A plethora of newness!

Royal Key Necklace:

Tulip Ring:

and one earring of a pair I'm working on. Yes, just one... I'm doing 

so much at one time, that I can't even show you a completed pair... 

My sister in law bought the vintage merlot bracelet, 

and then requested earrings and necklace to match... here are the earrings:

necklace:

I finished the pair of purple earrings, but not in time to have good light to photograph them.

This necklace wasn't finished in time for great light either, but I wanted to share a preview.

Happy New Year's Eve everyone!

...more next year!

Upcoming New Year, New pieces.

We had a great first Christmas with our little one!

It looks like the Christmas tree threw up and there is stuff everywhere...

boxes, packaging, toys.... we weren't home longer than to sleep for about 4 days, 

so we haven't really taken the time to clean yet.  

But, now that I've had a chance to be home for a bit, 

I'm getting some new pieces going for the shop. 

Lucille Drops:

Key to Stella's Heart:

Have a peek!

            

           Merry Christmas Eve!

The Christmas presents are all wrapped 

and snug under the tree.

So this is what I've been up to today...

just one more little peek...

  .... I'll reveal the entire project after the new year! :)

Tonight we have David's dad coming over

for dinner and to celebrate Christmas with him.

Then Christmas Eve Service at church....

which is probably my all time top favorite thing 

to do as part of my Christmas Celebration.

It speaks to my heart and puts the Christmas season into perspective.

Christmas card pictures.

Most of our christmas cards have gone out this year.

So I will now be posting my final favorites.

If you haven't received your christmas card yet, and I'm spoiling it for you...

sorry :(

We are really very lucky to have gotten any of her sitting still. 

Hence the need for the ornament 'prop'.  And the very few that we got of her without the ornament happened during the very short time where she was interested in figuring out what the white stuff was and how it tasted.

... She's constantly on the go, getting into something and wanting to do things herself. She has a strong willed personality (don't know where she got that from! ha).  I've been saying recently that I have a 2 year old in an 11 month old's body.  But, she is really such a joy...a funny, inquisitive, loving, beautiful little girl!

And no new pieces were completed this weekend, 

but I did add the option for gift certificates in my shop. Hooray!

The Saturday Six

Six things you should know about me, 

whether you care to or not...

1. I HATE coats for their purpose, LOVE how pretty they are. LOVE the cold weather. I just really don't like wearing them into stores and such where I'm going to sweat to death.  If I can wear them outside walking around to look cute, and then hand it off to someone...or hang it up somewhere, when I walk in somewhere warm, I'm great.  Thank goodness for McKenzie and the need for a stroller at times...good place to stash the jacket, scarf..etc.

2. I LOVELOVELOVE cupcakes...and cookies. I really don't know how to separate the two. They are both so yummy. I cannot live without either.  The problem and addiction started when I was pregnant with MH. Though, it also included a great fascination with milkshakes. (that's where the extra 40 pounds came from...huh. interesting.  Cupcakes, though, are just so especially pretty and yummy all at once.  Just the most genius thing ever thought of.  and cookies too. I'm not discounting cookies, believe me.

3. I want 4 more little ones. Yes you read it correctly. 4 more.  Hubby and I have discussed 3 more, but I feel in my heart that 5 will be the perfect number... and occasionally I feel like it maybe should be 6. But, I always come back to 5.  And trust me, odd numbers bug me. bug the heck out of me. though, 3 is my favorite number.  Yes. If you hadn't already guessed, I'm a little peculiar. I don't like uneven numbers but 3 is my favorite number.  We'd love to adopt a couple of kids, if possible. From Asia or Africa. But, really, it doesn't matter where from, I have a place in my heart for any child in need of a home. I visited an orphanage once, and I feel that experience alone left my heart open to care for a child in need like that.  But, then I saw Steven Curtis Chapman in concert and he talked about his adoptive children and my heart ached to give a child a home....

4.  I have an unhealthy addiction for undies, shoes and bags. Ok, so my addiction for cupcakes and cookies is probably more unhealthy. But really, I may have a problem.  Especially, in the underwear department.  I swear I could go months before needing to do laundry, because I have that many unmentionable belongings.  The shoe addiction is semi-new, but is a growing problem.  Luckily, I keep it reasonable. I don't find myself typically longing for a pair of Manolo Blahniks.  My husband would laugh at me, if I ever even 'thought' about wanting a pair of those.

5. I had a dream to be a disney artist when I was younger.  I stuck to my artistic dreams and hopes.  And I still use a pencil and paper...I'm just not drawing cartoons, instead I'm sketching ideas for jewelry pieces.  I'm happy to be where I'm at.

6. I have a big mushy heart. I'm such a softy. And I wear my emotions on my sleeve.  Sometimes I feel as though this is a fault, but I've learned to embrace it.  I care, and that's just all there is to it. It's not something I can easily switch on and off.

Friday Feature!

