becoming jewelry

bringing work home

2012-02-08T07:00:00.001-05:00

Yesterday for the first time I tried packing up some tools and supplies from the studio and bringing them home so I could do a little work after I put the girls to bed.

Tools, wire, stones, etc. all nice and cozy in this cute little Vera Bradley bag I got for Christmas.

Two different times I got up out of my chair to go upstairs and get something I needed, only to remember that none of it is upstairs anymore. It's all a few miles away! This is going to take some getting used to!

Working on some ocean-themed necklace ideas for the summer season at the shop. Made a few wire wraps for these tags that I had already stamped and finished...

So, I didn't get much done, but I am excited about these little guys :)

life is challenging

2012-02-07T09:43:00.000-05:00

Lovely excerpt from my bedtime reading last night:

"The Second Noble Truth: Life is painful or difficult because of our attachments. You suffer when you demand that life be different than it is or when you are dragged around by sense cravings. When you accept that life is challenging and difficult your suffering eases. People who live with continuous "shoulds" in their minds are ignoring the "what is" of life, namely that bosses make too many demands, babies cry, we make mistakes, it rains on the garden party, and people are capable of immense cruelty to each other, along with kindness and love."

{from If the Buddha Got Stuck by Charlotte Kasl}

moving in

2012-02-06T08:00:00.005-05:00

I spent several hours on Saturday setting up my desks and trying to organize a little so that I can get to work this week! Here is some of my progress:

office desk.

Deceptively clean right now. But no worries, it won't stay this way.

Just give me a few days of actually working there.

A brand new view!

shipping desk.

kind of a mess right now...

work desk.

This is actually much cleaner than it was before I moved. I know, you're probably wondering how I get any work done...

Working in the new space this week! Woohoo!

big things

2012-02-04T00:04:00.000-05:00

Big. News.

I'm opening a shop this spring! It's exciting and, honestly, a little terrifying.

I found an amazing space with a shop and adjoining work/studio area, surrounded by other artists' galleries & shops (more on that to come), and decided it was time to take the plunge.

Sooo, I guess it's time for a tour :)

The shop.

Welcome to my future shop! There are lots of little corners and walls, so it's difficult to get a good picture of the whole area...

Love: the hardwood floors, the gray trim,

and the double french doors leading to the *deck!*

Not loving: the yellow walls (although at first I really kinda liked them).

the front door

The kitchen.

The work area has 2 rooms, a largish kitchen and a small back room.

Love: that I have a sink and countertop work area

Not loving: pretty much everything else :)

Lots of quirks in this kitchen!

The back room.

This is where I will do most of the jewelry making - hammering, stamping, etc.

Love: the bathroom!! Most of the spaces I looked at didn't have one, and I am thrilled to have a functioning bathroom of my very own.

Because I have to pee A LOT.

Not loving: the trim paint is peeling/chipping a lot

Lots of funky nooks and crannies in this place.

The bathroom.

OK, it's not the loveliest bathroom, but we can work on that.

Lots to do in here :)

The deck.

And as a nice bonus, my space has a deck on the back.

In the spring the landlord will clean this up and give it some fresh paint.

So there it is. As you can see, there is so much to do! I'm a bundle of nerves right now, but I'll never know if I never try, right?

Bought this today for a studio-warming gift for myself. It's perfect. I can't wait to get it and hang it up in my NEW STUDIO!!!

books for the new year

2011-12-29T13:28:00.000-05:00

I just placed my order of books I want to read to start off the new year. I love books, and it's always so exciting for me to get new ones. Can't wait for these to arrive in the mail! Here's what I'll be reading in January:

1. Foolsgold: Making Something from Nothing and Freeing Your Creative Process {susan g. wooldridge}
two. Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time {howard schultz}
three. EntreLeadership: 20 Years of Practical Business Wisdom from the Trenches {dave ramsey}
4. Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On-Line {kari chapin}

What about you? Anyone reading anything inspiring to start the new year? I would love to hear about it!

2011-12-12T11:00:00.000-05:00

one. bag | two. scarf | three. live simply necklace

four. parka | five. jeans | 6. boots

seven. hat | eight. slippers | nine. cable sweater

style ideas 12.05.11

2011-12-05T11:00:00.000-05:00

1. journal | two. shirt | three. watch

four. custom dog tag | 5. pullover | 6. cargo pants

seven. cable sweater | 8. boots | nine. pullover

christmas gift ideas

2011-12-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

dog tag | monogram | be here now

hammered earrings | sisters | my whole heart

loved | mother | friends

remember today | love you forever | simple initial

style ideas 11.29.11

2011-11-29T11:00:00.003-05:00

1. cable sweater | two. fair isle stripe sweater | three. fair isle tunic sweater

four. plaid scarf | five. spread love necklace | 6. cable knit sweater dress

seven. snowflake sweater coat | 8. parka | nine. texting gloves

holiday shipping deadlines

2011-11-27T15:00:00.000-05:00

Shop now and get your orders in early!

mementos. {new}

2011-11-23T23:04:00.000-05:00

Just in time for Christmas gift giving

a new collection of necklaces

for sister, friend, family

Click here to see the entire collection.

{11.8.11}

2011-11-09T09:00:00.001-05:00

Spent a great deal of time yesterday attempting to clean up after my cat Sam,

who has been very stressed out by our recent move and has started

using various pieces of our furniture as his own special litter boxes.

Hoping this Nature's Miracle (recommended by my sister) really is

a Miracle in a spray bottle because I am all out of ideas and energy

for dealing with this!

{11.6.11}

2011-11-07T10:50:00.002-05:00

cleaned up in the girls' bedroom yesterday,

and picked up lots of these

scattered on the floor and the desks.

I have twins, so everything gets marked with a big ole name

on it for everyone to see :)

{11.5.11}

2011-11-06T11:00:00.001-05:00

made a lot of these yesterday.

"T" for me :)

{11.4.11}

2011-11-05T15:01:00.001-04:00

ll bean in freeport, me = very cool place to visit.

Aidan got snow pants and coat,

both girls got long underwear,

and I got gloves and a hat.

everyone's happy!

