Here’s my December chain for the 2021 Monthly Chain Challenge… stamped, glazed & painted. It’s gone through a few variations, but now it’s gold & done!!! So much fun to finish the monthly challenge… the brainchild of my friend Sarah Chapman. Originally intended for metalsmiths, but FUN for me too!!!

#chainchallenge2021 – #handmadechain – #chainlinks2021

I decided that the unstamped rings of my chain were a little too plain… so I decided to add a little shine to them!!! A little bit of metallic glimmer can only help make my “final” chain of the year-long challenge a bit more special!!!

#chainchallenge2021 – #handmadechain – #chainlinks2021

Here’s my December chain for the Monthly Chain Challenge.
Cute, but I’m thinking it still needs a little “more”…
as we all know MORE IS MORE!!!

Gotta keep working on it… I’ll post finished pictures tomorrow!

#2021chainchallenge – #handmadechain – #chainlinks2021

Eleven out of twelve… only one to go… so I’ve been working on my “last” chain for the Monthly Chain Challenge. This is what it was looking like while I was constructing it in my studio.

#2021chainchallenge – #handmadechain – #chainlinks2021

Great visit & great cake! Coincidence, I don’t know?

But it’s always extra “sweet” when your friends bake a chocolate carrot cake with raspberry filling & an amazing chocolate cream cheese frosting in anticipation of your arrival! Oh sure… the plate ain’t too shabby either!

Yesterday I made a quick escape out-of-town for some festive Christmas Lights!!! I went down to Peoria to visit friends and to see the East Peoria Festival of Lights… a former winner of TV’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight.”

Apparently, these light installations have all been handmade by Peoria volunteers, and it all starts with a parade through town closer to Thanksgiving! Now they’re all set-out in a park for a beautiful drive-through light display… just to brighten your already sparkly holidays!!!

Always fun to see a stamped & soda-fired totem pole in the snow!
Sure, not a full snowstorm… but a pretty dusting nonetheless.

Hanging out & enjoying holiday time with friends… hoping the holidays linger on a few more days… and the first snow just feels right!

First snow of the season… and of course I choose to do a quick road trip out-of-town!!! Maybe I need to start checking the weather forecast before I hop in the car!!!

My friend Kristen made her traditional Christmas morning strata in one of my large casserole dishes… according to Kristen…

“Made my Christmas strata in the casserole and the proportions came out exactly like for a 9×13, but so much prettier!”