Summer

image c/o three little blackbirds

I'm getting so excited about summer.... there will be much badminton and croquet playing, jewelry production and marketing, volunteering for a local homeschool organization, drinking lemonade (I do this in the wintertime, too, though) and sitting on my screened-in porch. Happy!

A few more happy things:

• Really wanting to try this strawberry margarita recipe from How Sweet It Is:  http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/07/fresh-strawberry-margaritas/

• My jaw keeps dropping when I look at Roost's pinterest. It's gorgeous! Caitlin is a serious Anglophile and it shows in the style of her pinboards. Take a peek: http://pinterest.com/cocofromroost/

• Busy figuring out my mother's Canon Rebel. Up until now, I've been using my Powershot and editing like a fiend. I'm ready for a photography upgrade, though. I can't believe that God led me into a career that so heavily relies on photography. I have always HATED taking photos and wouldn't even pick up the Powershot my folks bought me until I stumbled into Banana Grove. "That's what you call ironic."

• Can't stop listening to this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAlcROvAeu0

image c/o Jack Prince Designs

To Kill a Title...

 

Ever read these classic novels? Tomorrow Is Another Day; Something That Happened; First Impressions; Strangers From Within and On the Road to West Egg...?

Chances are, you've read at least one of them... these are the original, unused titles of 5 well-known classics. Tell me which ones you think these are, then peek at the article from Huffington Post to see if you're right and to check out the rejected titles of 19 other popular novels. :)

Got you covered...

I believe two things about clothes: 1.You should enjoy wearing them. 2. They should cover what they are meant to cover. I know that last one is pretty relative, and I can't really explain what it means to me because there are exceptions to all rules... but, I can show you. Here's one example I put together c/o Polyvore for summertime... cute, comfy and reasonably covered. It'd be really nice to own those sandals...

T-shirt; jeans; sandals; necklace; bangles; earrings

Arrange

I LOVE this short tutorial on arranging flowers, and I NEED it. I've always wanted to experiment with flower arranging, but I can never make the arrangement stand up and look filled out...thanks to Erin from House of Earnest, I should be able to do something about that! :)

Intergem

The Intergem show was so much fun! I took my sister and we had a great time perusing all the booths. We both felt like we were in a world market, there were so many different countries represented! I would've taken more pictures of the people in ethnic garb in some of the booths, but was afraid I might make someone mad. :)

I had no idea what to expect and was primarily just going to scout around, but money eventually made its way out of my pocket and was spent on some beautiful things...ruby, rutilated quartz, sandstone, and more... I'm excited to share them with you soon. :)

And next year, I'm bringing extra cash...thanks for going with me, sis!

Just Keep Going, Weekend!

Introducing the winner of one gold elephant necklace a la Banana Grove Designs: Roxanne M. A!

Congratulations, Roxanne! Your necklace will be on its way to you soon. :) Thanks again to Julia for hosting the giveaway on Pawley's Island Posh!

This week has been gorgeous! I'm hoping to end it by attending the International Gem and Jewelry Show, which comes to my neck of the woods this weekend. I was even so fortunate as to have a very sweet fellow jewelry maker send me a couple of free passes. :) I will use them well... This is my first ever gem show, so I'm quite excited!

Speaking of free stuff, I pre-ordered Jess Lively's new ebook, Wish I Knew, based on her weekly business advice blog series, and was one of the first 50 to pre-order, which means...

I get to stick this above my work bench! :) I need to see these words often, so thanks Jess! (image c/o Jess Lively)

If you're interested in Jess's blog and/or ebook: http://jesslively.com/

Have a great LONG weekend, everybody! And Happy Memorial Day...

image c/o Jenn Rush Photography

Giveaway Update and IHOD :)

As most of you know, I hosted a giveaway last week with Pawley's Island Posh and was so happy with the reception I received from Julia and her readers. The giveaway ended Tuesday and I am anxiously awaiting the results along with the entrants. :) Congratulations to the mystery girl!

Blog #3 - My third, and probably final blog review for a while is In Honor of Design. One of the first I started following, Anna's blog is a mishmash of design, diys, fashion, giveaways and recipes, finds from various websites and stories about her little family. She has three kids, two born and one still on his/her way out and they make for adorable blog posts. :) Anna also does a great job of showcasing her home city of Atlanta and all it has to offer. The main reason I enjoy In Honor of Design, though, is that its purpose seems to be both to inspire creativity in others and celebrate family. Check it out here. :)

All images from In Honor of Design

Messy Friday & What Now...

It's Friday! Happy Happy Day! This is what my jewelry bench looked like this time last week...  it definitely looks even messier today! :)

It's always seemed pretty narcissistic to me for bloggers to spend so much time talking about what they like, but I think I understand it now. What else are they going to write about? A few things I'm thinking about/liking right now...

What I'm Watching:

 

What I'm Wearing:

(Target)

What I'm Wanting: 

Tomorrow I'll write about another blog and share some info about the giveaway coming up with Pawley's Island Posh (in case you're confused about what time it's occurring, it got pushed back from last week)! :)

Michaela Noelle Designs... pssst, don't forget Mother...

Favorite Blogs, continued...

#2 - Michaela Noelle Designs: I have to be honest, when I first stumbled across this blog, I wasn't that impressed. It looked like a bunch of other blogs I'd already seen. When I came back the second or third time, I had a totally different reaction. I don't know if Michaela remodeled her blog or if I was just having a bad day the first time I looked at it, but I have loved it ever since! It's a lifestyle blog filled with fashion and interior design (lots of gorgeous home tours) with a nice sprinkling of diys and hair tutorials mixed in. The layout is so crisp, bright and cheery, it draws you into Michaela's sunny Californian happy place. The other aspect of the blog I truly appreciate, beyond the aesthetics, is the honest way Michaela communicates her life story, particularly her journey through college as an interior design student, and her faith. She's a Christian, and it is so encouraging to see her writing to her readers about her relationship with God with boldness and conviction. Go be cheered by Michaela Noelle Designs!

The Mother's Day Sale continues over at the shop, everyone! Order now and I can still make sure it gets to you before May 12th! :)  Remember the code for 15% off at checkout!

LOVE2MOM15

Poor Sad Neglected Blog...

Hi Readers!

I'm back in the blogging world! I took a break for a week or so due to a death in my family. My 100 year old great grandmother passed away a couple of weeks ago and I took off for Alabama for her funeral. This is a woman who helped raise me when I was little.. I lived next door to her for years. She was a very loving great grandmother who hosted many a tea party at her house for me and all her other great granddaughters. I'll miss her very much, but I'm so thankful she is now at rest with the Lord, and her husband Verne. I know some of you were praying for my family last week, so "THANK YOU!" so much...

I'll be posting about my favorite blogs again tomorrow, but since I've been gone for so long, I wanted to give you a few updates on my shop.

Here are a few of the latest listings:

All three of these are some of my newest favorites! To check them out further, click here.

A couple of other updates: 

I'm expecting to get my new logo soon! Can't wait! A very good friend of mine is a talented graphic designer and she's showing me proofs in the next few days. :)

On Tuesday I'm sponsoring a giveaway on the gorgeous blog Pawley's Island Posh! So excited! Check in to see which piece Julia chose to use in the giveaway (I let her pick) and to enter it yourself. :) She chose something that goes perfectly with her blog!

And finally...SPRING HAS COME! Which affects my shop in no real way, except that it gives me an extra burst of creativity to look out my window and see daffodils, forsythia, hyacinths, redbuds and dogwood trees all blooming like there's no tomorrow!

Here's a gorgeous photo courtesy of Michaela Noelle Designs, which just happens to be tomorrow's blog...