{11.3.11}

2011-11-04T19:11:00.001-04:00

made lots of these little guys yesterday.

a little note about this post

project: a drawing a day as a creative and mindful exercise for myself.

so, more to come :)

inspiration: "the creative license" by Danny Gregory and obsessive consumption blog by Kate Bingaman Burt. (You can listen to a great interview with Kate here on CraftPod.)

other thoughts: I had this idea yesterday, and thought, "great. I'll start that for the new year in January." then I realized there was no reason not to start right now. I'm not fabulous at drawing, so I also realize that these won't be anything fantastic, but I enjoy it.

words to live by. {new}

2011-10-24T10:00:00.000-04:00

I'm a sucker for a good quote, a good book, a meaningful word.

And here's the collection to prove it :)

Click here to see all of these dainty little beauties.

beach days

2011-10-10T22:46:00.000-04:00

We spent a lovely, unexpected day at the beach this weekend.

Did anyone else have some fun thanks to this

fabulous warm weather?

It was wonderful!

{things that made me smile} 9

2011-07-14T23:32:00.000-04:00

Happy thoughts from my week.

1 :: Sooo cute! Wearing her fedora to dinner at Logan's Roadhouse

2 :: My lovely new bathroom floor, laid by yours truly. Whew! That was a lot of work!

3 :: Look at her go!

4 :: E takes her turn on the rock wall

"Today is life - the only life you are sure of.

Make the most of today."

~Dale Carnegie

friday finds

2011-07-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

A little Etsy window shopping fun.

Page Pottery

So much cool pottery in this shop, and I'm in love with this little sugar bowl!

Infusion

Let me just say, I want this bag for Fall.
It has just the right mix of the neutral colors I am obsessed with right now -
gray and brown.

JK Photography

So beautiful. This photo stood out to me in a shop

full of gorgeous photography. Love.

ahh summer

2011-07-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

Go check out my board of summery things over at Pinterest!
Here's a sneak peak.

Source: pinkpreppylillylover.blogspot.com via tracey on Pinterest

Source: blog.lonnymag.com via tracey on Pinterest

Source: 24.media.tumblr.com via tracey on Pinterest

Source: vintagerosegarden.tumblr.com via tracey on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via tracey on Pinterest

What things remind you most of summer?

yummy red, white & blue

2011-07-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

via Pinterest

Happy Fourth of July! On days like today I wish I were more of a planner/decorator/celebrator. Here are some pretty treats I wish I had planned ahead and made today... Maybe next year :)

Source: marthastewart.com via tracey on Pinterest

Source: familyfun.go.com via tracey on Pinterest

Source: skinnytaste.com via tracey on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via tracey on Pinterest

{things that made me smile} 8

2011-05-19T10:03:00.000-04:00

Happy thoughts from my week.

1 :: E ready to work at her school cafe with her *adorable* apron she painted

2 :: E and her class ready to serve some yummy baked goods :)

3 :: Pretty backyard rainbow

4 :: Moody sky over Biltmore Estate

5 :: A & E with the cutest little goat who kept trying to eat their hair

6 :: Another little goat getting some attention from A

"Today is life - the only life you are sure of.

Make the most of today."

~Dale Carnegie

what i wore wednesday {week 5}

2011-05-18T08:01:00.000-04:00

Thursday. Jeans and a tank.

Cami & Tank, Target

Jeans, 7 for All Mankind

Sandals, Madden Girl from Rack Room Shoes

Necklace, Becoming

Friday. Jeans and a tank. Again. I'm noticing a pattern here...

Cami & Tank, Target

Jeans, 7 for All Mankind

Sandals, Samuel by Sam Edelman from Belk

I managed to get 2 outfits documented late last week before I went out of town for the weekend and my schedule fell apart. So I'm considering that a victory. Sort of.

Linking this post up again at The Pleated Poppy!

seeking inspiration

2011-05-13T08:00:00.001-04:00

via Pinterest

...tea love...

Source: flickr.com via tracey on Pinterest

Source: formsofletters.blogspot.com via tracey on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via tracey on Pinterest

Source: sunniest.ru via tracey on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via tracey on Pinterest

Source: carouselinparis.tumblr.com via tracey on Pinterest

Source: paperboatpress.bigcartel.com via tracey on Pinterest

Hope you've enjoyed my Ode to Tea moment this Friday :-)

Have yourself a cup of tea and a great weekend!

what i wore wednesday {week 4}

2011-05-11T10:32:00.000-04:00

Tuesday. I've been wearing out my cuffed jeans since I figured out last week that I could cuff the jeans I already own!

Tank, Target

Skinny jeans, Citizens of Humanity

Flip flops, Gap

Only one documented outfit this week. Boo! Been a bit lazy on the picture taking.

Linking this post up at The Pleated Poppy

it's a balancing act, 1

2011-05-10T08:00:00.001-04:00

Working at home {Part 1}

{{First of all, isn't this little banner so cute?? I snapped this picture of a bumble bee in my garden on Easter morning, and I loved it so much that I had to think up something to do with it. And thus was born "busy bee," my working title for business-related blog posts.}}

Just after the idea to take a stab at writing about balancing working at home with family time first occurred to me, I immediately thought, "What am I crazy?! I need someone else to tell me how to balance work and family!" So, I settled on making a few observations on the subject. It felt less preachy, because heaven knows, I haven't figured any of this out yet. So here goes.

Observation #1 :: It's really hard for me to ever switch out of work mode. I try really hard to keep work separate, I do. I have a separate (well, not separate, but distinct) studio workspace, and I make an attempt to keep work notes, invoices, etc. in that area, but inevitably things end up strewn about the house. So I find that I'm often reminded of work even when I'm not actually working, and on top of that I'm constantly thinking about new blog ideas, or a new necklace idea that I just want to try out, or the fact that my order fulfillment is falling behind, and I really ought to go get caught up... It all makes it incredibly hard to disengage from work, and fully engage with my family.

So I've made this rule: from supper time until I put the girls to bed around 9 pm, I don't work. That is family time. If I remember something I need to do or have a great idea to try, I've started keeping a thick spiral notebook where I write all those things down. That way I'm sure the ideas won't be forgotten, and I can work on them later. Some days I do better at this and some days not, but at least it's a guideline, and on days when I completely fall short, I wipe the slate clean and try to do better tomorrow.

