tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2293484377705259632024-03-08T12:05:42.968-05:00Weyakin DesignsWeyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-46092776390874143552010-02-04T15:24:00.003-05:002010-02-04T15:43:28.989-05:00When Life Gives you Lemons...<img src="http://weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/lemon.png" alt="Image. Lemon." style="float:right; margin:2px 0 5px 10px; border:none;" />Times are tough in the current economic state of the world. I was seeing the effects, feeling them a little. But, I didn't truly feel how bad things are until I was laid off from my job a little over two weeks ago. <br /><br />When you end up at home for long days by yourself, you begin to do a lot of soul searching. I've spent some time, looking into the options of where to go next. I think when people are forced into a situation like this, the first reaction involves panic, especially when it comes to financial concerns. But, often following the panic phase, there comes a quiet solitude of self-reflection and introspective pondering. You begin to wonder where you had been and where you will go and suddenly, the ideas and possibilities appear on the horizon. That horizon is the hope for something greater, something more fulfilling and something more meaningful.<br /><br />I began my inner-search and soon after, stumbled upon this film. <em><a href="http://www.lemonademovie.com/" target="_blank">Lemonade</a></em> is a short documentary by Erik Proulx, a former employee at large ad agencies. After he lost his job, he was inspired to create this film after talking to other people in the ad agency field who were let go from their jobs. I myself did not work specifically in advertising, but my job as a web designer has some similar trends among the ad agency folks. I found a lot of inspiration from this film. Whether you have been laid off or not, the message of <em><a href="http://www.lemonademovie.com/" target="_blank">Lemonade</a></em> is inspiring for anyone who has ever considered doing something more with their lives.Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-20066691957008324042010-01-31T22:46:00.004-05:002010-01-31T22:57:16.319-05:00FREE Ways to Help Charitable CausesI'm so pleased to see how well the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/HeartsforHaiti" target="_blank">Hearts for Haiti</a> Etsy shop is doing! The Etsy community has already raised over $20,000 for Doctors Without Borders' Haiti relief fund. My heart-shaped herbal heat pack went quickly to a generous overseas buyer. I'm so glad I was able to be part of this wonderful cause.<br /><br />On the topic of generosity and helpful charities, I wanted to share with you a few ways you can help other causes for FREE every single day. There are several charitable donation sites out there that receive donations based on clicks from users. The money comes from the sponsors who advertise on those pages. It is a great fast, free way to do something positive. Here is a list of some great sites that do great things to help the environment, children, women and people of all kinds:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.therainforestsite.com" target="_blank">TheRainforestSite.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com" target="_blank">TheAnimalRescueSite.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.thebreastcancersite.com" target="_blank">TheBreastCancerSite.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.thehungersite.com" target="_blank">TheHungerSite.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.thechildhealthsite.com" target="_blank">TheChildHealthSite.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.theliteracysite.com" target="_blank">TheLiteracySite.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.ecologyfund.com" target="_blank">EcologyFund.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.redjellyfish.com" target="_blank">RedJellyfish.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.care2.org/click-to-donate" target="_blank">Care2.org</a><br /><br />Do you know of other great ways to help great causes? Comment here with your links!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-85424301535368558042010-01-21T23:21:00.002-05:002010-01-21T23:30:03.195-05:00Hearts for Haiti Etsy Donation ShopSome wonderful people started up a new Etsy shop last week called <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/HeartsforHaiti" target="blank">"Hearts for Haiti"</a>. This great cause is raising money to help the people of Haiti from the earthquake destruction. The Etsy community has come together to create a shop full of unique items, all of which are donated by the generous sellers on Etsy. The money raised by Hearts for Haiti will be donated to <a href="http://doctorswithoutborders.org/" target="_blank">Doctors Without Borders</a>, who are providing hospital and medical services to the people of Haiti.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39032145" target="_blank"><img src="http://ny-image1.etsy.com//il_155x125.117730225.jpg" alt="A Warm Heart for Haiti Heat Pack" style="float:left; margin:2px 10px 5px 0;" /></a>Be sure to check out all of the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/HeartsforHaiti" target="_blank">wonderful handmade goods</a> everyone on Etsy is providing to the cause and lend a helping hand! I have donated a special purple herbal heat pack in a heart shape. