30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 9

Day 9

Favorite types of Food and recipes

One of my favorite topics: Food.  I tend to lean more toward savory and salty types of food.  And carbs.  I love carbs: bread, potatoes, pasta.  I’ve recently started to learn how to bake bread.  My favorite bread recipes are for Naan bread and pretzel bread.  I could eat bread and rolls with every meal if I could.

I adore seafood, especially shell fish.  Again another side effect of growing up on the gulf.   Shrimp, crab, oysters, and crawfish I can eat it till I get sick.  I’m not a huge fan of fish unless it’s fried mullet or flounder.  Luckily we have lots of access to fresh seafood on the coast.  My favorite types of seafood restaurants are the little hole in the wall places.

30 day challenge: Day 8 (Late)

Biggest pet peeve




I’d have to say my biggest pet peeve has to do at work. I work at a call center and spend most of my time on the phones talking to members and helping them with website and app issues. You tend to run into some situations that can be frustrating. Most I don’t mind because you understand where they come from. Having trouble walking that person though web steps? Hey some people just aren’t computer savvy. Angry member? They are just frustrated at the situation, I hate having to call into customer support myself. The only thing that really drives me absolutely nuts is when they constantly cut me off as I am talking to them, which actually happens quite a bit. Once or twice I don’t mind but if it gets to the point that I can’t even finish one sentence it starts to get under my skin. Back of my mind I am remembering that they are just trying to get this done as quickly as possible so they can get back to their lives but come on people this is just good manners! First thing we learn in grade school is take turns. When that happens I will usually say in my sweetest/professional voice “Oh I am so sorry I didn’t meant to cut you off there.” Passive aggressive I know, but it makes me feel a bit better and gives my coworkers a laugh. Plus considering the last place I worked, that this is one of the worst things I encounter is a small annoyance that I’m willing to put up with.

30 Day Jewelry Challenge : Day 8

Type: Earring

Material: Gear/Clockwork

Color: Green

Shop piece of the Day: 

Blue Wire Wrap Tube Necklace

Blog Challenge Day 7: Favorite Activities

I have lots of activities I enjoy. Reading is something I love. I don’t get a chance to read quite as much as I used to but I’ll get into moods where I want to do nothing but read.

Working on my jewelry of course. I love just putting in some headphones and just loose myself making new things or putting together new pieces. I love going to the market. Selling my wares and watching the people go by is great. I especially love going to conventions and seeing all the people in different costumes. I much prefer vendoring conventions than just attending. One I’m getting paid to go. I have a partner who watches the booth with me so I will get to wander and go to events but be able to retreat to my booth when I need.

Robert and I also like to play games together. Mostly World of Warcraft and Rocket League. But we’ve been recently playing Final Fantasy XIV together. Because I get to make a kitty man. I’m more of a casual gamer so I’m not quite as good as Robert. It’s a lot like reading. I’ll neglect it for a while and then want to do nothing but play.

I also enjoy lots of outdoor activities though not as often as I would like. I love the beach, kayaking and exploring nature trails. Again I don’t get to do this as much as I like because for safety sake I prefer to do it as a group activity and it’s hard to get groups together.

As you also may have guessed I spend a lot of time online. Most of it is spent either reading web comics, browsing Tumblr or Pintrest, managing my shop and more recently using if for wedding planning. So lots of activities here. What can I say? I like to entertain myself.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 6

Day 6: Five things I can’t live without.

I’m not going to use people or animals on this list so we’ll keep this strictly to items I keep on me regularly.

Books: for anyone who knows me this one is pretty obvious.  I always carry some around.

My phone: Let’s be honest this is another obvious one.  I use my smartphone for so much, l listen to music and podcast’s, social media and keeping in contact with friends and family.   I do keep it on silence most of the time so I constantly miss calls or take forever to respond to texts but the nagging feeling that something might happen if I don’t have it is enough to keep me twitchy when I forget it at home.

My Scratch Pad:  This is a notebook that I keep on me most of the time.  I use it to put in ideas and sketches of pieces, make daily list’s or reminders, or for doodles when I’m stressed or bored.  It’s not a proper journal or sketchbook, it’s mostly filled with doodles and quicky notes.  Thus the name scratch pad.

My Rings: I have two rings I always wear.  One is my engagement ring from Robert and the other is a ring I got more recently from my mom that used to belong to my great grandmother.  They are both special to me and I wear them all the time.  I have other’s I’ll wear form time to time but these two are constant.  Although I’ll be adding a wedding band to that hand soon.

