New item and a couple of new friends

It has been debilitating hot.  I know, I know.  Wisconsin polar bear girl has no idea what summer hot is.  Well folks, my cankles know what hot is.  This is it :)

I jumped on the steampunk bandwagon this week and managed to score a pretty kick-ass octopus pendant.  I just listed the final product today in the store: https://www.etsy.com/listing/103558111/octopus-shell-and-pearl-necklace-and

I'm happy enough with it for my first try.  I kind of got the look I wanted, but luckily, it was a 2 for 1 sale on big damn octopus pendants.  Muahahaha

I also want to mention some new friends of mine that I have recently met in Swapbot.  First, is Jenifer, who has an etsy shop located here:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/soloflair.  Her style is very alternative with a little darkness and a light peppering of steampunkary.   She features handmade gauges and accessories, which I love.  There really is so little in the way of gauge and extreme ear wear.  Shes even been very sweet in answering some of my questions about the rules and supplies allowed to make jewelry like hers.  I am all about a crafter willing to share information :)  One of my favorites from Soloflair:

Oh man....you killed my sister! Heh...so great...I can see these as Christmas presents.  Perfect for my  silly family...

Okay, the next shop I want to show you is that of  Suzanne from House of Plush http://www.etsy.com/shop/houseofplush

Here its all about cute and kawaii.  Don't let the cuteness fool you.  It looks all hugs in smiles in plush-land, until I ran into this: 

Which made me laugh out loud.  One of my favorite items in her shop right now.  I really love vulgarity expressed in cross stitch...It just makes me giggle.   

She also features stuffies and plushies  for the little ones, personalized onsies, brilliant softie toy sets, cutie broaches and pins, and of course, her kick ass and unique embroidery.  Personally, my mom would love tea towels with brains on them.  They would totally go with her scull pincushion I got her for her birthday last year...Second only to the hedgehog with a retractable tape measure that you pull out of his butt.  Brilliant. 

Make sure to check these ladies out.  They are both very sweet and very talented.  Christmas will be here before you know it!!!  We need to support handmade.  Nowhere else can you find such an awesome variety  of original and quirky items.  If you don't usually shop handmade, I highly suggest it.  Check these girls out, check me out and discover some awesome. 

Paper wasp art natural pendant

I just wanted to share real quick a little something I discovered today.  I really wanted to make an original, never-been-seen-before kind of necklace and after digging through some supplies, I think I managed something  neat-o.  I found this huge wasp nest.  You know, the kind of hive thing that you see hanging from trees?  One of these:

 Photo from http://securitypest.com (thank you!)

Anyway, I took that little awesome thing (obviously abandoned as they usually are in the late fall/early winter) and had it sitting on a shelf for a while wondering what to do with it.  Today, I moved it and a little bit of the "paper" fell off.  I had one of those keepsake pendant kits and mounted a bit of the paper into the pendant.  From that, I got this little number: 

Super pretty right?  But that's not all!  While this screams earrings, I had this cool bead I have been just aching to use in a pendant situation.  So, with some general fanageling, I now have this final product: 

I love it!  It turned out so awesome.  I hung it from a simple gray leather thong to continue with the natural bohemian look.  I almost don't want to sell it...sigh, but alas, I am poor and mama needs a new bra ASAP. So, If you love this, and feel sorry for my unsupported bosoms, please visit my Etsy and make this little guy yours.  It wants to be on you.