A note about making notes: I used to make notes on loose paper or in any one of a variety of tablets or notebooks all over the house, and most of them would get lost in the shuffle of household life. So now I keep one thicker notebook for business only. I carry it around with me when I'm not working, so I can jot things down as they occur to me. It's a simple idea, but it has helped sooo much to have all those thoughts in one place!

manic monday

2011-05-09T20:39:00.001-04:00

week 3

Mr. Manic the hedgehog showed an unusual amount of interest in the camera during his photo shoot this week, so even though this one is a little blurry, I liked the motion and seeing his little face so close up!

...outtakes

{i'm a} mom of twins

2011-05-07T08:00:00.000-04:00

So thankful on this Mother's Day weekend to be a Mom to my two little girls.

Dug out some old photos remembering the early days. (These are almost 12 years old, from the days before digital photos were common, so I ended up taking photos of my photos. Some times you gotta improvise.)

Yup. Twin A and Twin B. Two heads in there.

TWIN PREGNANCY(!) Notice the notation in the upper right corner. Sure enough, there are the tops of two heads in that ultrasound picture. We were absolutely shocked at our first ultrasound appointment to find out we were having twins. We had no idea, no family history, no reason to think...

The ultrasound tech paused when she started looking at the screen and didn't say much. I, of course, immediately assumed something was wrong with the baby. (It's the pessimist in me - I get it from my Mom.) Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think she was going to pause, and then tell us to get ready for twins.

Emma (left) and Aidan (rt) in the hospital.

The pregnancy was filled with emotional ups and downs. At one point we were told that they would both likely die before birth due to Twin Twin Transfusion Syndrome (where one twin pulls most of the nutrition from the other), or only one might die, or one or both babies might have brain damage. Our weeks were filled with trips to St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston, and our local hospital for constant monitoring. It was exhausting, physically and emotionally.

When the decision was finally made to induce labor because of concern for the smaller twin, we were nervous and overwhelmed. Much to our bewilderment and delight, after months of fretting and cautiousness, both babies were born healthy. Aidan was just smaller.

Cuddle time in the crib.

We brought them home in 2 days, and settled into life with twins. Well, as much as you can settle in to life with twins. It was all a blur of sleepless nights, constant feedings, and making our way up the steep learning curve of new (twin!) parenthood.

A and E in the double stroller in Rockport.

One of the things I remember most about those first months was taking the babies out in the double stroller for walks around the town in Rockport, MA, where we were lucky enough to live at the time. Great memories.

Wishing all you moms out there a very happy Mother's Day this weekend!

friday finds

2011-05-06T09:00:00.000-04:00

Some shopping fun for your Friday.

Heartfish Press

I own one of these prints, purchased a while ago on Etsy. It sits on my work desk, and is one of my favorite decorations.

Shop Heartfish Press.

.................................................

Photography by Jodi

From my Etsy favorites list. I love the simplicity of this print.

Shop Photography by Jodi.

.................................................

Brookish

This has been on my Etsy favs list for a while, and I feel a purchase coming soon. I seriously love this shirt, almost as much as I love Jane Austen :)

Shop Brookish.

.................................................

ecceprints

Streets of Boston. I have a soft spot for all things Boston. Went to college outside the city, got married on the North Shore, and my twins were born there. Lo-ove New England. (Tennessee has been nice, but our family is heading back soon!)

Shop Ecceprints.

{things that made me smile} 7

2011-05-05T20:46:00.000-04:00

Happy thoughts from my week.

1 :: Spending a few days with A while sister was in Maine
2 :: Frozen tiramisu drink at Olive Garden - so yummy
3 :: Sam cuddling with A
4 :: E cracking a coconut
5 :: Sigur Ros on my ipod. I am seriously obsessed. Love them
6 :: Spring love. Spraying down my hard work in the yard

"Today is life - the only life you are sure of.

Make the most of today."

~Dale Carnegie

what i wore wednesday {week 3}

2011-05-04T08:55:00.002-04:00

It's wiww!

Thursday.

Tunic, Lucky Brand from Macys

Leggings, Victoria's Secret (available in tall!)

Sweater cardigan, Free People

Flip flops, Old Navy

Hat, Macys

Necklace, Becoming

Friday. Look what I figured out! I don't need to buy a pair of cuffed jeans, I can cuff the skinny jeans I already have! Amazing :-D
Shirt, Zara
Jeans, Citizens of Humanity
Sandals, Target

Only got two outfits in again this week, and resorted to taking pictures in front of the mirror in my bedroom. *Sigh* Still working on this :-)

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy

manic monday

2011-05-02T09:00:00.004-04:00

week 2

More fun with Manic this week :-)

(Notice the little pellet of food. I was trying to bribe him to stay still,

but he was uninterested in my trickery.)

...outtakes

Linking this up with a fun Pet Party I found over at Debbiedoo's!

{going out:} the nashville zoo

2011-04-30T09:00:00.004-04:00

Has this ever happened to you? You have a lovely day planned, you're excited, you're proud of yourself for planning a fun outing, you wake up with wonderful anticipation for the day ahead - and then it all just sort of falls flat. Well, yesterday was one of those days for me.

A pretty smart elephant keeps his distance from the crowds :)

With hubby and one daughter out of town, A and I had big plans to eat breakfast at Cracker Barrel and then head to the zoo for some fun, just the two of us... Uh-huh. Nice thought. Correction: The two of us, and fifty thousand other Nashvillians and visitors who had exactly the same idea. Let me just take a sec to explain something. I don't do huge maddening crowds, and neither does A. They overwhelm me and leave me feeling exhausted. Honestly, I would be just as happy (maybe happier) at home curled up on the couch.

Walking through the zoo

So after about 45 minutes of snaking our way through groups of observers and weaving around pedestrians, with only two Instagram pictures and a bag of popcorn to show for our day, we called it quits. And can I just tell you, after that kind of day it is so nice to come home to my quiet little house. Plus, today was a bonus: I got to come home and watch my DVRed coverage of the royal wedding. Yippee!

I will just end with two quick plugs.

One - The Nashville Zoo is pretty fabulous. You should definitely go if you are ever in these parts. (Here's wishing you a slightly less crowded outing than we had yesterday.) We have spent many fun days there as my girls have grown.

Two - Aren't those shoes A is wearing the cutest?! I love them! Check them out at Tea Collection. And the best part, she slipped them on for the first time that morning, and not a blister or a complaint all day.