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39032145" target="_blank">View the Warm Heart for Haiti purple heart heat pack</a>.Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-77525159376123503112010-01-10T12:43:00.004-05:002010-01-10T12:55:38.715-05:00Fabulous Vegan Rum Cake!<img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/rumcake_sm.jpg" alt="Vegan Rum Cake" align="left" style="margin:0 10px 5px 0;" />A co-worker brought in a rum cake, which looked absolutely delicious, but was completely not vegan. So, once I received the recipe from her, I set out to make my own vegan version. You don't have to be a vegan to enjoy this recipe. It's also cholesterol free and tastes just as yummy as one that isn't!<br /><br />I asked a friend what type of spiced rum would be good for making rum cake with. She recommended Sailor Jerry. So, here is Sailor Jerry's *fabulous* vegan rum cake...<br /><br />Cake Ingredients:<br /><br />- 1 cup of chopped/toasted pecans or walnuts (I used pecans)<br />- 1 box vanilla cake mix (it called for an 18.5oz box, but I used a 16.5oz box and it was fine... I know that Dr. Oteker's cake mix is vegan, so that's what I used)<br />- 1 box 4 serving vanilla pudding mix (it called for instant, but I used the cook kind and it still works fine... I also used Dr. Oteker's for this because I know it's vegan)<br />- 1 cup plain or vanilla soy yogurt (this replaces the 4 eggs)<br />- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil<br />- 1/2 cup cold soy or rice milk<br />- 1/2 cup dark spiced rum<br /><br />Glaze Ingredients:<br /><br />- 1/2 cup margarine (I used Earth Balance)<br />- 1 cup sugar<br />- 1/4 cup water<br />- 1/2 cup dark spiced rum<br /><br />Pre-heat oven 325°F. Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan. Put the pecans or walnuts evenly in the bottom of the pan. Mix all of the cake ingredients and blend for a couple of minutes. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for an hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan and after it cools, flip it upright onto a plate.<br /><br />To make the glaze: Melt the margarine in a pan. Stir in the sugar and water and let it boil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour in the rum. It will bubble and steam, so be careful! Stir. Pour over the cake!<br /><br />If the glaze seems kind of runny at first, if you let it cool down, it will solidify more. But, you can pour it over the cake while it is still runny and it can solidify on the cake too. I also noticed this make a TON of glaze, so you don't have to use it all.<br /><br />Eat and enjoy!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-12747560423793243182010-01-09T11:23:00.003-05:002010-01-09T11:47:13.499-05:00The Incredible Bat!<a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_3&listing_id=37416038&ga_search_query=bat&ga_search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5513852" target="_blank"><img src="http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_155x125.112285933.jpg" align="left" style="margin:0 10px 5px 0;" /></a>Lately, I've been making a few <a href="http://www.etsy.com/search_results_shop.php?search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5513852&search_query=bat" target="_blank">bat-themed products</a> for my shop. I love bats, because I think they are both adorable and interesting creatures. Their shape also makes for an extra spooky, but fun way to dress things up. I know that a lot of people associate bats just with Halloween, but I love having them around all year-round.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/flyingfox.jpg" alt="Giant Golden-crown Flying Fox Bat" align="right" style="margin:0 0 5px 10px;" />The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat" target="_blank">bat</a> consists of about 1,100 different species, ranging in size from 2 grams to 1.2 kilograms. The largest bat is the Giant Golden-crowned Flying Fox, which hails from the Philippines. I love the Flying Fox because it really does look like a fox with wings (image courtesy of Wikipedia). Most bats (about 70%) eat insects, while the remaining bats eat mostly fruit.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/wildlife/index.php?subject=Mammals&id=20" target="_blank">bats</a> that we have here in Massachusetts are usually the "<a href="http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=DAK&q=little%20brown%20myotis&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi" target="_blank">little brown myotis</a>" and the "big brown bat". I often see little bats flying overhead at dusk across the open space in my front yard. I think they might be the little browns. I love watching as they quietly flap across, catching all the nasty mosquitoes. It's an interesting sight to see the silhouettes of 10 or so bats swooping across between the trees. This year, when the weather warms up, we plan to build some bat houses to encourage our little winged friends to hang around. <a href="http://www.batmanagement.com/Batcentral/boxbuild/build1.html" target="_blank">Here are some instructions</a> on how you can make your own bat house!<br /><br />I hope you enjoyed this quick excursion about our little winged friends!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-88031070648849016262009-12-30T18:38:00.003-05:002009-12-30T18:49:11.041-05:00New Year Wishes...Hi everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic holiday with your friends, family and loved ones. It's hard to believe that the year is almost over already. Where did the time go?