My new display cards!

A couple weeks ago, my husband and I went to a fan convention for a certain cartoon/toy line that he is a big fan of. Whilst there, in the dealer's/vendor's room, I came across a booth that immediately inspired me! I suddenly wanted to have a setup similar to it.

My first task to improve was to get some display cards. The timing on this was actually perfect.
I had just redesigned my business cards, and I was wanting the display cards to match them.

Luckily, Vistaprint does have an option where you can upload your own design, which was perfect.
Using my rudimentary Paint skills (I didn't even use Photoshop!), I copied elements from my business card and created display cards that match them! I am quite proud of how they came out.


Once I had designed and ordered the display cards, I also purchased a paper punch to cut the openings for necklaces to hang, a circle punch to hang the card from a hook, and I have plans to purchase a punch for earrings.

Here is an example of a necklace hanging from one of my display cards. I love it!

Next is creating a stand-up display! More posts on that, later!

New bracelet with new rings

I bought some new square wire rings after seeing a chain made with it that I absolutely loved. I went a little overboard (as I often do) and bought several different colors, as well.

I finally got around to making a bracelet using these square wire rings, and it came out amazingly!
I am in love with it. I can't wait to make more with the other colors.

I got some cross stitching in!

I got to cross stitch a little bit this past week, after a long hiatus from it. It was great!
In the week leading up to my vacation, I got to do a little bit of stitching on my Mouse Embroider project.
I did enough to be able to update my progress bar a little bit, but not enough to really be able to tell.
I have a feeling that until I do the backstitching on this one, it will always look like a big tan blob.

Here is where I left off last:

Here is where I am now:

(Eww, horrible picture)

99 Bottles - Beer #8

Just as I finally stitched that last beer and posted about it, I had an opportunity to try another!

An old friend of my husband's came into town for the weekend, so we all went to dinner together, and I consulted the beer list to compare to what they had available. One in particular caught my attention - Fat Tire.
Liquor laws around here are changing, so this beer that previously wasn't available in this state is now obtainable!

When I took the first sniff of this beer, I didn't notice anything special with it. It was just a generic beer smell. So, I decided to go ahead and try it to make my mind up.

From the very first taste of this beer, I noticed the bite in the front part of my mouth, but nowhere else. Much like Blue Moon, it is a very general taste, but nothing to set it apart, except it is a much sharper flavor.

It was a little disconcerting that it had this nice bite to it, but it was just localized at the front of my mouth, not throughout. Even later in the meal, once I had had some food to go with it, the bite just stayed in the front.

I have had a couple friends mention to me that they really like this beer, but I have to admit that I didn't really enjoy it. There wasn't enough to set it apart, and it was a bit too sharp in the wrong places.

Here is the stitched version (third from the left). This is one I had had to skip previously, since it wasn't available in this state at the time.

Here is all of them (except the one at the bottom by itself, see last 99 Bottles post for it).

99 Bottles - Beer #7

I haven't worked on much cross stitch lately, and that include my beer project. I was out of town over the weekend, just to get away and visit friends. We decided to drink and play games at the house, so we went to the store for beverages. I decided to go ahead and get something from my beer list, since it has been so long!

The beer I got this time was Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
Now, having grown up mostly in Nevada, I have certainly heard of this brand, but I hadn't ever actually tried it before. Since it was a good price, I went ahead and just got a big bottle, expecting that it would be something I would like.

What I didn't like: This beer was quite bitter and wasn't at all what I was expecting with that first taste. It had a grapefruit taste to it, too, which I didn't really care for.

What I did like: While it was bitter, it was, at least, drinkable. I only got through about half of the large bottle I got, though.

This bottle is all the way down near the bottom by itself. I really need to drink more and get it some friends!

Finished bowties!

If you remember, quite a while back, I made a chainmail bowtie that was red and white. I also had a custom order for a bowtie, as well.
Since then, I have made yet another bowtie, and I have buckled down, bought some supplies, and finished the two that I have.

I used elastic and specialized bowtie hardware to finish them and make them adjustable. I love how they turned out!

Now I can list them in my Etsy store!

Also, something that happened that I totally forgot to post about!
I finally got some afghan fabric that I have been trying to get for one of my stitchy projects! This is for the Town Square afghan, and I was able to find it on eBay. I'm so happy!
I REALLY need to start stitching again. Chainmail just takes up all my time, and since I sell my chainmail stuff, it is a source of income, as well. Since stitching that beer last week, though, I'm starting to feel the itch again!