2009 Two Dog Pond End of the Year Party

These are the fabulous Sweatshop Workers without whom I could not have made it through 2009. From left to right meet Jill (Sweatshop Babies Mom), Lynn, Kim, Crissy and myself. We had a Sweatshop End of the Year Dinner last night to celebrate a successful 2009. None of us are going to get rich working in the Sweatshop, but we do have fun. Kim has moved on to a full-time job and Crissy is about to give birth to her second child and also works full-time elsewhere. We'll miss you ladies.

Now - if I could just figure out how to have a customer appreciation event and celebrate with all of the wonderful people I've met and worked with on-line! It would be HUGE! Thank you to everyone who has ordered product from Two Dog Pond or stopped out at my little Shop in the Studio or shopped with us at a Craft Fair or Art Festival. I couldn't have done it without you!

Game On

This is the image for this week's necklace contest. It's completely different than any other image I have used for the contest, but I am intrigued with these hand shadows (yes, I have more) and believe they would make fabulous pendants. So - here's the contest in a nutshell: you leave a comment on what you think would be perfect for the back of this image....a word, a quote, a phrase, whatever you think, and on Friday (give or take a rotation of the earth) I will choose a winner and that winner will receive a necklace on a 24" chain with this image and their suggestion on the back. There are complete "rules" posted off on the side>

Enter as often as you would like.

Please do me a favor - if you think these hand shadows are a ridiculous choice for pendants and that no one will purchase them, let me know. If you think I'm spot on - tell me I'm brilliant.
Game On.

Shadow Shot Sunday

The high winds are making lovely creamy drifts out of the snow. Perfect for some soft shadows.

Christmas Blizzard of '09

This is the view from the house...it just keeps snowing and blowing...

Last night I finished this Prayer Shawl and today I am working on a piece of stained glass I started a while ago.... that and eating cookies.

"...and this is just the beginning"

That's what the weather forecasters are saying - "it's just the beginning" of this winter storm that's coming through our area. So - I waited for a break in the freezing rain to go do my "chicken chores" {today I made them some popcorn for a special treat} and to fill the bird feeders. The dogs are going bonkers in the house, so I took them for a quick walk too.

The weeping willow tree branches are 'clinking' together when the wind blows...
Hopefully the power stays on, but on or off we sure appreciate the staff of SCRPPD that keep it working or are willing to get out there and get it working. It's beautiful on these branches, but treacherous on just about everything else.

I have a few more orders to finish up for customers and then I'm going to light a fire and open a bottle of wine and watch to see what comes next!

Sassy!

This week's winner is "Need a Necklace"! Partly because I really like the "Sassy" suggestion and partly because of the name you chose!! So, Miss {or Mr.} Need a Necklace - please send me your mailing address and I will send you your necklace!

There won't be a contest Christmas week... we'll all be too busy with baking and cleaning and soldering and shopping and wrapping and soldering...

I had a fabulous show on Friday evening at the Liberty House! Thank you to everyone who came - you exceeded my wildest expectations! Saturday was a family Christmas event - I had to leave early to - yes, solder! This is me with my Godson/Great nephew Ryan. I love him!

It's an Open House and You're Invited!

Tomorrow - Friday, December 18th - you are all invited to come to my Open House - it's not at my house though...it's at the Liberty House Bed and Breakfast in Seward (corner of 5th and Moffitt - right behind Amigo's) from 3:30 - 7:00 pm. I'm not ready for Christmas, so I'm guessing some of you aren't either. Here's a great opportunity to buy yourself something....I mean buy some presents for others. Heck - bring your friends along and buy each other presents!

It's a Love / Hate Relationship

SNOW I Love the view from my studio this morning

I hate the view from the side of the house. Yes, once again my fabulous driving skills landed me in a small drift in the yard. I will not be going anywhere today....again. Tim is going to save me once again when he brings home a new tow rope after work.

Necklace Contest - Friends with Gloves

This weeks image is of some friends with their gloves off... when's the last time you took your fancy gloves off? Anyway.... the contest is simple - just submit a phrase/quote/word etc that you think would be perfect for the back of this image and on Friday (loosely translated to "on or about Friday") a winner will be chosen and then awarded with a soldered glass pendant!

Mentioning the gloves isn't necessary...and won't help you score a new necklace...

Angels Will Sing About This

This week's winning necklace goes to Randa! Congratulations - your suggestion of "When hearts listen, Angels sing" seems to be the perfect saying for the back side of this image. There were some really great suggestions again - thanks to everyone who played!
I'm playing "beat the clock" trying to get all the Christmas orders soldered and in the mail - it's a busy time in the Sweatshop! Thanks to everyone who ordered special gifts for their sisters, mothers, friends and themselves. They are being made with love.... actually, I need to go now so I can plug the soldering iron back in and carry on.
Have a great weekend! Randa - send me your address!

Baby It's Cold Outside

Yesterday at Sunrise. This is a picture of one of the bright rainbow-like spots on each side of the sun. I think it was due to ice crystals in the air because there was also a giant sun pillar.... it might just be magic.

