Lori Bracelets

I am officially discontinuing Lori bracelets. They served their purpose with amazing success. If you still wish to contribute, please donate to Lupus.org.

If you are still interested in those colors, you are welcome to order them as a normal Pirate band and pay $10.

Thank you all once again for your help!

May I Introduce...

Ladies and Gents, this is Antoinette. She is my new model. I found her on Craigslist for an excellent price and picked her up today before work. I have NO IDEA where I'm going to keep her in my tiny home, except maybe in the cupboard over the fridge.

Since I am not really comfortable modeling all of my own maille clothes, Andi will act as my stunt double. Not only will this work well for photographing my current projects, but I hope she encourages me to make more full shirts and broader accessories that require more than a small necklace bust to work on.

You will also be seeing some significant changes across the KnittedSteel board. I am in the process of rebranding, developing a logo and color scheme, and pulling everything together with a complete theme. This will happen in chunks, but I hope to have everything transitioned by May.

Remember that necklace and earring set from a few posts ago? It is now listed on Etsy. Check it out!

A New Etsy Store - Bunco Boxes

I get a lot of my creativity from my mom. She and my dad have always been a huge influence on me and what I do. My outlet is jewelry, design and layout. Mom's is theme parties and decorations. She is an amazing hostess, and for the past several years she's been a part of an extremely fun Bunco group. When she joined, she introduced them to themed Bunco nights and the group was very quick to adopt the theme scheme into their monthly games. Hers are (as I hear it) far and beyond the most popular because of the effort she puts into each one. Travel, Black & White, and Nautical are all themes that she has explored thoroughly, but after each party she has a box full of supplies and nowhere to put them!

Last month we had an idea. She had heard of Etsy and follows my store and blog closely. (Hi, Mom!) I suggested we open a store selling party theme kits. This week she came up for a visit; she brought up all of the supplies from her Nautical Bunco and I set up my little photo studio. BAM! Bunco Boxes is born. So far she only has one kit for sale, but let me tell you it is amazing. If you play Bunco or you know anyone who does, please pass this on! It is literally a party in a box; all you need is the prizes.

A Very Warm Thank You

This email appeared in my inbox a couple of weeks ago and since it is addressed to everyone, I think this is the right place to forward it:

Thank you.  With the help that everyone has given us, we've managed to stay afloat.  Though the total contributions only paid for a few medical bills, they were giant ones looming over us.  It was just enough that bills could be paid on time (mostly) and we didn't have to spend as much time worrying about our finances - the reduced stress was certainly a factor in my own health and healing.  Even if someone only contributed a dollar, it was still a bridge helping us over the worst chasm we've ever faced.  I, and many of my doctors, can't believe I made it across without losing a limb, quite literally.

Yet here I am - now finally reaching that point where I can start slowly getting off some heavy-hitting medications I no longer need, and am becoming therapeutic on the ones that will be my lifelong companions to ward off these sort of disasters.  I've got my foot!  The toe took a minor hit, but it'll just serve as proof to this crazy story.  It's even been recorded as a medical case study because it was so unusual and the results so extraordinary.  On that note, if anyone needs a Rhuematologist, for fuck's sake go to Sue Romanick in Bellevue.  She's the only doctor (of an excellent team of some of the best in the state) that could find a clever way to get through this and she's bloody brilliant. I have been a very lucky girl, in my assignment of doctors and my fortune in friends.

While things are not done for us, I believe we are through the worst.  I had to stop working entirely, but am getting some disability benefits while I'm stabilizing and, hopefully, I can make use of this time to return to school in the fall.  Ben got a surprise bonus that allowed us to pay off a good chunk of all that debt, and I think it signaled for us that we're ready to take it on our own.  At this point, it would feel wrong to take further aid.

If anyone should want to help further, or if Jules would like to continue her chic line of charity jewelry, I would direct those good intentions towards the Lupus Foundation of America (http://www.lupus.org/), because Lupus is unbelievably insane and not nearly as rare as it should be, or to your favorite hospital's charity care for patients without insurance or in dire financial straits (the hospital that has seen me through EVERYTHING was Overlake, and their charity list is: http://www.overlakehospital.org/foundation.aspx?id=1320).  Really, I'm all for charities - especially those that help regular people, and those strongly focused on super-serious scientific medical research.

So, again and again, thank you, thank you!

 You all made this possible for Lori and those closest to her. Thank you all for your generous support and spreading the love with the bracelets. I owe you all a big hug.

On the note of supporting Lupus research, another friend of mine is currently in a similar battle. She published a book, and the proceeds go to her bills and to the Lupus Foundation! It is a good read and a good cause.

Soon to Hit Etsy

I made a few new pieces over the weekend so I am showing them off here before I put them into my store. Keep in mind these are Crapcam pics and better ones will be available later!

First up is this short necklace. Butterfly pendant hanging from 19g brass chain with amber Swarovski crystal accents. Sold!

Next is a pendant and earring set. The chain and earrings are made of 19g brass chain and nickel silver rings plus more amber crystals to compliment the large costume pendant. Asking Price: $75 (full set)

If you are interested in either before they hit Etsy, send me an email at jules@knittedsteel.net. With NorwesCon quickly approaching, now is the time to snag those last minute touches to your kit!