Seasonal felicitations!

Years ago a friend emailed me around this time of year, saying "Seasonal felicitations!".  Doesn't that sound more fun than Happy Holidays?  I'm a Merry Christmas person myself, but I hope that whatever holidays you're celebrating are filled with love, good times, and warmth.  Especially warmth.  Winter is no longer coming. Winter is here.

With the New Year it looks like there are going to be a lot of changes happening in my life.  One of those things is adding a new item to the store that I'm genuinely thrilled about.  Bernard (my larger dragon sculpture) always makes me smile and I've wanted do to more dragon sculpture pieces.  They tend to be time consuming, which means they end up being expensive, and I want to have a dragon piece that anyone can add to their collection without breaking the bank.  My workspace is currently a chaotic mess of piles of rings and dragon heads, bodies, wings and other bits.  But soon it shall all come together into a beautiful draconic masterpiece! 

That's my new project.  Are you looking forward to trying any new things in the upcoming year?

Is this your towel, or has my dryer started knitting?

I think the most common complaint people make about their dryers has to do with their sock eating tendencies.  Whenever that odd sock comes out it's always the hungry dryer munching on the other one.  I used to believe this, but after a particular set of events I believe that dryers may have something else in mind...

I have several friends who live out of town and sometimes we have a weekend get together at my house.  After the last big party everybody went home, I went back to my usual business of chainmail and several days later I got around to doing laundry.  While unloading the dryer I saw an unfamiliar towel with pretty, colorful turtles on it.

It wasn't mine, so I started asking people who'd been over about it so I could find the owner. Strangely, no one would claim it.  Not a single person said it was theirs, or that they'd seen it while visiting.  At which point I realized that I also didn't see it until it was coming out of the dryer...  Maybe, just maybe, the dryer has been collecting odd socks for a greater purpose.

If only I could convince my printer to repurpose singles into hundreds!  Until then, I'll still be making cool stuff out of chainmail.  Today (11-30-16) is the last day for the 20% off sale!  If you need an awesome and unique gift for someone on your list stop by my site for links to the store.  And Like my page on Facebook for fun photos and special Facebook only discounts.

It's hard to make chainmail when your hands are frozen

The East TN Celtic Festival was moved to October, and on the 21st I happily packed up my totes of chainmail and tree art for the show on the 22nd.  Little did I know that the previously warm weather would choose this day to go on vacation.  After weeks of high temps at 70/75, day one of the outdoor festival had a high of 55.  I froze my fingers off all day!  And as soon as the weekend was over it was back in the 70's.  Even with the crazy cold snap the show was a lot of fun, I'm just denying the warm weather's vacation request for that weekend next year.

Christmas is coming up soon.  I usually don't get into it until after Thanksgiving but I've spent the last couple of weeks getting a jump start on making ornaments.  I have new Spiky Ornaments this year, Celtic Star Ornaments, Tree of Life ornaments, and several different styles of long keychains.  If you've not been to the shop lately, visit and check out the new pieces.

If you're hosting or know of an event between now and Christmas that could use a dose of chainmail, be sure and let me know.  I'm always looking for fun new events to be part of!

I'm not dead yet!

The last few months of non chainmail "day job" work have kept me covered up, but I'm here again and ready to get back to the links!

Marci's Chain Designs next event is Big Stone Celtic in Big Stone Gap VA on Sept 24, 2016.  I'll be there with chainmail and tree art, and am really looking forward to it.  This is always a good show with lots of things to do, and is in a beautiful area.  Check out their website and see what's going on, come out to see me, and get some great and unique stuff.

I'm looking for more fun Celtic, Medieval, Gaming and Anime events to take chainmail to this year, or any event that could use a vendor with a giant dose of colorful and awesome handmade chainmail items.  If you are part of or know of something happening in East TN/SW VA/Western NC I'd love to hear about it.  Let me know!

The ultimate gift for the true Renaissance man or lady...

Chainmail toilet paper!

I'm not sure exactly when this idea popped into my head, but I'm sooo happy with how it turned out.  For the true Renaissance man or lady, chainmail toilet paper.  Hand crafted from aluminum rings with a durable leather center roll, this toilet paper is a piece you can enjoy for years to come.

