Thank you for a great start.

Thank you to all who have come and visited and made a purchase.We now have funds on the board and I am so excited by that.
We have until 14th February,Valentines Day.
So all of you who need supplies or are after a little something to treat yourself you can get it while the savings are on offer.To make sure you get supplies in time to make your stock for Valentines day I strongly recommend you buy early.I also suggest keeping an eye on the web site as I add new stock lines that I have not had before.I am looking to add a few each day so keep checking back.
We will also be having random specials on some items so if you are really lucky you may get an extra bonus special price.

You also go in the draw for a possible $550 worth of prizes. YES a large giveaway pool as well. Just to remind you all I am putting it here again.I have set up the $7 special earring listing so you can treat your friends as well as yourself.At that price they are going to move fast.I have 100 pairs and will wholesale them as well if you are after a bulk lot.

You can use the coupon code in the web store as often as you wish up to Valentines day.The Artfire store sale will run until then as well.I have great gemstones there.Ones I would add to my collection if I was keeping them and they are going to have new ones added there often as well.

This is to be a really BIG BIG sale.A SALE for my life so that you guys get the benefits as I do.

What I am offering.
1. I am going to make a standing 20% discount in my Artfire store www.artfire.com/users/Aardvark until Valentines day.

2. A 20% discount in all areas of my web site www.aardvarksilver.com. This covers jewelry and silver supplies. Code is MAYDAY and can be used as often as you purchase until Feb 14th.

3. We are going to have a $7 earring listing.Let me know about how long you like your earrings,the colour you would want and if you want a post earring or a hook style and we make you a custom pair of earrings using the best silver and stones we can.

4. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A GIVEAWAY OF ONE $250 VOUCHER TO ONE LUCKY CUSTOMER AND 2 LUCKY CUSTOMERS WILL RECEIVE A $100 VOUCHER EACH. WE WILL ALSO SEND OUT 10 PAIRS OF EARRINGS TO LUCKY CUSTOMERS AS WELL.

How to enter the give away???????

Its really really easy.

Make a purchase in any area of my stores.There are a few of these to make it easier for you.
www.aardvarksilver.com
www.aardvarksilver.etsy.com
www.9dollarearrings.etsy.com
www.artfire.com/users/Aardvark

Each $10 of your order gives you one entry into the draw. EASY. The more you purchase the better your chances of winning but also the more likely I am to reach my target and have the funds I need to keep me alive.

Aardvark Silver is silver supplies and Jewelry
AardvarkSilver Etsy is silver supplies only.
9 Dollar earrings is a very small number of items and once they are cleared (and most are discounted by 50%) the store will be closing.
Artfire Aardvark has Gemstones as well as silver supplies.

Please feel free to contact me if you are after wholesale lots of any items.Also feel free to repost this as often as you like in any area you wish.I need all the support I can get as fast as possible.Time is slipping away fast.

Thank you again for your Love,Support and Care.
Light and Love to all
Tanya

MAYDAY,MAYDAY, This is your Captain speaking...

Now that Christmas and those festivities are over it is now time to begin planning for the New Year and what you want it to bring.

My title to this blog says it all for what I am planning. I need some help.

About a week ago I was told I will need a major artery repair.If I was back in Australia the cost would be covered in a public hospital.Here in Bangkok I am reliant on my health insurance and when they were approached they said they will not help.Classed it as a pre-existing ailment even though I have had no problems with this before.Here insurance companies change the rules to suit their own requirements and it is totally legal apparently.

So I now have the goal of raising approx $12000USD in a short space of time.About 6 weeks to be exact.

A little bit of background.The artery I have to have repaired is one of the major ones that comes off the aorta,that is the big artery that comes off the heart for those of you who dont have any anatomy in your kit. It feeds the blood into the right side of the chest and into the right arm.

Already I have problems with circulation into my hand and it "falls asleep" often and I have less strength than I used to.Makes typing and writing and so many other tasks difficult.If the artery fails completely my hand will die within a few days and then that will move up my arm and my whole body will die.Needless to say this is quite painful and even reduced blood flow is causing angina like pain in my chest.

So I want to have a SALE!!!! A really BIG BIG sale.A SALE for my life so that you guys get the benefits as I do.

