Personalized Pendants

With the economy the way it is this year, people are putting a long more thought into getting gifts that are meaningful, like something personalized. Gifts are best when they make a memory or have a meaning. Like the initial of a bride's new last name, a teenagers first name or a letter in remembrance of someone near and dear to their heart. A gift that someone puts thought into is the best kind, it does not have to be extravagant to be special and meaningful. With this in mind we have come up with a line of initials that are not only beautiful but affordable. We here at Dylan Blue work very hard to keep our jewelry affordable and special. Here are just a few of the letters- as you know, there are many more... I will probably make a listing in out etsy shop Dylan Blue with a few examples like these and take request for specific letters and colors. If you want one before I get the listing up, just comment and I will get back to you and set up what you want!

What Do You Collect?

John and I are starting a couple new collector series pendants. We have been brainstorming and have a couple Fabulous, if I do say so myself, ideas for some different images that would fit into different series, all focusing on the "collector". Collectors are special people, they have a passion for the thing they collect and each individual component or piece of the collection is loved and valued as much as the collection is as a whole. Now certain collectors we will have a hard time with, for example...baseball card collectors, hard to do pendants of baseball cards, yet it is not Impossible for us to do a image of a particular baseball player or even better a certain Teams colors, initials or something along those lines. I do know certain collectors we already have plans for, I know several people who collect all things owl and I had a sale of a crocheted hippo on eBay a few years back that was bought by a sweet woman who had a hippo collection, and a huge one at that. That woman was so thrilled by the addition of my hippo ( who was too cute, wearing a bikini. No joke, here is pic to prove it) that she traced down my number via my return address on package and called me at home. I was really touched. While talking she proceeded to tell me of another woman who usually outbid her on eBay for hippos due to her collection and of her other friend who collected rhinos and was cataloging her collection to make The Guinness Book of World Records. Collectors of certain objects are like lovers of objects, and let me elaborate before you r mind goes to wondering, by lovers I mean, Dolphin Lovers, Dog Lovers, Rose Lovers, Coffee Lovers.... you get the drift. I mean the possibilities are endless... I know some pendants would probably get ridiculous, like Drew, aka Ben Spark, he collects Transformers - take a peek if you think I mean he just has a few...here is his post Photo-A-Day #803 on his blog and that was in 2007 SO sure his collection has grown, I wonder if he would Rock a Transformer pendant, ha, I chuckle as I write it because knowing him, he might just do it... ok so better example needed. My Aunt Marion collects salt and pepper shakers... do not think there is a market of salt and pepper pendants- not with a image of a sale and pepper shaker. Yes there is probably that one soul out there who would, and they will probably be my first comment, kidding (I hope), but you get my point. Collectors are great in that come holiday or gift time you know what they like and it is almost a goal to find a special addition to their collection.
So I would love to get some feedback, here are my questions. What do you collect? What do you love- that would look good on a pendant?

Dylan Blue Attends IZEAfest 09

I carried some pendants with me to IZEAfest with a few different intentions. I was planning on doing some give-aways and I always keep John's practice in mind, and for those who do not know, when John goes out to sell at shows and markets, and sometimes just when John goes out, he asks for guidance from his higher power to show him someone who he should make a gift to, and that is what I did. First the give-aways were not working as planned. Even my friend Connie had one that no one responded to. Now if you got on stage to give-away something away, the crowd...ME included, went crazy... but as far as people paying attention to Twitter streams, not so much... I did pay attention and won a Sweet grill set from Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce and Life In The House Of Blue. Which BTW is Really good! We grilled steaks last night and I used as part of marinate sauce...the steaks were so good no need for any dippin' sauce.
Here is me kissin' Susan after she gave me my prize... you can read more about it her post 2nd IZEAfest Winner!! Be sure to check out her blog... she is a sweetHEART and I am honored to call her friend.






So one give-away was successful. Christine aka starryskye81 is an AWESOME Chick! She is fun loving, super sweet and a WICKED Designer. Check out her site at Starryskye Designs -especially if you are in the market for some design work done…you know me, I would not steer you wrong…great great designer. She also is now the PROUD owner of a Dylan Blue original. I decided to give out the Turtle one since we were at SeaWorld (& I couldn't find the dolphin one, which is now located, so must be meant to sell to someone on etsy.). I am so excited she won it..she deserves it..a mom who's husband is in the Military. Here she is wearing it and we hope she ENJOYS it and it brings good fortune her way!


The next Dylan Blue original went to Connie (same Connie as mentioned earlier- she has several blogs, so click on this name and her name above for 2 different, wonderful blogs). Connie DESERVED a gift for WAY TOO many reasons to list here.. she JUST DID and I knew it. SO here she is ROCKIN' her gorgeous Butterfly..so appropriate because the animal symbolism of the butterfly is about profound changes of the soul. And Connie is a free open spirit who adapts (changes) and walks with dignity through it! Love you Connie!

