Well, hello there!!! It's been quite a while since I have blogged! (WARNING: I am not known for writing short blog posts)! It's also been quite a while since I have posted ANY new jewelry to my site!  In fact, I stopped creating in June 2025, and so much has happened since then! I will try by best to catch you up with the highlights!

Sterling Silver!

It goes without saying that the price of literally EVERYTHING has skyrocketed! But, Wow - the price of sterling silver has been on a roller coaster ride for the past two years or so.  I have watched the prices soar from around $18-$19 an ounce, all the way up to near $125 an ounce!!!  I won't even talk about the price of gold! Right now, the price of silver has come down to roughly $55 an ounce - much more manageable, but still...so expensive!  However, I am a self-professed hoarder - my stock of sterling silver runs deep, though lately, I have been using it again, and paying the high(er) prices. I try to keep the prices on my jewelry as affordable as possible.  When sterling silver went up, I did not and have not raised my prices, as my prices always reflect the price I paid when I purchased the silver. I do not gouge - how can I?  100% of my sales (less any potential postage overages and paypal fees) is donated to Miracle Horse Rescue, a 501(c)3 Non Profit Organization. There is no profit for Patti - the sales I earn are reported as income on my tax returns. I like to think a purchase from me is a win/win - handcrafted jewelry for you (or your loved ones) and a donation to a charitable organization.

Postage!

Holy Moly - I have said it once, and I will say it again...the cost of postage is outrageous! I recently mailed a 3 ounce envelope (with a small box inside) to "middle America" and the price to send it "USPS Ground Advantage" was $5.98.  Plus, the Postal Service has "slowed down" on shipping speeds...it now takes an extra day or two to receive those packages. A Flat Rate Priority Mail Box  - no weight limit up to 70 pounds - is nearly $13.00!

So, I have been forced to increase my charges for Standard USPS Shipping to $6.00 - up from $5.00.  I am sorry for this, but the fees for shipping are ridiculous.

Health

Getting old is not for the timid! I have had some health issues the past year and a half - nothing I can't handle, and certainly not fatal! But, I am about to turn 66 years young in December - still too young for social security, darnit!!  My daily little aches and pains that EVERYONE has have finally caught up with me - and all at once!!  The hardest part about dealing with one's health, especially where specialists are concerned, is finding a doctor (research, research, research!), and finally getting on the schedule! Some of these appointments are 2 months out - what has happened to healthcare in this country? Not enough GOOD doctors, and boy, do they stick to their designated patient time limit!  If they allocate 15 minutes (never enough), they mean 15 minutes and not a second longer.  

I have had back issues for as long as I can remember - at least 25 years. Those back issues have decided to migrate to other joints in my body as well.  I have recently been diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis - particularly affecting my hands, ankles and feet. So, my rheumatolgist keeps changing the cocktail of prescribed drugs to hopefully alleviate some of this inflammation and pain.  Some days are awesome, and others, not so much. So, if I wake up and I cannot bend my hands, I know there is no jewelry-making that day.  As I said, nothing I can't handle, I just need to adjust my daily schedule accordingly.  

Another interesting ailment I have is affecting my balance, particularly my ears. After way too many tests and MRIs, my doctor has diagnosed this affliction as Ménière’s disease. It's a very strange disease with symptoms of periodic hearing loss, vertigo and a feeling of fullness in one or both of my ears.  As someone who has ALWAYS had perfect hearing, this one stung! There is not a cure (and again, not a deadly ailment), but my Otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose, Throat doctor) suggested having tubes surgically placed in my ear. The tubes provide a vessel for him to administer his steroid concotion directly to the inner ear, which will hopefully help. His words "it helps some of his patients". Hmmm...not a fan of "some".  But, I am having it the surgery the middle of December--fingers crossed it works, as the vertigo is not fun!

