All For the Boys...Yes!!!

This mom of all boys is soooooo excited to have come across All For The Boys, a creative website dedicated to boys. I've just started browsing it and I am so impressed. It really can be hard to come up with boy-friendly crafts and ideas so I'm thrilled to have this great resource. Some projects that caught my eye: the above handmade mini bow and arrow that works, lots of Star Wars projects that will delight my boys, ideas for Legos, cute little notes to download and place in lunch boxes.

One thing that I'm inspired to begin immediately is interviewing my 3Cs using this interview form (look for the 2012 version.) It'll be a fun and simple way to take a snapshot of my boys each year. As anyone who has ever worked with me on a team knows, I love to ask team building/family time questions. So this idea is right up my alley. I think it would be so cool to look back over the years and see how your children's answers change (or not) as they get older. I can't wait to get started. I hope you find some inspiration for your little ones too.

Adding Like Mad!

I've been adding new items to my Shop like mad! Ok. That's a bit of an exaggeration. But I have been adding quite a few new pieces as promised. In addition to the new items I featured in yesterday's Pretty Pairing, here are a few more.

Introducing the latest hair pin set in turquoise and gold...

Turquoise and Gold Hair Pins

And introducing the latest Blossom Ring in Indigo...

Indigo Blossom Ring on a black band

And introducing the Green Swirly Flower Ring...

Green Swirly Flower Ring

You can click on the captions to go directly to my Shop to see more details. I do hope you enjoy them!

Pretty Pairing

I decided to try out Polyvore and see if I could come up with my own outfit for a Pretty Pairing. I'm certainly not a fashionista but I had fun pulling in different items. I had orange and gray on the brain because I just added these dangly earrings to my Shop so I decided to play around with that color combo. I like it. And I hope I'm not the only one. :) Anyway, more later on the Orange Rough Cut Flower Earrings and where they are headed.

Marc by Marc Jacobs sheer top
$100 - theoutnet.com

American Vintage white top
£34 - stylebop.co.uk

Dondup creased jeans
£114 - farfetch.com

TOMS flat slip on shoes
$44 - toms.com

Faux leather handbag
$60 - shopruche.com

Relic bezel jewelry
$52 - jcpenney.com

Isabel Marant scarve
€195 - shopmrsh.com

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I hope you've had a great beginning to the new year. When I began 2011, I had no idea that I would be making jewelry much less selling it on Etsy much less blogging! I did begin 2011 with a specific prayer request that the Lord would direct me on my creative pursuits and He was so faithful to guide me onto a whole new path. So as I begin 2012, I'm excited for what the year holds. And I'm grateful to you all for keeping me inspired and encouraged. Thank you for supporting my Shop and for reading my blog! You're the best!

As 2012 gets rolling, I have lots of new ideas floating in my head. And I've been designing new pieces this past week. I'll be adding to my Shop very soon so keep checking in often. And as I think about new designs and new ideas, I'd also really love to hear from you all. If you have any ideas for my jewelry or things you'd like to see on the blog, please leave me a comment. I really appreciate the feedback you've given and would love to see more. Thanks!

Modern Cottage

I'm loving this modern take on a country cottage...

Photograph: Stuart McIntyre
Words/styling: Katrine Martensen-Larsen

Via KML Design

What a surprising and lovely contrast this country home creates with its traditional exterior and modern interior. My favorites? The white wood floors, the oversized map, the soothing neutrals in the master bedroom, the charming children's bedroom, the reading nook with a loft above(!) and, of course, the Hobbit-like playhouse. Loveliness everywhere!

Thanks to My Scandinavian Retreat for the introduction to KML Design.

Salt: (Beautifully) Contained at Last

You may remember when I posted about not having a salt cellar for my Celtic sea salt  here.  Well, thanks to my sweet husband, I now have this pretty dish and spoon for my salt. I'm so impressed that he remembered. Yay! for thoughtful husbands. Yay! for pretty dishes. Yay! for no more salty fingers.

A Trio of Calendars

I have so much that I want to get organized and planned before the new year. I think a beautiful calendar is in store to make this overwhelming task more enjoyable. I would love to consult any one of these lovely calendars for a stylish look at 2012.  I hope you find this Trio of Calendars to be as inspiring as I do...

Snow and Graham

Little Brown Pen

The Indigo Bunting