Paula Montgomery’s September Newsletter

I apologize but this month’s email is pretty dang boring!

First of all, I must thank each and every one of you who took the time to write and send me a note about Olive. I tried to respond to all of them but, if I didn’t, please don’t feel slighted. It’s been a tough month.

But, I have Enzo and Milo. Everyone who has known Enzo has always said, “he’ll be fine being the only dog”. And, they were correct! If it were up to me I’d go get 10 more dogs but, 1. I can’t afford it. 2. I think it’s against the law and 3. Enzo would be really mad!

It’s always been “all about him” and would make it known that those “other dogs” that lived here weren’t nearly as important as him. I must say, Enzo is exhibiting some new behaviors that have kept me quite amused! For example…

I realized on the Sunday after Olive was gone that I could actually give Enzo a bone. Our attempts at giving 3 dogs bones and having there not be a death match never worked. I had bought some dental chews a while back with some ridiculous notion that Enzo would eat his in peace while Olive slept in another room. No. If Olive even breathed funny he was growly and defensive and ugly. No more bones for anybody. But, on that Sunday I got Enzo a chew. He wasn’t sure at first but started gnawing on it happily. Basenjis have strange eating habits and never eat when you want them to, graze, etc. Same with the bone. He’d chew it then nap, then play with a “baby”, then chew some more. Since he spends nights in the basement in his crate and pen I decided to put another chew in his crate in case he wanted to chew during the night or when he woke up. For 3 days it sat untouched. Then, one morning, he got up, came upstairs and went outside to go potty. He came in, went down to his crate, got the untouched chew and came upstairs. It took me a few minutes to figure it out but he was burying it in the cushions on my living room couch! I caught him pushing it into the back of the seat. Obviously, I stopped him but he kept at it. Next, throw pillows were earning their name as Enzo was hiding his bone behind them. Then behind the curtains. Hilarious! I learned my lesson and took that nighttime bone away but when I was cleaning house shortly after and was flipping over the seat cushions I found 3 of his stuffed toys buried deep behind them! Not one strand of fluff was sticking out. He is almost 8 years old and has never done anything like that. I got him to stop with the burying, finally. Now, when he wakes up in the morning he runs up to check on his “couch chew”, the one that stays on his blanket all the time. He checks it first thing to make sure it’s there. Sometimes he’ll pick it up but most mornings he just checks on it and then he goes outside to do his business. I must say, it is amusing me to no end. He also seems much more playful and his “babies” are strewn around the house much more than in the past. I’m so happy he isn’t mourning for Olive. I guess he’s leaving that to me.

Since I really don’t have a lot of new news this month here’s a reminder from August…

I had Cameron, my webmaster, add a “Wish List” feature to my website! You’ll see it at the top, on the right, when you’re in the shop.

You’ll see a little genie lamp on each product page with an “+ to Wish List” link. All you need to do is click that link. The next page you will see will have a place for you to put in your initials and your phone number and any notes about the item you want (ie. “HONEY, I WANT THIS FOR MY BIRTHDAY!!!! NOT A VACUUM CLEANER. HINT HINT!”). Click the little “next” button and you will see what is in your Wish List! You can easily give your loved ones your Wish List by just telling them your code – mine is PM9702279794 for example – or they can search for it and buy for you without you even knowing about it! After all, Christmas is coming!

He also added a “search” field so if you’re looking for a certain gemstone or theme you can find what you’re looking for more easily. Say you have a friend who loves fleur de lis’ (Shanna!!!!), then you could just type that in the search field and everything I have currently for sale with a fleur de lis would come up! Or, if your birthstone is sapphire, etc.

Go try out the Wish List!

And, remember….have you been seeing these crazy little bit-mappy boxes everywhere lately? I have. I have an iPhone and downloaded an app called Scan to be able to read them. I know they have many versions out there for any smartphone. Anywho….they are called “QR Codes” which stands for Quick Response. I did a little research and…I made my very own QR code! Here it is. If you use your smartphone app to scan this little gibberish square it will take you to a secret place on my website with a very special coupon code which will change EACH MONTH! I’ve already posted it on facebook and had someone use it right away! So fun, right? Go see what the QR Code coupon is for September!

For September I offer the following necklace at 20% off!

