PAX Prime - Already Gearing Up

PAX East was a huge success! Thank you all so much for making it a wonderful weekend. Now that it's come and gone, it is time to focus on PAX Prime back here in Seattle. I am open for lanyard orders. Same rules as last time, but I am reposting them as a refresher and for those of you who are new to KnittedSteel.

Do you want to look as awesome as this guy? I bet you do. It's easy! With that shining sexy lanyard showing off your 3-day pass to the glorious PAX Prime (or any other weekend of happiness you choose to attend), you can look awesome too.

Ordering is simple! Choose your colors, choose your stripes, contact me with what you want and send the total cost via PayPal or cash!

Step One: Choose your colors.

There is a variety of colors to choose from. For $40 you can have one or two colors. Each additional color is an extra $5. If you want a 3-color lanyard, it's $45, 4-color is $50, etc. These lanyards are made of anodized aluminum. They are brightly colored, durable, lightweight and more often than not have zero negative effects on people with metal allergies. Other metals are available, but often times more costly (contact me for prices), less comfortable and have a tendency to tarnish and leave marks on the skin.

Colors below may vary slightly as I have no control over the anodizing process (think of it like a dye lot). Click on the images for the full size, courtesy TheRingLord.com. The second image is bright (silver) aluminum.

Step Two: Choose your stripes.

The lanyard can be given horizontal or vertical stripes. In the image below, you can see a solid (brass, on the left), vertical stripes (blue & yellow on the right) and horizontal stripes (black, purple and silver in the center). If nothing is specified, I will assume you want vertical stripes. Horizontal stripes will be equally sized unless otherwise requested.

Step Three: Contact Me!

I won't know what you want unless you let me know! To order a lanyard, please email me at jules@knittedsteel.net with the following information:
-- Name & Handle (nickname, gamertag, etc)
-- Your choice of colors and stripes
-- Any other questions or requests
-- Your payment option (paypal or cash)

Step Four: Pay Me Please.
Once I receive your order by email I will reply with your total and arrange payment. You will not receive your lanyard until I receive payment in full, no exceptions! I take PayPal in advance of the convention, or cash in person.

These lanyards are not exclusive to PAX! In fact, they are in no way affiliated except that I'll be there and love the community. If you want a lanyard for another event, let me know! I will ship it to you.

If your lanyard becomes damaged, minor repairs are free. If the clip breaks, if the lanyard becomes entangled on something and pulls apart, if a few rings become scratched, I will fix it!


PLEASE NOTE: If you want to receive a lanyard at or before PAX Prime, the deadline for ordering is July 10th.

"I will write you a lanyard testimonial! i love mine and it looks lovely, holds lots of button and doesn't get caught in my hair! Also it is awesome to fiddle with 8)" ~ Morte Portney via Facebook

PAX EAST LANYARD DELIVERY

It looks like I'll be working 2-10pm daily at the official Merch Booth. Here are some loose times for you to get your lanyards!

THURSDAY: 3-6pm at the Merch Booth setup (ENFORCERS ONLY)
FRIDAY: 8:45-11am in front of the queue room
SATURDAY-SUNDAY: 9-10:30am in front of the queue room


Some Ground Rules For Delivery
-- If you come to the merch booth sometime Friday-Sunday for your lanyard, I won't have it. I'll only be handing these out when I am not working.

-- If the times listed above don't work for you, email me or comment on this post and we will arrange something else ASAP.

-- I am constantly updating the lanyard commission list with my work progress. If you have any questions about the status of your lanyard or if you see an error (say, you paid but your name isn't italicized) please email me or PM me. There is a key to reading the list at the bottom of the blog entry.

-- If you have not paid for your lanyard and do not pick it up by Noon Sunday of PAX East, IT WILL BE PUT UP FOR SALE and you can order another lanyard at a later date.

-- Those who have ordered lanyards past the deadline are on the wait list. I'll do my best to make them in time. So far it's looking good for the wait list! I have this week to do two more lanyards.

-- If your lanyard is already packaged, I can't take pics for you. Sorry. You'll see it in a few days anyway!

-- I will have tools and limited supplies for repairs in Boston. I will NOT have access to Twitter or email beginning this Wednesday night at 10pm Pacific time. If you think you may require a repair sometime during the convention, ask me when you pick up your lanyard and I'll give you my phone number. Please do not come to the merch booth unless you want to buy merch!

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!