Tools: My flatnose and round nose plyers are by far my most used tools.  I tend to have them me most of the time. I keep them either in the pocket of my purse or in my bitbag, an old travel makeup bag that I fill with odds and ends I can play with or use to come up with ideas.  I’m a fiddler so it helps to have something I can use to entertain myself at work or behind my booth at market.

30 Day challenge: Day 5: Growing up

I’m not quite sure what I’m supposed to put this one.  I’ve already described a good bit of my childhood and I don’t really want to get repetitive.  I may keep this one brief.

I spent most of my life in Florida.  As mentioned in the 10 facts about myself I did live briefly in Scotland when I was stationed there.  We moved back when I was about 4.  I have a few memories of Scotland but mostly small stuff like the apartment we lived in, the park that was nearby and some of the castles we visited.  (And sheep, lots of sheep.)

I did lots of dance growing up; ballet, modern, jazz and even a bit of tap.    I always loved visiting my grandparents.  My Mamaw and Papa always had lots of books and craft supplies on hand I could play with like paints and pastels.  My Nana and D-dad have a huge property that I spent a good bit of my childhood exploring, swimming in their pool, or picking honeysuckles and blackberries.  I loved being a wild child of the forest on those weekends.  I also spent a lot of time at the beach as a kid.  Growing up on the Gulf I practically grew up on the shore or fishing out in the Gulf.  Still do.

In addition to dance I was also did chorus and played the flute in band though all of middle school and high school.  I had a few close friends (some who I still see regularly).  The first time I actually ever sold my goods for money was in high school.  We had this annual art festival called “Art on the Green.” My Senior year I decided to participate selling mosaic boxes that a I had made.  I remember really liking the atmosphere and the satisfaction of selling something I made.  I could never have dreamed that it would expand so.   That I would actually start making money off of things that I create.  Truth be told I still feel like I have to pinch myself from time to time.

Blog Challenge: Day 4 (late)

As mentioned in my introduction I live with my fiancé Robert and our two cat’s Gigi and Khadgar.   We met at our old job and have been together for four years now.    No one in this world knows me better or makes me happier. 

My older cat Gigi came with me when Robert and I moved in together. I’ve had her since she was a kitten. Khadgar is a newer addition, we got him about two weeks ago to be a companion for Gigi. The two of them are still getting used to each other but they are making pretty good progress.

I come from a divorcee family. My parents split up when I was pretty young but I have been lucky that my parents managed to remain civil (at least around my brother and I) and now get along pretty well with each other and our stepfamily. Both my parents remarried and I have two stepbrothers from each side making me the only girl out of five boys. I get my bookish side from my mother and my nerdyness from my dad. I blame them both for my artsy side

Both Sets of parents and by brother at his wedding.

 I have a wonderful Stepmother and stepfather,  and I get along pretty good with most of my stepbrothers and sister in laws.  Three of my brothers are married and I have two nieces and three nephews’ ages 2 to 4, all of whom are completely adorable.

Me playing with said adorable nieces and nephews last Christmas, yes I'm the one on the floor

 From there I have a whole score of aunts, uncles, cousins and soon to be in-laws.

 My father’s side is practically a clan. Even though I’m not able to visit my family as often as I used to but I still care about all of my family.  I love when we get together and spend time with each other.  I have been truly fortunate in the family I have received.

Jewelry Challenge: Day 4 (late

Type:earring 

Material : Wire 

Color : Red

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 3

Day 3: About my personality and values:

Personality-wise, I guess I can be a bit ditzy and forgetful.  I am bad with names and dates but I can remember entire plots to movies and books that I read or watched years ago.  I have a creative nature.  I’ve been doing various types of art since I was a little girl.  My grandparents and parents always encouraged my creativity.  I love learning new things like art and dance.  One of my favorite elements of Steampunk is all of the different styles I can try out.  I love stories too, books, movies, histories.  I just get absorbed into the tale.

For my values I guess I believe in being respectful to everyone.  I think it’s okay to make mistakes as long as you try to learn from them.   I think everything can be beautiful in their proper element.

Jewelry Challenge:

Day Three: 

Necklace

Bronze

White

Sooo....I don't have a picture tonight.  I brought my bit bag to work and had a piece put together.  But Unfortunately I forgot the bag when I left work and I hadn't taken a picture yet.(I did do one I swear!  It was pretty!)  I considered trying to put one together before I go to bed but honestly I'm to darn tired.  I'm off tomorrow too so I won't be able to post a picture of if until Sunday when I do my Sunday challenge.   So, yeah.  Sorry about that.  As apology here is a picture of Khadgar yelling at Gigi.

