misfitmonkey

The Illusionist

So, this movie was pretty mediocre in terms of acting and accents and a million other things. I was thoroughly unimpressed with every actor's performance, especially Jessica Biel's. Don't get me wrong, she's hot, but she couldn't act to save her soul in this movie. I was even unimpressed with Edward Norton, which surprised me. The relationship between Norton and Biel was incredibly underdeveloped (and kind of ick-ily unpassionate during their vague love scene), and I guessed the entire plot and ending about five minutes into the movie.

The one thing that the movie didleave with me was a desire to have one of those wooden puzzle lockets that the childhood illusionist fella makes for the childhood Biel. I actually went straight to Google when the credits started, to see if there were necklaces like that for sale anywhere, and found that a gazillion other people had the same idea. In case anyone else saw that movie and just ended up wanting the locket when it was over, there's a video on how to make it work here. For those of you who didn't see the movie, here's a little (non-spoiler, I promise) blip of the necklace I'm referring to.

So, last night at Gasser's, a local independent jeweler, we finally figured out the ring business.  A wonderfully helpful woman named Darlene looked through at least a half a dozen setting books and such until she found all the components I really want in a setting for a price that Jim and I can afford, and it's going to be a one of a kind ring with hand etching on a solid white gold band (picture this ring, only with a different band that has no diamonds, which I actually like better than my original double band idea).

This woman seriously spent quite a long time with us working this out and never once pressured us or made us feel like we had to agree to anything last night.  Jim and I went home and talked about it, and we decided to go for it.  It's going to be much better quality ring than anything we were looking to get cheap (gem stone ring and replace the stone), and Gasser's will repair and clean it for life.

She ALSO promised to have it done in time for our trip, so that we can take the ring with us (a *custom ring* done in a week and a half!), and get the stone set in it and do the whole official engagement thing down there on vacation, which just incredibly cool.  She is supposed to call me back today or tomorrow, once she's talked to the jeweler who will be making the ring, but she said she is 100% sure that they can do it, so I think we've got ourselves an engagement setting. :)

Yay!

How strange that I chose aquamarine as the stone for my engagement ring.  It's good for communication in couples, combat of depression, the throat, and attunement to spiritual awareness.  How appropriate. :)

I feel as if I went from spiritually ambivalent and apprehensive last week to being spiritually charged and hungry.  It's keeping me from sleeping, gads.  I am determined that this evening will be uneventful and will end in an early bedtime.

So, the peeps on the F-List already know about my feelings and ideas regarding traditional diamond engagement rings.  Basically, as a pacifist, I'm incredibly uncool with conflict diamonds and with the diamond industry in general.  As of 2006, only 18% of retailers even have a policy regarding adherence to the Kimberley Process (verification that a diamond is not obtained from a conflict zone), and the diamond industry just seems to be this ridiculously corrupt situation, where even artificial diamonds are jacked up in price to make them appear to be "worth" as much as natural diamonds, and making a diamond from a deceased loved one is pretty awesome IMO, but it's costly and not appropriate for an engagement ring at all.  I'm also helping with the costs of any engagement ring because it just seems stupid that I get pretty jewelry and Jim has to pay for it and then... he gets nothing, just poorer from paying for my unnecessary (but romantic and traditional) accessories.

So Jim and I are tentatively planning a trip to North Carolina (where we will hopefully meet up with copperbeech!!!) to go to a gem mine and pick out our own stones and create an aquamarine engagment ring, which I hope will be something along the lines of this:

1. Work today was dirty and involved LOTS of stairs and I worked my ass off, but I think I like the job, and I also like the idea of losing all this telemarketing sit-on-my-ass-all-day weight that I've gained by running up and down stairs ALL day. I need to get a pedometer, for reals. My legs be hurtin'... *wince*

2. I am trying out 25 Peeps. I don't understand what it is, but Tony intrigued me with his linkage.

3. Tom DeLay is resigning. Good riddance, shithole.

4. Tomorrow Jim's parents are coming over for dinner after work, and I have discovered that waking up and leaving for work at the same time as my hot boyfriend provide me with more time to physically view his hotness, instead of getting home from work at 11:30 and finding him snoozing. Plus, I am able to have dinner with people. Working normal hours is teh rockness.

5. Why do I have to get four custom orders when my craft room is currently still in a state of disarray??? GAH. Plus I have baby room switch plates to work on this week sometime. Crafting is demanding that I pay attention to its addictive qualities once again...

6. I sliced my thumb open with a paring knife. I am a dumbass and it bled for over 30 minutes, and it hurt like a bitch all day today. Phooey.

7. WHAT? I'm out of stuff. Go away with your stinking buttocks and find something else to do.

1. I finally got down to see Jen and go out to dinner and see this adorable creature:


2. I set up for, helped clean glass for, and helped to run the register for 2nd April's "Fall Gallery Hop," which was an amazing sucess, definitely the best show the gallery has had yet. My first sale of the evening was one of my own pieces and I sold a few others as well. The gallery did REALLY well with sales and the crowd was crazy.

