Thursday, January 23, 2014

I'm Back! a little update, and an Asian New Year packet offer.

After a l-o-o-o-n-g hiatus, I am back to blogging here.
You can see some of what's been happening in the meantime on my other blog, CasadeChaos, mostly about some time we spent living in Panama City in 2012 and 2013 (it still needs additions, too).
Briefly, we came home, found Casa de Chaos in a little too much chaos & with too few utilities paid, so have changed housemates.  We now are living with a mom, Kate, a girl 6, Syrus, and a boy 2, Dominick.  Not what we expected, but entertaining when it's not terrifying.

I've done a few shows in 2013, but broke my wrist just before Thanksgiving & was in a cast until Dec. 31, which did cramp my style a bit. However, I have been making some jewelry and have some new things I want to use and make, and will be posting at least some of it here before it hits the shop listings.

Aside from a very special limited edition Jon Snow/Night Watch Game of Thrones assortment for which I'm almost done collecting pieces, my biggest new project for FindingsbyLeslietsy is a section especially for BJD supplies.  Not so much for the dolls themselves, though that may happen, but for clothing, costumes, jewelry, display spaces, etc.  I've been collecting tiny beads and findings, have some tiny buttons which should reappear as I reorganize my sewing space, and of course have all sorts of tiny findings which will show up there.  So if you're a BJD fan, keep your eyes open.
& just to whet your appetite, here's a pic of my largest male BJD, Victor--he's about 60cm & is wearing some pants I made out of a couple of ties  (& I will be selling similar ones when I make the waist a little smoother) and using our new WORKING telescope charm, not yet listed.

 
Pretty cute, both Victor & the telescope, I'm sure you'll agree.

But now to the real reason for this post: I've acquired 10 Asian New Year packets--they're described as "joss paper", some comes from China, some from Vietnam, and it includes quite a few interesting and unusual bits for journalers and scrapbookers.
 
Here are hhotos of what's included -- I will list at Findings by Leslietsy, but can't post all these photos there, so thought I'd do it here.  These photos do not include the extra packet of very thin paper with gold or silver squares (the gold on those has a reddish paint beneath instead of the yellow surround in the packet itself, and a couple of lucky red envelopes, very pretty and traditionally used to give money to family members for the New Year.  As they say on TV, these will be included free of charge if you act now!  Actually, I think it's a good deal--the whole packet plus "2 oz." of the special paper  and the envelopes for $10-, plus $5. S&H. 
 
Here's what's included:





 
This is the outer layer, folded to be used as an envelope if needed--well, actually envelopes: one each red, green, & purple, and 3 a natural off-white.


These next pieces, of which there are 2, have cool illustrations and slots which may be for coins.


Inside are a packet of these rice(?) papers with the gold & silver attached--they're around 5 1/2" x 4 3/4"


 This yellow sheet is some sort of fortune-telling device

 These are coins to cut out either for ancestor's graves, maybe the coin holder above, or possibly some traditional game, maybe even connected with the fortune-telling.


And speaking of that, here's a packet of another set of charms for divination/fortune telling/calling good luck.
 And last, but by no means least, there are these gold plaque things!
                               Again, I'm pretty sure they're for luck, but don't know their exact purpose.


I love the whole thing, especially the variety,  but couldn't resist adding some more of the silver and gold paper, which I've used in various ways over the years, and a few of the special red envelopes, just for the illustrations.

These will be up at www.etsy.com/shop/FindingbyLeslietsy as soon as I can write them up & post there.  Have fun!