Do You allow your Decks to Go Commando?

If you find that your decks are sliding around in bags that are too large it can lead to cards getting creased if you accidentally sit on them or someone puts something on top of them. I've solved that problem for myself by using "deck undies". They're sleeves of cotton crochet with openings for air flow around your decks, helping to reduce or eliminate decks that warp with changes in humidity.

Below are the ones I've mad to sell online. They're $5 each + $1 shipping for one, or multiples of them for $5 each plus $3 shipping. I've been extremely happy with mine so I decided to make some for sale.

They're made of cotton in a stitch that allows for air circulation to help cut down on warping. I've priced them low so they're affordable and the thread was a free craigslist find, so I'm passing my savings on to you.

 Most are ecru in color, which is a light tan. I can put a button and tab on for you if you'd prefer that. Of course, they can also be used without an outer Tarot bag if you want to do that.

They're washable and then it's best to put them on a towel to dry after shaping them with your hands back into their dimensions.

My mailing times are Mondays and Thursdays. All of these are ready to go out in the mail. I'm not doing any special orders on these. What you see here is just what you get. If there's a definite color preference, To get the size you need, send me measurements of the deck/decks you're purchasing for.

I'm Working on This. Please Bear With Me.

I'm not blogger savvy so there's a post I did here titled "Temporary Uploads for the Boutique" posted on 4/2/16 and I can't figure out how to make that post stay on top in order for people to see what's there on the opening page they arrive at, so just scroll down to the page with that title to see examples of my work and a few things I've listed for sale. I'm hoping not to have to completely redo the page with my items I make in order to get the post into the Boutique although I will if I have to.

Later today or tomorrow, more photos of the Lenormand in progress and over 20 pairs of earrings I've made will be uploaded. I know I'm slow about this, but I'm just not very educated about how things like blog templates and stuff work.

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going

When I got sober almost 31 years ago, I found the quote "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" in the newspaper. At the time, I was in a tremendously scary abusive relationship and I had just gotten sober. I clipped out that little tidbit and taped it to my driver's license. It comes back to my mind now, and it's still helpful.

I now find that the person who swore to never fail me in order to get me to  move here has had an emotional breakdown of some sort, so now I'm seeking at least $250 a month to just pay my rent. Thankfully, all utilities are included in my rent, so there's only that amount lacking in my measly social security amount of $545 a month. If I can just manage to sell readings and items I make in the amount of $250 extra a month, I can make it. I'm shaking in my boots because I don't know if I can make that much. I'm going to give it a heck of a try because my rental history is excellent and I don't want to break my lease on this apartment by having to move out before the year is up. It's not up till July.

I'm going to keep posting things for sale here on my blog, along with photographs of the items and I'm thinking of doing a half price sale on readings in hopes of getting some income going that way as well. Ten $25 readings a month would be a great help. At least I'd keep a roof over my head and not have to break my lease.

Temporary uploads for the Boutique

The following items will be moved to the Boutique page when I figure out how to do that. Some of these are still available, like the name tags and "deck undies" but others are just examples of work I've done in the past.

 This is a little name tag. Very bright and eye-catching so it will sparkle and flash as you mingle with people at a party so they can easily see you're the Tarot reader for the event. The white space is where you can put your name or identify yourself as the Reader for the event.  $15 postage included.

Another name tag, bright and flashy, helping people to identify you as the reader at a party. You can write your name in the white blank or "Reader" if you prefer. $15, postage included.

The above images are a sneak preview of a one-of-a-kind hand-painted Lenormand deck in progress. Since this is the first one, the low price is a special bargain .It will come with a hand-beaded sturdy case. Pictures to be posted when it's all finished but if you're interested in this first one, speak now to get the bargain price of $30, postage included. Future handmade decks will go for more..Each deck will be different. There will be themed decks and they'll always one-of-a-kind both for the decks and for their beaded cases. Suggestions are welcome if there are themes you'd like to see, but these are not going to be made to order. They'll be posted about once a month as the decks are finished.

This is a preview of a cross-body bag made from blue jean hip pockets. The beadwork is much more striking in person. It looks very dull in the picture. There will be a hand crocheted strap that isn't shown in the picture and there are three compartments in these purses. They're designed to hold two decks and some odds and ends in the center between the pockets or three decks. I just wanted to give an idea how these are going to look since I'm working on this one now. The bag with the lavender beadwork is already gone, but I've posted it as an example. I didn't have good photographic equipment when this was made last summer, so what doesn't show is the tiny beads here and there in the fringe. This is a bag made from denim jean hip pockets with a crocheted strap and the beadwork is done with tiny size 15 seed beads.

 The rose at the left is one of my projects I've sold. I took the picture while I still had the beadwork on the background material that I bead on.

 Another photo of a triple Goddess beadwork piece when it was in progress that I put onto a dark blue denim bag. These beadwork pieces look large in the photos but they're all only about 3 or 4 inches wide and/or tall. Maybe 5 or 6 inches max, but most are smaller.

 Below are more beadwork items in various stages of the work.

 This piece is already gone. As pictured, it's still on the beadwork surface and then, below, it's off the beadwork material and ready to be applied to the item it's intended for and an edging beaded on it.

