Time To Refuel

I am a simple girl and it doesn't take much to make me happy. It seems I am forever buying butane to refuel my torch. Well, everyone else must need it too because the most I have ever been able to get at one time was four cans.

Well, I went to Walmart yesterday and found some cans of th 2.75 oz and I am so happy! (Please do not send me hate mail for going to Walmart. It is not like I can make my own butane after all!) I usually can only find the 1.48 oz so this was great. Of course, this was at a Walmart a little further from the one I usually go to, but I will go back there for fuel from now on!

Lowe's didn't have ANY a couple of weeks ago when I went. I mean NO butane, just propane. Apparently everyone gets wiped out of butane around here. Who knew it was such a hot commodity?

I apologize for this if it bores you!

Happy egg hunting!

-Jen

Happy Good Friday!

Ever since I was a little girl I would always get a new dress for Easter. It was usually something frilly and pink with a big white hat with a ribbon on it.

Now that I am older I still follow that tradition with a few amendments, no hats or frills for example. Last year it was a navy blue and white polka dotted dress and this year it is the one above.

I just love this dress! It is actually quite chaste because it hangs well below my knees and is not revealing at all. Hanging there on the closet door it looks much more skimpy than it actually is.

I just wish the picture could relay the thick feel of the fabric. It is just wonderful!

Happy Good Friday, everyone! I hope you all have a great Easter!

-Jen

Something New

And I love it! After making the Petal Earrings yesterday, I decided to make a matching necklace! I have also, of course, made a set for moi. I just love how simple and elegant it is!

Photographing it was IMPOSSIBLE because of how shiny it is, but I did my best. I always hate it when people say their photographs don't do their product justice, but it is true here. Seriously.

Have a great Thursday!

Jen

Just Like Stars On The Water.....

I made these two pairs of earrings today because I am trying to carry more than just rings in my shop.

The above pair is named "Stars On The Water" and they are made from solid 24 gauge sterling silver. I have hammered them to a beautiful multi-faced finish that photo does not give justice to. I made the ear wires from 22 gauge sterling silver.

The earrings below are my Petal earrings. They are also made from the same 24 gauge sterling silver and I have hammered them to a multi-faceted finish. The ear wires were also formed from 22 gauge sterling.

I really love the simplicity of these earrings and I hope you do too!

Have a great Wednesday,

Jen

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I hope everyone has a happy and safe St. Patrick's Day! Back in my wilder days I used to go out and celebrate it, but now I just stay in and pinch my husband. He woke me up this morning and said "Happy Valentine's Day!" I guess he had his saints mixed up.

Well, I would include a piece of jewelry from my A Blond And A Torch Shop, but of course I don't have any green on the metal! That would just be wrong. So above is a piece from my other shop, Jen Nixon Designs.

I hope you all remembered to wear some green today. Maybe you should go ahead and find something for next St. Patrick's Day so you will be prepared. Here is a great St. Patrick's Day charm bracelet from Ben Can Dance.

Have a great Day!

-Jen

The Dark Side Of The Moon

It started with an idea while I was talking to friends. The next thing I knew I was looking at the coolest ring, pictured above perched on the soldering stand. Even as I looked at it all covered in fire scale, I knew I was going to love it.

Everyone who knows me knows I have been really into these stacking rings, but there was a time before that that I wore the occasional over sized ring. I knew I was looking at my newest.

Of course, the one above was already promised to my friend so I had to make another one. That is when I knew I really liked it because I rarely squeeze one in for myself like that.

I just love it and when my husband came home last night he said he loved it! So of course I have listed it in my shop as The Dark Side Of The Moon.





I will also be listing a new necklace today and I am so excited! Stay tuned!

-Jen

Mixed Feelings About Alchemy

I don't think I hold the popular opinion here because all I have ever heard is "bring back Alchemy!" Well, I say "take it back!"

For those of you who aren't familiar with the term, Etsy has a big message board they call Alchemy where anyone can post whatever they would like made for them at whatever price they find ideal. Yeah, right.

Those of you who are quick on your feet may have already guessed what has happened. People are making requests for items and wanting them at very unreasonable prices, while sellers desperate for a sale rush to accommodate them. Sad really. Most Etsians already undervalue their time and talent and now there is an acceptable forum for them to do it even more.

There are also inane requests, such as dirty pictures of your mom, an eternal soul, and I am sure you can imagine. Is this what we want Etsy to look like? Yes, it may be worth a chuckle, but c'mon. Etsy needs some respectability so that buyers will want to come and check it out.

There is also a private Alchemy that sellers can opt in and out of. At first glance I thought this was okay, but now I am not so sure. This feature allows buyers to send private conversations to the seller to request something and then the seller can reject or accept it. Wait, didn't we already do this before in private convos?

Yes, but now it is fancier. And may not be as a private either. I am waiting to find out all the facts, but there may be a glitch in the system. A good friend of mine put in a request to a seller yesterday and just got a conversation from a DIFFERENT seller today saying that she would love to assist her with what she wants. WHAT??? We are waiting to find out what is going on here.

So, as for me, I think I will opt out of this. I have always accepted custom orders and I will continue to do so through private communication with the buyer. I do not want to put my customers at risk of spam intrusion.

/end rant

Have a great Thursday!

-Jen