I also ran into that couple I saw online from ThinkGeek.com! They didn't know what I was talking about at first, because it turns out they weren't the ones to submit the customer photo, but when I described the photo, they immediately realized it was them. What a coinkeedink.

2a. I continue to smell of pickles. Despite my anger toward the jar at opening in a very splashy manner, I really like pickles.

I finished a custom order today, one that was pretty difficult to nail down (the design requests, etc.), and I got to show this picture (a larger version, click to see) to the customer and then talk to her briefly online:



dominobrandice (10:13:16 PM): done! I sent it to the gmail account.
customer (10:14:54 PM): okay, checking now! thanks :-).
dominobrandice (10:13:16 PM): sure!
customer (10:14:54 PM): oh! i LOVE it! it's wonderful!!!!
customer (10:14:54 PM): I can't wait to see it in person, thank you so much!
dominobrandice (10:13:16 PM): oh yay!
dominobrandice (10:13:16 PM): you like it, I'm really glad :)
customer (10:14:54 PM): I love it, it's so beautiful and unique
dominobrandice (10:13:16 PM): I'm sooooo glad you're happy with it :) is it okay to ship then?
customer (10:14:54 PM): thank you so much, I will definitely be back to your store!
customer (10:14:54 PM): yes, please ship asap, I can't wait!
dominobrandice (10:13:16 PM): haha, okay, will do! it should go out tomorrow afternoon.
customer (10:14:54 PM): okay, you have my address and everything right?
dominobrandice (10:13:16 PM): I'll send some fliers with it, for the Katrina Fundraiser I'm doing
customer (10:14:54 PM): sounds great
dominobrandice (10:13:16 PM): yep, it's with your paypal payment :)
customer (10:14:54 PM): yay, that's what I thought
customer (10:14:54 PM): ah, I am in love with it! thank you, thank you, thank you :-).
dominobrandice (10:13:16 PM): you're welcome welcome welcome!
customer (10:14:54 PM): have a great rest of the night! :-).
dominobrandice (10:13:16 PM): you too! :) thanks for shopping! ;)
customer (10:14:54 PM): :-).
________________________

Stuff like that always makes the effort worth it. I can't wait to mail it to her. :)

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I currently have 23 items up on the front page for sale adding up to roughly $250.00 in sales, all of which will go to the Red Cross as soon as the items are sold! I won't be saving funds until all are sold - your purchase will immediately be donated to the Red Cross Relief Fund, so if you're looking for a way to do your part while receiving a complimentary trinket, help me raise money for the victims of Katrina. If you don't like what you see, keep checking for new items that will soon be added to the front page for 100% donation!

BrandiceDesigns.net : Original Jewelry Art
* PENDANTS * PINS * EARRINGS * POKER CARD PROTECTORS *

[Note: Custom designs are currently on hold due to a large number of orders, and I would also like to sell available designs for the Relief Sale.]

Until further notice, 50% of all sales made via my website will be donated to the Red Cross for the victims of Katrina. If you aren't interested in buying anything but still want to donate on your own, you can visit the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and send a little money their way.

I will provide regular updates of any funds I can raise, and I'm sure the Red Cross will be eternally grateful for any help you can give, whether it's through me or on your own.

http://brandicedesigns.net

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I've recently joined Etsy.com, and put up several Brandice Designs items for sale. Etsy is sort like eBay for handmade products and crafts, and since it's in beta testing right now, all posting and sales fees are waived through the first of November.

I'm not sure if I'll keep a lot of product on the site after the start of November, depending whether I sell more via Etsy or BrandiceDesigns.net, but it's definitely a cool site to check out for gift hunters and crafters alike.

I especially enjoy the Colors section for fun, color-specific browsing.

For a peek at what I have on Etsy so far, visit Brandice Designs @ Etsy!

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I'm been moving a lot of my furniture lately, now that my landlord has definitely rented out the first floor apartment to a new tenant (he raised the rent after the old tenant moved out, and I could've only afforded what she was paying) and I'll be in this smaller apartment for a while.

I want to make my living space more suitable for my jewelry-making in a way that still leaves my living space useable for guests and other normal living things. I now have a station in my bedroom (the messier station, since I'll be able to shut the door on it), and the rolltop desk in the living room area next to the tv so that I can watch tv while working and roll it shut when guests are present. I'm pretty happy with what I've done so far, maybe I'll post some pics later. :)

I have a custom card protector order for Brandice Designs that I'm currently working to finish and then I'll be putting up some new merchandise on the site, so keep a lookout for a few new items, cheap fun stuff, and then more domino madness in the next couple weeks.

Also, check out Driven Graphics' new MySpace community when you get a chance:

If you remember, Amanda designed my jewelry website and she does DAMN good work. :)

That's all for now.