I am getting my very own sea glass pendant from her shop! I'm so excited. Go visit her store and blog and show her some love for giving me love!

Twisted Green Contest

Courtney Watson has the TwIsTeD shop on Etsy. All of her very cool jewelry and accessories are made from recycled material. For Earth Day, she is running a contest: send her a story of how you are living green, and you may be selected to win a great t-shirt. More details are on her blog; link below.

If you are one of my students, you can tell her about how my scouring of the trash cans after class for recyclable materials has made you very conscious about recycling! : )

Courtney Watson Blog

Shelter Dogs Necklace

I bought a great pendant supporting animal adoption from inabit on Etsy. (Inabit has more listed in her shop.) Many of her pieces are inspired by her lab, Larry, and I love the sentiments, style, and colors in her work. (She also has prints of original collages.)

Here's what I made with the pendant I purchased (modeled with the help of Harvey):




FYI: Etsy is the site where I sell my jewelry. There are lots of fun teams and forums that help me procrastinate! This necklace is for me--not for sale! : )

Earth Day Promotion Reminder

All items in my "Earth Day Every Day" section are 10% off during April in honor of Earth Day which falls on April 22. Come take a look! New items just listed!

Persian GSG

The latest weave I've tried: Persian GSG. So pretty and none of the Half-Persian stress! The instructions I used and rings in this bracelet come from Marilyn Gardiner who also gave me a private class in Viper's Scale (photo to come). According to Deakron, "GSG" stands for "Great Southern Gathering" because it is at that gathering that Buddha (no, not that Buddha) developed the pattern.

Oprah on Puppy Mills

Today, Oprah Winfrey's show will cover the horrors of puppy mills. Just a few weeks ago, hundreds of small dogs were rescued from a breeder near Tucson. The Humane Society of the United States has had a long-standing campaign against puppy mills.

Adoption is always best--millions of healthy animals are killed every year because they don't have homes--but the HSUS does have tips on finding reputable breeders for those who do choose to buy a pet.

Oprah's Site
Arizona Republic Article
HSUS: Stop Puppy Mills

If You Aren't Scared Yet, You Will Be

Today on Fresh Air, Michael Greenberger discussed the economy. His intereview was interesting but made me nervous. The comment that stands out most is this--he said that lots of experts are saying that the economy is the worst it's been since World War II, but by that, they mean it's the worst it's been since the Great Depression. I've heard that comment--in fact I heard it tonight on the radio driving home--several times. Now, I wonder: how bad can it get?

NPR Story

Earth Day Promotion

In celebration of Earth Day (April 22), all jewelry items in my "Earth Day Every Day" section are 10% off during the month of April. These pieces use recycled beads, tagua nuts, or other material that is ecofriendly. Please take a look!

In Memoriam

Over the night, Opie the cow, one of the first farm animals to live at the Farm Sanctuary, passed away. In the picture to the right, I am with his friend Maya. Rescued in 1990 as a downed calf, Opie lived a wonderful life on the farm where he was loved and had shelter, open fields, and the companionship of other cows.

George and I met Opie last June when we visited the Farm Sanctuary for Zoop. (It was during that trip that I took the picture of Opie below.) What a sweet boy! He was the face of the Farm Sanctuary's No Downer campaign, and no doubt his life made a difference.

Please think of making a donation to the Farm Sanctuary in Opie's honor.



Farm Sanctuary Press Release

Shop, Help Animals

As you may know, I am a member of Etsy for Animals (EFA), a group of Etsians who are passionate about improving the lives of our animal friends. EFA selects an animal charity each month, and funds from items in the Etsy for Animals shop (minus Etsy and Paypal fees) are donated to the selected organization. Many of the EFA members, including myself, donate a portion of their sales to the charity of the month as well.

What a deal--shop, get great stuff, help the animals!

April's charity of the month is the Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sancutary. Most of the shelter's residents are disabled--the animals who would surely be euthanized without a home like Rolling dog. Currently, 80 animals live at the ranch.

Now you have the perfect excuse to buy new jewelry--it's for a good cause!