Happy weekend to you!

seeking inspiration

2011-04-29T09:00:00.003-04:00

via Pinterest

Source: publicdomainpictures.net via tracey on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via tracey on Pinterest

Source: doorwaysaroundtheworld.wordpress.com via tracey on Pinterest

Source: commons.wikimedia.org via tracey on Pinterest

If you haven't headed over to Pinterest yet to join up, I highly recommend that you do so immediately. But be warned - you may never want to leave. So many pretty things to look at.

This week I am in love with these photos of old doorways. So much character and history. I wonder what's on the other side...

{things that made me smile} 6

2011-04-28T23:44:00.001-04:00

Happy thoughts from my week.

1 :: Sunshine this morning after days of rain!

2 :: My little girl ready for her first big trip without me! E heading to Maine with Daddy.

3 :: Ben & Jerry's with A on a sunny afternoon.

4 :: A late afternoon at the park.

5 :: Evening.

6 :: My kitty boy Sammy curled up on the sofa with me.

"Today is life - the only life you are sure of.

Make the most of today."

~Dale Carnegie

what i wore wednesday

2011-04-27T10:53:00.003-04:00

Here goes.
Monday. This is my kind of outfit! Comfy jeans, a soft tee, and casual shoes.
Tee, Urban Outfitters
Jeans, 7 for All Mankind
Flip flops, Old Navy
Necklace, Becoming (coming soon!)

Tuesday. Hmm, now that I have these both on here, I'm noticing how much alike these two outfits look! I just can't get away from gray. I love it!
Shirt, Marshalls
Jeans, 7 for All Mankind (Hole in the knee added by me. Not intentionally.)
Shoes, Target

This was my second week of doing a What I Wore Wednesday post. A few things about that:
-I've noticed that I'm really camera shy. Posing is not my cup of tea. So I'm working on that.
-I wish I had a better place to take these photos. Maybe this will inspire me to clean/decorate more :-)
-I also wish I had a better camera setup for this purpose. My ridiculously improvised system (including a small tabletop tripod, a piece of string and two hand weights) would make you laugh if you saw it.
-All that being said, this has made me think more about what I'm wearing and how I look, at least some of the time, and my husband is probably thankful for that.
-And finally, I really want a pair of cuffed skinny-ish jeans for summer.

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy again this week.

flowers on my windowsill

2011-04-26T09:00:00.001-04:00

3 reasons why I love grocery store flowers:

1. Buying them doesn't require me to make an extra stop. I'm already at the grocery store a lot - one of the symptoms of my disorganization. I can just grab some prettiness as I walk past.

2. They're cheap. I always head right for the bouquet of a single flower/color more than to the mixed bouquets, and those are usually the 3/$10 or 3/$12 bunches. I just like the simplicity of it. No worrying about arranging. Plop them in a jar and they look effortlessly cheerful.

3. The grocery store usually has mums in a variety of colors, and my cats don't eat those! This is a big deal for me. Any time I try to have a lovely bouquet of tulips or alstroemeria (two of my favorites) my cats act like maniacs climbing all over the kitchen counter just to get up there and munch on them. Then my flowers look pitiful, and I'm mad at the cats. Not good.

manic monday

2011-04-25T08:00:00.044-04:00

week 1

Welcome to my first ever Manic Monday! So here's my idea: We have a very unique pet here in our house - a hedgehog named Manic :-) I thought it would be fun to photograph him and post a picture every Monday as a fun beginning to the week. (We'll see how this goes.)

After trying and failing to get a good shot of him immediately after the idea occurred to me on Sunday afternoon, I settled on this old photo of the girls playing with him. Our failed attempts involved my daughter's Easter basket and some blue tissue paper, but the light wasn't good, my helpers were distracted, the set was less than ideal, and the subject was fidgety! Here are a few of the many shots that didn't work:

...outtakes

He's a squirmy little guy. Here's hoping it goes better next week!

pretty eggs for your easter enjoyment

2011-04-24T09:00:00.002-04:00

cupcake making

2011-04-23T09:00:00.007-04:00

About these mini cupcakes:

1. I have led myself on many guilt trips over the years about using the boxed big-brand cake mixes at the supermarket. But not today. I actually made these from scratch. (Yay me!) And I know it's kind of a cliche when people say, "It was so easy I'll never use the boxed (bagged, frozen, etc.) again," but these were good. And easy. And everything I needed I already had in my pantry. Find the recipe here.

2. Also, I bought an all natural icing mix to try. Pretty proud of myself for this one. You see, I really believe in using all natural ingredients, and eating organic as much as possible, but sometimes it seems impossible with 2 kids! I'm tired, I'm mentally exhausted, and I just want the quickest thing I can grab. Great thing is, this mix is easy. Perfect, I'll take it.

Here are the frosting details: Naturally Nora Extraordinary Vanilla Frosting Mix via Whole Foods. The verdict: yummy :) Easy to make, tastes good, and I'll be trying more of these mixes.

3. I was feeling pretty good about myself up to this point, but then I kind of crashed. I had hoped to come up with some brilliantly cute decorating idea, but then I reached for the old colored sprinkles and let the girls shake away. I needed a mental rest. They're still cute, just not extraordinary, and we're just going to eat them, right? At least that's what I'm telling myself.

easter's on its way, and other friday things

2011-04-22T12:51:00.001-04:00

Since it's almost Easter, I wanted to share one of my absolute favorite pictures I have ever taken of my daughter Aidan, from a few years ago at Easter. It was a perfect moment.

Here are some of the things on my to do list today:

-take a moment to mourn the fact that today is cloudy, and therefore there will be no new product pictures, then stop moping about it
-try not to stress about my messy house
-color Easter eggs
-bake cupcakes
-think of pretty decorations for said cupcakes
-have tea and enjoy a cupcake :)

bloglovin

2011-04-21T11:59:00.005-04:00

So I found the best website. It's called Bloglovin, and it lets you create an account and then follow all your favorite blogs in one place! How great is that? I'm totally hooked. Between this and Pinterest (more on that coming soon), a considerable portion of my day has been spent online lately, just browsing through pretty websites :)

Above are 4 of the amazing blogs I have discovered since joining.