Yes, I'm crazy.  But it's fun.  :D

Kraken!

I was watching tv and playing with my pet kraken when it crawled away.  By the time I found it, it was already up to no good...

I love how the kraken turned out, and the other bottles are coming along nicely as well.  A bit slowly, but nicely.  I prefer to reuse empty bottles and do the recycle/upcycle/green thing, but there's only so much wine one person can drink without getting themselves into trouble.  That, and I've not yet figured out how to legally write off buying booze as a materials expense for the business.  If you've not seen any of the other bottle art yet, check out the shop at www.marcischaindesigns.com.  I'm still doing finishing touches on a few so they're not all posted, but I'm hoping to have the rest of the collection in by the first of the week.  If you're interested in bottle art, let me know.  I'd love to make something for you.

I've also been trying to get ready for shows the next few weekends.  This weekend (4/30-5/1) is Shikacon in Bristol, VA.  It's an anime convention and a new one for me, so I'm looking forward to meeting everyone!  I'm following that with the Spring Fling in Cadiz, KY on 5/7, and the St. Brendan's Celtic Festival in Oak Ridge on 5/14.  You can find details about these on my Events page on Facebook.  Come buy some chainmail, and mention seeing this post for a free gift with your order at any show through the end of May!

What's my motivation?

Why is it so cold in April?  I woke up warm and happy under my blanket, only to be attacked by an evil 30 something degree outdoor temperature.  It's just not right.  I dragged myself downstairs for a hot cup of tea and decided to get started with the day.

The last few days I've been office worked to death.  There's been taxes, a ton of other business paperwork and reworking the website.  I do the site myself and usually want to pull my hair out before it's done, but this time I'm really happy with how it turned out.  If you've not been there, or if it was blue the last time you were, check out the new version at www.marcischaindesigns.com.  Now that the short term paperwork and back end things are sorted, I'm ready to get back into making stuff.

In February I created a Celtic Knot bracelet design to match my Celtic Knot Earrings, and the new design has been popular at shows.  I like to mix up my display, so I try not to go crazy with all jewelry all the time.  My next project will be more bottle art.  Currently I only have two decorated wine bottles.  They have a very gypsy feel (to me anyway), and you can use them with the bottle they were made on or take them off to put on another.  They're very versatile, very unique, and make great conversation pieces.  Once I get a half dozen of them together I'll do photos and put them in the shop.

Plans for the rest of the day now...  Finish my tea, grab that blanket, and sit on the couch working on bottle art while binge watching Are You Being Served.  Yay for Britcoms!

Time for the Tri-Cities Highland Games!

In the time I've been doing chainmail I've been to countless shows and festivals that included Highland Games.  And in 6 years I've never actually watched one.  Not ever!  Luck has always put my booth in a separate field or around the corner, and I can't just walk off and leave the chainmail for an hour or 2 to go see what's going on.  This year however, things are changing and I'm going to get to watch the show!

If you've never seen a Highland Games, or love them and want to come see what's going on, the Tri-Cities Highland Games will be this Saturday, March 12, in Johnson City, TN.  You can participate or watch, so check out their page to get details on everything.  Looking forward to seeing you there, and mention this blog post to get a free gift with your chainmail purchase!

It's ETSU-Con time once again!

Do you live in the Tri-Cities?  If you know where ETSU is and are into anime, make plans to check out ETSU-Con this weekend, Feb 27-28!

http://www.etsu.edu/students/sorc/organizations/etsucon/

While I'm not a huge anime fan I'm a gamer to the core and love being a part of geekery events like this, so Marci's Chain Designs will be there! Mention this post for a free gift with your chainmail purchase!  

Happy New Year!

It's a brand new year.  Time to turn over a new leaf, try to convince yourself to start exercising more, or just to do more of whatever it is to better your life and the world around you.  As you mull over ideas, I hope you consider supporting more local and small business people.  Not only does it help your neighbors and friends pay their bills, it keeps more money in the local area and supports individuals instead of corporations.

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Marci's Chain Designs is having a January sale to ring in the new year, and neckties are on sale for only $50!  Check out the Facebook page or Etsy store to grab this deal!