Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Skinny laMinx


 I'm finding inspiration from this pretty space from Skinny laMinx as seen on Decor8. Skinny laMinx is the design label for Heather Moore, an illustrator and designer from Cape Town, South Africa. Aren't her designs fun?


Of course I love Skinny laMinx' take on succulents with this lovely tea towel.

And I totally identify with this bit from her blog about pinterest!

Monday, January 30, 2012

Lovely Surprises




Hello friends! Did you have a good weekend? We went to a very fun 30th anniversary party for my aunt and uncle this weekend that included a number of awesome surprises. They knew we were having a family dinner but they didn't know what else was awaiting them. As they entered my parents' house, around the corner in the dining room were several of their friends who came into town to help them celebrate. As they took in who was there and greeted everyone, the doorbell rang and in walked my cousin who had flown in from Seattle as a surprise for his parents. The tears of joyful surprise started flowing. Then, the party moved over to the computer because my other cousin had arranged to skype into the party from Israel, where he currently lives. We all gathered around the computer to say "hi." He went to go get his anniversary present for his parents to show them and it seemed like a good time for a group photo since we were all crowded around the computer. While we're taking the photo, my cousin, who had actually been skyping from upstairs, came and joined in for the group photo unbeknownst to his parents. After the photo, he tapped their shoulders and they turned around for the biggest surprise of the night. There wasn't a dry eye in the crowd. It was one of the sweetest scenes I've ever seen. So, here's to a week full of all of the best kinds of surprises and sweet time with loved ones. Cheers!

p.s. Aren't these roses beautiful? My mom decorated her dining table with an arrangement of white roses and then had these pink roses on the smaller tables.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Thursday, January 26, 2012

A Trio of Tea Time Vessels

I admit that the only thing in common with these items is that they hold tea. But there's something about each one that captures me.

Tea Glass from T2 Tea

Jumbo Cup in Ice Blue from T2 Tea


Q Teapot from Harney & Sons


Do you drink tea or coffee? I drink both but have a growing appreciation for tea. I grew up with a tea-drinking mom. She would have a cup of tea most evenings, and as I got older, I would pour a cup of tea for her and bring it to her along with a little cookie on the side. I loved the simple grace of serving something yummy to someone I love. (That's a big reason why I love baking.) And then, for a brief but glorious season of my life, I got together with a couple of girlfriends every Friday for a sit-down tea, where we'd indulge in homemade scones and homemade lemon curd and homemade clotted cream and sit and talk and laugh for hours. It was delightful. At that time, the tea was definitely secondary to the scones (scones are my true weakness and what I miss since going gluten free; I know there are gluten-free scones out there but I haven't yet tried them. I think I'm afraid I'll be disappointed.) But I did enjoy discovering new tea flavors and learning the process of preparing a formal tea. Ahh...such good memories.

My favorite teas tend to be black teas with spicy undertones such as Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice tea. But lately, I've been enjoying rooibos tea both for its health benefits and its flavor. I never thought I would be able to drink tea without sugar but I can with rooibos because of its naturally sweet flavor. So while I often reach for a cup of coffee, I'm turning more and more to tea and its rich, soothing qualities.

p.s. Has anyone tried bamboo tea? I'm intrigued.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Pretty Pairing

We've had some warm weather this month but the last couple of days have been pretty chilly. It has me longing for warm spring days. I came across Gillian Tennant on Oh Joy! and I love her collection. I think my Ice Blue Flower Ring would make a pretty spring pair with the Flutter Sleeve Blouse. Here's to an early spring wherever you are!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Black Little Bloom Earrings

In addition to the Periwinkle Blossom Necklace that I added to my Shop yesterday, I also added these Little Bloom Earrings in Black...


I love the uniqueness of these earrings and the possibilities that they present. I hope you enjoy them too. I have a couple of other little projects in black that I'm hoping to add to my Shop soon so stay tuned.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Periwinkle Blossom Necklace

Introducing the Periwinkle Blossom Necklace...





