Where's The Fifth Tiger?

Anthony and I went to Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden at the Mirage yesterday to see the tiger cubs. I'd heard there were four and I really wanted to see them. We spent most of our time with our faces glued to the glass around the cubs area. It's a square room with glass walls on two sides. The other two sides are in the gift shop and there are several windows. A man sits in there with them, playing with them and breaking up fights. I guess he's training them but I don't know what they are being trained for as S & R no longer perform. As far as I'm concerned, there is little in this world as cute as a tiger cub. Three girls and a boy, the boy is a golden tiger, two white tigers without much stripes and a white striped one. Everyone was envious of the man in there with them and wanted his job. They may look like little babies but they sound like real tigers when they growl.

Today I searched the web for mor info on the tigers and everything I found, including the Secret Gardens site, says there are five cubs. But I was unable to find out where the fifth one is. I sent an email to the Secret Garden but who knows if they'll respond...(EDIT The day after I posted this I did receive a response from the Secret Garden. They assured me that there are still five tigers but that they sometimes rotate them in to the nursery.)

By the way I'm not posting pics because Ant didn't remind me to take a camera. We might have to go back next week, fortunately he gets a discount on the entry.



This is my latest fun ring design, I call it The Polka Dot Ring. I love making these rings. While it incorporates my one and only stitch, Peyote, it doesn't take hours and hours to make like my other items. Expect to see this one in lots of colour combinations. Because it doesn't take long to make, I'll be offering them at a very reasonable (read: cheap) price on Etsy.

Music or No Music, That is the Question

I'm curious what everyone thinks on the issue of music on blogs and sites. Today I was listening to some nice music on my computer (right now, Trailors For Sale or Rent) when I went to visit a blog. Suddenly my music was mixed in with some classic music. Needless to say, it did not mix well. Sometimes when I'm online, I also have the TV on. I can't hear the Golden Girls gems when I'm blasted with someone's music that is often not to my taste.

I guess you know where I stand on this issue. Now I like music as much as the next guy, without my music there is no way I could do 30 minutes on the elliptical or treadmill. But I just want to listen to one thing at a time, and when I'm in my home I should be able to choose it. I could turn off my speakers and in fact I rarely have them on but sometimes I'm listening to music or watching something on You Tube or my favourite, Desperate Housewives.

I do agree, for those fun montages and slide shows, music helps the whole affect. But if I'm trying to read your blog, music only serves to clutter my already cluttered mind. And if I'm shopping, well, same thing.

I believe we are too constantly bombarded by forced music/noise...elevators, casinos, inconsiderate people... Please, let me have some peace in my own home.

Back to our regularly scheduled jewelry stuff. I'm thinking chokers and anklets. Of course in peyote. Chokers will not be too difficult, in fact I sold one recently that was just a plain peyote band in silver lined crystal with a GORGEOUS Swarovski button closure that could be worn in the front or back. Oops forgot to take a picture. I've never worn chokers(aptly named) or anklets so I gotta get my thinkin' cap on. Where did I put it?

Thanks Estelle Getty

You made me laugh.

Alien Song

In my early days of computer exposure I was introduced to a little video called Alien Song (Victor Navone 1999.) No matter how many times I saw it, no matter how depressed I may have been, it always made me smile. So for those of you not familiar with it, I found it on You Tube and I'd like to share it with you, my loyal readers (yes, both of you)...Alien Song.

Lately I'm in a ring phase. The ring with the Swarovski frame is now available in 7 colours, with more to be ready soon. I sold the Swarovski cube ring which was in our Etsy store. That was the most viewed item in the store so it really was just a matter of time. That one will soon be available in an array of colours as well. The ring shown above is my latest, the 'Rita Ring.

Rings are my favourite type of jewelry so it's no wonder I'm making alot of them. And I don't care for expensive rings. Since the last loss of a special ring (I still cannot think or talk about it without crying) I have decided disposable rings are the only way to go. When I say disposable I mean, reasonably priced and without sentimental attachment, so when/if it gets lost, it won't be too upsetting. So rich man, if you want to buy me that 5 carat diamond, just forget it...I don't want it. Cash will be fine.

Subscribe to Me!