What I am offering.
1. I am going to make a standing 20% discount in my Artfire store www.artfire.com/users/Aardvark until Valentines day.

2. A 20% discount in all areas of my web site www.aardvarksilver.com. This covers jewelry and silver supplies. Code is MAYDAY and can be used as often as you purchase until Feb 14th.

3. We are going to have a $7 earring listing.Let me know about how long you like your earrings,the colour you would want and if you want a post earring or a hook style and we make you a custom pair of earrings using the best silver and stones we can.

4. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A GIVEAWAY OF ONE $250 VOUCHER TO ONE LUCKY CUSTOMER AND 2 LUCKY CUSTOMERS WILL RECEIVE A $100 VOUCHER EACH. WE WILL ALSO SEND OUT 10 PAIRS OF EARRINGS TO LUCKY CUSTOMERS AS WELL.

How to enter the give away???????

Its really really easy.

Make a purchase in any area of my stores.There are a few of these to make it easier for you.
www.aardvarksilver.com
www.aardvarksilver.etsy.com
www.9dollarearrings.etsy.com
www.artfire.com/users/Aardvark

Each $10 of your order gives you one entry into the draw. EASY. The more you purchase the better your chances of winning but also the more likely I am to reach my target and have the funds I need to keep me alive.

Aardvark Silver is silver supplies and Jewelry
AardvarkSilver Etsy is silver supplies only.
9 Dollar earrings is a very small number of items and once they are cleared (and most are discounted by 50%) the store will be closing.
Artfire Aardvark has Gemstones as well as silver supplies.

This is my New Years Resolution.I am raising funds in a fight for my life.
Please feel free to contact me if you are after wholesale lots of any items.

Light and Love to all
Tanya

This weeks Draw

Due to a few set backs in giving things away and an underwhelming response from the people who have been randomly chosen I have decided a new approach.I feel this will give all you lovely people who really like our items a chance to be in the forefront for winning this weeks gift.

I have been busy today getting it made but I ran out of daylight.I cant see well enough anymore to construct things using artificial light and so need to make things in the day time.I can still focus well enough at night to see the computer so I can still work on things from that end after dark.So it is not quite done and I dont have a photo.I wanted to do the best I possibly could for the lovely person who will get this set.It is Black Diamond beads, White diamond chips,freshwater pearls and a surprise chain made by me.I will be unveiling it when the pic is finished.It is a first for me for this style as well so I am going to keep you in suspense a while longer.

I have decided this is a step wise entry and entries will close at 6pm next Sunday night (Bangkok time) to allow for all to be able to participate.I know some of our friends who would like to take part are away at present and this time span allows for them to get back before a draw takes place.

What to do? This is the easy part.Now that you have found the blog and read the blurb I want you to email me by the FB mail and tell me the 5 best tips you use for Time Management. Easy? I thought so.

All the names of all the people who send me an email by FB mail will go in the draw and a winner will be chosen.There will be 9 runners up consolation prizes as well.

So put on your thinking caps and when I have collected all your ideas together I will compile them for you in this blog and we can share as well.

Thank you so much for being a part of the Aardvark Silver Fan club and family of friends.

Light, Love and Success to all
Tanya and Attit.

Our pictures today are new pieces I have not yet listed and so you get a sneak preview.

This week

What a busy one.It has flown past and I still have to work tomorrow as well.Its not fair that my lovely 4 day working week has now expanded out to 6 days especially as I am now more busy with Aardvark Silver.
Oh well I have to learn to use that little two letter word more often...you know the one......No.Thats right.I have to tell myself (and them) No a few more times.That way I will get back to what I want to have for me.

On that note I want to share something I found one time on Etsy and I think is one of the most AWESOME concepts. McFlashPants http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6298514
I cant own one because they wont let me bring one to Thailand but I wanted to let you guys all know about this because I feel it is pretty special.
This lovely lady, not only makes silver she makes it in an eco friendly way by recycling and using old materials that have a new life breathed into them.And the end results are spectacular in my opinion.
So now we can celebrate her work also.Thanks for listening today.
Light,Love,Success and Health to all
Tanya