I'm really pleased with how this blossom turned out. It's sweet and delicate looking. And the large oval brass chain has become one of my favorites. I decided to do a choker style necklace this time around, which tends to highlight the lines of this particular flower. You can click on the link above to see more details or click here to visit my Shop.


Skona Hem

Some lovely home inspiration from Skona Hem...




I'm suddenly in the mood to fashion something out of orange and turquoise. 

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Yellow Little Bloom Dangle Earrings

I'm very excited about these new earrings for a few reasons. 1. My Shop has been lonely for more yellow so I'm happy to have some yellow little blooms back in stock. 2. The French ear wires and the filigree backings are nickel-free brass so they're perfect for those who have metal allergies. 3. I love their vintage look. I had fun pairing these earrings with my vintage porcelain creamer that was passed on from my Grandma Jane. I hope you enjoy!

Yellow Little Bloom Dangle Earrings

Click on the link above to see more details on the Yellow Little Bloom Dangle Earrings or click here to visit my Shop.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Golden Days

I have so many little projects going on in my Shop that it's sometimes hard to stop and complete one thing and add it to the Shop. But I managed to add a couple of new items today, both in a color I call Golden Days. It's a fun color to work with because it has swirls of color that make it appear a bit like wood. Here is the Golden Days Full Bloom Ring...


And here are the Golden Days Heart Earrings...


These little earrings would be an affordable little Valentine's Day gift for a loved one. They also coordinate with the Heart of Gold Ring in my Shop. Click on the links to go directly to the listing or click here to visit my entire Shop.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Sitting Pretty

Wow, has this week been busy! Yesterday was the kind of day where I was on the go, ate dinner standing up and went to bed late feeling a bit achy. But it was all good stuff. In the midst of responsibilities and activities, my husband managed to put new shelves up in our kitchen. Yes, the open shelving I've been wanting for a long time. Yay! He hung the shelves before we went out of town and over the last couple of days, I've been adding bowls here and glasses there. I will be rearranging everything a few times over, editing and adding some different textures and colors, before I'm satisfied with how they look but I thought I'd take a couple of quick pictures to share because I'm so excited to have shelving in my kitchen. Here they are...




I received a very nice West Elm gift card from my brother for Christmas. And now I have these great shelves, some new drinkware and those adorable salt and pepper houses. Aren't they fun? My sweet husband gave me the pistachio colored bowls for Christmas. So, like a little girl sporting every single new item of clothing she received for Christmas, here are my shelves all decked out in their new stuff. 

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Giveaway: Orange Rough Cut Flowers

Remember when I said I would tell you where my Orange Rough Cut Flower Earrings and Ring were headed? Well, today is the day. My sister-in-law, Wendi, is the beauty and brains behind the blog Makeup Zombie. She writes detailed reviews of various makeup products and puts together her own unique looks along with the how-to's.  Her blog has recently surpassed 1,000 followers and so she is celebrating with an Epic Giveaway. She's invited me to participate so my Orange Rough Cut Flower Earrings and Ring are part of the giveaway. Exciting! She's put together a fun collection of makeup, jewelry and novelty items that one person will walk away with. Check it out here.


Where I'm At...and Where I Was

White Sands


Hello! It's been a quiet here for the last few days because I've been out of town. We took a trip to visit my aunt and uncle and had such a lovely time. (Thank you L&L!) We hung out, watched movies, went to the local farmer's market, picked up some books at a huge used bookstore, went shopping and took a trip to White Sands.  We met up with my mom-in-law at White Sands, which was extra fun. It was such a blast swooshing down the hills on a pod. If you ever get a chance to visit White Sands, I highly recommend it. Not only is it beautiful, it's a lot of fun.

