I swear I'm not being a slacker!

Seriously-I have been insanely busy! I can usually sneak in a post here and there but lately I have had no time whatsoever. Between a wedding and a funeral and many very late nights editing photos on my computer, I am plum worn out.

I am going to be at the Maryland Faerie Festival Saturday and Sunday (the 16th & 17th-keep your fingers crossed for good weather this year!). Yes, tonight I am packing up my little car and tomorrow at 5am I am driving due south for 3 hours to reach Upper Marlboro, MD.

I have kept up with a pretty steady production pace for wings over the past several months, so for the first time since I began this venture, I don't feel like I am scrambling to get them done at the last second. Unfortunately, I wish I could say the same about my masks! I have several out on consignment, but my own stock was down to a paltry 5 pieces. I made 10 in the past week and a half, and if I have time I am going to squeeze in one more for myself to wear at the show. :)
I made a few oldies but goldies and have a few new designs to showcase. Of course it would help if I remembered to take some pictures to share before they get snatched up....

In addition to mask making, I have decided to learn a new technique and subsequently started a new product line. It is something I have wanted to do for years, but just never got around to learning. I will be unveiling my first piece at the festival, and will post pictures here when I get back. No, I'm not telling yet-it's a surprise!

So if you are free, come visit me this weekend-I'll be bringing my masks, fairy and dragon wings (sorry, still no feathers yet), crowns/tiaras and my fairy dust collection, which includes my potion bottle necklaces, my children's fairy dust vial necklaces and a few of my brand new vessal necklaces filled with semi-precious gems.

New and Improved: Potion Bottle Necklaces

Back when I first started my etsy shop, I created these lovely potion bottle necklaces: they were little round glass bottles that I decorated with findings and beads and suspended on a chain to make them wearable. I filled them with fairy dust (ahem...glitter) and that just added to the loveliness. I made about a half dozen to start and after months and months, sold a grand total of two. In my disappointment over a product I adored, I let them fester in thier jewelry boxes and in the back of my mind for the better part of a year.
Then one day as I was doing a little housekeeping (i.e. moving piles of my supplies around trying to find something...) I stumble upon my sparking beauties. And realized that they could use some jazzing up!
So I pulled out my well loved pliers & wire cutters and my truely scary bead stash and got to work. I further embellished the few I had started so long ago and then found in the bottom of a jewelry supply case that I had purchased more bottles and promptly forgotten about them. Well, I couldn't just leave them there, so they have been jewelerified as well!

Here is one of the new ones: my Purple Pearl Fairy Potion Bottle Necklace! I just think this peice is so charming with the cascade of pears and crystals, the teardrop rhinestone charm and the little silver fairy charm. This one is filled with extra fine silver glitter for all you pixie dust lovers out there.

And here is one of the revised ones: my Silver Rose Potion Bottle Necklace. The vintage silver rose with a rhinestone center was the original focal point of this necklace. The shell hearts and snowflake beads are from the first incartnation, but the luminous white stick pearls, swarovski crystals, silver pearls and teardrop charm are new. This necklace is suspended on an extra long chain and is sold empty so you can fill it wit your poision, er, potion of choice.

I have many more to follow; all the work is done and the pictures are taken, but I am having trouble finding time to post anything new!