<br /><br />As we approach 2010, I hope to have many new and wonderful things to share with you in the coming year. I hope you too have some great plans for what you hope to accomplish this next year.<br /><br />Whether you make resolutions or not, I hope 2010 treats you all well and that you find many pleasant surprises and much happiness!<br /><br />As a seasonal holiday card this year, I gave my friends and family a card which I created from a watercolor painting, titled "Winter Spirit". To pass on the good seasonal wishes to you all, here is a web version of the front of the card. The inside reads, "May the Spirit of the Season be With You... Happy Holidays!"<br /><br /><a href="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/winterspirit_big.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/winterspirit_sm.jpg" alt="Winter Spirit by Victoria Chapman" border="0" /></a><br />Click to Enlarge<br /><br />Don't forget also that I have a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenfield-MA/Weyakin-Designs/140395509914" target="_blank">Facebook Fan Page</a>. You can find more little tidbits there.<br /><br />Thank you all for your support! Have a safe and happy new year!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-25394385445866826012009-12-05T16:42:00.003-05:002009-12-05T16:51:30.265-05:00Let it Snow!Oh, the weather outside is frightful...<br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/firstsnow_blog.jpg" alt="Photo. First Snow in Massachusetts 2009." /><br /><br />But the fire is so delightful...<br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/woodstove_blog.jpg" alt="Photo. Warm woodstove fire." /><br /><br />Today is the first real snow of the season here in western Massachusetts. Well, we did have a small snow in October, but it was short lived and doesn't really count. This is the first snow where it's lasting a while and sticking to the ground. Happily, it's on a day when I don't have to drive to work! <br /><br />My husband and I got our errands done earlier before the snow picked up and before we headed home, we picked up a beautiful pine and cedar swag hanging from the local Emerson Family tree farm in Greenfield. They had some lovely wreaths, swags and lots of trees to choose from. Plus, they had a nice warm room with an antique wood stove and free hot cider and popcorn. If you're in the western MA area, I recommend stopping by. They are on Rt. 5 on the way to Bernardston.<br /><br />It's getting chilly here and we've been using our wood stove (pictured above) every day. I'm sitting in my favorite spot next to the warm stove with my handy laptop cart.<br /><br />Speaking of chilly, I've listed several more herbal heat packs on my <a href="http://weyakin.etsy.com" target="_blank">Etsy shop</a> and plan to add several more in the next few days. This is the perfect time of year to pick them up - for gifts or for yourself! They go in the microwave for a couple of minutes and ding! You have a nice, toasty pillow to snuggle with, which smells great too. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/weyakin?section_id=5712676" target="_blank">Check out my herbal heat packs here.</a><br /><br />I hope that wherever you are, you are keeping warm and happy!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-85787919312592041162009-11-27T00:03:00.004-05:002009-11-27T00:07:06.299-05:00Black Friday Weekend Sale!I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with your family and friends! I just got home not long ago from seeing my family in Connecticut and my husband's family in Massachusetts. It's a lot of driving, but well worth it to see the folks we love most.<br /><br />Before I hit the hay, I just wanted to let you all know that I'm having a sale in my Etsy shop for Black Friday weekend! I'm offering 20% off everything in my shop from now through Sunday. I'll give you your discount as a PayPal refund, or if you are sending a money order, I'll give you the discounted total to send.<br /><br /><a href="http://weyakin.etsy.com" target="_blank">Visit my Etsy shop now</a> to find mystical and unique jewelry, herbal hot/cold packs, original art prints and magnets and other fun gifts! <br /><br />As always, thank you for your support! And remember this holiday season, Buy Local, Buy Handmade!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-89196043442790973862009-11-26T10:17:00.002-05:002009-11-26T10:30:04.850-05:00Happy Thanksgiving!Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who celebrate it today! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with your families and/or friends. Reflect upon those things you are happy and thankful for. For me, it's a lot of things... my husband, my family, my friends, the many things in my life that make me happy.<br /><br />And...I'm thankful for <a href="http://tofurky.com/" target="_blank">Tofurky</a> and silly things found on the internet! Isn't it great that I found something that combines both? And it's even crafty as well. This website, <a href="http://simulatedcomicproduct.com/tofurky-disguise-kit/" target="_blank">Simulated Comic Product</a> has instructions on how to disguise your faux-meat Thanksgiving dinner to look like a turkey...