My next animated video for Fred Kimmel "Sad Eyes" (with a nod to Polandball)

My next animated music video will be for "Sad Eyes", a song by Fred Kimmel, my musician husband, on his latest album, Earth (2023 Wuj Productions). I didn't intend for my Earth character to be anthropomorphized with sunglasses on until the last minute, but when I drew it, it reminded me of Americaball from Polandball, and it was just what I needed: Earthball, a likable chap who weathers the storm like no other. Earth is usually depicted as female, like Mother Nature, but Fred Kimmel's Earth will be a cool dude, like Fred. He'll be cool enough to sport his sunglasses everywhere, especially if he's driving but even when he's not, and just sitting in his easy chair sipping his rosé wine, but the truth is, he's not so cool that he can't show his feelings, so, he will most likely shed tears when the rain clouds come. Thankfully, the sun will shine again, and the flowers and trees of the earth will grow, and Earthball will be happy again, because the producers are Americans, and Americans love a happy ending. Fred is producing his own video, so, with his background in both music and theatre, he will no doubt have many more surprises in store. Stay tuned...

How to Make a Luxurious Holiday Snowflake Wine Charm with a Scroll Design

Crystal Rhapsody Holiday Snowflake Wine Charm

Introducing our newest product in my Crystal Rhapsody music merch boutique!

Hi, guys! Today, I'm going to show you how to make a luxurious holiday snowflake wine charm with a scroll design. The scroll itself is symbolic through time, as well as looking like a musical treble clef which makes my music-loving heart sing, but I've added a snowflake charm to my design for the holiday cheer. I made my scroll design wine charm by using a Christmas ornament holder. I bought mine from a small business named Banberry Designs on Amazon, specifically this design because it was advertised as having bendable wire. I wanted something that was easy to put my new, bright silver-plated snowflake charm on without too much backbreaking effort. After working with these ornament holders, I found that they are pliable but sturdy. I think my new wine charm looks, well, charming✨️, and it would be easy for anyone who buys one to change the charm on it as you wish, just as you would with an ornament. However, I think you'll like this new charm I got because it is really festive and holiday bright, the perfect size, and lightweight! So, let's get started!

First, you'll need a pair of pliers, glue, wire end caps which are round balls that are half-drilled, and most importantly, the special charm you'll put on it (besides your lovely personality, that is. ;)) All you have to do is first, bend the bottom end into a loop that ends at the base of the loop into roughly an O shape (the wire I got looks more like a pear shape when it's looped). Before you close it, add your charm, then bend it closed until there's no more room for the charm to fall off. If you want to change the charm, you can always reopen it.

Next, you might want to realign the bottom part to make sure the charm faces forward when you put the wine charm wire on the stem of the glass. Hold the bottom end with pliers, and twist the wire until the angle is perpendicular, bent at 90°. Depending on the design of your charm, whether it has a vertical or horizontal bail attached, you might not need to do this step.

Finally, the wine charm doesn't need the end cap to function, but the scroll design looks so much prettier with it, like an emotional droplet of water. Put some glue inside the half-drilled end cap ball and put it on the wire end at the scrolly top. I find it easier to do if I bend the end part of the wire out a bit before I glue it on, then realign it when I'm done. Also, I like to secure the ball with additional glue at the base of the ball where it meets the wire. I try to make the line smooth so it looks aesthetically pleasing, like a magatama bead. When you're done, I also recommend bending the scrolly wire end a bit extra tightly until the ball gets as close to the adjacent wire as possible.

That's it! If you want to make a luxurious holiday wine charm that looks like mine, you can do it in a few easy steps. Similar designs such as vintage Waterford Christmas wine charms go for a pretty penny online, but I'm selling one for $18 at our music merch store at wujprodstore.net. If you buy one from me, I hope your dearest snowflake wish comes true this year!❄️🤍

On the Business of Selling Costume Jewelry and Wine Charms

Theatre Mask Comedy and Tragedy Wine Charm Set

Happy Father's Day! Today, I want to discuss costume jewelry and wine charms - the making and selling of these, specifically. So, it's a bit absurd to be frank, to, say, purchase jewelry making parts on, say, Amazon or Walmart, create a zipper pull bracelet charm, let's say, and see on Amazon or Walmart the same exact design being sold, only 11 of them for the same price you're trying to sell one of them for, and they're functional items for knitting, now, not even bracelet charms.