Shop Piece of the Day: 

Octopus Watch Necklace!

30 Day challenge: Day 2: 10 Facts about me

30 Day challenge:
Day 2: 10 Facts about me

1.  My dad was stationed in Scotland when I was 2 and we lived there till I was 4
2.  I am named after both of my grandmothers.  I get my first name from one and middle name from my other.
3. Faybird was a nickname my mother used to call me when I was little.
4. I am 5”2’ and the shortest of my 14 cousins.  (Even my younger ones)
5. I had to replace my car last year and purchased a Black Kia Soul.  My favorite joke to tell people is that I have a “Black Soul.”  (Robert is getting a bit tired of this one.)
6. I got engaged at Cinderella’s Wishing Well in Disneyworld.
7. I have had to get stitches three times in my life, once on my forehead from an etch sketch accident and twice in my right hand. (Four if you count when I had my wisdom teeth removed.)
8. My favorite color is Green.
9. My favorite animals are Gorillas.  When I was little I wanted to live in the Congo and study them like Diane Fossey.
10. My favorite movie is the Labyrinth (Because I love fairies/goblins, David Bowie and Brian Froud.)

30 Day Jewelry Challenge:

Type: Earrings

Material: Found Objects

Color: Brown

Shop Item of the Day!

Orange Steampunk Pendant

30 Day Blog Challenge

Day 1: Introduction

I’ll keep this brief since I’ve done an introduction before and I’ll be discussing more detailed information about myself as the challenge progresses.   I am 30 years old and live in Florida with my fiancé and our two cats.  For my day job I am an Electronic Service Rep at a credit union.   I’ve been doing Steampunk jewelry for five years now and traveling to conventions for three years.  I’ve always loved history and creating things since I was a little girl.  When I discovered Steampunk I fell in love instantly, it was a mix of both these elements that enjoyed.  At the time I couldn’t find any Steampunk jewelry and accessories in my home town so I decided to start making my own.  My mother was selling beaded jewelry at the time and after a while she suggested that I sell some of my own.  And that’s how I got started.

30 Day Jewelry Challenge:

I'll explain a bit about How I will be doing this challenge.  I've made three numbered lists, One of six, and two of twenty.  Every day I'll roll a D6 dice once to find out what type of piece I am doing and a D20 to find out the material and color of the piece that I am making.  The rules are that the piece must include all three elements and must be posted by the end of the day, whether I am finished or not.

Day 1: 

Type: Bracelet 

Material:Gear/clockpiece

Color:Turquoise

Mobicon 2016

So I’m back from Mobicon!  I had a whale of a time.  It was one of the more vendor friendly convention’s I’ve been to so far.  

I’ll be starting a 30 day challenge tomorrow for the Blog and for new pieces.  I’ll be posting new pieces each night along with a daily shop piece I have available.  So look forward to lots of posts and pictures.  

Until then have some fun con pictures.  

By far one of the best costumes of the weekend.  It was awesome!

This Ariel was so adorable.  

She followed every Link around the Con just yelling "Hey Listen!" Last I saw of her she was being chased by the Fairy Swat Team with Fly swatters.

That pillow XD

This Ruto was amazing.  So well done!

Obligatory Stormtrooper and Kylo Ren!

Another talented and creepy cosplay.

I was so happy to finally see a Chat Noir.  Sadly he had no Ladybug. :(

Great low key Tadashi.

So many emotions in one room.  (And that Ryley!)

This was my bit of Con Swag for my desk at work.  I'll try not to kill this one.

WIP: Chokers

A day late but here is my latest work in progress piece.  These chokers were actually meant to be finished in time for Paracon but sadly they were not finished in time.  I will probably save them for etsy or sell them at the next con in December.

Something New: Resin Quartz Pendant

I've been playing with a mix of wire wrapping and resin lately.  This is the first of many resin that will be showing up soon.

Everyday Steampunk : Handbags

Today’s daily bit of steam is something  most women (and some men) just can’t do without: Handbags.

 This one is one of my favorites,  I purchased it from Modcloth. .  It’s one of my favorites for two reasons.  The first one is obviously the vintage feel and giant key gives it a steampunk vibe.  I looked around quite a bit before I could find one that not only had the style I wanted but one that was large enough to fit all my little daily items and occasionally my laptop or tools.  It was a little more than what I would normally pay for a purse but it's functional as well as pretty.  It works well for my day to day bag.

