Windy day
so many beads. and pliers. so many pliers. https://www.etsy.com/shop/LionessElise
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Windy day
Except for one package that is being picked up, everything from the Birthday Month Sale was packed, labeled, and readied for the post office people, who collected it this morning. This may be the fastest I've ever gotten the shipping completely finished after a Birthday Month Sale. Gonna zzz now.
YAAAAYYYYYYY!
Sale is over! Thank you all SO MUCH for making my birthday month excellent. <3 <3 <3 LionessElise
OK. YOU KNOW HOW I GET, RIGHT? SO... HOW MANY PAIRS OF EARRINGS CAN YOU GRAB AT 75% OFF FOR THE NEXT SEVEN MINUTES?
Except for the ones that are now 75% off.
Pendants section all just went to 65% off.
Also, this 65% off applies to the earrings made with those rough gray diamonds and those rough natural blue diamonds.
People who like moonstones should look at the ones called "Save a Little Moonlight For Me." Look at the video in particular.
There is about to be a significant markdown in the earrings section. They are all going to 65% off.
Y'know what? Let's have some fun. Gonna go put more things in that category.
I need to apologize to you for being very wicked a few seconds ago and creating an even deeper discount level. I do need to. Just not ready to, yet. OK. I am sorry. But I still did it.
These are definitely the dangerous minutes of every sale.
A little over an hour is left in the sale, and I am having fun with markdowns again. At midnight, anything left goes back to full price. www.etsy.com/shop/Lioness...
There are three hours and twenty-six minutes left in the Birthday Month Sale as I write this. And you know how I get. (Markdown-y, is how I get. Extra extra markdown-y.) Anything left at midnight goes back to full price. Go forth swiftly and find treasure! www.etsy.com/shop/Lioness...
mwa ha and also ha you know how i get (if you like Swarovski crystal earrings you might want to start there)
Elise's birthday was earlier this month and she does big sales during her birthday month which are escalating this weekend as you might expect. Lots of gorgeous things in her shop are now 50% off. Find something for you, plan ahead & get gifts for folks . . .
Necklace-crowns are 50% (or more) off now. And all but one of the necklaces. And the entire section inspired by Celia Lake. OK< that's good. Gonna have breakfast and figure out which things get marked down more next.
Same for the section called "owl octopus spider snake," which is a thing that started in order to be courteous to some online friends who appreciate not having surprise owls (or octopuses, or spiders, or snakes) in their reading list. 50% off all of 'em now.
Oh, what the heck, yeah, let's do 50% for everything in the earrings section.
OK, the remaining pen nib and book jewelry is now half price. Let's see what else.
We are in the final two days of the sale. My birthday month is almost complete. And you know how I get, right? I am going to go get that way right now. (Markdown-y is how I get, for those who haven't seen it before. Gonna be more bargains in a couple minutes.) www.etsy.com/shop/Lioness...
LionessElise sends you slightly belated greetings from what was Friday but which has now inexplicably become Saturday. (Hey, inexplicable to me; I just woke up.)
I'm so sorry for your loss. May her memory bring peace. (And I hope there are good people surrounding you on your birthday.)
It's for IDs. Drivers licenses need to be periodically renewed. Current law says that Minnesota drivers age 75 and up must renew their drivers license every four years, which includes passing a vision test each time.
Also, today I learned that when I get an ID at 65 or older, I never have to do it again. It says LIFETIME now. Huh. That's an odd feeling, that is.
Followup to yesterday's note: Lakeville License Center for the win! I now have valid ID again, thanks to their same-day ID setup. Does not work with Real ID, so i will need to go do that if I intend to fly again, but this general ID does what I need it to do now.
There is no route out of fascism that involves sacrificing the vulnerable. All that does is tell the fascists that we're willing to turn on each other for the illusion of safety.
That's leaving out a lot. So I'm even more tired than that all implies. And now I am going to have a meal and the requisite meds. Which are late. Argh. OK then. Time to be constructive.
My health insurance figurer-outer (broker) is hardworking and nice. The Social Security figurer-outers are hardworking and nice. My artist wrangler is hardworking and no-nonsense which is exactly what I pay her for. My pharmacy people are extremely hardworking and nice. And me? I'm tired.
Aww, thank you!
LionessElise sends you slightly belated Tuesday greetings.
Because it is for work, I jumped the queue to work on photos for the Minnesota State Fair. But this one which doesn't have directly to do with work, I am sharing with you all. Yes, this is butter carving. #photography
My point with the preceding Minnesota State Fair crop art pieces is that Minnesota is a weird, hilarious, and earnestly community-oriented place and everyone should move here immediately. There’s a profound commitment to the ridiculous here.
Favorite day of the year! The Minnesota State Fair is officially open for business! I’m heading straight for the Farmers Union.