1 - Cakies

2 - Design Mom

3 - [i] Love Life

4 - In Honor of Design

Happy reading!

what i wore wednesday

2011-04-21T00:56:00.001-04:00

This is my first time posting on What I Wore Wednesday and linking up with The Pleated Poppy! Honestly, this is my first time even really understanding what this mystical posting and linking business is all about! Pretty behind, I know. Anyway, here it goes:

Shirt, Kohls
Jeans, Mek Denim from Macys
Shoes, (oh, how I love these shoes) Burberry

That's it. One outfit. Simple, casual.
Maybe next week I'll have more to show :)

{things that made me smile today} 5

2011-04-11T21:24:00.007-04:00

OK, so I haven't blogged for a while. I've been traveling here and there and squeezing in work and family and housework in between. I was excited to get back to my weekly post about the things that brought a smile to my face today. It's such a great way to start my week :-)

My daughter's favorite tulips, "Queen of Night" are blooming.

Love the name, love them, love her.

Creationary - fun game time with the kiddos!

Found this at Target today. What a nice surprise. It's delicious!

She almost looks like a stuffed animal sitting here among the toys.

Such a sweet kitty!

After the rain.

{things that made me smile today} 4

2011-03-28T11:26:00.009-04:00

It was a hectic Monday! I didn't get nearly as much done as I wanted, but it helped to think about the little things that made my heart glad.

Sammy relaxing by my work desk this morning

Heading to the park for some after school fun

New rain boots for splashing!

Molten chocolate cake for dessert - AND we ate out,

so I didn't have to cook :-)

spring has arrived!

2011-03-25T21:23:00.007-04:00

I went out of town for a week, and when I pulled into my driveway this afternoon it looked like spring!

{things that made me smile today} 3

2011-03-21T20:16:00.012-04:00

I'm in Pennsylvania visiting with family

so I had a lot to smile about today.

Emma helped my mom make flower arrangements in the windows of my parents' furniture store, then spent some time playing on the furniture! Her favorite today was this spinning bar chair.

Emma concentrating on drawing a comic.

Jumping on the trampoline!

These old bumpy sidewalks remind me of riding my bike around town as a kid.

Love the colors of this old wooden fence built by my mom and uncle.

Wore my slippers *all day* and had yummy hometown pizza for supper!

Goodnight, Reedsville, PA. It was a good day.

arby

2011-03-16T23:38:00.006-04:00

Thought I would post a pic of the new kitty that has been frequenting our front porch. He appears to be lost or left behind by someone. He's wearing a tag with his name Arby, but the phone # on it is disconnected, so we've been feeding him for about a month now. He's very sweet, and my daughter Aidan loves to sit with him on the porch. I'm not in the market for any more pets IN my house, but it's nice to have another loving guy hanging around.

{things that made me smile today} 2

2011-03-14T14:05:00.010-04:00

A note. I've decided to make this blog theme my topic every Monday. Thought it might be nice to think of the little things that make me happy throughout the day, especially on Mondays.

Chick-Fil-A Banana Pudding milkshake made my hectic afternoon a little better.

My daughter loved her new squishy Floam, and talked and talked about it.

My other daughter brought this lovely finger knitting work home from school and made it into a bracelet for me.

"Have You Ever Seen the Rain?"

Creedence Clearwater Revival on my iPod for some good evening music.

pretty weekend

2011-03-13T22:13:00.004-04:00

Blue sky this weekend.

And my potted pansies from Fall are coming back to life!

{going out:} the factory at franklin

2011-03-04T22:40:00.005-05:00

We spent a fun afternoon at The Factory in Franklin today.

Family lunch at Stoveworks

Visiting kitties at Happy Tales Humane

Window shopping past all the lovely shops

Discovering old treasures at the antique shop

{pretty things}

2011-03-03T23:05:00.003-05:00

Daffodils in my garden. One of today's simple pleasures.

{thinking on:} courage

2011-03-02T11:06:00.003-05:00

A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage. Every day sends to their graves obscure men whose timidity prevented them from making a first effort.

~Sydney Smith

making candy

2011-03-01T23:52:00.004-05:00

With $10 at the craft store today my daughter bought 2 bags of melting chocolate, (white chocolate & dark chocolate mint), a candy mold tray and a pack of foil candy wraps. She brought them home and made candy molds around some Newman O's we had in the pantry. So much fun!

candies in the making

melted chocolate - yum!

she did such a great job!

wrapping them up!

tinkering with aromatherapy

2011-02-24T22:03:00.005-05:00

It all started last week when I read an article titled "Making Scents" in my March 2011 issue of Whole Living magazine. It got me thinking about the scented candles I burn and the tarts I melt in our house on a daily basis. I love having the house smell like spicy cinnamon, or mulled cider, or lavender & lemon. Yet I'm also all about cutting out as many unnatural chemicals as possible, so shouldn't that apply to the scents I bring into our house as well?

So I picked up a little book called "Aromatherapy Solutions" by Veronica Sibley at Barnes & Noble. From there I hopped over to Whole Foods and bought a few essential oils to try.

This book is wonderful! If you are interested in trying essential oils, but are completely new to using them I would highly recommend it. There are great photographs throughout the book and it lays out all the basics you need to know, from the benefits of different oils, to which oils are best for specific purposes, to the methods of use that are best for each oil.

Tonight I tried my first facial sauna, steam cleaning my face by putting a drop of essential oil in a bowl of warm water and draping a towel over my head to trap the steam. So relaxing!

I'm having fun, and I'm feeling good about making a choice that is natural, makes my home smell wonderful, and can have lots of health benefits for me and my family!

What about you? Have you ever used essential oils?

{reading:} emily dickinson

2011-02-23T18:16:00.003-05:00

Much madness is divinest sense

To a discerning eye;

Much sense the starkest madness.

'Tis the majority

In this, as all, prevails.

Assent, and you are sane;

Demur,-you're straitway dangerous,

And handled with a chain.

a blessing

2011-02-22T21:33:00.003-05:00

We are thankful for the food before us.

We are thankful for the friends beside us.

We are thankful for the love among us.

We are thankful.

signs of spring

2011-02-21T22:13:00.002-05:00

I always love seeing these first signs of spring!