I stumbled across Jennifer and 

her fabulous shop of goodies for the little ones,in July of this year. 

And HAD to have something from her beautiful selection. 

I decided on the beautiful cupcake burp cloths pictured below and

recently purchased more burp cloths to mail to a friend of mine. 

They were priced just right and so beautiful. 

I had trouble not keeping them for myself!

Since I loved the items at BabyMomo so much, 

I decided that other's should be introduced 

and given a chance to love Jennifer and her shop as well. 

I approached Jennifer about doing a quick 'interview' and she kindly obliged. 

So Jennifer, how did babymomo get started?

After I had my daughter Naomi, everyone kept telling me I should sell the baby stuff I was making for her. After a year, I finally gave in and decided to do it! I started Baby Momo in September of 2007, the same month my son Henry was born. The name Baby Momo comes from my nickname "momo" which means "peach" in Japanese. Since I was making baby things, Baby Momo seemed like the perfect brand name!

What machine do you use and what crafting tool could you just not live without?

I use a Kenmore and I could not live without my scissors! 

I cut out more patterns than I ever have time to sew!

How did you get started sewing?

I did a lot of hand sewing when I was little, then one year my Mom gave me a sewing machine and I just took off sewing! I was making bedding, clothing, costumes, etc by the time I was 13!

You mentioned your 2 kids, how do you balance being a mom and running Babymomo?

I have specific times where I work more on my business - when the kids nap, when my husband is home and spending time with them, I stay up after everyone is in bed sometimes to cut out patterns to be sewn the next day. It's a lot of work, but it means I can run my business and be home with my kids which is irreplaceable to me! I also involve my kids in the fun stuff, they love going fabric shopping with me and my daughter likes to help me lay out fabric to cut and watch me sew. We have a lot of fun together!

Outside of babymomo and sewing what are your other hobbies.

I love baking and cooking - especially new things. I love watching movies, spending time with my kids, eating out with my husband, painting, writing, reading, swimming...and pretty much anything domestic!

Jennifer also has another shop, momohome.

 

All photographs picture in this blog today are copyright of BabyMomo.

Want more?!

Her shop for kiddos: babymomo

Her shop for home: momohome

Blog: Coming in 2009! 

Thanks a bunch Jennifer!

Our nativity set & New pieces

I love the Little People's Nativity Set!

I'm pretty sure I would have bought it 

even if I didn't have a little girl as my excuse...

My favorite is this donkey with the mohawk going on.

Kenzie loves it too, mostly to chew on his hair,

but also when Mommy makes the donkey 'talk'..."eeeehaa, eeehaaa"

And new pieces for the shop to be added today...

And tomorrow,

I'll feature a talented mom 

she makes wonderful things for the little ones.

You'll definitely want to see who it is 

so you can buy up her beautiful items for your little one,

or for that special soon to be mommy in your life.

Snow in Texas

(from photoshoot #2, this one done by the daddy)

It snowed here yesterday.

Real live snow.

It was beautiful and wonderful.

And made me absolutely giddy.

McKenzie was not as thrilled,

but she did take a piece off the ground

and had herself a little taste. 

My favorites will be saved to share later...

as they are our christmas cards this year.

A few to share now:

Thank you Erin for the beautiful new hats and scarf!

and of course, 

scrunchy face makes it's Christmas photo shoot debut...

...and thanks chau chau for humoring me once again :)

Clothespin Doll Ornament & Giveaway!!

It took me quite some time to decide

what exactly I should make for the ornament swaps.

I eventually decided to check out Martha's website,

because surely Martha Stewart could come to the rescue, right?

Absolutely.

I found directions, video and a template

for these fantastic clothespin doll ornaments.

They were a bit more time consuming than I had first imagined,

but completely worth it!

Doll ornament (The Ice Skater) process through pictures:

Supplies:

I used felt with sparkles cause it made me happy.
You can use, felt of any kind, fabric, lace...
whatever your little heart desires.
(and you'll need paintbrushes for the body and hair)
See a full list of supplies here.

Martha Stewart's site says to use a 'felsh' colored paint, well I didn't have any, so I used white .

I used my finger to paint on the hair cause I could not find my small paint brushes.

Black and red markers to make eyes, mouth, and rosy cheeks.

I adjusted the ice skater's top, I made the width wider and the length shorter,

I kept the skirt the same size as the template.

Martha's site also says to double up on the arms to make them thicker.
I did not.

I did however add a piece for a scarf and "fringed" one end.

and ta-da! A beautiful ice skater for your tree!

ENTER TO WIN IT!!

If you'd like to win this little ice skater, please leave a comment about a christmas memory of any kind or tell me your favorite thing about Christmas time. Contest ends tomorrow night (midnight/central time) so that I can get it to the winner in time for Christmas! (make sure if you don't have a blog that I can locate you by, you leave an email address for me, thanks!)