My 3Cs almost didn't know what to do with themselves this weekend because they were having so much fun. My littlest C was particularly on top of his game with his too-too-funny comments. When my uncle asked him where he gets this stuff, he replied, "From my armpits." This morning during school, he was trying to figure out 9+8. He stuck his head in his shirt and said, "it's 16." I told him he was close but didn't quite get it. His response? "But my armpits told me it was 16." Well, there you go. You can't always trust your armpits.

So today, I'm trying to play catch up after all of our fun. I'm also having a return-to-reality, overwhelming, how-about-a-lesson-in-humility kind of day. As I've ventured out with my Shop and selling my jewelry, it's been a huge step of faith. And I've been feeling the learning curve lately. But I know it's good for me to persevere and not give in to my feelings of insecurity. But for someone who wants everything to turn out right the first time, it's hard some days to look at where I've gone wrong and realize how much I still need to learn. But I definitely couldn't do it without all of you who have encouraged me, bought my jewelry, and read my blog. Words cannot express my thanks for your kindness.

That's where I'm at right now but I will be back soon with something very fun.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Pretty Pairing

I saw this photo on Tomboy Style and couldn't get it out of my head.

Photo from Sarah Rosenberg's blog, Rosenbklyn

I'm going to pair this beautifully casual look with my Indigo Blossom Ring. Just cuz. I don't think she's lacking a thing. But then again, I like to think a little blossom on your hand is always a welcome addition.


For more blossoms and blooms, visit my Shop here.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Simply Black and White

I'm loving all the black and white goodness from Bailey Doesn't Bark...






Downton Abbey, Season 2



Hello and Happy Tuesday to you! Just a quick post to follow up on this.

The long-awaited second season of Downton Abbey premiered this past Sunday. Did you catch it? What did you think? The story has been fast forwarded two years to 1916 and the middle of World War I. Along with the turmoil unfolding across the world, the world of Downton Abbey is also changing. Relationships are on shifting ground. Safety is no longer taken for granted. Ripples of change are felt everywhere like the waves of a turbulent sea. And I, for one, am happy to be along for the ride. If you missed the premiere, I know that one our local PBS stations is re-airing it tonight so check your local listings to see if it's being re-aired.

Monday, January 9, 2012

New Blossom Rings: Classic v. Edgy

I have a couple of fun additions to my Shop that I'm very excited about!

First up, another ring in Sterling Silver. This is a classic beauty and perfect for anyone who has issues with metal allergies. Introducing the Charcoal Blossom Ring...

Charcoal Blossom Ring

Second up is a ring that totally surprised me. Introducing the Green As Glass Blossom Ring...

Green As Glass Blossom Ring

This clay is a bright green and I've been waiting a while to work with it. The first time I purchased it, it was a bad lot and the clay crumbled. When I finally got a good lot, I began fashioning away and I imagined that my work would reflect a bright kelly-green color. But as it turns out, this green is a dark, smoky green that looks black when out of the light. But when the light shines through it, this green is translucent and looks like frosted glass. I was totally shocked. After doing a few pieces, this color has totally grown on me. It's kinda edgy. And especially this ring with a black band. I'm including a few more pictures to see if I can capture it's color-shifting qualities.



It's like wearing a sun-lit succulent on your hand. Fun, no?

Click on the captions to see more details on these rings or visit my Shop here.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Colored Glass, Succulents and Bottle Candles

Finding inspiration from the beautiful interior stylist, Jamo...











Aren't these shots amazing? I'll be spending some time taking in the colors, shapes, textures and other details. It gets my mind working overtime. 

First seen on Eat Drink Chic.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Where I'd Stay on the Mitten

I'm loving this Sneak Peek on Design Sponge of Honor & Folly, a cozy apartment turn B&B in Detroit...






There are so many lovely details here...exposed brick, salvaged colored glass, stacked vintage suitcases, awesome lighting, and did you check out that thick concrete slab sitting atop the built-in wine rack. Wouldn't it be fun to stay here?