Photos: Check out the some of the 451 pieces of crop art at the Minnesota State Fair From @mprnews.org www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0...
here’s some more crop art I loved at the Minnesota State Fair
Here's my crop art for the Minnesota State Fair!
still my favorite pithy sign on something at the Minnesota State Fair so far 🇳🇴
Teared up folks honoring Melissa and Mark Hortman and their dog Gilbert by making grain art for the state fair. Truly the most Minnesota thing ever www.tiktok.com/t/ZT6VN2tyw/
Seed art at the Minnesota State Fair is very creative.
It's Minnesota State Fair time! It's time for Minnesotan folk art! Here, for example, is Saturn Devouring His Corn, in the seed art category!
Here's a nice little Minnesota State Fair visit if, like me, you are missing the Fair. Wish I had some of that Ube French Toast Lumpia, not gonna lie.
So hey: I am working on a novel where the main character is involved in indie filmmaking in MN. I have been thinking about all the stuff I don't know, and that I don't know I don't know. I would really like to find someone who is doing an indie film in MN who would let me hang out & watch/work.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH
Barry Lyndon vibes
Pratchett nailed this one:
If you tell me I should show no interest in art because of the fascism in our world, I am going to curtly let you know that (1) the fascism has always been here for me and mine and (2) people being interested in art is what is currently keeping me alive.
Would be a good idea to do some COVID-testing after the Fair and mask up for a bit. (Would be a good idea to test in advance and mask up while there too, but I am not the boss of you people.) (I'm sure some of you have! Go you!) (Appreciate everyone who is testing & masking & so on.)
We have two jowly, jovial midwestern uncles who have what appear to be sincerely held values about their pretty decent politics, but no you ding dongs want us to offer up our votes to Kim Guilfoyle’s sweaty Temu Daddy Warbucks-ass ex.
I was using it in the 90s and 00s. It did used to have the juice.
Cap actually looks kind of good in crystal. Huh.
Eeeeeek. And $950 for that?
This feels like a spot of good news www.sciencedaily.com/releases/202...
My name is Captain Dylan Blaha, and this message is for members of the National Guard across the USA. I've served in the Illinois Army National Guard for over 12 years, including a deployment to Afghanistan and three years on active duty in Europe. What's going on right now is not normal.
*hug offered*
And now I'm all mushy, which I probably should have done yesterday on my birthday actual, but here we are. In closing, if you've had any particular fun or startling occurrences with things I've made, I would to hear about it. Telling me would be one of the best birthday presents ever. <3 21/21
And to everybody who has been, is currently, and will be part of the fun, thank you. Thank you for Artists' Challenge pieces, for Haiku Earring Party poems, for fun and encouragement and patronage and Patreonage and everything. (Including the Kickstarter classes, which are still to come!) 20/?
So hang on, because it's going to be a fun ride. (There may also be a reprise of "The Lioness Makes a Surprise For You" at future birthdays and celebratory days.) In the meantime, here's the current Birthday Sale link: www.etsy.com/shop/Lioness... 19/?
And right now, while I am still here, my criteria for what to work on has also shifted. Over the years I have accumulated some pretty interesting stuff, beads and minerals and fossils and so forth. Having reached this milestone birthday, I'm going to be using the amazing stuff first now. 18/?
So if you've been wondering why my recent goal for how many pieces to have in the Etsy shop just jumped to 300, that's why. It's a way of passing things on, paying it forward. I hope it doesn't happen for a good long time, but hey, it is planned now and in writing and notarized like whoah. 17/?
And after I'm gone? I'll let you in on some plans. The executor of my will has been instructed to (and is fully in favor of) giving all unsold inventory (that's not promised elsewhere) to the Flights of Foundry people to use in fundraising. 16/?
That said, if you see something you like that I've made, it's definitely the only one exactly like that (I almost never repeat pieces), and the coming supply is finite. In the meantime, I'll make stuff. And people will buy stuff and I can do good things with that money. (I am VERY GRATEFUL!) 15/?
I guess what I'm trying to say is: There is no retirement in my plans. I intend to keep making art until I am summoned from the workbench to join the Big Workshop Party in the Sky, or wherever we go. It keeps me going. I make art and art makes me, pretty much. 14/?
But time and tide and silly bodies and life-changing illnesses, among other things, make planning on immortality not really a person's best bet, you know? *FX: phone reminder* S'cuse me. Phone is reminding me to take the next set of meds. 13/?
What I mean by that is this. Nobody lasts forever. And no matter how fun the party is, or the cafe gathering is, none of those last forever either. I'd love to live forever and sit in panels and convention lobbies in conversation, making pendants and handing them to whoever might need one. 12/?
For instance, my hands shake sometimes. My dexterity has taken a bit of a hit. When holding earrings or pendants to catch the light for a video, I sometimes drop them. I haven't been editing those bits out. They're how it is. Let the observant profit by their observations. 11/?