Now, wine charms are these charms on hoops that we used to call earrings, but again, you can buy 10 of these for the same price as a pair of earrings, but as functional non-jewelry items, like wine charms, which legit companies like Waterford used to make with beautiful crystal and sterling silver snowflakes in unique little designs that matched each one of their original crystal glassware. How posh, right? Whatever rule Walmart has against selling jewelry on their site can be completely ignored by calling jewelry something functional. I might call everything I make a keychain, but at the end of the day, I can't sustain a business if all I'm doing is using parts to create designs that will ultimately turn up and be sold for a 1/10th of what I paid for the parts! Anyway, for however long the store will exist, come browse like you're looking inside a museum or a doll diorama, the same way all the music I grew up listening to and loving enough to buy is nowhere to be heard anymore, with Grok telling X users I'm "experimenting" with metal now (and by metal, I mean '80s-early '90s heavy metal like Dokken, Ratt, Extreme; I do not mean thrash punk-metal like Metallica).

Another thing: Setting up a store on Go Daddy will make you charge either everyone internationally the same or choose only a US customer base. Either way, try competing with zipper pull sellers in the knitting department. Who wouldn't want lobster clasps with snowflake charms danging all over your muffler/scarf as you knit your masterpiece? They set a mood.

Cheers with a wine charm set!

Pictures by Emma, Fred's Music Student

Today, Fred and I are delighted to share with you all these wonderful pictures drawn by Emma, a 6 year old music student of Fred's, for our Wuj Productions music merch store at wujprodstore.net! We will update our home page with other drawings by her during the course of the next few months, but I also wanted to share some of them here on my Crystal Rhapsody blog, since so many of Emma's drawings are of me, and for me! She even gave me gifts, like a cool and pretty mermaid ring, a star-shaped bracelet with shiny gems, bubbles, and even a matcha flavored Kit Kat which Fred says melted in the car on his way home...but I'm so overjoyed that she gave me something Japanese, too. I think Emma's artwork is great, with clear forms, varied colors and hues, lots of imagination, and most of all, they are beautiful. Thank you, Emma, for making our storefront look nicer than ever before!
🧜‍♂️💛🧞‍♀️🫧🎵🧜‍♀️🦋👑🎼🧜🌞🎨

On double loop jump ring jewelry (aka split rings) and zipper pulls

Jump Ring Charm Happy New Year with Rhinestone

New Jump Ring Charms and classic pendant necklaces have been added to our store. A word about our Jump Ring Charms: The versatile double loop jump rings (aka split rings) are new, uncharted waters in handmade costume jewelry, but they are the most secure way to hold heavier pieces of metal and crystal jewelry, hence, their use for key chains. There is, however, another reason I like these jump rings for jewelry making; our silver plated 8mm jump rings are tarnish resistant! They stay brighter for a longer time than the typical silver core of a European charm bead. Before I get too much of your hopes up, the life span of tarnish resistance depends with the gold color jump rings; as with the single loop jump rings, the gold color tends to turn quickly. That's costume jewelry for you, whether they look stylistically traditional or not. Finally, I like these jump ring charms and the zipper pull charms, another newbie in the costume jewelry world, for their versatility. Tack it here, tack it there; multiple uses from one little charm, going from a necklace to a bracelet to a zipper on a bag, even a wine charm hoop, sounds to me like smart jewelry.