<br /><br /><a href="http://simulatedcomicproduct.com/tofurky-disguise-kit/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/tofurky_disguise.jpg" alt="Tofurky Disguised as a Turkey" /></a><br /><br />I'm not sure I'll have time to dress up my Tofurky today, since I'll be driving all over creation to see our families, but if you do, why not give it a try? Let me know how it turns out. And have a Happy Thanksgiving!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-72661259830192309032009-11-22T13:49:00.004-05:002009-11-22T14:09:31.461-05:00Support Your Local EconomyIn the group I'm a part of, <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.artisansofwmass.com" target="_blank">Artisans of WMass</a></span>, our slogan is "<span style="font-weight:bold;">Buy Local, Buy Handmade</span>". Buying local is an important part of our team's outlook and is also an important part of living in western Massachusetts. We live in a unique area where more people are aware of the importance of supporting the local economy and keeping money within the community. More and more communities around the country are starting to see things this way, but we are still plagued with big box stores and corporate take-overs.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com">Etsy</a> recently posted an article called <strong><a href="http://www.etsy.com/storque/craftivism/new-rules-support-your-local-economy-6092/" target="_blank">New Rules: Support Your Local Economy</a></strong>. This interview with Stacy Mitchell of the New Rules Project at the Institute for Local Self Reliance shows her insight into why people do and should shop locally.<br /><br />Read this article and when you're done, remember to <strong>Buy Local, Buy Handmade</strong>.Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-42360108049862528252009-11-21T00:47:00.005-05:002009-11-21T01:19:37.699-05:00Evolution of a Wedding DressSince I was away for so long all busy getting married, I figure it's only fair to show you what I was doing that whole time. I pretty much made almost everything I could for our wedding. The biggest task of all though, was the dress!<br /><br />In this post, I'll show you the evolution of my dress, from start to finish. Granted, I missed a few photos in between, but you get the general idea!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/wedding_dress/weyakindesigns_dresssketch.jpg" alt="Weyakin Designs Wedding Dress Sketch" /><br />This is a scan of one of my original sketches for the dress and ensemble. The final product is *almost* like the sketch, but I found myself making a few changes along the way. Sometimes, you're not quite sure how an idea will work until you actually do it.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/wedding_dress/dressprogress1.jpg" alt="Weyakin Designs Wedding Dress sketch book and marked up muslin" /><br />This is the floor of my work space as I worked out the pattern for the dress. I referred to my sketches and marked up cheap muslin fabric with dressmaker's chalk to come up with a pattern.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/wedding_dress/dressprogress2.jpg" alt="Weyakin Designs wedding dress progress, muslin on dress form" /><br />This is the muslin fabric draped over my dress form as I mark up where I think the seams should lay.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/wedding_dress/dressprogress3.jpg" alt="Weyakin Designs wedding dress, initial pattern on dress form" /><br />Here, I finally come up with a pattern that seems to work. It took me several tries and several times of poking myself with pins to get it right. This is the basic bodice and skirt mock-up in muslin, shown on the dress form with the petticoat under it.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/wedding_dress/dressprogress4.jpg" alt="Weyakin Designs wedding dress, sewn together before inserting the lining" /><br />Now, skip several steps of cutting fabric, sewing together fabric, etc... and here you see the outside shell of the dress, before adding the lining and extra trimmings.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/wedding_dress/dressprogress5.jpg" alt="Weyakin Designs wedding dress, sewn together with lining, before hemming" /><br />Here is the dress with the lining now inserted. It is not hemmed yet and the trim on the neck is only partially secured.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/wedding_dress/dressprogress6.jpg" alt="Weyakin Designs wedding dress, back of dress, almost complete" /><br />This is the back of the wedding dress, almost complete. The trim is now sewn on and the lacing is put through the eyelets on the back. The only thing left from this point was the hemming.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/blog/wedding_dress/weyakin_wedding_blogspot.jpg" alt="Weyakin Designs Wedding, Victoria and David at the wedding" /><br />And here is the final product! This is me with my husband, David. I made my dress, my head circlet, my veil, my jewelry and David's jacket as well. Phew! That was a lot of work, but well worth the effort. The dress and jacket are made with matching velvet and brocade fabrics, just in different colorways. Our color theme was purple, black, silver and green. This beautiful photo was taken by our friend, Steve Friedman.<br /><br />I hope you enjoyed the evolution of a wedding dress!