I am capable of simple things.

Well, simple-ish.  Custom linked materia pendant commission.  Still always available through the Shiny Things Etsy shop.

Now back to more insanely lengthy projects?

PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT TIME

I assume that most of you know I swear by Swarovski crystal products.  Sparkly to the extreme and whatnot.  But sadly it appears as though they’ve already discontinued a few things that I happen to use quite often: the triangle crystals for my Triforce pendants, and the uber-sparkly catches I use for my Wild Tiger and Barnaby Brooks Jr. call bracelets.

At this moment, I managed to snag a few of these things on sale.  I currently have quite a few bracelet clasps, so no worries there yet (and I’m sure I’ll find something suiting even after they disappear from the market entirely).  Regardless, if you want to snag a single-sided or double-sided call bracelet as I’ve been making them, please do so soon.

But as for the triangles.  Oh those lovely triangles.  I wanted my followers to know that I currently have enough for two (2) Triforce pendants.  After that, I can’t guarantee that I will find these again, and certainly not be able to offer them at the current price.  (The listing is for the gold-plated “glittering gold” variety, but I can still do a “solid gold” pendant as well.  Yes, that will cost considerably more.  Ugh, gold prices.)

So here’s what I’ve been up to this week: linked “materia” pendants and earrings as far as the eye can see!  It’s just like preparing for Artist’s Alley all over again—except that these are commissions, meaning I get paid to work rather than putting a bunch of stuff together and hoping I at least break even after a massive spike in alley table prices, an insanely over-priced hotel room, and conveniently-located over-priced food that’s too hard to pass up due to exhaustion.  Still bitter about Anime Boston?  …Yes, yes I am.

Commissions are awesome and my customers are awesome and thank you.  But now my hands require much in the way of resting.

Also finally managed to acquire some more lovely 12mm rainbow obsidian and white jade beads for more of those sterling silver-wrapped paired materia sets.  If you’re interested, now’s the time to commission/inquire.  (I suggest that no one rely on Tumblr messages; I seem to actually receive exactly half of what gets sent to me.  You can contact me through Etsy or e-mail.)

How wonderful!  This lovely pair of pendants finally sold.  (Back story: They’ve been on hold twice and canceled due to bank/credit card issues.  I was starting to think they were cursed.)

(…They’re not actually cursed.)

I’m so very happy to report that Pyrria has found a good home and will be sent on her way shortly!  (Well, I don’t want her waiting in a box for any longer than she has to.)

New in the Shiny Things Etsy shop today: another pair of gemstone materia pendants!

The “Meteor materia” is another gorgeous rainbow obsidian bead with one *incredibly* bright halo in green and gold, and a very subtle silver-blue one on the opposite side (which I could not get to photograph for the life of me). The “Holy materia” is real aquamarine, the internal layers giving it an incredible shimmer at any angle, the white bands adding even more. Both beads are able to “spin” in case the wearer would like them repositioned in their wire setting.

I’m seriously resting my hands for a few days in a row now.  No, really.

“Carry Us Home” - Some charms are painstakingly created over years, magic and materials carefully selected, crafted, moved into place so very delicately.  Others are made quickly and with desperation from nearby materials for a single-minded hope and purpose.  It is the opinion of some mages that both types of charms can be equally effective.

More information and pictures can be found on the gallery page here.

(This pendant is also currently available for sale.)

New(-ish) items in the Etsy shop!  Summon Eruption is a gold wire-wrapped piece of brilliant red tiger’s eye and would surely serve as one heck of a summon materia.  Then you have Glittering Triforce, finally available as a made-to-order piece!  And lastly, something that’s been requested in the past, a Black and White Materia Pair, sterling silver-wrapped rainbow obsidian and white quartz.

Despite appearances, Pyrria is actually quite shy.  She opens up and becomes the life of the party when she’s comfortable, but until then she is more than content to explore on her own or find a nice little quiet spot to roost and sing to herself.

Pyre birds are often mistaken for phoenixes by (hopefully) well-meaning but generally easily-distracted or just plain inattentive mages, magicians and alchemists.  They’re more closely related to dragons than they are to phoenixes, legs designed for running at high speeds and leaping.  That’s not to say they don’t fly, of course; they rely more on self-made heated air (in part thanks to the heartstone) to stay afloat than their wings.  There was some, shall we say, “unpleasantness” a while back regarding humans and their inability to keep their hands off sparklies that they proclaimed as their own, hence why pyre birds are rarely seen these days.

(There are quite a few more pictures and detail shots at her gallery page.  She’s also looking for a good home, by the way.)

Black, white and silver is classy.  Elegant.  But just black, white and silver is cold.  The answer?  The color of life itself: deep, rich crimson.

Admittedly, I’ve yet to identify these stones.  They’re heavy, high-gloss, and look to be to be very close to obsidian… but don’t quote me on that.  The red stones are jade dyed deep blood red, and I adore them.  They have this incredible layered shimmer to them and the occasional black band that works beautifully.  All of the wire and the clasp itself are all pure sterling silver.  It can be worn with the stylized “leaves” on the silver beads visible, or flipped over so that they’re just plain red.  Either way, gorgeous.

(And also available.)