Zipper Pull Attrape Coeur 2025 Gold Color

If you prefer more classic styles, we have pendants on bail for a stainless steel chain necklace, leather necklace or twine necklace, and European charms for snake chain bracelets. Have I mentioned hand wire-wrapped wine charms that double as pendants? These stay bright, too, made with bright silver plated tarnish free wire. Even the acrylic silver beads on our wine charms, unicorn crown headbands and rave bracelets are tarnish free. Visit the Wuj Productions music merch store at wujprodstore.net where we have something for everyone. Shine on! ✨️

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Suki Yo Perfume Oil for Women: Father's Day Sale in Fred Kimmel Earth category at Wuj Productions Store

Fred Kimmel and Sali O (Kimmel), 1999

Husband and wife team Fred and Sally (Sali), at Sali's parents' home for New Year's, 1999. (Sali is posing with her grandmother's shamisen, but she plays piano.)

Fred and Sally are a band that's been playing together longer than they've been married. From the beautiful catering halls of the Tri-State area to the most romantic restaurants overlooking the NYC skyline, they have entertained crowds at parties, nightclubs and outdoor festivals since the '90s. Read more about the double launch of their album, Sali O Crystal Rhapsody, and the relaunch of Fred Kimmel Earth, 2025, at this post.

Suki Yo Perfume Oil by Sali O Collection

Now, about the Wuj Productions Store: The Father's Day SALE applies to all items in the Fred Kimmel Earth category, including Suki Yo Perfume Oil for Women, from June 1 until June 16th, 2025 with promo code (get it at this post).

Sali O, singer and creator of PINK MANHATTAN CD and Perfume Oil has done it again, this time with her new album, Crystal Rhapsody and musical works with her musician husband Fred Kimmel whose latest album, Earth, and Fred himself, are the muse for her first fragrance for Men, Earth (Man). Read about it here.

Earth (Man) Perfume Oil by Sali O for Men (M) with Gem holographic lamination

In addition to Earth (Man), Sali has created a collection of 4 new fragrances with the album: the eponymous Crystal Rhapsody, Number One and Suki Yo for Women. Suki Yo Perfume Oil, a Floral Vanilla featuring red fruit notes, is listed under the Fred Kimmel Earth category because the song, "Suki Yo (I Love You)" which the fragrance is based on, first appeared on the Earth album as a duet between Fred and Sali, husband and wife singer songwriter team. Watch the music video that Sali drew animation for on YouTube!

"Suki Yo (I Love You)" also appears on Crystal Rhapsody in the original version and a ballad duet version. Read more about Suki Yo Perfume Oil by Sali O at this post.

Suki Yo Perfume Oil by Sali O for Women (W) with Gem holographic lamination

Perfume Oil by Sali O Collection: Crystal Rhapsody, Number One, Suki Yo and Earth (Man)

Shop Now at our Wuj Productions music merch store at wujprodstore.net under the Fred Kimmel Earth category. By the way, Fred is also a proud father!

Fred, Sali and their daughter Claudia

Fred Kimmel Earth album cover

New: Doll Miniature Holiday K9 Crystal Charm Bracelet for Him (modeled by my 12" Fashion Doll) + for Her

Crystal Rhapsody Holiday K9 Crystal Charm Bracelet 12" Masculine Fashion Doll Miniature

Happy Sunday! We've added more beautiful new doll miniatures in the Sali O Crystal Rhapsody Boutique where all of my music merch connected to my first full album, Crystal Rhapsody, is listed, and also under our Miniature category and Christmas and Holidays category where we have more listings of handmade jewelry for the 11.5" and 12" fashion dolls (Barbie and Ken sizes, respectively). Today, I'm featuring the brilliant K9 crystal glass beads in gold champagne color that were used to make these doll bracelets. I'd also like to show you just how gorgeous these bracelets look on my Frank Sinatra and Oshōgatsu Barbie dolls who are modeling this set for us today. In this set, the bracelet for him is a charm bracelet with a faceted pear charm, and the bracelet for her is minimalist:

Crystal Rhapsody Holiday K9 Crystal Bracelet Doll Miniature for her

Holiday K9 Crystal Bracelets for him and her

More styles are coming soon. Visit the Wuj Productions Store at wujprodstore.net and shop all our doll jewelry in the Miniature category!