I've been still busy with metal clay. Here are some of my latest metal clay and other craft and jewelry updates:

Free ID Me Bracelet Project (pictured) - I just posted this free downloadable pdf project on my Crafty Princess Diaries weblog. It is from my book, Picture Yourself Creating Metal Clay Jewelry (Picture Yourself).

I've also been making some textured metal clay links, and have created some cool earrings using them. I've got more free projects, one for making the links and one for making the earrings which use the links. I'm also selling them on Etsy along with other metal clay components and jewelry supplies.

On a more mixed media note, I have a new project for using those cool metal frames from HHH Enterprises. I call them Poetry Pendants. This is an easy project that allows you to combine paper crafting with your jewelry designing.

Other than all of that, I've been catching up on some of my jewelry book reviews, though I still have about 5 more books on the list to do!

It's been a crazy weekend and basically a weird week come to think about it, but some how I've still managed to get some crafing done like these puzzle piece earrings. I purchased the pieces from Kits & Caboodles over at Etsy, and added some beads and wire.

These earrings came after I found some similar puzzle charms at the local craft store and made these projects as a special request: Silver & Crystal Autism Puzzle Earrings and Silver & Crystal Autism Adjustable Puzzle Necklace.

Other fairly new additions to my About.com Jewelry Making site include -

A review of Victoria Lansford's latest rings DVD

A red brass discovery - a great alternative to gold-filled, maybe

And, speaking of red brass, I used in in a new lampwork and wire necklace project .

At my Crafty Princess Diaries weblog, I've been busy too:

I've got some success to report concerning my Crafty Princess Etsy Shop.

My crafty link love weekly posts still continue as well.

I discuss the pros and cons of giving freebies, aka swag, when you ship out craft items you've sold.

And, I've got another article out in my series on publishing. This one looks at publishing your crafts in magazines.

Now, that I stop and look at everything on my blog and site, I'm pretty surprised at how much I've gotten done, and this is just the tip of the crafty ice berg!

We are at "hump day" now, so I'm catching my breath before another busy day tomorrow at school, and then onto a weekend full of more crafting (I hope). The last week or so, though, I've been very busy:

I did some experimentation with resin, and came up with a semi-successful glittery star. Hopefully, I'll finalize the design this weekend.

I took the plung and opened my own Etsy shop. So many jewelry makers and crafters are over there, I figured it was about time I see what all the hub bub was about! Plus, since I've been doing a major reorganization around the studio, that means I keep discovering stashes of beads and other jewelry components I forgot I had. I figure after being out of site and mind for 10 years, that means they need to find new homes!

I've been trying to work on my crochet skills, some of which I've managed to use to make jewelry like a small amulet you can keep stones in and a metal and fiber necklace that uses metallic yarn.

Finally, I'm working on a few writing projects. One is going to be an interview/article about a famous glass artists, Harvey Littleton, and the other is a book proposal that I may have managed to get an aquisitions editor interested in.

I will soon be knee-deep in composition papers to grade, so I'm trying to have some fun now while I've got the time!

I've been busy, busy, busy, cleaning my office and studio to create a merging of the two. Hopefully, this will at least cut down on the crafting and jewelry making supplies that seem to have taken over almost every room in my house!

Here is a little of what I've been up to lately:

Love the mod-picture above? It's a 1974 issue of Women's Circle that I got my greedy little fingers on while I was blasting through the past about crafts.

For those interested in turning their love of crafts into a career, I've published one of a series of articles about just this topic: Basic Skills for Craft Publishing.

Crafts are happening all over the web, so check out my list of crafty lovin' links, so you don't miss anything.

I've also been busy actually making jewelry for a change: Silver Metal Clay Heart Charms; Queen of Heart Metal Clay and Crystal Earrings; and Silver Metal Clay Heart Beads.

And, of course, I've been blabbing about my book! my book! my book!