Welcome!

Hello and welcome to my blog! My name is Karen Snyder and I've been a crafter for about as long as I can remember. I am a stay-at-home-Mama of two beautiful children with a husband who makes my dreams possible.

This blog is about all sorts of crafting. I am a paper-crafter from early days, a jewelry-maker with an unending obsession for chain maille. I make chain maille purses, many of which will be chronicled in this blog as their future owners await their completion. I love metalsmithing. I am an indifferent beader and don't get me anywhere near seed beads... they scatter, screaming to get away from me. I love to try new things, have a short attention span so if its a long-term project... I'm probably not doing it LOL.

If you have questions, ask. If you have tips, share. Same with suggestions - share! I want this to be a great forum for people to brainstorm and problem-solve with a good attitude. Crabby Apples need not respond, this is a feel-good kind of blog :)

Saturday, October 30, 2010

And the 1200 Fans Prize Winner Is....


Drumroll please......  Tracey Nabis Knaus, come on down!  You are the winner of the 1200 Facebook Fans bracelet!  Please check your messages for one from me with the details on how to claim your prize.  Congratulations Tracey and thank you so much for being so supportive of my work!

To everyone else... well, you KNOW there'll be another give-away pretty soon.  I want to thank each of you for supporting and encouraging my work.  You all make every day I work on jewelry an inspired joy.  Thank you!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

1200 Facebook Fans Celebration


Yes!  It's true!  1200 Facebook Fans!  I am completely blown away and humbled.  This, of course, calls for a celebration and a give-away.  Forgive the quality of this picture - yet again my limited photography skills have reared their ugly head!  I promise to take a better one soon and post it!

This bracelet is made with 18 gauge sterling silver rings in small sections of Byzantine weave, interspersed with gorgeous blue and white lampwork beads.  It's currently 8 1/2" in length, which I will customize for the lucky winner, and fastens with a sterling lobster clasp.  To enter to win, please leave a comment under this post with your name and email address.  The drawing will close Saturday, October 30th at 8pm with the winner drawn immediately after.  Good luck everyone!

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to every single fan.  Your support and encouragement means so much to me!

Saturday, October 16, 2010

And the 1100 Fans Winner Is...


Please join me in congratulating Anita from New Zealand!  Anita, please check your email for a message from KSnyder169@aol.com for instructions on how to claim your prize.  Congratulations and thank you so much for being a part of this wonderful celebration. 

To everyone else, please keep participating!  It won't be long before we're back here to celebrate 1200 Fans and I owe every celebration to all of you.  My thanks to you all :)

Thursday, October 14, 2010

1100 Facebook Fans Celebration


1100 Facebook Fans!  Wahooooooooo!  I'm so honored and thrilled to be able to write this blog entry and to say "thank you" to everyone who has helped make this possible.  You know me, I've got something fabulous to give away! 

I don't have a name for these earrings yet (and any suggestions would be welcome!) but they are the latest of my chain maille designs.  I finally found a way to combine fidget jewelry and chain maille!  The outer circle is made from 16 gauge sterling silver and rotates freely around a section of gold-filled byzantine weave.  The drops shown are sapphire Swarovski crystals and the winner can choose another color if they would like.

That's not all folks!  I'm so proud to say that this time, the winner will receive two pairs of earrings.  The second set, made from clear and red crystals, were designed by my four-year-old son Sebastian! 

As always, to enter you must leave a comment on this post with your name and email address.  The drawing will be open until Saturday evening (October 16, 2010) and I will announce the winner then. 

Thank you seems like such a small thing to say at a time like this.  I am grateful to each and every one of you for supporting and encouraging what I do!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

And the 1000 Fans Winner Is...

Let me start by thanking everyone for their participation and making this give-away so much fun.  All of you make it a joy to do this!  But I know you are all wondering who won, right?

Drumroll please!  The winner of the 1000 Facebook Fans bracelet is..... Junie Milam!  Junie please check your messages for one from me telling you how to claim your prize.  Congratulations Junie! 

For everyone else, thank you again for your kindness and encouragement!  It won't be long before we're back here again for the next give-away! 

Sunday, October 3, 2010

1000 Facebook Fans? YES!

Yet again, I find myself flabbergasted and grateful.  All of you have made it possible for me to reach the incredible milestone of 1000 Fans on Facebook!  I could say "thank you" for days and it just wouldn't convey how appreciative I am to be so blessed.  I get to make pretty things for a living, watch my children grow up, take the time to revel in my husband when he's home, and enjoy people like yourselves in the course of selling my creations.  Life is indeed sweet!

So what's a grateful girl to do when something like this happens?  Why, she weaves up something pretty to give away!  1000 Fans is HUGE!  It has to be special.  So....  how about a full troy ounce of 18 gauge sterling silver, woven into delicious Byzantine chain maille?  Byzantine will always be one of my favorite weaves but it wanted a bit more drama this time.  So I added some larger 16 gauge sterling rings to break the pattern up a bit and really draw the eye.  This is a new design for my line and whoever wins this one will own the very first.  The clasp is a simple toggle that I made myself.  I hope you all like it as much as I do!  The bracelet is currently 8 1/2" in length and I will customize the fit for the lucky winner.

All you need to do is leave a comment below with your name and email address to enter to win this glorious bracelet.  Thank you, all of you, for being a part of this wonderful event!  The winner will be chosen by random drawing on Tuesday evening at 9:00 pm.