Today

What a day.It seems that just as I am getting organised and seem to have it all under control the Universe very kindly throws me a curved ball.
Some of you know I am back at school learning Thai.Now that is a fun thing.I can finally read a lot of those funny squiggles and it is getting easier with each lesson.Well classes are fun but they take up 8 hours for the time that I am at school and then about an hour each way travelling for the three times I go.That's 14 hours just for Thai school.
I also teach a little as well.Well that kind of changed into "I teach a lot". I have 4 new private students as well as my usual GED class now and have had to scramble to find 30 hours (No that is not a typo) extra in my next two weeks as this lad needs to be finished in time for a huge exam on 20th. And those hours are on top of my regular 12 hours in the week.And then we have travel time to work as well.So that is 30 hours this week alone going to work.
Etsy is looking like it is picking up and I have been working frantically with the lovely Ingrid to get the Web Page all done.It is revamped and almost open for business in its new format.Next week possibly.So that has meant long hours on stocktake,spread sheets and other set up stuff that I had to do.
My head....well it has been good.Sort of.I had a slight headache the other day but stretched it out and it is now sitting straighter LOL and I feel ok.I am not holding my breath.I am saying Thank You everyday I am able to get up feeling Ok.
And Yes I finally got time to sit and Blog LOL

And so today I want to introduce some work from the lovely Moonbeemz.
http://moonbeemz.artfire.com
http://moonbeemz.com
http://moonbeemz.blogspot.com
You can find her and her work at any one of these links.
I have been wearing her pendants for a few years now and they are so so lovely.If you want a custom made something she makes to order as well.Have a stone of your own to be wrapped? Not a problem...it can be done.
The pics in my blog today are her pieces.A very talented lady who is also a very accurate astrologer and paints the most awesome Mandelas and other pictures.

And so now I am going to work on my time management and see what I can do to arrange things a little better.I know I can spend more time by cutting something some where.It is now a matter of pruning to see what I can cut out and give me back some time.I get the feeling work is gonna have to go LOL.
Light Love and Success to all.
Tanya

Thank you for Being Patient

I only just realized when I looked at my blog page today that it has been so long since I last posted.
I was doing really well after my last puncture until about 3 weeks ago when I felt the pressure rise again.I can feel it change now and am so much more aware.Anyway it then became a real battle to just get through the day and even my listing and creating took a very big back seat as I was having really bad problems even seeing at times.
It is really hard to teach when all you want to do is rip your head off or lie down and sleep and I am sure all the teachers out there will understand that.
We made it to last Saturday and I had another puncture.I have mostly recovered from that now and am taking it slowly.I think I have slept more in the last three days than I have in weeks.My sleep bank now is in credit.I have to keep it that way.

I have met some of the most lovely people in the last few weeks on Facebook and one lady who has a most amazing idea is Melanie Hazen. Melanie has begun an Earring of the month subscription. This is the link to her store so you can check out the details. But what an awesome idea. You pay a little and get such a lot. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18728630

Melanie also makes the best Lampwork beads and then she has the skill to make them up as well.An all round very clever and very very talented lady.

The pics are of Melanie's lovely work.

Ok I am off for now as I am still resting a lot.I'll catch you all tomorrow.
Promise
Light and Love to all
Tanya

A long time No hear

What a long time between updates.I am sorry for that.
I have been dealing with a health crisis and am now on the mend.I feel that way anyway.
It has been rounds of stupid Drs that know less than I do and them trying to give me very expensive medicines that I dont want or need and them not doing what is needed.I have given up on the medical system here and am going my own way.
But apart from all that all is well and we are fine.I will be putting up pics tomorrow.I still have to get them from the camera.We went to Laos for a visa run.I'll show you more of that later.
Anyway off to play at something else.
I made a new piece recently though.
Check it out.
Light and Love to all
Tanya

The Boys

Well for those of you who have read our profile on Etsy we look after two lads upcountry with the proceeds of Etsy.
They are doing really really well and are due to go back to school soon.
I just wanted to share a photo so you can see who we look after.
The big boy is 15 years old and his name is Kitdit and the younger guy is 12 and he is Anupong.
Handsome clever young men who are so thankful for your help and support.
Thank you