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-60165552858887184142009-11-20T21:04:00.002-05:002009-11-20T21:08:36.212-05:00Artisans of WMassHi Everyone! I know it's been a while since I've posted here. I got so busy with life, I didn't keep up with my blog. I know I know...bad! But hey, I'm married now! And now that all of the wedding hooplah is over, I'm back in action and ready for the holiday rush.<br /><br />In other news, I'm part of an Etsy group, which we recently renamed as Artisans of WMass. We are a collective of artists and crafters from Western Massachusetts. I recently created a website for our team. We're still working on adding content, but, we're well on our way. Take a look!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.artisansofwmass.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://artisansofwmass.com/images/artisans_wmass_logo.jpg" alt="Artisans of WMass" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Check out our <a href="http://artisansofwmass.com/artisans.html" target="_blank">artisans listing</a> to see some of the great artists and crafters who are a part of our group. Make sure you visit their shops and browse their sites. And remember, this holiday season, <strong>Buy Local, Buy Handmade</strong>!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-40581536594452109992009-07-03T00:03:00.005-04:002009-07-03T00:12:33.662-04:00Molly the Cat Goes On a Laser FrenzyMy housemates and I have been taking care of a friend's cat and dog for a while. Having two little furry critters around has definitely created many amusements. Olive and Molly have been nice companions, even if they do shed all over the place! I just make sure they don't go in my craft room. LOL.<br /><br />One day, I decided to pick up a couple of toys for the fur balls. For Molly (the cat), I got a little mouse shaped laser pointer. I found that I think I'm even more amused by it than she is. Here is a short video clip of Molly chasing the laser beam on the floor of our den.<br /><br /><object width="400" height="324"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OSb24-mh2pQ&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OSb24-mh2pQ&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="324"></embed></object><br /><br />Maybe if I'm lucky, next I'll have a video of Olive and Molly beating each other up. I must admit that seeing the animal equivalent of a wrestling match is a highlight of the evenings.Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-28021803779051052612009-07-02T11:51:00.003-04:002009-07-02T12:04:37.833-04:00My Elven Bridal Head CircletContinuing with my show and tell about the stuff I'm making for my wedding, today I'll show you the head piece I made to wear for the big day. Our theme is somewhat mystical and fantasy-like with a natural theme as well. I've been telling people, when they ask about what I'm going to wear that it is something you might find at a Renaissance Faire or in the Lord of the Rings.<br /><br />My dress is almost done, but not quite, but I have completed my jewelry, including the elven style circlet for my head. I do not have a photo yet of the complete jewelry and circlet with veil ensemble yet, but for now, here is a photo of just the circlet:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/jewelry/head_chains/weyakin_wedding_circlet.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/jewelry/head_chains/weyakin_wedding_circlet.jpg" alt="Weyakin Designs Wedding Head Circlet" title="Weyakin Designs Wedding Head Circlet" width="300" height="399" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I created this head circlet in a style that would look somewhat elven and mystical. The dress is white with some purple trim and lacing. The main color for the wedding is purple. So, in the head circlet, I used purple amethyst oval stone beads. I also used white opalescent beads and silver seed beads. The front of the cirlet is made from hammered nickel wire and wrapped with smaller nickel wire. The rest is made from two different sizes of silver plated chain. The back closes with a lobster clasp.<br /><br />What do you think? Should I offer this style of head circlet for sale in my <a href="http://weyakin.etsy.com">Etsy shop</a>?<br /><br />Thanks for looking! I hope you all have a fantastic 4th of July weekend.<br /><br />~Victoria~Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-65016281111013666992009-06-28T11:29:00.004-04:002009-06-28T11:32:59.695-04:00Send Us On Our Honeymoon Sale! 15% OFF!Okay, two posts in one day, wow! How could I forget to mention that I'm having a big sale?? That's right - 15% off the entire shop! That includes everything, even things that are already on sale! I'm doing this to help raise money to send us on our honeymoon in September. We're headed to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland for our post-wedding adventure.<br /><br />So, if there is something you've been eying and looking to get, now is the time to get it! I will refund you the discount via PayPal after purchase, or if you are sending a money order, I will send you a discounted total to send. <br /><br /><a href="http://weyakin.etsy.com" target="_blank">http://weyakin.etsy.com</a><br /><br />Thanks everyone!