"How should I take care of my Punky Jane Jewelry?"

Here are a few guidelines to keep your Punky Jane made with sterling (.925) or fine silver (.999) looking its best.

• Don’t wear your jewelry in water, or allow it to be exposed to chemicals...they will damage the finish and oxidation. Even perfumes, lotions and sprays can damage the finish. 
• Don't hang your jewelry in or near the bathroom, or any other damp area. This will dramatically speed oxidation.
• Don’t use dip-style cleaners...they will remove the oxidation you want to keep (blackening of the letters). It’s best to use a soft cloth made especially for jewelry polishing (like a Sunshine Polishing Cloth), and polish very gently. 
• After your jewelry is clean, you can store it in a zip closure bag if you won't be wearing it for awhile. If you bag a dirty piece, the oxidation will move very quickly.
• If your piece has a brushed finish, the finish will lighten a bit with normal wear and the polishing cloth will speed that up.
• If the oxidation in the letters gets a little lighter, it will darken again over time through the natural oxidation process. 
• Remember, the best way to keep your jewelry from tarnishing is to wear it! Please note that it’s normal for silver jewelry to show gentle wear. Silver is a soft metal.

And remember, you can find this and other great info in our FAQs section.

      

Don't blink. Blink and you're dead. Don't turn your back. Don't look away. And don't blink. Good Luck.

A friend of mine asked if I could create some jewelry depicting a TARDIS. After I Googled 'TARDIS' (and realized I'd been living under a rock, apparently), I said...of course!

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who. My guess is that if you're a fan, this is not news to you. (I had to Google that as well.)

In honor of this special occasion, and to make my friend smile, we've created a few pieces to help you celebrate your obsession. Our hand stamped TARDIS necklace would make any Time Lord smile...or whatever they do to show joy.

Check out the collection in our Geekery Section, and don't hesitate to contact us if you'd like another phrase or want more personalization.

       

Zucchini and Chocolate. Who Knew?

We are growing zucchini.

Like many of you, I'm sure.

Did a little search to find another way to use our bounty and discovered this deliciousness. Anytime a recipe calls for chocolate and cinnamon, I'm in.

Note: I have a non-nut lover in the house and I didn't have any oranges, so I just left those out. I used Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake 

2 1/2 cups regular all-purpose flour, unsifted
1/2 cup cocoa 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup soft butter
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
3 cups coarsely shredded zucchini (from about 1 pound of zucchini)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans 

Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Set the shredded zucchini to drain in a sieve over a bowl. If no moisture drains out and the zucchini feels dry, sprinkle some water over it and let the excess drain.

Vigorously whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl, and set aside. With a mixer, beat together the butter and the sugars until smooth. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition.

With a wooden spoon, stir in the vanilla, orange peel, and zucchini. Alternately stir in the dry ingredients and the milk into the zucchini mixture, including the nuts with the last addition.

Spray the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan or tube pan lightly with cooking spray (or grease with butter). Wipe off the excess. Pour in the batter and use a rubber spatula to level the top of the batter.

Bake in the oven for about 50-55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean (test at 45 min).

Cool in pan 15 minutes; turn out on wire rack to cool thoroughly.

Make the glaze by mixing together the glaze ingredients. You can easily do this by hand with a whisk or a spoon. If the glaze is too runny, add some more powdered sugar. If too thick, add more milk.

Drizzle glaze over cake.

Cut in thin slices to serve.

Yield: Makes 10-12 servings.

Find the original recipe here at SimplyRecipes.com  (Posted there by Elise Bauer) 

      

What's Your Point Value?

Playing with letters is fun. Whether it's a simple game of Scrabble or a heated Words With Friends match, those little tiles can be addictive.

My love of letter games inspired this new design.

Choose any word or name, 2 to 5 characters long, to create your own personalized Scrabble rack necklace. Each tile is hand stamped with the letter and its official Scrabble point value. Single letter tiles are also available.