The last Dylan Blue that was given was actually given after my trip, as I pulled into town and waited for a pizza to take home with me to get outta cooking. The person who received it IS VERY SPECIAL to me and it ended my trip on a GLORIOUS note! Enough said.
All in All it was a blast. Hopefully a few people left knowing that Dylan Blue jewelry is beautiful... but honestly that is not important... the SMILES you see above ARE! Thanks Ted and IZEA!
SMILE

JUST FOR YOU!

Just for You Dylan Blue is Having a Sale! Go take a peek here at what we got!

Regular Pendants $20 (Regular $28)

Small Pendants $15 (Regular $15)

This is an awesome deal and we are doing it JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE YOU.

This offer is for a limited time!

Also follow @craftyGAgal ..starting Thursaday (tomorrow) she will be tweeting from IZEAFest in Orlando and is givingaway AWESOME stuff including Dylan Blue Goodies!!!

Community

That time again kids- John's Thoughts!

Our society clings to a concept of the "self-sufficient individual" that is largely delusional. Every time I hear social-spending policy discussed by someone who wants to "keep more of MY money", I have to wonder where that money came from. Does this person have an employer? co-workers? customers or clients? or do they truly generate wealth without the co-operation of others? In fact, the concept of "money" is a massive exercise exercise in community value - try printing your own currency and getting someone else to exchange value for it. Remember the British term "Commonwealth of..." It recognized that some things of material value were best held in common.

We all live in interlocking sets of group efforts - and we are all more vulnerable to their potential failures than we care to be aware of.

Nonetheless, community, in its truest form for humans, is as much a spiritual state as it is anything else - it is grace held in common. In it, members are called to service. All the major religions place importance on the spiritual value of being of service to others. In the material world, our species depends utterly on six inches of topsoil and the proper amount of rain. In the spiritual sense, community is the six inches of topsoil, and grace the proper amount of rain. With these, we flourish. Without them, life gets bleak in a hurry.

There are tools for nurturing community and culture. Symbols, rituals, adornments and history are all means by which collective values can be expressed and shared - we are all constantly using them, often unknowingly, in our daily lives.

When people of good intention and loving hearts gather, that place, at that time can become sacred ground. We are charged with making it so. Namaste - John

Wordless Wednesday ~ Animals

To be listed today in our etsy shop Dylan Blue.
I participate in Wordless Wednesday.

Facebook Winners

Life has been hectic, know y'all can relate. Not only does life not slow down but my computer did...to a complete stop! I think it was a little hint that I need to set limits and that working at home does not mean that you work the entire time you are at Home. Well computer is back up and running and so are I and even better Dylan Blue NEVER stopped. Have no fear , while I was away from y'all here, we have been working diligently and with a PURPOSE...the purpose of making people happy and Spreading our Jewelry Piece by Piece as far as we allow ourselves to imagine. That is a nice thought huh?
First updatee... we have made another sale...which we are incredibly proud of because, one, it has been a slow across the board pretty much and two, well it was our first INTERNATIONAL sale. The celtic blue piece is on it's way to the United Kingdom! Thanks to our VALUED Customer!
Also John has been working his tail off, we came up with a line of Local Football Pendants for my local area, Valdosta GA, TITLETOWN USA...ok a little bragging there. But it is Known fact we take football very serious here in South GA and they play to WIN and WIN they do. I will have a post showing you the finished set coming soon.... got more to share. John has also been doing some fine art work...amazing stuff that I am super proud of and will also share coming soon, I promise IT IS gonna BLOW YOU AWAY! And while I am talking about John and production, I have items sitting that are ready to be listed so he is crackin' them out, while along filling wholesale orders for places such as book stores and for retail shops and boutiques....while working his "real job" aka the one we want to get rid of!
And last but not least....WE have a winner to our contest we ran on our Facebook Fan Page. We are so thrilled at the turn out and gained 46 fans in the allotted contest period. I ran the contest through a site called RANDOM.ORG . Where I typed in the numbered ordered list of entries (each entry was the person and the fan they got to join) and ran it through. Below is shot of WINNERS.... who are DUM DUM DUM (that is a drum-roll).... Elizabeth M. Duquette and Mike Watson! Congrats guys, I will be in touch and I can wait to see what you pick... plus I have stuff to list like I mentioned...so we will definitely chat!. Wow that was fun (even if I was running behind). We plan to run other contest in the future..probably with a totally different idea. Have a good idea...leave us a comment.Go ahead and become a fan of our FACEBOOK page we refer to as Dylan Blue Community because we could not do this without y'all NOR would we want to. We are also constantly thinking of ways to use ourselves and things we learn to be of service to others.
SMILE