Yesterday's Snow. It was just beautiful! This is as far out the Sweatshop door as I went.... Unfortunately, the mail carrier/UPS trucks/Fed Ex Guys and basically anything on wheels couldn't make it down our roads. The county road crew still hasn't been by here. Late yesterday afternoon Tim went "the long way" to town in his 4-wheel drive hemi pickup and made it to the post office for me. Orders are on their way! I'll be busy down in the Sweatshop again today (and until Christmas) working on orders and pretty much ignoring everything else....except the fact that Baby It's Cold Outside!

Necklace Contest - Glitter Will Be Added!

Welcome to the Two Dog Pond Necklace Contest.

Who wouldn't want to wear this cute image as a pendant? To make it yours, just submit a suggestion for what word(s), phrase, quote, etc should be on the back side of the image and check back on Friday and see if you won! Complete 'rules' are posted off to the side>> enter as many times as you would like!

WooHoo - Two Winners!

We have Two Winners this week! Miss Kitty is the winner of the first pendant with her entry of "I can always lean on my sisters". AMEN to that!! Anyone with a sister (or even a friend that seems like a sister) will appreciate this one! The second winner is Decorator to the Stars who entered lyrics from a Beatles song: "...these chains of love have a hold on me...." Love it! Honestly, I didn't think so many people would like this image as much as I do! But there were alot of really great suggestions for this one.

Thank you both - and all of you for playing. Miss Kitty and Miss Decorator, please oh please send me the address you would like to have your winning necklaces sent to.

I know. I know. I'm late with posting again...I'll make it a New Years Resolution to be better...

Necklace Contest - Last of November

This week's necklace image is of some friends at a train station waiting...on something - someone - or nothing. You come up with a saying for the back side of this image and enter it here... On Friday a winner will be chosen and awarded with a soldered glass pendant on a 24" ball chain. There are complete 'rules' posted on the sidebar if you would like something else to read.

Meanwhile....this is the image I contemplated using this week, but the whole chains, leather straps and praying theme just seemed wrong. So - consider it a bonus pendant! If you have something that would be perfect for the backside of this image - enter it and we'll have two winners this week!

My First Shadow Pic

I love going over to Hey Harrietts blog and looking at the Shadow Shot Sunday pics. While in Florida, my sister noticed this great shot of us three sisters and one niece while standing on the Naples Pier.

Naughty & Nice

I'm not sure how I lost track of what day it was yesterday...totally forgot it was Friday and that I should have posted the winner... I guess the whole Black FRIDAY thing didn't sink in... anyway -Congratulations to Mama K for her winning entry of "Just a tiny bit naughty". You win!! Send me your mailing address and I'll send you your necklace.

Speaking of NAUGHTY. Scootch is.

The other day I caught her with a cigarette and a Scotch bottle.

AND I'm pretty sure she's the one that started this fire down by the pond.
She is Naughty (with a capital N)

NICE:
Jilly Bean and the Sweatshop Baby

Necklace Contest - Santa Style

This week's contest image is of the tiniest Santa checking his good boys and girls book...

No wonder he can fit down the chimney...

Anyway - think of something clever for the backside of this image and enter it here... on Friday a winner will be chosen and awarded with a soldered glass pendant on a 24" chain!

Speaking of backsides - recognize this one, Mater?

Wendy Wins!

Wendy wins with her suggestion of "Meals on Wheels". That just cracks me up! Send me your mailing address, Miss Wendy - and I will send you your winning necklace.

Thanks to everyone who played this week!
Next week - more Christmas!

She's Awake!

Baby Corey came back to the Sweatshop today - she brought her momma to work.
She slept all morning and is now awake and happy.
A perfect Sweatshop Baby.

Sweatshop Baby

Meet Sweatshop Baby. Her Momma, Jilly Bean, started work today in the Two Dog Pond Sweatshop. Isn't this the sweetest baby? She's also my Goddaughter. I'm sure to be posting more pics of this sweet child. First I have to wake her up when Jill's not looking....

It's Back - The Two Dog Pond Necklace Contest - Enter Here:

Just in time for Thanksgiving!

Turkeys driving to dinner? Leaving town for the holiday weekend? hmmm...

The contest is easy - Here's this weeks image. You think of something clever to put on the back side and enter your suggestion here. On Friday a winner will be chosen and rewarded with a soldered glass pendant on a 24" chain. Complete rules are posted there >>>
....:::///*****\\\:::....

Stay tuned! The Two Dog Pond Sweatshop is getting a new 'mascot' today!

Out Of The Studio...Contest Delayed

Two of my sisters and me on the Naples Pier yesterday.... due to being away from the pond, and hanging out at the ocean, the Two Dog Pond Necklace Contest is being delayed a few days.

Stay Calm and Carry On

PS Notice all the Two Dog Pond Jewelry going on here?

ahhhhh...feelin' the sand between my toes

Need I say more?

Spread Your Wings, Miss Kitty

Miss Kitty wins this week's Necklace Contest with her entry of "When you spread your wings anything can happen". Kitty, please send me your mailing address (rachel@twodogpond.com) and I will mail you your winning necklace on a 24" chain. Congratulations!