Light and Love from us to you

Tanya,Attit and the boys

The Headache from Hell

It began about a week ago as a twinge in my neck and upper back.OH NO!!!!!
I have hydrocephaly,too much water around my brain.It has been with me all my life and as I have aged it has given me more problems.
I havent had a really bad headache for about 10 months now.Before that I was having a spinal tap (lumbar puncture in Aussie language) about every 4-6 weeks.The only way to get rid of the pressure is to take the water out.Fun Stuff Hey? You get a headache,they tap you and you spend the next 5-10 days crawling around with what feels like the worst hangover on Earth and you didnt even get to enjoy getting drunk. You get relief for about 8-10 weeks and it is back.This 10 months have been heaven not having a problem and not expensive.It costs about $500+ a time to have a puncture/tap.
So when it began last week I was a lot not happy.By Sunday night I could hardly touch the skin on my head.It was on fire.
Monday morning I woke not being able to move as it had moved down my back and into my arms and legs, but went to work anyway.Do you know how hard it is to write on a whiteboard when everytime you move you want to cut your head off??? LOL.
Anyway I finished my class and went and had a massage.Now that was even worse but it helped to stop the muscle spasms at least.
Tuesday I woke up blind in my right eye.Yep cannot see at all.So I rang in sick.I went to the Dr and he looks in my eye and says Hmmm we have a problem. DUH!!!! thats why I am there. The blood vessels have dilated due to the intracranial pressure.Will I get my sight back??? Well he says Maybe!!!
So I have to go for a CT scan.Ok not a problem,expensive,about $100 but I want to see what my brain is doing.I can feel it is not happy so want to see if it is smiling or not.
We go to the hospital in the area.Yes a real hospital that is closed at 5pm in the afternoon.CLOSED!!!! What? We went to the ER.One person there who looks at me,sees no blood and says Come back at 8am we will xray you then.Heaven help me if I had been having a stoke or something serious.
So we go back at 7.30 the next morning to book the scan because I have to go and teach from 10 until 12. We waited 1 hour and 20 minutes for them to find my chart. Yes 1 hour and 20 minutes.Very efficient.Then we went to the next room to book the X-ray. We wait a further hour before I have to leave.I am still trying to make an appointment for this scan.Attit stayed,waited another hour and was told Oh no problems she can come at 1pm.
So I get back there at 1pm have my blood taken (what for? It has nothing to do with my head the tests that were ordered) and have my CT all in the space of 10 minutes.Maybe they are awake after lunch???? Who knows?
I go back to the Dr later and we sit waiting to see him listening to him talk to his patient about her being an alcoholic and how it is causing her cancer.Very professional.
We sit down,he looks at my X-ray (Yes I do have a brain and it is not smiling back at me) and says Its the same as the last one.I know this already LOL.He then tells me that as I cant take any drugs he could give me he cant help me because it is all in my head.What???? I am now being told what????
He wants me to see a Neurosurgoen for an operation based on the fact that he cant see anything has changed in my head in two years and I must need a drain.NO WAY!!!! I am not letting some Thai surgeon near my head with a knife.The fact that I now have half a brain is just starting to register.The rest of the stuff in my head is water.It really is incredible that I function at all.

Well today I can see again and Attit has been working on my head with the hot herbal massage balls that they use in the real massage places and it has helped.I am not sure what is going on but I do know I am tired of having a headache and it is time it left.Maybe I could sell it on eBay? Anyone what a really huge only partly used headache??? Going cheap.

With Light and Love to All
Tanya

Time

Can someone please tell what day it is today? I seem to have blinked and lost a whole three days LOL.I get up,madly dash through my morning stuff of Etsy and Art Fire and Facebook and and and (I'm trying to work out Twitter as well but havent been too successful there yet.I'll let you know when I do) .Then I dive through the shower to make myself all smelling sweet to go to work.Somewhere in there I manage a coffee and maybe a quick reply to an email.
Then I get on a bus.LOL Bangkok buses......I often manage to get the Yellow Air conditioned one or even the Orange Air conditioned one and they are ok.Mostly.Except when rude people shove the old people out of the way so they sit and the older people have to stand.I get up for the older people.It seems young Thais have no sense of politeness when it comes to bus ettiquette.
Anyway the Air Con buses are quite a treat compared to the Red Buses,Green Buses and White Buses.Now these have open windows and seat that have been sat in probably millions of times so they are not in the best condition.That is if you can get a seat.LOL The little Green bus is 6.50 Baht.About 20 cents to ride to any stop.They seat maybe 12 people and the rest stand.You hang from wherever you can hold onto because the driver is a mad man who races as fast as possible to pick up more passengers.The pollution happily gusts in the windows and by the time you get off you are kind of glad.The Red bus and the White Bus are a little better as they cant drive so fast being a bigger vehicle.Having said that I did get off one Red bus because I was so scared of the driving LOL
Well work is the next part.Next time.Today I have to fly.
I will show you another of Khuns' lovely pieces though.Rose Quartz and black thread.The stone has lovely rainbows that flash as it moves and is so pretty.Maybe I will wear this one myself.LOL So many to choose from.LOL
Ok got to fly again.
Catch you soon
Tanya