It is a NEW OFFERING and is called “Amazing Bird Locket Repurposed Necklace”! and it is 20% off for September  or, well, until it’s sold since it’s one-of-a-kind! (Last month’s necklace sold in the first day or 2! Just sayin’.)

I’ve also made the monthly special include FREE U.S. SHIPPING!

I’ve been hanging on to the original necklace that had this bird locket for a long time. I paid a fortune for it but it is completely worth it. I’m not one to test metals to see if they are real gold or actual silver. If they are stamped, great, my work is done. Otherwise, it’s worth, to me, is in the uniqueness and workmanship. Well, this locket is breath-taking. I’m fairly certain it was a mourning piece, the bird is most probably a mourning dove. The tell is that the locket portion opens from the back and has depth. Normally a lock of the deceased’s hair would go in there. I say, put in a photo or a tiny memento of the living, a loved one and wear it in their honor while they are alive.

The locket body is gold colored. I’m fairly certain that is gold – probably 10K or 14K – but I will not guarantee it. The bird is tri-color which I have never seen unless the piece was gold. There was a little loop at the base of the bird and I hung a little Swarovski crystal drop from it. The 4 links with the tri-color leaves, which include the clasp, also came from the original chain for this locket necklace. They are so amazing in person – very detailed and dimensional. Again, the value is in the design, not for it’s weight in gold.

I hung the locket from a portion of a gorgeous rhinestone choker. It is delicate and lacy and mimics the swirls on the base of the locket, too. The rest of the chain is a vintage watch chain and groupings of gold-filled stardust beads, crystal beads in subtle pinks to mimic the pink gold in the bird and the leaves, and rhinestone balls.

Overall drop from top of clasp to bottom of locket is 12″ (24″ total length).

Stunning. Go get it.

Remember, all my jewelry is one-of-a-kind. There is only one of this necklace! Go get it!

A Poem to Welcome September… by: John Updike

“The breeze taste of apple peel.

The air is full of smells to feel -

Ripe fruit, old footballs, burning brush, new books, erasers, chalk, and such.

The bee, his hive, well-honeyed hum,

And mother cuts Chrysantehemums.

Like plates washed clean with suds, the day are polished with a morning haze.”

Every Monday, I upload a short (about a minute) video slideshow to YouTube. It features 5 of my pieces. I also post this on Facebook and tweet it out to Twitter! Click the image of the slideshow to see the one I posted recently!

My blog -”...mostly coherent ramblings from a girl who likes pretty things. And old things. And sparkly things. And pretty, sparkly, old things. And cheese.” is up and I’m trying to post something every day or so. On Mondays (well, that’s the plan so far), I will be changing quotes from 3 of my favorite quote books. These little quotes are on the left side of my blog. Check back on Tuesdays to see the new quote.

Taxi Driver Wisdom has quotes from conversations with New York City cab drivers. Sometimes they are poignant, sometimes hysterical, sometimes philosophical.

On your shoulders: “You have no one to blame but yourself and everyone has you to blame,too.”

Beauty Parlor Wisdom has quotes from conversations with stylists, barbers, manicurists, waxers, etc. Again, philosophers, all of them.

On Interpretation: “People think everything will translate. They’re wrong.”

Don’ts for Wives has tips from the early 20th century that offer advise on achieving marital bliss. We’ve come a long way, Baby.

“Don’t think it beneath you to get your husband’s slippers ready for him. On a cold evening, especially, it makes all the difference if the soles are warmed through.”

So embarrassed but I have not blogged all month. I think losing Olive, the heat, and taking my time in entering all the new jewelry I made zapped my blogging gene. I’ll be better, I promise!

Go subscribe to my blog! You’ll see the “subscribe” link at the top, on the right OR scroll to the bottom right and sign up via “Google Friend Connect”!

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Just to tease you…the 20% off product for TODAY is…“Mother-of-Pearl and Rhinestone Cluster Repurposed Earrings”. They are regularly $60.00 but with the special facebook coupon they will be $48 AND FREE U.S. SHIPPING! But, because I’m very mean, you will have to go “like” me on facebook to see the coupon code for today. Remember, I will (try) to do this every single weekday!

After you “like” me, just click the link “suggest to friends” or post it on your wall and ask people to “like” me. Thank you so much for your time and I do hope you will go check out my new venture!