And now - I'm off to Sunny Naples Florida for a few days of sun and fun and a wedding and family and maybe even an airboat tour of the Everglades to search for alligators!

Come on...

I'm trying to get some work done in my studio, and these two keep using their puppy dog eyes to try to get in....they win.

2nd Edition - Volume 1

I know, I know...it's been done a million times. Plop a crown on a birds head and make him pose, but I still love it! So - this week's contest picture is this lovely bird with a crown on his head. (the crown will be quite sparkly by the time this is turned into a pendant)

Now it's your turn - submit a saying, phrase, word, etc that you think would be perfect for the back side of this image. A winner will be chosen on THURSDAY instead of Friday this week and awarded with a pendant on a chain. Complete rules are posted >>>

Can you believe it's Year Two - Week One of this contest??? Me either...

Speaking of contests....

There is zee most fabulous one going on over at Bliss Farm Antiques:

Jackie is shopping in ...:::PARIS:::... and when she gets back is having a give-a-way. All you have to do to enter is make a comment. That's what we're here for, right? So go make a comment and while you're there enjoy all the eye candy from her shop. When she gets back, she'll be giving away a present from Paris! It's the next best thing to going yourself.

Taking the road less travelled

Miss Pan's Island is this week's winner - she's come up with many clever ideas over the year, and it's obvious she's a very intelligent young woman. I don't know her, don't even know her real name, but I imagine that this necklace fits her. She's young and Canadian and graduating or not from University and getting married and taking many different roads... I imagine she lives in a forest reading beautifully tooled leather bound fantasy novels with amazing illustrations and making decisions about which diverged road she'll travel next. So many opportunities to make the right decision or the wrong one but never knowing because you can only take one road at a time.

I also really liked her suggestion of "Dude, where's my car?"

So, Miss Pan, please e-mail me (rachel@twodogpond.com) your mailing address and I will send you your winning necklace. Does this image look like you?

Week 52 Necklace Contest - One Full Year!

I can't believe we've been doing this together for a year already! Some of you have been entering each and every week - thank you. There have been some really fun necklaces created as a result of the clever sayings you are all submitting. Thank you.

I've decided the contest will go on.

Things here in the Two Dog Pond Sweatshop are already getting quite busy for the holidays, so some weeks you will have to be patient with me as it takes me longer to choose a winner when I'm, well, busy...

So ~ Here she is - this beautiful and contemplative woman in the forest is our contest image for the last week of Year One. You submit a saying, phrase, quote, word that you think would be perfect for the backside of this image. Snarky or Serious - you never know what's going to win! On or shortly after Friday morning a winner will be chosen by whomever is working in or visiting the Sweatshop. The winner will be awarded with a soldered glass pendant on a 24" ball chain.

It's been a great first year!

...and the winner is Therese!

Don't you love this? "Friends keep you afloat" was submitted by Therese and chosen as this week's (last week's) winning necklace. Very nice. We all have a special friend or two that keep us afloat... here's to those people in our lives {click click} that keep us going!

Therese - please email me (rachel@twodogpond.com) your mailing address and I will send out your winning necklace first thing Monday morning.

Necklace Contest - Week 51

and you thought I would post another Winter image! No way - it's supposed to be 71 degrees and sunny today. Around here, that's warm enough to go swimming!

Anyway - here's the image for this week's contest: you submit a phrase, saying, quote etc. for what you think would be immensely clever on the back side of a soldered glass pendant with this on the front. On Friday, or thereabouts, a winner will be chosen and awarded with a necklace! Enter often or just once - it's all about you!

This Week's Winning Necklace - Oh Baby...

Congratulations to *Bernie* for her winning suggestion of "Baby its cold outside". Bernie will be receiving this cute and sparkly pendant on a 24" ball chain for her clever suggestion. There were other great ideas too - you are all quite clever and wonderful. Thank you.

Bernie - please e-mail me your mailing address and I will mail you your winning necklace.

I have to apologize for this being late and for me being a delinquent blogger...it was a wild week that included anesthesia and lots of soldering (not at the same time...) I'll get back on track.

There were some highlights this week too:

Garrison came over and hung out at Two Dog Pond as a reward for some very good behavior. We got out some of my tin wind-up toys.

Scootch slept quietly with her bear. Look how long her legs are already!

Rumple went ballistic over a little snake in the yard.

(it's in the lower left corner)

Life is Good.

Necklace Contest - Week 50

Here is this week's necklace contest picture.

If it's going to snow anyway, we might as well celebrate it, right?

So here's the contest 'rules': You submit a caption, phrase, quote or word that you think would be perfect on the back of this image. On Friday - we will choose a winner and post it here. The winner will be awarded with a soldered glass pendant on a 24" ball chain.

There's only 3 weeks left of this contest, that means you only have 3 more chances to win a necklace! {Unless, of course, the contest comes back by popular demand right after the Holidays!} Complete contest rules are posted off to the side>>>

Ready *Set*Go