Day 1 of the 30/30 Day Challenge.

My friend Di put forth a challenge for the month of October to spend 30 minutes a day for 30 days to form a positive habit. There are 12 of us who have taken up the challenge. My goal is to just "play" with clay for 30 minutes every day. Some may think that I play all the time...but actually I've kind of got myself in a rut of making the same type of cane and making flowers. I LOVE making flowers!!! don't get me wrong...I just need to add a little freshness to the whole process. I get fresh by playing. I am going to try to post about what I did the day before. So...here is what I did on October 1st.

I love making a Mokume' Gane' block or stack. You take several different colors of clay (I used a deep maroon, a raspberry pink, silver and translucent with silver ink spread on the sheet and allowed to dry) you roll them out into thin sheets and stack them.



I cut my short stack into quarters and stacked them up..and repeated a couple more times. Then comes the fun part!


You get to poke objects into the stack and cut it and just make a mess out of it! Then you need to moosh it all back together into a rectangle or square. You get to cut thin slices off of this stack and cover scrap clay and make beads...I made a heart. LOVELY and FUN!!!

What am I going to play with next??
blessings, ZudaGay

An Orange Treasury From the BBEST Team

I know I've not posted for so very long....so, I'm going to copy something from my friend Myfanwy. She has been doing a small treasury on her blog and I've enjoyed looking at her picks so I decided to give it a shot. Here are a variety of orangy items from some of my BBEST (Boomers and Beyond Etsy Street Team) friends.

And adorable hand panted floppy hat from
Talking Dog's shop.

Decorate your window for fall with this beautiful hand painted window cling
from Clinging Images.

AJ's candles have the yummiest sounding scents and oh so pretty colors!
Find candles, soaps and wax melts/tarts at AJs Country Cottage.

My fourth orangy pick for today is this beautiful handspun yarn
from the shop of The Knotty Sheep.

Please check out the wonderful items in these shops, you will be glad you did!!!

blessings, ZudaGay

We Wish You A Merry Christmas.....In July!!!

Boomers and Beyond Christmas In July Sale ends at Midnight EST Monday, July 21st. But there are many shops that will still have sales going on throughout the month.

Many on Etsy are having Christmas In July sales and our Boomer and Beyond Etsy Team decided to join in the holiday type fun. There are some great prices on some wonderful items!!!! These are the shops that are participating. Have fun shopping or even just browsing!

Collage & Painting - 2 Star Studio, http://2starstudio.etsy.com
Bath & Body Beauties - A Breath of French Air, http://abreathoffrenchair.etsy.com
Textile Art - Alis Clair, http://alisclair.etsy.com
Silk painting - Althea Peregrine, http://AltheaP.etsy.com
Knit & Crocheted Works - Alysa Merle Handcrafts, http://AlysaMerle.etsy.com
Mixed Media - Artmixter, http://artmixter.etsy.com
Recycled fabric art - Attack of the Vintage, http://attackofthevintage.etsy.com
Hats, Scarves and Bags - Bags and More by Pam, http://bagsandmorebypam.etsy.com
Photography - Beth Peardon Prods, http://BethPeardonProds.etsy.com
Unique and Fun gifts - Big Island Rose Designs, http://birose.etsy.com
Knitted and Crocheted - Blazing Needles, http://blazingneedles.etsy.com
Fused Glass- Chauncey Design, http://Chauncey.etsy.com
Fun variety - Circle In The Sand, http://circleinthesand.etsy.com
Window Clings - Clinging Images, http://clingingimages.etsy.com
Fused Glass - Designs by Christine, http://Chris1.etsy.com
Paintings, Animal & color - Diane Clancy's Art, http://DianeClancy.etsy.com
Destash & Supplies - ElectricMiscellany http://eclecticmiscellany.etsy.com
Beautiful Jewelry - Ever so Dear, http://eversoDear.etsy.com
Quilts, Bags & More - Fabric Art by Debby, http://fabricartbydebby.etsy.com
Raku Stoneware & More - Fehu Stoneware, http://fehustoneware.etsy.com
Steampunk & More - Figments by Kathleen, http://Figments.etsy.com
Painted Glass & Jewelry - Glitz n Glass, http://GlitznGlass.etsy.com
Painted Works of Art - Heron Kate, http://heronkate.etsy.com
Original oil and watercolor paintings - Jean Levert Hood, http://JeanHood.etsy.com
Ceramics, Wood, & Jewelry - Jill's Treasure Chest, http://JillsTreasureChest.etsy.com
Textile Accessories - JN Originals, http://jnoriginals.etsy.com
Eco Friendly Art - Joonbeam, http://joonbeam.etsy.com
Beautiful Beadwork - Kathy's Krafty Kreations, http://kathyskraftykreation.etsy.com
Fabulous Jewelry - Katz's Kreations, http://katzskreations.etsy.com
Polymer Clay & More - Lemachi Designs, http://LemachiDesigns.etsy.com
Textile Art - Lizplummer, http://lizplummer.etsy.com
Wearable Notebooks - Memo-Pause, http://memopause.etsy.com
Fabulous Jewelry - Night Sky Jewelry, http://nightskyjewelry.etsy.com
Glass Creations, Jewelry & More - Nonnie's Treasures, http://Nonnie60.etsy.com
Encaustic art - On A Whimsey, http://onawhimsey.etsy.com
Lovely Bags - Posey Patch Creations, http://poseypatch.etsy.com
Quilts, Blankets & more - Precious Quilts, http://preciousquilts.etsy.com
Fine Art - Purely Painting, http://purelypainting.etsy.com
Wonderful Wirewrapping - Rosegardenfae, http://rosegardenfae.etsy.com
Varied Vintage - Rosegardenfae2 http://rosegardenfae2.etsy.com.
Stunning Threads & Yarn - Sassa Lynne at Etsy, http://sassalynne.etsy.com
Scottie Designs for People - Scottie Acres Boutique, http://scottieacres.etsy.com
Fantasy Painting - Sixsisters, http://sixsisters.etsy.com
Eclectic Adornments - Studio a la Mode, http://studioalamode.etsy.com
One Of A Kind Accessories - Talking Dog Productions, http://TalkingDog.etsy.com
Beautiful Jewelry - TCP Jewelry, http://tcpjewelry.etsy.com
Buttons & more - The Button Hole, http://ButtonHole.etsy.com
Fine Art - The Creators Palette, http://TheCreatorsPalette.etsy.com
Fabulous Jewelery - The Filigree Garden, http://thefiligreegarden.etsy.com
Vintage Accessories & More - The Good Old Days, http://GoodOldDays.etsy.com
Handspun yarn & more - The Knotty Sheep, http://theknottysheep.etsy.com
Fine & Fun Artist - Van Fleet Street Design, http://VanFleetStreetDesign.etsy.com
Fabric Fancy Whimseys, http://whimseys.etsy.com
Gorgeous Watercolors - Yankeegirl's Watercolors, http://yankeegirl.etsy.com
Polymer Clay Beauties - ZudaGay, http://ZudaGay.etsy.com

