Guess who’sgot a sale going on? ^_^
Here are the details!

My maille-wrapped reed diffuser was featured in a Valentines’ Day Treasury put together by the fabulous Laura Holm of JewelsbyDesigns. Give it a peek – There’s plenty of hearts, romance, sweetness and even a bit of spice. ^_~

Be MINE Treasury on Etsy

Starting next week, Thursday the 14th, I’ll be teaching classes at Zomburgh, Pittsburgh’s educational outreach and zombie preparedness center! This is the Zombie Capital of the World, you know.

Classes will run Mondays and Thursdays from 7-9, for about $20-$25 dollars depending on which one you’d like to try. All materials and tools are provided. The classes are project-based, and include plenty of tips, safety advice, and general ins-and-outs of maille that I’ve learned from doing this professionally over the last six years. They’re mostly geared towards beginners, but there is one class designed specifically for making jewelry which is good for beginners and experienced jewelers who want to expand their skills. If there’s enough interest there are plans for more advanced classes dealing with shaping, large-scale items, scalemaille, etc.

You can register for classes on their website, or in person at Zombie Fest this weekend in Market Square. Not only can you can sign up for classes at the Zomburgh booth, you can get some cool zombie make-up done, too.

Things have been quiet on the blog of late, and it’s because life has been coming at us in many different ways, both good and bad.

First off, there’s been a death in the family, and that’s required “arrangements” to be made and family visits to be scheduled. Nothing unexpected, to be honest, but even then it’s still a surprise when you hear it, and taking care of things from hundreds of miles away isn’t easy, to say the least. The dates still aren’t set in stone, so if I disappear all of a sudden and can’t be reached via e-mail, phone, or IM, then that’s why.

But on the brighter side of things, I’ve been doing shows left and right (including some still upcoming) and have been contacted about doing chainmaille classes! ^_^ I’ll give those their own post as more details become available. Add to that the insanity of Labor Day weekend and another HUGE personal happening, and you can imagine how hectic life can get. But what’s the big thing? The biggest news that effects both our personal life and Rabbit Dance Designs?

WE’RE BUYING A HOUSE!

It’s a restored Victorian in the Bellevue section of Pittsburgh, and if things go as planned we’ll be moving at the end of October/beginning of November. I can’t begin to describe how excited we are over this! It’s a very kid and pet-friendly house, with a nice lawn and in a great neighborhood with good schools. The bottom floor is the main living area, with the kitchen, living room, etc; just perfect for Lemony and the bunnies to run around in. Second floor is bedrooms, one of which we’re going to turn into a proper study (ie Computer Room – With doors, no less!) But the best part is that the attic has been finished, like many of the Victorians in this city, and that top floor is mine, to do with as I please.

I will finally have a workspace that is totally my own, and I’m glad that I won’t have to meticulously stow away and childproof everything each time I make something. The time constraints of carefully cleaning and going over things when I finish has actually prevented me from doing work on many occassions, simply because I would end up spending more time setting up and then taking down my work area than I would get actually working, even though I do have a dedicated work bench. Problem is, it’s currently in a throughway area of our house, so it has to be kept pretty clear because she’s pretty tall and has a good reach. I can’t wait to have a bench that’s ready to go, each time I walk up to it! ^_^

So keep an eye on our calendar, and check back on occasion. Once we’ve confirmed moving dates I’ll be posting shop closure times to account for the move.

But before I sign off and get some sleep, I have to say that this move and upgrade in our quality of living wouldn’t be possible without you guys. Thank you for supporting my art over these many years, both financially and through your comments both on-line and at shows. I’ve got some new ideas that I think you’re going to enjoy, so don’t forget to poke at the shop… Next month. Things should be ready by October. I think you’re going to like what you see.

PS – I’ll post pictures of the new place when I can, I promise.

Huzzah! Guess what, fellow gamers? I’ve been included in the coolest Etsy treasury I’ve ever seen. Not a thing in there didn’t make me smile. Get your D&D game on with things made for geeks, by geeks!

“D20s and Their Friends” A treasury Gygax can be proud of.

Check it out! It includes: dice bags, dice jewelry, plush dice, bookmarks, funny pins, even colored transparent area effect grids you can use to easily show the radii of a fireball, breath weapon, or splash damage! If you didn’t understand what I just said there, you probably won’t be impressed with this particular treasury, but there’s still plenty of goodness to be found on Etsy. There’s something for everyone there. So go look!