My irises and tulips are coming up :-)

me time

2011-02-18T14:32:00.005-05:00

Wednesday evenings are my favorite. That's when I drop my daughters off at cooking class and strike out on my own for a luxurious hour and a half. Most weeks I head right down the block to Barnes & Noble. Books, cafe, and quiet - love, love, love!

What do you do for "me time?"

happy goodbyes

2011-02-17T10:52:00.003-05:00

So thankful that yesterday I overcame my inner procrastinator and took care of some nagging tasks!

Took my daughter for her bloodwork.

{Goodbye appointment I've been rescheduling for a month and a half}

Paid the bills.

{Goodbye overflowing mail holder}

Listed boots on Ebay.

{Goodbye extra-cluttered shoe rack}

Gathered recycling and took it to the dropoff.

Took along about 10 bags of Goodwill donations.

{Goodbye chaotic garage}

Made grocery list and went shopping.

Stopped at the bank on the way.

{Goodbye empty refrigerator and deposit I've been toting in my purse all week}

Yay!

a lovely day for a walk

2011-02-15T21:05:00.011-05:00

We celebrated the warm weather by loading the dog in the car and heading to a local park for a long walk today.

"The poetry of the earth is never dead."

~John Keats

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-13T22:44:00.001-05:00

♥Here are some photos of our sweet morning♥

Valentine's Day breakfast. So fun!

And Valentine's Day treats!

Chocolate, of course :)

Heart-shaped pancakes with whipped cream, red sprinkles, strawberries, and bacon. Yum!

OJ in fancy glasses. The girls love this!

Cheers to the beginning of a great Valentine's Day!

baking banana bread

2011-02-10T21:27:00.006-05:00

Today was yet another snow day in Nashville - no school! So we stayed home. Again. I was feeling pretty blah, so I decided to bake banana bread, one of my very favorite recipes. There's just something about baking, with my iPod playing some good music... reminds me of family, and my mom in the kitchen baking good things. Always makes me feel better :)

Do you have anything you love to bake?

valentine's day ♥

2011-02-04T11:26:00.005-05:00

My Valentine's Day decorating efforts so far this year in a photo. A bowl of heart candies. Not much, but my daughters love them and have been picking out hearts with special messages and handing them out around the house.

Our big Valentine's Day celebration is our fancy breakfast (a great idea I got from a friend a few years ago). Special dishes, special foods with whipped cream on top, pretty decorations, flowers on the table and OJ in wine glasses :) Looking forward to it!

{things that made me smile today} 1

2011-02-03T22:00:00.008-05:00

I had a good day. Here are a few things that made me smile today:

Hearing the pitter patter of my daughter's feet hurrying down the stairs for breakfast. And she was in such a good mood! (So unusual for Aidan to be in a good mood first thing in the morning!) Then she sat at the table with our kitty Sam and talked to me while I worked in the kitchen :D

That's my girl hiding under the blanket, staying cozy on a chilly day.

Sneaking as much salt as she could onto her corn at lunch time.

Sigur Ros playing on my iPod = happy me.

Luna filled our fourth seat at the supper table.

Two things:

1. Gobs of sour cream she dolloped on her beefy nachos.

2. That the shirt she's wearing is actually part of an old Halloween costume. Love that she wanted to wear it to school today :)

What made you smile today?

{listening:} jonsi

2011-01-31T11:14:00.003-05:00

"Go sing, too loud

Make your voice break - Sing it out

Go scream, do shout

Make an earthquake...

You wish fire would die and turn colder

You wish your love could see you grow older

We should always know that we can do anything"

Jonsi, Go Do

tea

2011-01-30T14:40:00.003-05:00

Lately, due to what I might call a general stretch of laziness, I have been living on grocery-store-bought tea bags. It's been a struggle to get myself to the little tea shop that I frequent on Main Street in nearby downtown Franklin, TN, where I normally procure my loose leaf teas.

Last week I finally decided enough was enough and headed to Main Street, bribing my girls with a stop at the ice cream shop. Every day since then as I brew my tea, I have been reminded why I started loving loose leaf teas in the first place. So much better than the tea bags from the grocery store! I bought lots this time, so I shouldn't be running out any time soon - but when I do, no delaying. It's back to the tea shop for me.

I'm appreciating my tea today.

Check out Franklin Tea here.

saturday

2011-01-29T22:14:00.004-05:00

It was a beautiful day in middle Tennessee today. 60° in January!

Here are some peeks into our day...

The girls covered the sofa with blankets from their beds and made a cozy spot for reading.

Later, a fun birthday party at Chuck E Cheese for 2 school friends.

Playing skee ball

Trying out a new jumping game.

***

How did you spend your Saturday?

sunny day

2011-01-27T11:36:00.004-05:00

Finally!

A sunny day that will give me enough good light to photograph my new bracelet design :)

{listening:} pierce pettis

2011-01-23T23:52:00.005-05:00

"I stutter when I try to speak

the language of life,

I want to shout out loud,

but I just cry inside,
Sometimes it feels so holy;

sometimes so absurd,
So who am I to try and put that into words?

I am nothing,

but the angels sometimes whisper in my ear,
Yeah, they tell me things

and then they disappear,
Though I am nothing,

I sometimes like to make believe I hear."

Pierce Pettis, I Am Nothing

{new} heart designs

2011-01-23T14:33:00.005-05:00

3 new heart designs.

hope you enjoy!

My Whole Heart {2}

Custom Hearts Necklace

Tiny Friendship Necklace {2}

I'd love to hear what you think!

You can still get them in time for Valentine's Day!

Find them here.

goodnight snow day

2011-01-21T22:00:00.005-05:00

Snow day! Today we...

Spent the morning in pajamas

While playing Webkinz and Neopets on the computer

Read some Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Made a chocolate pudding pie

Watched The Secret of Kells with popcorn

And cuddled with little kitty Luna at bedtime

Good day.

(Emma cuddling with her bestest, Luna, in the top bunk at bedtime.)

$100 for 100 {a contest!}

2011-01-19T19:25:00.006-05:00

One of my goals for 2011 is to increase the number of people following my blog.

My first goal is to hit 100 followers, and in order to do that I'm starting a

$100 for 100 Contest!!!

That's a lot of pretty jewelry...

Here's how it will work:

Become a follower of my blog,

and tell your friends to come join us too -

When we get to 100,

everyone who is a follower will be entered in a

Drawing for a $100 Gift Certificate!