blessings, ZudaGay

And.....The WINNER is......

Number 6 is the winner of the ACEO and number 16 is the winner of a custom flower (or if they would rather, they may pick their favorite flower from the flower pendants and focal beads in my shop. Now I need to go see who these lucky people are! (off to count and recount to make sure my counting is correct)

Number 6 is, Alis from AlisClare. Alis, I will send you your new ACEO in the mail on Monday. Congratulations!!

And, number 16, is Rosepostcards - Beth! Beth, be thinking what kind of flower you want.

Thank you all for helping me celebrate my 1 year anniversary!!

blessings, ZudaGay

First Annual Anniversary Contest

Hehehe, my title tickles me! You always see fifth annual or tenth annual, but they had to begin at first, didn't they? May 24 was the first anniversary of my Etsy shop. I am having a 10% off sale until 11 pm EST May 31. That is the first phase of my celebration and thank you to my customers. The next phase is what you are reading about right now! WOOHOO!!! I am giving away this ACEO titled "Family".


The next give away is a custom designed Flower Pendant on a cord or ribbon. You will say size, shape of petals, color scheme and if you prefer a wire bail or a focal bead style.


Also, anyone who leaves a comment on this post is entitled to a 20% discount until 11 pm EST, June 7th. Just write bloggy discount in your message to seller, don't hit the pay button and I will send a revised invoice. Or....convo me to tell me what you want to buy and I will revise the listing and put Reserved for you in the title.

What do you do??? Leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite flower. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE.....make sure you leave a way for me to contact you. Some blogger profiles are private and they don't tell me a thing. I hate drawing a number and finding that I have no way of contacting that person.....it makes me sad! I will draw the winners on Sunday, June 8 at Noon CST using a random number generator.

I want to thank everyone who has made this year totally amazing for me. First of all to God who has blessed my efforts and has provided for us in some very imaginative ways. To all my customers....you are the best customers....EVER!!! And last but certainly not least, thank you to all the wonderful friends I have made this year - especially the BBEST team who laugh, cry, encourage, bully, dance and share their chocolate every day.

blessings, ZudaGay

It's Been So Long!

Obviously my "new year's resolution" to post three times a week didn't stick! It has been over a month!!! I really do have an excuse...it isn't good, but it's an excuse which I won't bore you with. This is just an update on what is going on, and I really will try to post more often. First of all, we have been taking care of two grandkids about 9 hours a day which takes up time and a whole lot of energy!!! What a delight they are- most of the time. The second thing is I have four (I think) items in a book called "1000 Jewelry Inspirations" which will be on sale next month. Also, a treasury, created by Block Party Press that I am honored to be in, was sellected to be on Etsy's home page.


To be on the front page is a thrill for any Etsy shop!!!

blessings, ZudaGay

It's A New Thang...for me anyway

ACEOs!!! I just may become addicted to this new thing. New to me anyway. Artist Trading Cards and Artist Cards, Editions and Originals have been around for a while. I'm not too sure exactly how long, maybe around ten years or so. Although miniature artwork has probably been around about as long as there have been artists. Historically miniatures really didn't have any guidelines, they were very small works of art that the artist made either to show off their work or to enable people to carry around an image of their loved one. This new age of ATCs and ACEOs does have one guideline - for size. ACEOs must be 2.5" X 3.5" the same size as baseball cards. They may be made in any medium the artist chooses to use. In this post I am showing what I have been doing, the next one I will show you some of the ACEOs of some artists whose work I desire to add to my ACEO collection.

Secret Garden Fairy Door

Happy Tree

Just to show what happens when the oven spikes:
Burnt to a crisp Secret Garden Fairy Door

Waiting for Emily

My first one Butterfly Garden

blessings, ZudaGay