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-18605801554094353882009-06-28T11:18:00.003-04:002009-06-28T11:28:07.134-04:00What have I been up to?I realize I haven't made a post in a while. And I really do have a good excuse! I've been busy making everything for my wedding in September. This past month I've focused mainly on making my wedding dress and jewelry. In May I was working on our invitations. Coming up in July I'll be working on my fiance's jacket as well. Since I'm making so many things for this (and how could I not?), I haven't had a lot of time to focus on posting here. But, to make up for it, I'll share with you the front of my invitations:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/handillustration/invite_colorside_web2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/images/handillustration/invite_colorside_web2.jpg" alt="Weyakin Designs Wedding Invitation Front" title="Weyakin Designs Wedding Invitation Front" width="300" height="421" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I started off with sketches of the idea. I knew I wanted to incorporate two trees growing together and the image of a wolf and a bear. The wolf represents myself and the bear represents David, my fiance. I then turned the idea into a watercolor painting, on stretched hot press watercolor paper. <br /><br />It took a few rounds of painting before I felt it was complete. When it was finished, I scanned it into the computer and then created a digital layout of the background and text that is around it. And there you have it - the front of the invite! The back has the same purple background that wraps around and the inside has all the wedding details. I had them printed with a great local digital printer, <a href="http://www.curry-printing.com">Curry Printing</a> in West Springfield, MA.<br /><br />I'll be sure to post up images of the other projects for this wedding when they are complete. Next up, the jewelry and the dress!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-39541773429554805282009-05-09T10:36:00.003-04:002009-05-09T10:39:24.321-04:00Oh yeah, I have a blog!Hi Everyone! I got a bit busy the past month doing other things and kind of ignored my blog for a while. I'll be back with more fun things soon though!<br /><br />In the mean time, my herbal hot/cold packs are currently on sale for 20% off!! Once you purchase, I will refund you your 20% via PayPay or give you a total with the discount if you are sending a money order.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24141321" target="_blank"><img src="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.67679691.jpg" width="200" height="179" alt="Weyakin Designs Herbal Hot/Cold Packs on SALE!" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5513852§ion_id=5712676" target="_blank">View all Microwaveable Herbal Packs Here</a>Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-6182702353074342682009-04-04T11:31:00.002-04:002009-04-04T11:39:33.810-04:00Spreading the Love : Tragic Adornments<a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21594164" target="_blank"><img src="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.59131875.jpg" alt="Tragic Adornments Steampunk Necklace" width="200" height="200" style="float:left; border:1px solid; margin: 2px 8px 4px 0;" /></a>In one of my earliest blog posts, I had featured a seller called <a href="http://www.tragicstitches.com" target="_blank">Tragic Stitches</a>. Erina, the creator of Tragic Stitches, makes hand crafted folk art inspired, Gothic dolls, bunnies, demons and more. Now, Erina has come out with a new line of crafts called <a href="http://tragicadornments.etsy.com" target="_blank">Tragic Adornments</a>, which features steampunk, Gothic and vintage inspired jewelry.<br /><br /><a href="http://tragicadornments.etsy.com" target="_blank">Tragic Adornments</a> sells a variety of earrings, necklaces, pendants and bracelets all with a dark and unique theme. She uses anything from old skeleton keys and clock gears to charms made with found objects. <br /><br />Looking for a unique accessory with a dark twist? Look no further than <strong><a href="http://tragicadornments.etsy.com" target="_blank">Tragic Adornments</a></strong>!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-88125205470245782732009-03-28T12:42:00.003-04:002009-03-28T12:45:04.992-04:00Earrings Marked Down on SALE!Who doesn't like things on sale? I know I like things on sale!<br /><br />Last night I put a bunch of my earrings into a new category because I marked them all down from their original prices. I want to move some of my stock and since I have so many earrings, I figured I should make room for some new ones.<br /><br />So, if you like earrings at low prices, go take a peak: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5513852§ion_id=6029109">Weyakin Designs earrings on the cheap!</a><br /><br />I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! It's sunny and finally kind of warm here. The snow is almost melted and I'm ready for flowers!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-10092616697547255972009-03-20T18:12:00.003-04:002009-03-20T18:26:08.303-04:00First Day of Spring and Baby Fish!One of the first signs of spring besides the melting snow is new growth and new babies! We received a fun pre-spring surprise over the past couple of weeks when we decided to add a few new fishies to our tank. I really liked the two black mollies that I saw at the pet store, so we picked them up, along with a couple of ottocat sucker fish. They went into the tank with the danios, cories, and one lone Chinese algea eater who hides in the castle all day.