So what are you waiting for? Become a follower now!

Click on the Follow link down there on the left side of the page.

more snow in tennessee!

2011-01-10T17:45:00.008-05:00

We woke up to another snowy day here in middle Tennessee! School was already canceled for today before we went to bed last night, so we all slept in a bit this morning, then had some fun playing outside. Since we rarely get snow here, we had to improvise and use our summer pool tubes to sled ride in our backyard :)

How was your Monday?

pastels and procrastinating

2011-01-07T14:02:00.003-05:00

In my quest to start doing more artsy and creative things with my daughters, I found this fun and easy little project to make with pastels. Just fold a piece of paper to make 6 squares, then color circles of pastels to fill in each square. Use any color combos you like! It's a pretty piece of art to hang up, and we all worked on it which makes it extra special.

On another note, I am still procrastinating over my new year's resolutions. (I am wincing as I type this out on January 7th.) I have many, many ideas for resolutions, some of them admittedly rather vague, but nothing I've settled on yet. Just as soon as I get the time to sit down with a cup of tea by a window, with no pets or children around, no unfinished work or housework to fret about, no bills to pay, no TV or computer to distract me; in the blissful quiet I feel sure I can work this whole thing out. :D

a wintry stay in maine

2010-12-29T18:03:00.009-05:00

Still in Maine visiting with family. The evening sunset reminded me of one of my favorite hymns, so I snapped a few pics :)

In the bleak midwinter, frost wind made moan, 
earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; 
snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, 
in the bleak midwinter, long ago.
-Christina G. Rossetti

dec 26

2010-12-26T14:16:00.005-05:00

My husband made stuffed french toast for the family this morning to start off our long day of relaxing... Yum!

crafting - christmas place cards

2010-12-24T23:27:00.008-05:00

dec 24

Yesterday my mother-in-law decided that maybe for this Christmas dinner we should have place cards at the table. You know, so there would be no last minute jostling for position at the grown-up table, with all the young adults trying desperately to avoid being stuck at the kiddie table. This way it would already be decided for them :)

I Googled and Etsyed and came up empty handed for something I loved and could just print out on card stock from my computer...

So, I decided to get crafty. I didn't have a lot of supplies to choose from, so I had to work with what I could find around my in-law's house or had packed to bring with me. Here's what I made and how I made it:

Needed: white card stock, ruler, scissors, red, green & black markers (I used my kids' Crayola markers), satin ribbon ( I used red 1/2" wide ribbon left over from gift wrapping), tape

Optional: a warm cup of tea

First I measured and cut the card stock into rectangles. I made mine 2.5" by 3.5," and then folded them in half to make tents. Then, I cut lengths of satin ribbon just a bit longer than the width of the cards. I laid the ribbon across the front of the card and folded it around each side, taping it down on the back.

All the pretty cards with ribbon across the front.

I decided to make a simple leaf pattern with little red berries on the font, so I started with a rough rectangle outline for the leaves using the green marker. (The idea being that it kind of looks like a vine, right?)

Then I started adding easy little leaves all around the vine.

And finally added a few berries by making clusters of red dots among the leaves. And there you go!

It took a while longer than I had planned, but they sure are cute. I'm going to have my daughters write all the names with a black marker, and I'll be sure to post a few pictures of the finished cards on the table!

Have you crafted anything fun this Christmas?

p.s. here they are on the table :)

dec 22

2010-12-23T14:18:00.008-05:00

We're in Maine for the holidays this year,

and we're excited for friends, family and snow all week!

Here's what we did on Wednesday

Aidan making snowballs

Emma starting on a snowman

Having fun with sister-in-law's adorable new kitty

Baking cookies

and rolling them in sugar

...and a snowy monday

2010-12-13T21:05:00.007-05:00

No school today, so my kiddos were out in the snow and relaxing around the house.

Thought I'd share a few pictures :)

Emma with mittens full of powdery snow...

which tasted pretty good!

On the slide, covered with snow from head to toe!

Hope everyone has a warm and cozy evening!

a snowy sunday

2010-12-12T21:45:00.004-05:00

We are buried in snow in Nashville!

OK, not buried... but as close to it as we ever get here.

Our day was filled with coats, hats, gloves, and cozying up inside afterward with hot chocolate. At first there was only enough snow for Emma to make the tiny snowball I photographed above, but as the day wore on it just kept snowing. Now we have a few inches, the grass is covered over, and school is canceled for tomorrow. I have two excited girls heading to bed knowing that their weekend just got extended an extra day!

Me? I'll be enjoying the snow from my work desk late into the night :)

working mother

2010-12-11T15:29:00.004-05:00

Our first magazine ad came out a few weeks ago in the Dec/Jan issue of Working Mother magazine! It was a big step, and we're seeing great results so far. It's exciting to see orders coming in using the coupon code from the ad :)

Thanks to all of our great customers for your support

and for sharing our jewelry with your friends and family!

a cheery weekend

2010-12-05T15:43:00.008-05:00

{Becoming} Joyful

Here are some of the things we did this weekend. How about you?

We baked cranberry upside down cakes in individual muffin tins...

and enjoyed them with tea while playing board games

I burned lots of tea lights in my favorite votive holders because they're so darn pretty

We decorated our Christmas tree!

More tea lights burning in my little candle holders :D

We put together and decorated a ginger bread house,

and munched on some of the candies while we worked

And on Sunday night we baked a gingerbread cake

and made molasses whipped cream to top it off -

a great ending to the weekend!

pondering christmas spirit

2010-12-01T22:27:00.003-05:00

{Becoming} Joyful

This December I'm focusing on joy. December is a hard month for me. On the one hand I'm always so excited to decorate, make special treats, spend cozy evenings at home with my family, and make & buy wonderful gifts for my friends and family... On the other hand I'm usually nearing exhaustion before the first week is finished, staying up late working on orders, answering emails, and packaging jewelry to end up under someone else's tree.

So this year I'm starting with a resolve to spend my work time really focusing on work, and my home time relaxing, enjoying time with my family, and generally cultivating the joy of the season :)

(At least until the kids go to bed and I hit the studio again to finish up all those orders!)