A New-to-Us-House

We are homebodies - I have done enough traveling, enjoyed my fair share of cruises - we barely even go out to eat dinner since COVID. But, we're at "that age" where, while we love where we live, we need a change of scenery now and then...a place to just get away. We have talked about buying a second home/vacation home for the past 10 years. We are not a fan of flying anymore, and wanted to stay within a driving distance, so we finally settled on Delaware! Our new-to-us-second home is located 3 hours away on the Indian River Bay - the Bethany Beach area.  It's actually across the street from the Bay - our primary home is located on the Occoquan River in Northern Virginia and we both ADORE our backyard and our views - so waterfront property was not a necessity. 

We purchased the home in June 2025 and had some renovations that were JUST completed about two weeks ago. We have tried to visit the house about every other month or so for a week or two - it was rough during the renovations! With that all behind us now (except for the Master Bath - next year!), we hope to visit a little more often. This means that I will periodically be away from my shop - I will have notifications on my website to advise of any time away!

My poor camera!

I had been using a Sony Cybershot camera for the past 4-5 years.  I swear, I am technologically-challenged and it took me a good 3 years to figure out how to take the best photos with my Sony!!! Well, my little camera finally died.  When I went to research a new Sony Cybershot, I found that they are not even made anymore and my heart sank!  A used Cybershot was $1,500 - $1,500 for a used camera that will only be used for taking photos of jewelry!! No Thank You!  I researched what I thought were other good camera brands for a replacement, with user-friendly features A MUST. Ha - user friendly, "brand" name, and cost efficient do not co-exist when it comes to cameras!

So, after mourning the loss of my beloved Cybershot, I bought a new "no-name" camera (hoping I don't regret this)! It's a tad on the clunky side, but one of the reviews actually stated that the owner's 12-year old was taking amazing photos within 5 minutes of receiving the camera. Well, he beat my record, that's for sure! After playing around with the camera for a few days - angles, lighting, exposure, colors -  I was finally able to take semi-decent photos of my jewelry. While my photos are still not as good as before, as with everything else, it's a work in progress! 

On a side note - I do know that many people use their mobile phone's camera (I have an I-Phone 16) for taking photos. While my I-Phone does take amazing images, it's too cumbersome for me to take the photos, get them on my pc, edit the size, etc. I just prefer using a camera - especially for macro shots that show the details.

New Jewelry!

Now that you have been caught up, I have some new jewelry in my shop!  I have more to list in the next week or so - mostly pearls, so stay tuned for that!

Since it's been nearly a year and half since adding anything new, I am going to call this a "Shop Refresh" and I am adding a nice little sale of 20% off through November 18th, 2026. I will be in Delaware for Turkey Day, so I will NOT be having a Black Friday or Cyber Monday Sale.

Giveaway!

Are you still here and reading?  Thank you!  If you are, and if you are interested, I am having a little Giveaway!  I made a set of three 14/20 Gold Fill (GF) Bangle Bracelets - each different from the next.  These are small-medium sized bangles, with an outside circumference of 8" and an inside diameter of 2 5/8". I have only very recently started adding a touch of 14/20 GF to my jewelry - due its price.  But, sometimes, the jewelry just calls for it!  Do you know the difference between Gold Fill and Gold Plated?

GOLD FILL JEWELRY AND FINDINGS construction involves a thick sheet of solid gold (such as 14k or 12k) mechanically and permanently bonded to a core base metal using extreme heat and pressure. The amount of this precious metal must legally contain at least 5% (1/20th or more) solid gold by weight in the US. The Gold Fill elements are extremely durable and resists peeling, flaking, or heavy tarnishing, and can often be worn daily for decades.

GOLD PLATED JEWELRY AND FINDINGS construction involves a microscopic, ultra-thin layer of gold is chemically applied to a base metal (like brass, copper, or steel) via electroplating. The precious metal content contains less than 0.05% actual gold—often measured in microscopic microns. Depending on how often the Gold Plated Elements touch water, sweat, lotions, or friction, this thin layer of gold easily scratches, chips, or wears away to reveal the base metal underneath, effecting its durability. 

Just leave a comment on this blog post to win these bangles - I will be picking a winner sometime next week! 

Thanks for stopping by!!  I truly appreciate your taking the time to visit my site, and I do so love reading comments!

My best,

Patti