What a surprise, I am still giggling over this! My "Bird Poop Jewelry" was chosen to be featured in a slideshow on the Fox Small Business website, with the topic of Bizarre Business Ideas. You can take a look at the slideshow through the following link: http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/slideshow/entrepreneurs/2011/08/09/eight-bizarre-business-ideas

To celebrate, I've made a new batch of "bird poop jewelry", and have put them for sale on eBay this week! Buy It Now options are available on each piece, so you don't have to wait until the auctions are over to snap one up. There is a bracelet charm (not shown), a pin, a pendant, a pendant on cord and a magnet. The auctions end next Saturday, take a look and have a laugh! :)

Also, I had some colorful scrap clay this month, so I've whipped up a few pretty pendants! Each one-of-a-kind bird has a glossy finish. The first bird is a smaller parrot with a charm that says "Laugh", and the second is a macaw type of parrot, with the species up to your imagination, holding a charm that says "Follow your dreams"! Both necklaces have a Buy It Now option, and are on auction until next Saturday, unless the Buy It Now option is used!

If you would like to see some of the recent custom orders that I've completed, as well as an assortment of various pieces in stages of the sculpting progress, be sure to stop by my Facebook page, where I've been sharing a lot of new photos: http://www.facebook.com/AliciasCreations

It's not necessary to have a Facebook account to view the photos on my Facebook page. Under the photo on the left hand menu, look for "Photos" (or click here: http://www.facebook.com/media/albums/?id=137935228728 ) to see the selection of albums that you can browse through. If you do have a Facebook account, you can click the "Like" button at the top of my page to be informed of updates. I love hearing from you and reading your comments!

In addition to the penguins this month, there are a few Umbrella Cockatoos on auction including a bracelet charm, a charm choker necklace, and a glass beaded necklace/earring set. Please note that these items are on auction for the next THREE DAYS (not a week, like usual) ending on Monday evening! Go to my eBay Store to see the entire list of new items available!

I also have two Sulphur Crested Cockatoo bird face pendant charms (one on cord, one without) listed on auction on eBay for the next 3 days. I tried something a bit different with these cockatoos, using black agate beads for the eyes, and was happy with the very life-like look! Take a look at the listings and see what you think.

WORKS IN PROGRESS   Want to see some of my recent projects?   I recently posted some "work in progress" photos of a custom ordered owl pin in an album on my Facebook page. There are quite a few other photos of recent work there as well, so stop by and browse!

I'm thrilled to announce a new line of my creations called Joy Magnet Affirmative Art! Right now, the majority of these pieces are one-of-a-kind decorative art magnets with positive and uplifting words and sayings. This has been a project that I have been working on a bit at a time over the year, whenever I needed a break from sculpting parrots! To read more about these new creations, and how they came to be, I invite you to visit the new website at: www.JoyMagnetArt.com

There are about 100 pieces currently for sale, and you can view the selection or make purchases through the new Etsy shop here: www.JoyMagnetArt.Etsy.com If you are on Facebook, I'd love to have you stop by and "Like" the new business page: www.facebook.com/JoyMagnetArt Instead of a separate newsletter list for this little "side business", I will be using Twitter to post updates when new Joy Magnet pieces are added to the shop, you can find me here: www.twitter.com/JoyMagnetArt (The Twitter updates will be solely for Joy Magnet Art, and will not be connected to my parrot jewelry.)

To celebrate the opening of this new line, I'm starting things off with a special! Buy any 3 magnets, and you will receive 1 small magnet (of my choice from an assortment which are not listed on Etsy) FREE! Or buy any 5 magnets and receive a free magnet display frame as well as domestic Priority Mail Shipping FREE! To take advantage of this offer, please mention "BLOG" somewhere in your checkout or payment, so that I know to add your free item.

I've got the blues - Blue Macaws that is! The bird of the month is the Blue and Gold Macaw, and in addition I've created an assortment of other special blue macaws, including a Hyacinth Macaw Choker and Beaded Necklace Set, a Spix's Macaw Pendant, and a Blue Throated Macaw Charm and Beaded Necklace Set.

The Blue and Golds on auction for the next week include the following: bracelet charm, choker necklace, choker necklace with "Follow Your Heart" charm, pendant on cord, Tropical Flower pendant on black cord, glass beaded choker necklace and earring set (NOT SHOWN), glass beaded chain bracelet, and a glass beaded necklace/earring set!