Looking for a unique gift for some of your "non-bird" friends? Over 40 new magnets have been recently listed in my Joy Magnet Shop! To take a look, head over to: http://www.etsy.com/shop/JoyMagnetArt

There are many color schemes and quotes to choose from, and these magnets make great affordable gifts, with many being under $10. The art magnets and optional display frames are available for immediate purchase through my shop on Etsy.

This month, instead of just one species, the Bird of the Month is an assortment of birds, in a unique style! I experimented with a polymer clay that has the look of stone, and the pieces have the look of carved granite, in muted colors, with coordinating beads in earthy tones.

There are six "stone bird" necklaces up for auction,, which include four glass beaded necklace/earring sets featuring a Conure, African Grey, Macaw and Cockatiel. There are two necklaces on cord (without beads) featuring a Goffin's Cockatoo and Amazon.

The low starting bids are a whopping 50% off the regular price of beaded necklaces on my website, so here is your chance to snag a GREAT deal!

Please note that ALL of this month's auctions are only going for FIVE DAYS, instead of the typical week. The auctions end on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.

There are two other necklaces on auction, including this Yellow Naped Amazon necklace and a "Flights of Fancy" parrot necklace. The bird could be a lory, lorikeet, quaker parrot, grey cheeked parakeet, or other brotogeris, but the species is really up to your imagination!

Trick or Treat! Halloween is just around the corner, and I have created a few special necklaces for you! There is a Lutino Cockatiel necklace, with a Jack O'Lantern pumpkin, and "candy corn" beads and earrings. In addition, there is a cute little Ghost necklace set, which has a starting bid under $20! There are Buy It Now options on these two necklaces.

The Bird of the Month this month is the majestic Hyacinth Macaw! There is a beautiful glass beaded necklace and earring set currently on auction, with a Buy It Now option on eBay.

There are also three African Grey pieces, a bracelet charm, a charm with a "leash", and a magnet, as well as an Umbrella Cockatoo choker. They are all on auction for the next week, with Buy it Now options, take a look!

On August 1st I began accepting VIP (Very Important Parrot) & Rush custom orders through my website. This option was put into place due to the demand that I was receiving from those of you willing to pay more to have a custom order worked in quickly, instead of waiting for a chance in my monthly "lottery drawing".

I've been surprised by the number of VIP orders I am receiving, and as a result, the number of monthly "lottery" requests that I take on the first day of each month is reducing as I give the VIP orders priority.

Because of this, I wanted to give you a bit of a "heads up" notice if you were thinking about placing a VIP order. The closer we get to the holidays, the tighter my schedule becomes with gift requests, and the less likely it will be that I will be able to accommodate all of the VIP Order requests.

If you planned to order a special custom gift in time for the holidays, please place your VIP Order as early as you can. More details about how the VIP/Rush Custom Orders work and the Order Form can be found here: VIP Orders.

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!