While I am not planning on retirement myself yet, I have now hit the classic age where people think about that and sometimes do it. (Yes, this birthday means I am 65 years old, an age I am very startled to have made it to.) If you watch the videos in my shop, you can see some changes. 10/?
(Buying in bulk was best, and Swarovski didn't do assortments generally. A couple of my suppliers, their distributors, did, but it was rare and I could not budget on the assumption that those would be available. So I bulk-bought when I could, for whatever discount was reacheable.) 9/?
Oh well. *shrug* At least I don't have to figure out how to calculate the effects tariffs and the halt of the de minimus exemption would affect the Swarovski-bead-buying section of my budgeting. Kinda miss those good old days, though, of figuring out which shape/color I'd get each year. 8/?
Anyhow, I was thinking about it because I just marked down some of the Swarovski crystal earrings in the Birthday Month sale. and then I stumbled across an image of the Creeper, and, well, this is what came of it. I wonder how that decision turned out for them, business-wise. 7/?
When I run out of what I've got, we'll see what's on the market then. None of the competitors have really thrilled me. I bought Swarovski, when they were selling it to the likes of me, because I judged it to be the best. It did things only it did, and that was worth it to me. 6/?
I have some Swarovski crystal beads left because my sister pointed me at a bead shop she liked that was closing, and I bought up their entire Swarovski section. Someone else told me there's some Swarovski back on the open market now. I haven't searched, so I don't know if that's so. 5/?
The more fun the better, especially in times like this. My quibble is that I remember how eager the newly-in-charge Swarovski heir was to sweep us trivial artists and crafters away from their doorstep, and how much they talked about us bringing down the tone of the brand. 4/?
Yeah, that should have been labeled 2/? but I was too busy trying to figure out how to describe the thing in alt text and I forgot. Anyhow, yeah. And I don't mean to diss Minesweeper! People enjoy it a lot! They should have all the fun peripheral merch they want! 3/?
Folks, I give you a sample of the sort of thing they wanted to keep their brand focused on: The Swarovski Minecraft Creeper www.swarovski.com/en-US/p-5701...
Remember when Swarovski stopped selling their crystal beads to all but a few upscale partners? The reason given was that they didn't want us regular crafters and artists to sully their brand, bring it down from the elegant heights, make it laughable instead of luxury. How's that working out? 1/?
farmer laborers divorce the democrats 2025
Mayor Frey didn’t have the votes for the Dem endorsement, so he declared the whole process ILLEGAL SHAM STOP THE STEAL and got the endorsement revoked on threat of big donors revoking their checks. Money shouldn’t be able to overturn the will of the people. I donated to Omar Fateh’s campaign today.
Remember, if you would like me to hold things until the end of the sale and do all the shipping at once (and refund you any savings from consolidating), just tell me "let it ride." Here's the shop link: www.etsy.com/shop/Lioness...
There, that looks pretty good.
17 minutes left in my birthday actual. Therefore I have 17 minutes (or slightly less) to do some end-of-the-day markdowns. You know how I get, and I'm gonna get that way right now.
OM NOM NOM. Birthday treat: Irvins Salted Egg Salmon Skin snacks. HELLO YES PLEASE I WILL HAVE SOME MORE Figured out they are ambrosial because it's a mix of crispy fried salmon skin, duck egg yolk, curry leaves, and chili. I have been waiting to taste these all my life without knowing it.
This. this this this this this so much this
THANK YOU.
Thank you!
And now, there are more markdowns to be made. Off I go to do that. Because you know how I get! Whee!
If you'd like me to let your acquisitions accumulate and then ship them all together at the end of the sale, I will do that and refund any extra shipping. Just tell me to let it ride.
That was fun! And now I am going to mark down some more things. Here, have a link, so you can see how things are going: www.etsy.com/shop/Lioness... Sale goes until the end of the month. Markdowns get bigger as we go. On Sept 1, anything that's left goes back to full price.
It is now my birthday actual, so here come some markdowns, because you know how i get
"The Fall of Rome-Scented Candle smells like cypress trees and red wine. Light it and watch the Roman forum melt into a puddle of wax while you quietly contemplate the impermanence of civilizations and/or candles."
lavender is for lovers ✨💜✨ www.peculiarityshop.com
Yes. Hell. The people I met had not gone through a civil war yet. A year or so after I met them, civil war descended upon them. They did not live through it. Their young children lived through it by hiding beneath the dead bodies of their. parents for several days until someone safe found them.
Isn't there a sculpture by that artist in Madison, WI, on one of the streets near the capitol?
(I understood that reference! said Cap.)
Ohhhhhh.
Alas, no pockets. I have added some leggings with pockets to the outfit, but it would be better if the dress (it's one piece) had pockets.
LionessElise sends you Monday greetings.