What a Weekend

So yesterday we were off to meet up with Khun to collect new stock and Attit and I decided to wander around the Chatu Chak Markets.Now that is a whole story in itself.Some one remind me to tell you all one day.

We were strolling along one little lane as best you can stroll with 50,000 people crammed into a tiny space (maybe 5000 actually but when you have that many bodies all crammed in together it may as well be 50,000.Whew what a stink as well LOL) when a lovely elderly Thai lady decided to ram her metal trolley into my knees.Now for those of you who are lucky enough to not ever have had this experience,let me describe it to you.It is like have a very sharp knife driven into your leg and then twisted as your legs buckle.I looked up as all this was going on because my immediate reaction was to reach over and punch the person in the nose.Fairs fair,lets share the pain.And then I see her look me in the eye and all but dare me to hit her.She them moved her trolley around me (as she could have done in the first place and not hit me) and walked on without so much as a Kor Tort Ka (Sorry in Thai).

Well I had to sit and that helped a little and so we decided to continue on and meet with Khun after all.Mind you by the time we got there (and he was only 5 minutes away) my leg was screaming at me LOL.

I sat and looked at his new stuff which is as awesome as the other bits I have already and we bought a new lot.I trust we can interest someone in buying them to sell on as well.I can do a bulk wholesale lot as well at a really good price and Khun is happy to make 1000's if that is what you would need.

I have put up a couple of photos of other items here as well and the rest will go on Art Fire and the web page.

So today I can now bend my knee but can't walk really very well.I hope it is ok by tomorrow as I have to go back to work.Teaching can be done sitting down but it is hard to reach the top of the white board to write notes then.LOL

Catch you again soon.Oh and for all you who are looking to work in Asia,my friends web link is now up.He specializes in posting teachers.

Thanks again

Tanya

A Little more by Khun

The necklaces all look great and they are so versatile.For both boys and girls.
So we added a range of Bracelets to match and once again both the boys and girls can wear them so you can share.They are easy to wear as well with a slip lock that adjusts to suit your wrist size.One size fits most.And the stones used really add a bit of life to the thread.The first one is set with Black Onyx ovals,the second one with the Black thread has sparkly Brown goldstone which is actually a man made glass with copper to give that lovely sparkle and the final piece has lovely dark Smoky Quartz .We have other stones as well, I am still getting to the photos.LOL
If you would like a custom made piece we can work on that too.Contact me via this blog or at Art Fire.
Thanks for your support in anticipation

Our Feature Jewelry for the rest of the Month.By Khun.

We are going to feature a new line of Jewellery each month.It will be either a new designer or a new design line created by one artist.

This month we are featuring the lovely simple work of a Thai unknown by the name of Khun. I met Khun at the markets as I was wandering past one day and was attracted to his lovely rings that he has made himself.He speaks no English and so we had fun talking and arranging times for us to meet at a later date.Attit was out of town so he couldn't sort it for me as he usually does when Thai is needed.My Thai has improved for the meeting and that is a Blessing for me.
Khun told me he has learnt all the techniques he uses by trial and error and he said in the beginning he made a lot of mistakes.Now he is quick to pick up skills as he knows what is possible with the materials he uses.
Today I have a small sample of necklaces that are knotted cotten cord with a waxed finish.He has used real gemstone beads in these simple looking designs that are suitable for both boys and girls of all ages.I will put up more bits as we go along.If you want to purchase some of these items please visit the web page Aardvark Silver in the links section,our Art Fire store or the Art Fire quick check out on this page
Thanks for stopping by.We look forward to many more visits.
Tanya and Attit