The second reason this bag is one of my favorites is that it marks the end of a very bad period I went through last year.  About June of last year I was laid off from my job, and while it was a job that I didn’t like to begin with it was at the time my only source of income.   It was a rough period for me. I had gone from working steadily since high school to being completely out of work.  My jewelry business was not at the point that I could support myself financially on it and a lot of things I had been looking forward to (wedding, moving in with my fiance, ect...) had to be put off.   I didn't like it and hit a really low point emotionally.   Luckily I had the support of my family and friends and after a few months I was able to land a job with a great company.  I've been there for six months now and couldn't be happier.  This bag was purchased with my second paycheck (the first went to some needed bills).  So it helps to remind me of not only that God has a path for me but that bad times do eventually pass and good things are waiting around the corner.

Sneak Peek Wednesday

I've been playing with resin this week.  I forgot how much I love working with the stuff.  Here are a few of the almost finished pieces.  Expect to see more soon.

Something New: Wire Hat

So another week begins and so does another new piece.   With Pensacola Paracon just finishing I thought  it would be fun to do the reveal on a project that I have been working on for a while now.  As mentioned in a few earlier blogs I have played with decorating hats before. 

 Well this time around I decided to see if I could make a hat from scratch.   Now sewing wise I am quite limited.  I don’t own a sewing machine nor do I know how to use one (of which I plan on correcting soon. ) This limits me to hand sewing which I'm not bad at but not too good for big projects. So this time around I decided to give my wirewrapping skills a test and Tadahh: Wire Hat!

The base of the hat is a thicker industrial wire that was leftover from my weeping angel costume from last year.  I formed this into the base of the hat. The thicker wire I could only get to wrap so much to the base was a bit shaky.  I remedied this by using thinner wire to enforce the shape.   I knew I would need a LOT of this thinner wire for what I had planned so instead of getting,  crafting wire I got a spool of gardening wire.  I wound this around the wire base two times to make the wire a bit more firm.  

After that I got to work on the brim of the hat.  This was the most time consuming part.  I would have to twist two pieces together.  This took the longest and I often just took the wire with me.  (I have since learned the drill trick which will be good for later projects)  I would then fasten the wire into half of a heart with a bit of a swirl at the end and attach it to the brim.  I then mirrored the action on the other side of this and attached the middle of the two hearts together. 

  I did this all around the brim.  I then added a drop of solder to the edge of each heart to keep any pieces from scratching or snagging on anything it.  Once the brim was finished I began work on the sides.  I played around with a few different ideas.  I originally thought of doing lots and lots of swirls, a crisscross pattern, I even played around with making giant hearts to match the brim. Finally I settled on a mixed pattern with twirls.  I then added the gears and assorted beads to the mix and attached them via chain.

Finally I took some of the extra pieces of ribbon from my ribbon box and laced it around the top and the bottom of the hat to both add a final touch and to give it a bit of cushioning.

And Tah Dah! Wire hat!  

The entire project took about a month to two weeks.  (I’m afraid I can’t give a specific time as I moved while in the middle of working on this and had to shelve it for a bit.)  I enjoyed the final result so much that I ended up making a full costume for it which I debuted at Paracon.  

I got so many compliments on the hat an even may have a few commissions for them.  I may do a few more of these in the future but for now I am off to the next bit project.  Airship!

Convention Photo Wednesday!

Hello there all!  Another Wednesday has come and time for another Random photo Wednesday!  With Pensacola Comic Convention (aka Paracon) having come and gone I thought we would switch it up this week.  For once I managed to take a plethora of decent photos of most of the amazing costumes.  So for your pleasure.  Instead of a single random photo you get many lovely Con photo's.

My Day 1 outfit.  Made entirely to center around my hat.

Miss Kenzey in her steampunk glory

Our Guild Mistress and beau as a pair of Lokies

Our Guild Starlord, currently missing his jacket.

There's the jacket!

That staff!

Rawr

Sweet assassins creed cosplay

They were happy because we recognized her as Dark Phoenix.

Pretty Fairy Dog

This was a awesome Mad Max

Another Guildie 

This doll made our creepy doll look cuddly.

I was so excited to see this She-rah

Day 2.  Got my picture with the Master!

I may have had a bit too much fun and was arrested by the Gotham City Police.  

Luckily I had a very good and very tiny lawyer.

Oh Commissioner Gordon!

Many a Guild Cat was arrested that day.

The Lokies are finally captured.

I chased this guy down.  Best Darth Vader ever!

This tiny pyramid head was awesome.

I love your nails!

Tess Barnett at her first solo panel.  She rocked it even with the rowdy Steampunk girl in the first row bringing up embarrassing middle school stories up.



These were just a few of the awesome costumes and shenanegans that went on that day.