 The two items to the right are already taken off the beading material and are ready to be applied to the completed item. The pink rose on the left is still awaiting the barrette or purse or broach backing, whichever I decide to do.

This little heart pin was only 2 inches at its widest point. It made a sweet, sparkly little accent pin. This one is also gone.

 This is a photo of one of the little bags I've crocheted to use inside a tarot bag or use alone. When I lived in the RV I found that cards can slip off sideways or up or down and then be creased if someone sits something on the bag or it's carried in a back-pack. I crochet these little bags to put the decks in before putting them into their decorative bag and it keeps them from slipping off the stack. I've made a lot of them and I'm charging $5 each with

$1 shipping one bag but for multiple bags the cost will be $2 shipping. These are quite attractive and could be used without another outer bag if desired.

I think of these as "deck undies". But they're attractive enough to use without any other outer bag, and I can add a tab and button for anyone who orders and asks me. They're mostly white or ecru (light tan) but I do have some in colors as shown and will be making more in colors later on when this supply dwindles. I've made them in several sizes, from Lo Scarabeo mini size to other sizes big and small. I've used a stitch that allows for air circulation as well.

The the thread I used is cotton and they can be washed and then laid out to dry on a towel, shaping them back to their original shape to dry.





I have several decks to put on offer, but the photos have yet to be taken and uploaded. Stay tuned. Now I'm off to see how to present these photos in the boutique page. I haven't figured that out yet.

Working hard

I'm working hard to get photos taken and items uploaded to show in the Jewels'n'Jeans Boutique page. Please be patient with that. I got a late start. Right now I"m behind the scenes taking photos and uploading them. At the moment, I'm featuring some of my decks I've decided to part with and some items I've made that I call "deck undies". You'll probably never guess what those are. Wait and see!

I've got some photos of a few of the cards from a hand-painted one-of-a-kind Lenormand that's in the works to add as well. About once a month, there will be a new Lenormand posted. They do take some time.  The first edition is going on sale with a handmade case and will be at a lower price since it's the first one. I'm not doing special orders but if you have a request for a themed deck you'd like to see created, by all means make a suggestion and maybe you may find one to suit you in the future.

This is a short entry because I'm busy, busy, busy with the behind-the-scenes stuff. Stay tuned and check back now and then.

Grizabella's Workshop

April 1st is rolling up quickly and that's the date I have scheduled for stocking the Jewels'n'Jeans Boutique page. My daughter is working on making a one-of-a-kind Lenormand deck that should be finished to add to the shop by the first. If it gets a good amount of interest, she'll be making more of them to put on the site.

I'm working on some items to put in the shop myself. There will also be a few of my decks that I'm willing to pass on for a good price.

I used to do beaded buckskin items to order but I've stopped doing any special orders. If I ever do so again, I won't be accepting payment till the item is finished, mailed, and a tracking number sent to the buyer, but I really don't want to get into the special order business anymore. It's just too time-consuming and if my lupus or some other conditions hit me, then I'm slow on getting the orders finished. So if you see something here that's listed and you like it, then just buy it but please don't request any special orders. I do like to hear from people what they'd like to see appear in the shop and I'll keep it in mind for future projects but no special orders, please.

Also, I've switched from using buckskin to using denim, as you might have guessed from my boutique title. Denim is a lot easier to come by than buckskin and I can keep prices lower that way, since usually denim is just given to me. I make some really cute denim bags with beadwork on them and there will be some of those in the boutique. By "bags", I mean to use as a purse/tarot tote which holds a couple or three decks and a few things like money, ID cards, a lipstick or other small items.

I have quite a few pairs of earrings made that will be listed in the shop. Not particularly Tarot-ish, but very pretty and sparkly. And a few name tags I've made that people can put their own name on if they're circulating at a Tarot function and want to be recognized as the reader.

There are also some surprises in the works.and lots of stuff my daughter and I are working on. Check back regularly after the first and see what's being offered.

April Fool's Day will bring changes to my blog!

On April Fool's Day there will be some significant changes happening here at Frog Music. In the page to the right under the title of Jewels'n'Jeans there will be jewelry, Tarot bags, beaded sun visors and beaded baseball caps, all with Tarot-themed embellishments.

One exciting addition to the shop will be handmade, one-of-a-kind Lenormand decks created by me and my daughter.

There will be some cute "hip pocket" cross-body bags made out of the hip pockets of old jeans embellished with beadwork and hand-crocheted lace.They're perfect for carrying a deck or two and the basic necessities in a tidy, clever little bag and because they're cross-body style, they leave your hands free for whatever else you might be doing.

I'll be offering some decks I've not been using for quite some time. I'm trying to keep my card collection small but it's very hard to part with decks.

These are just a few of the things to come. I hope everyone will keep their eyes on my blog for spring and summer. The items I've mentioned are only a small preview of things that will appear..

Method of payment will be flexible. I'll barter for anything. My method of payment will be Amazon gift certificate, gift cards to places like Walmart, and whatever might be offered in trade. Payment arrangements are that you only pay when I've mailed the package and given you a tracking number. I prefer to do it that way.