Christmas 2024 Grand Boutique

      On December 7 Grand will have its December 2024 Boutique.  Along with 5 of my fellow Grand Stitchers I will be participating.  We'll be joining a fun and growing part of the U.S. craft economy as we show and sell our handmade items this Saturday.

      There's been a growing interest in handmade.  Etsy, the top U.S. marketplace for handmade, has been showing ads and gaining momentum all year.  Their ads are a perfect match during the Christmas season, but this year they even took out an ad during the Super Bowl!  And no wonder--over 75% of Americans said they participated in a craft activity this past year.  It's only natural that they would be interested in artisan made goods.  (That's what me and my friends are hoping will happen this Saturday!)

      Our Boutique will take place outside in the plaza area of The Grand on Remington Boulevard.  In addition to jewelry, embroidered items, and a few felted goodies, there will be glass, clay and paper arts for sale.  It's a great place to shop for something unique and different. The hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

       I know our market can't compete with some of the larger U.S. Christmas fairs.  The Bryant Park Winter Village in New York City has vendors, but also an ice skating rink and views of the Empire State Building. The Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania has over 100 vendors selling handmade toys, hand-knit wool sweaters, and traditional German Christmas classics.  

      Shoppers at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco can buy their handmade glass ornaments and more at a Victorian London streetscape created inside the Cow Palace.  And nearly half a million visitors will shop in Carmel, Indiana at their Christkindlmarkt. We're hoping for a nice crowd in Grand, but have no expectation of getting half a mil to come out.    

      We won't be in a Victorian storybook setting, or even a snowy Christmas village, but come and see us anyway.  We'll have lots of handmade items and plenty of Christmas spirit. 

    If you can't come in person, come to my Etsy shop.  I'm a Star Seller this month!

Here's a link to bring you directly into the shop.  https://desertdabbler.etsy.com

Is There Gold in That Pumpkin?

       Nothing says Fall like pumpkins. Last month I showed you my needle felted ones.  This month I want to show you my Goldstone pumpkins.  You wouldn't want to try to bake a pie with Goldstone, but it's great for making jewelry.

See more details about this one here. 

I added extra purple bling to the leaves with Stickles. Hope you like them!

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If you're in the Surprise, Arizona, area on November 16, come out to Grand's Fall Fest celebration.  I'll be inside the Chaparral Lobby with my Desert Dabbler Jewelry.  Stop by and say Hello.

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See the Bracelet sale going on now through November 30 in my Etsy shop.  Beaded bracelets are now 20% off.  There are 6 to choose from.  Here's one of my favorites.

More details are here.

     

Pumpkin Time is Here!

   

     It's hard to believe that October is finally here. It's still soooo hot here in Arizona. We've been under a Heat Advisory for days and days.  Real pumpkins are struggling to survive, but my needle felted ones are fresh and colorful.

     Here are a few that are available in my Etsy shop. 

This one has 2 ribbons. One says "Happy Thanksgiving".

See it here

This one has a copper leaf that I handcrafted from wire.  

See it here

This yellow one has a jaunty feather!

See it here

        There are acorns, too, and more pumpkins.  Stop by my shop and give it a look.

Happy Fall, Y'All

Father's Day - Then and Now

 It took over 60 years for Father’s Day to be officially and nationally set aside as Dad's special day. From tragic beginnings in 1908 the idea of honoring our fathers grew until it was recognized as a nation wide day of celebration in 1972.  

A mine explosion in West Virginia was the tragedy that initially started Father's Day. On July 5, 1908 the deaths of 362 men were honored by this local event.   Over the years other events to honor fathers occurred in various cities and states.  Washington state is recognized as the first state to celebrate the day state-wide in 1910. 

President Woodrow Wilson was the first president to celebrate the day in 1924. The idea continued to grow and become popular until it became a national day of tribute in 1972 during the Nixon administration. The date was set as the third Sunday in June. 

A traditional Father's Day celebration includes his favorite food, a decorated cake, and maybe a gift or two. 

If you're looking for a unique Father's Day gift, check out my Obsidian and turquoise bracelet. It's on sale now until Father' Day, June 16.

However you choose to celebrate, have a great day with your dad.

You can see all Desert Dabbler Handcrafted Jewelry here: www.Desertdabbler.etsy.com

Wild West Days

  We’ve been taking a break from the blazing Arizona heat the past few weeks. It’s been a real treat. Cool days with plenty of sunshine. We’re at about 8700 feet so the weather is totally different. I’m loving it, and Tikaan is ecstatic. Here he is enjoying the Yampa River  

   We’re not traveling in a Conestoga, thank goodness. Picturesque though they are, I like my comfy motor home much better.  But if you want to try out a Conestoga, check out Sun Outdoors in Granby, Colorado. They rent out the ones shown above. They’ve been modified with A/C, heat, and a door that locks. Bet the pioneers wished they had had those mods!

     My Etsy shop is on vacation, too, until next week. It should be open on August 24. While I’ve been gone I’ve been needle felting pumpkins and acorns. I hope to have some in the shop soon. 

      Until the, Happy Trails to you!

  

Wire Jewelry

         I've been fascinated by wire jewelry for a long time.  A few years ago I started working with wire and made a number of Tree of Life necklaces.  Next I moved to wire wrapping stone cabochons.  A few months ago I began making pendants, hearts, and other shapes out of the wire itself. 

         There are lots of great resources to teach you how to work with wire.  There's YouTube videos, pdf patterns, e-books and traditional books. The problem isn't finding resources, it's finding the time to make all the beautiful items.  

          Two of my current favorite designers are Nadja, whose shop on Etsy is ImbaliCrafts, and Valeriy Vorobev, who can be found on YouTube and through e-books. I hope to complete a pendant based on one of  Mr. Vorobev's designs soon.  If you're a beginner, it would be easier to start with a tutorial from Nadja or Yvonne Kennedy from Back to Earth Creations.  

           If you're interested in some pendants that are already made, I have five that are on sale (15% off) thru July 16.  Two of them are pictured below. They can be found at Desert Dabbler Handcrafted Jewelry on Etsy.  Click the button to the right to be zipped there immediately.   The wire necklaces are in the Sale section.  

           Hope to see you there!

  

Magical Moonstone

MAGICAL MOONSTONE

 

     There's something magical about Moonstone.  The luminous white stone is associated with the moon and its cycles.  According to legend, the ancient Hindus believed that Moonstone held trapped moon beams.  The ancient Romans thought Moonstone's beautiful color came from the stored light of the moon.

                Today Moonstone is considered a stone that can enhance intuition and calm the emotions.

                 It is a "stone of new beginnings", according to Judy Hall in her book, The Crystal Bible.   

                         

 

          Double Heart Earrings

                 Moonstone and turquoise combined with Sterling Silver ear wires (above) or 14 kt gold (below).  

             Moonstone colors include white, as shown above, as well as blue, peach, and cream.

         White Moonstone is said to encourage spiritual growth.  To see more about these earrings in my Etsy shop, click here for the silver ones and here for 14kt gold.  

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On SALE now:  9 Select Necklaces are on sale 

   20% off through June 30.  See them in my Etsy shop

 in the ON SALE section.