<br /><br />Well, a couple of days later when I got up in the morning and fed the fish, I saw something tiny moving. Looking closely I discovered that it was a baby fish! Then I saw more. Six of them! One of those mollies was obviously a female and also very pregnant. So, we scrambled to the pet store to get them a net separator box so they wouldn't get eaten or beat on by the bigger fish.<br /><br />But, it doesn't end there. A week later, looking again, there were more little fish in the tank. Turns out BOTH mollies are female and were pregnant. So, now we have 14 little molly fry.<br /><br />Time for the fun part... pictures!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/fish2009/baby_mollies1.jpg" width="350" height="267" alt="Baby Molly Fry from above" /><br />Baby molly fry, taken from above.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/fish2009/baby_mollies3.jpg" width="350" height="267" alt="Baby Molly Fry, a close up side view" /><br />Baby molly fry, a close up side view in their net box.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/fish2009/baby_mollies4.jpg" width="350" height="267" alt="Baby Molly Fry, another side view" /><br />Baby molly fry, another side view.<br /><br />And now, the mommies:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/fish2009/mommy_molly1.jpg" width="350" height="267" alt="Mommy Molly Number 1" /><br />Mommy Molly #1<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/fish2009/mommy_molly2.jpg" width="350" height="267" alt="Mommy Molly Number 2" /><br />Mommy Molly #2<br /><br />The other fish:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/fish2009/cories1.jpg" width="350" height="267" alt="Cory Catfish" /><br />The pleasant and peaceful cory catfish.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/fish2009/danios1.jpg" width="350" height="267" alt="Danios" /><br />The quick-swimming danios.<br /><br />And our other fish tank, which has fantail gold fish:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.weyakindesigns.com/fish2009/goldfish1.jpg" width="350" height="267" alt="Fantail Gold Fish" /><br /><br />And now look! <strong>There's a sale at the end of this post!</strong> To ring in the new Spring season, I'm having a sale this weekend in my Etsy shop. <strong>15% off all herbal heat packs. Free shipping on all jewelry, art prints and magnets!</strong> <a href="http://weyakin.etsy.com" target="_blank">Visit my shop!</a> <br /><br />Happy Spring Everyone!!!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-58156169628655442642009-03-09T10:29:00.003-04:002009-03-09T10:35:37.803-04:00Think Green!Today I was informed that my green velvte cloak has been featured in a lovely green St. Patick's day treasury on Etsy! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=44869" target="_blank">I Love to Dress Up for St. Patrick's Day</a> by the lovely <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5941000" target="_blank">fleuriejewellery</a>!<br /><br />Thank you so much for featuring me in such a wonderful green collection.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21983824" target="_blank"><img src="http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_430xN.60442825.jpg" width="200" height="191" style="margin: 2px 0 5px 8px;" align="right" alt="Moss Faerie Unakite Necklace and Earring Set by Weyakin Designs" /></a>On the topic of green, I've also added two new items this weekend, one of which is a green and pink <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21983824" target="_blank">Unakite necklace and earrings set</a>. It's green and pink and full of spring! Made with copper accents and a beautiful copper leaf and twig toggle clasp, it's a great way to ring in the new season.<br /><br />I don't know about you, but I'm ready to see some green now! I'm looking forward to melting snow and flowers coming out of the ground. I plan to start my seedlings indoors soon and can't wait to plant them outside in the coming months.<br /><br />I hope you all have a fantastic start to your week!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-40107697319400559382009-03-06T21:00:00.003-05:002009-03-06T21:01:23.634-05:00Vegan Coconut Spice Rice PuddingI made a new recipe tonight that I remembered to write down. I thought I would share! This is a vegan coconut spice rice pudding recipe. It's great for both a dessert and for breakfast!<h2>Vegan Coconut Spice Rice Pudding</h2><strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />- 1 cup of dry brown rice, fully cooked (2 cups of water to 1 cup rice, usually cooks about 45 mins)<br />- 1 cup soymilk or ricemilk<br />- 1 cup coconut milk<br />- 1/2 cup real maple syrup<br />- 1 tablespoon corn starch<br />- 1 teaspoon cinnamon<br />- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder<br />- 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder<br />- 1/2 cup raisin (optional)<br /><br /><strong>Directions:</strong><br />- Cook the brown rice according to the directions in a large pot. Usually it is 2 cups of water to 1 cup of brown rice, cooked for about 45 minutes.<br />- Add the soymilk, coconut milk and corn starch to the pot of cooked rice and stir well until corn starch is dissolved.<br />- Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.<br />- Continue stirring on medium heat until the mixture of hot and bubbly and thickens.<br />- Once thick, allow to cool for a few minutes and then you can enjoy it hot or refrigerate it to enjoy it cold! (I like it hot)<br /><br />Enjoy!