Look for some quotes, pictures, ideas and tips

for celebrating the holiday season coming soon!

a little christmas cheer

2010-11-18T23:16:00.008-05:00

My plan to take the morning off on Tuesday to give my house some much-needed attention in the form of tidying up so that I could put out some Christmas decorations without feeling guilty for the piles of clutter everywhere was a success!

Thought I'd share some pictures of my happy little trimmings :)

Loooove these gold and bronze sparkly crackled votives!

Tall snowy pine trees (used to be a set of 3, but #3 broke last year), and a tall vase filled with red ornaments on the mantle

Gold bowl filled with my favorite Christmas chewy peppermints.

(Made a Target run for two bags of these after I finished cleaning.)

A bit of cheer in the guest bathroom.

Filled a small glass container with tiny gold ornaments.

Pretty little mosaic tile votive on a tray with more tiny gold ornaments

on the windowsill above my sink.

Coffee table merriment: a simple white candle on a tray

scattered with glass beads from Pier 1.

Yay! I'm feeling in the Christmas mood around here!

Even working on my shopping list early... And this is WAY early for me!

holiday shipping dates!

2010-11-17T10:34:00.003-05:00

It's that time of year again :) I'm so excited for this holiday season, and I'm already thinking about my gift list. As you start to think over yours, keep these dates in mind!

new keychains!

2010-11-15T11:22:00.007-05:00

Just in time for Christmas gift buying

I've added brand new custom keychains to the website!

I love these because they are practical and personal. I have 3 designs available and 4 fonts to choose from - so you can make yours just the way you want.

brushed sterling silver

oxidized sterling silver

distressed sterling silver

For him or her (dad, mom, grandparent, brother, sister, friend) these are a fabulous, affordable custom gift!

Shop now!

peace quotes

2010-11-04T22:52:00.004-04:00

{Becoming} a peacemaker

Today I updated my {words of wisdom} over there on the left of the page, and I thought it was worth sending out a little plug for my sister's great website all about peace quotes where I snagged my treasures. I think she's done a fabulous job. Peace-Quotes.net is pretty to look at and full of great quotes by great people about a truly great topic.

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.

Be the living expression of God's kindness:

kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile."

~Mother Teresa

This quote by Mother Teresa particularly inspired me today. So often I find myself walking around in a grumpy haze. Tired, frazzled, too much to do in too little time, my to-do list running off the page and into every aspect of my life. This was a much-needed reminder to pause the incessant stream of thought and smile at the person walking by me in the parking lot - heck, to stop and smile at my kids and listen to their stories of the day before racing onto the next thing I have to accomplish! What is the point of all my never-ending movement if I'm eternally facing the world distracted, distant and crabby? That's not exactly my optimal state of being.

So today I tried to spread a little kindness.

What quotes about peace inspire you?

individual charms - add them to your shopping cart!

2010-11-02T22:50:00.005-04:00

After many inquiries and emails from customers, and months of wishing I had the extra time, I've added an entire section of individual charms to the website! Now you can buy initial, symbol and name charms in lots of styles, as well as birthstones and pearls to make your custom creation.

1 of our styles of birthstone charms

symbol charms

hammered initial charms

name charms

I still have few more items to add to this section, so check back for more :)

a little prettifying

2010-10-26T12:31:00.002-04:00

I've started spending a few dollars a week on fresh flowers for my work desk.

It's a mini-splurge. Just a little something that reminds me of pretty things when I sit down to work.

I highly recommend it :)

weekend hiking

2010-10-25T15:17:00.006-04:00

I took my daughters hiking on Sunday, having decided earlier in the week that I wanted to revive our old tradition of Sunday hikes, long since abandoned in the sweltering heat of summer.

We started, as is our tradition, with a breakfast stop. Yummy Dunkin Donuts this week. Then we headed on to the visitor center at Radnor Lake. We started off well enough - beautiful Fall day, colorful leaves, lots of energy...

Emma in motion

...but about halfway around the lake, the happy looks turned into this

Mom forgot to bring water! Sometimes I forget that even though they are 10 now, they are still needy little creatures. Can't believe I forgot water bottles!

Thirsty and tired (and frustrated with myself) we all headed home. Happy that we got out and hiked, determined to do it better next week :)

fall fun

2010-10-10T20:40:00.006-04:00

My girls and I spent a few hours today at nearby Owl's Hill Nature Sanctuary enjoying their "Hoots and Hayrides" day.

Emma choosing a pumpkin

Aidan with her pumpkin

Face paint!

Aidan - she's always a happy girl with a Coke in her hand :)

new items added!

2010-10-09T11:56:00.006-04:00

My newest creations... I love these new fonts so much!

A new shape! The Loved necklace now with square charms. This is my favorite :)

Another new version of the Loved necklace - smaller discs. These are petite and so cute!

Here in gold with Times font.

And here in Sterling Silver with Script font

SHOP NOW!

Coming Soon: I'll be adding a section to buy birthstones, symbol discs (including cute new baby feet), and charms to add to your necklace so you can mix & match and customize it just the way you want!

recycling

2010-10-09T00:51:00.002-04:00

This week I started recycling my metal scraps! When I found the Cash for Scrap program I hurried out and found two pretty little cups in which I can separate and deposit my bits and pieces. So now when I have hopelessly ruined a disc, I can feel better about dropping it into that cup on my work desk, knowing that at least it will be sent away to be turned back into something useful - and a little bit of credit with a great jewelry supply company for my returns could never hurt :)

new fonts have arrived

2010-10-03T15:31:00.002-04:00

I've been having some fun with my new font sets. Three new sets arrived this week - typewriter, times and script. I'm so excited to add these to the website. I'll also be adding a few new sizes of my most popular necklaces. I'll keep you posted!

fall in new england

2010-10-02T22:11:00.004-04:00

I spent 3 days in Maine this week and it's easy to remember why there is just nothing like Fall in New England.

Sunny, cool and windy by the ocean

Rocks on the shore

Fall leaves. The prettiest!

Patio area at our little inn looking out on the water

Foggy, rainy, moody days

I'm back home now working on some options with my *new fonts* - coming soon!

a winner!

2010-09-27T10:01:00.002-04:00

And the randomly chosen winner of a gold circles necklace is Shellie, who commented on Twitter! Thanks to everyone who entered. Look for more fun giveaways coming soon :)