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After much hair-pulling I managed to put a SUBSCRIBE field on this blog. It's over there ----------> at the bottom. Just put in your email address and you will get only fresh blogs, none of that day old stuff.

I've just learned how to do these kind of cool montages on YouTube. I'm attempting to put one of them right here on my blog for all to see. I'm now going to press the PUBLISH POST button and if that montage is here and right it just may be a miracle.

Las Vegas Bead Society (LVBS)

"The Las Vegas Bead Society was established to promote, support and encourage interest, education and involvement in beads and beadwork. We encourage members to share their knowledge and welcome new members to join."

This is from the Las Vegas Bead Society's webpage. I have been a member since February and have found it to be a wonderful group of people.

Maybe it's a beading thing, but in general beaders are a wonderful group of people. I have found this to be true on my beading email lists, my Etsy team (Esmarts) and with the LVBS. Even if I ever got over my beading obsession, I don't think I could leave the craft because I'd miss the supportive, generous, friendly people it attracts.

Now we've started the LVBS Yahoo Group, for members and non-members of the Las Vegas Bead Society. If you are a beader in the Las Vegas area, please join us at Yahoo.

We're on Another Channel Today

Our irregularly unscheduled, sort of-weekly blog post may be seen at Esmarts Team Blog. You don't want to miss it! (Do you? I sure hope not.)

I'm going there now, follow me ...

Exit the Wax Era, Enter the Bead Era

I have been beading for a couple of years now. How did this happen, this obsession, this addiction? How does any addiction begin? With a moment. In a split second. True, I had dabbled in jewelry making many years ago but I barely remember it. I suppose it just didn’t ‘click’ because it came and went with out leaving a mark on my life, just a few boxes of odds and ends.

My obsession at the time of the ‘moment’ was candle making. That particular hobby came from my joy of reusing, never throwing anything away. I began to make candles out of the stubs of old candles. Eventually I learned that you cannot control the quality of your candle if you don’t know what wax it is made of, what scents have been used. So I just used the old candles as chunks. I made some really cool chunk candles if I do say so myself. And lots of nonchunk candles as well. Eventually I had too many candles so I tried to sell them. But candles carry a lot of responsibility. What if someone buys your candle and they burn their house down? So you gotta have insurance. And to make a really fine product you must test each wax with each scent with each mold. Well, frankly once I made a particular candle I never wanted to make another one just like it again,so forget the testing. And if you go to a craft show in the sun and don’t have a cover, they melt and they fade. Argh.

It was at one of these crafts shows when we happened to be in a spot next to a jewelry maker. . We started chatting and I admired her stuff and when I left that day I had a craving to make jewelry. I started stringing, then I fell in love with lampwork beads. I searched high and low for a teacher of lampworking in the Las Vegas area. Before my quest was complete I happened to take a class at a bead store on making a peyote stitch ring. The ring reminded me of the mesh Tiffany ring I had always wanted but hadn’t treated myself to. I took the class and I have done NOTHING but peyote stitch since. Definitely an obsession. It replaced my desire to learn lampwork (for now) which is just as well as lampwork would mean buying a kiln and lots of pricey stuff. So that’s on the backburner for now.

I do still make candles from time to time to give as gifts and will continue to do so until I run out of supplies which should be around...never.

eSMArts Guild Team Blog

Just a quick post to tell you about the brand new eSMArts Team Blog.

What is eSMArts?

"The Etsy Social Marketing Arts Guild (eSMArts Guild) is a global collaborative of mixed media artisans intent on further understanding and applying eCommerce advertising and promotion techniques. Our mandate is to foster friendship, creativity, connection, inspiration, discussion and plenty of cross promotion via implementing social marketing principles in order to drive traffic to our Etsy storefronts and other sales sites."

I didn't come up with that, thanks to our group leader!

The blogs will be written by various members on a rotating basis. My entry will appear on July 9...or 10 if I'm dragging my keyboard. It should be a fun and informative blog to look in on weekly.

That's the good news. The bad news is now I'll have to come up with original (or borrowed and reformatted) material for 2 blogs.

ChezChani thanks you for your support.

(Picture above is our newest item in our Etsy shop, made by Roz.)