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-49295468389166182932009-03-05T09:46:00.003-05:002009-03-05T10:03:33.258-05:00Birthday dinner and a new pretty shiny!I've been quite busy the past several days and of course yesterday, because it was my birthday. My fiancé and I went out for dinner at a great local restaurant called <a href="http://butterflyhadley.com/" target="_blank">Butterfly</a> last night, which has a wonderful vegetarian menu full of soy/mushroom/wheat "meats" and great veggie maki sushi rolls. If you're ever in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts, you should be sure to try it out. And don't worry, if you're not into the veggie stuff, they have a regular menu too!<br /><br />So, between work and dinner and everything else, I did manage to get a new listing up on <a href="http://weyakin.etsy.com" target="_blank">my Etsy store</a> yesterday. I've had several people tell me I should make more of the head chain circlets. Well, I took their advice and made a new one the other day. I plan to make many more soon! Have a look:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21847095" target="_blank"><img src="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.59983602.jpg" alt="Purple Moon Goddess Circlet by Weyakin Designs" width="200" height="200" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21847095" target="_blank">Purple Moon Goddess Head Chain Circlet</a><br /><br />Definitely let me know what you think and what other sorts of designs you'd like to see me make.<br /><br />Thanks so much! Now it's time to get back to work. I hope you all have a fantastic Thursday!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-74283298973355673822009-03-01T22:19:00.004-05:002009-03-01T22:26:16.488-05:00Birthday Sale! 10% OFF the whole shop and FREE gifts!Hi Everyone! I just got home a little while ago from visiting family down in Connecticut. This week is my aunt's birthday and my birthday, so we all got together for a nice dinner. Plus, during the Pisces period (end of February through end of March), I know tons of other wonderful people who have birthdays as well. In honor of that, I decided to make my whole shop 10% off during my birthday week (mine is on Wednesday)! <strong>So, from now through next Sunday, everything in my shop is 10% OFF!</strong><br /><br />Plus, for the first 3 buyers, I'll give you a FREE gift! Can't beat that.<br /><br />I will apply your discount as a refund in your PayPal account. Or if you pay by money order, I'll give you the actual total with the sale price to send.<br /><br />Thanks everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful week.Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229348437770525963.post-65296148694584521572009-02-28T12:27:00.006-05:002009-02-28T23:26:44.309-05:00Morning Cup of Tea and New ItemsI got up lazily around 10am this morning. Believe it or not, not too long ago 10am seemed early to me. Now it seems to be the time I naturally want to get up, sans annoying alarm clock. I started my day with a delicious tall mug of <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21198894" target="_blank">Chai Tea</a>, which I got from Etsy's own <strong><a href="http://teaman.etsy.com" target="_blank">Tea Man</a></strong>. I can't say enough good things about this man's tea! If you're into tea (like me), definitely go check out all the great flavors Tea Man has. I also have some of his <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17508720" target="_blank">Vanilla Black Tea</a>, which one of my friends also tried and raved about!<br /><br />Once waking up, I spent my morning taking photos, editing photos and listing new items on my <a href="http://weyakin.etsy.com" target="_blank">Etsy store</a>. I am now up to 92 items in my store, only 8 away from 100! I'm amazed that I've managed to make so many things. Of course, it wasn't all over night. I work full time and do many other things as well. All this crafting took place over the course of one and a half years. Some of it has sold in the process too, so I've really made well over 100 items, but seeing it shown on Etsy will be satisfying.<br /><br />Now, on to some fun stuff... new items! Today I listed the following items:<br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=21654825" target="_blank"><img src="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.59337463.jpg" alt="Golden Goddess Earrings by Weyakin Designs" width="175" height="175" align="right" style="margin: 2px 0 5px 8px;" /></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21651646" target="_blank">The Light of the Moon Mother Art Magnet</a></li><li><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=21651858" target="_blank">Drowning in Ether Art Magnet</a></li><li><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=21653409" target="_blank">Regal Amethyst Bracelet</a></li><li><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=21654131" target="_blank">Floating Crystals Red and Black Bead Necklace</a></li><li><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=21654555" target="_blank">Copper Droplets Filigree Earrings</a></li><li><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=21654825" target="_blank">Golden Goddess Chandelier Earrings</a></li></ul><br />Thanks for looking everyone! I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!Weyakin Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08423618472441874156noreply@blogger.com3