For the video, more instructions and templates for this doll and other's,

such as Mr. and Mrs. Claus, visit Martha Stewart's website HERE.

The video will automatically start to play after a few seconds, to see the directions and templates again, simply close the video portion.

The Spotted Box-On Sale Now!

Remember these....

Well, they are in a few of the

Spotted Boxes that are now on sale!

Click Here for both ways to buy.

They list a few at a time on Etsy over the course of the day,

and have already sold out of their first few listings, 

but check back there later for more.

And they also sell on Hyena Cart.

Go and get ya one!

And later, details on the ornaments I made for the swaps.

With a link and template showing you how to do your own.

As well as a giveaway to receive one of mine :)

Newness.

Custom order.

Laura came back for more...

a bracelet to match the Charlotte Rose necklace:

and a new piece for the shop...

....Finally.

Hooray!

I've got loads of ideas roaming around.

I just need a few more supplies 

and then I'll put them into action.

But for now, we're off to lunch and pictures with Santa.

Cross our fingers that McKenzie doesn't cry and 

we get some good pictures.

Update: She cried. She did not like Santa at all. 

Needless to say, we will have no picture with Santa this year. sad.

1st Friday Feature

I just found Abby of Infusion a couple of weeks ago.
I love all her bags, wristlets, and pouches.

Just look at these:

Makes you want the whole stack, doesn't it?

Everything is so clean and beautiful looking...

One blogger recently described her bags as 

boho chic meets Aubrey Hepburn

Abby is devoted to creating durable, long lasting products that are both functional and beautiful. 

She uses natural, organic and recycled fibers in her sewing.

After lurking around on her blog, I had a few questions for Abby. 

And this is what she had to say...

How & when did you learn to sew?
I learned to use a sewing machine when I was about 15 I think. My aunt showed me the basics and then I dove right in and made my first pair of pants (with a lot of help from a friend). Over the next few years I played around here and there, and then somewhere in there I ended up in college and sewing went by the wayside. I picked it up again about a year ago and I am in love. Over this last year my skill level and ability to focus has grown immensely.

What inspired the start up of Infusion and how did you get 

where you are today?
I had discovered a few of the many amazing craft blogs and web sites out there while trying to learn some new sewing techniques. It was through one of those sites that I found etsy... a little over a year ago now. I was SO inspired by the many artists making beautiful and interesting things, and some of them were even making a living at it (!). I decided to try to sell some of my sewn creations, which was one of the best decisions I may have ever made. I have been thoroughly enthused with the progress of infusion since day 1. I can honestly say that infusion has changed me, and is changing my life.

Where do you craft your beautiful bags, pillows and other items such as the cute little booties I've seen on your blog?
I am lucky enough to live and work in the most beautiful place on the planet... well, at least it seems that way to me! I live with my boyfriend in a lofty studio overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It is a small space (about 700 sqft) that has now been mostly consumed with my work. Our space has been through a number of transformations (all forged by my amazing boyfriend) in order to accommodate my machines and fabrics and tools, so that I can work more efficiently (while also allowing space enough for us to comfortably live in our home... sigh). 

And what sort of process do you go through from 

Idea to Completed product?
I have many ideas floating around at any given time. Usually I make those ideas happen during a break from order fulfillments, or when I just need to wander and do something different. I find it's important for me to make time for fun, light projects (like booties and birds!) to balance the more focused production work.

Goals, future plans with Infusion?
My near goal is to release a line of organic clothing. My longer goal, which I am super excited about, is to do infusion full time. For now, I am in a unique job situation as manager at an ocean front retreat center, so I will continue to balance this job with infusion until the time feels right to shift.

Other hobbies, interests, loves?
I have recently learned to knit again and I think I am taken by it :) I also enjoy doing yoga, learning new ways to heal and grow and change, learning to prepare raw gourmet, walking on the beach or anywhere out in nature, people watching, bird watching, wave watching... thrifting, sipping organic red wine with my beau and doing all sorts of crafty things when ever I can. I think I am starting to bring a new balance back into my life where sewing does not consume my every moment!

I'll take one of each of these please :)

All Photos featured here today are copyright of Infusion.

Wanting more?? I know you are!! :

Her shop on Etsy. Infusion

Her Blog. Infusion Fibers

Thanks Abby for all your time involved in answering my questions . You are extremely talented and I hope to have my hands on one of these gorgeous bags soon!! Though it will be tough to decide which one...

Struggling with..

I'm having a hard time.

I can not decide on how many of each piece of jewelry to continue to sell/giveaway.

I want my pieces to be special and limited.

But how many actually qualifies as 'limited edition' ?

2, 3, 5, 10?

With some pieces it's easy,

I simply cannot find more of the beads, buttons or what have you,

to recreate that item. 

Simple.

But what about those pieces where I have more stock, or

am able to order more.

Then how do I decide how many of them to make?

Sure, if an item does well, It seems like a good idea to make more...

but that brings me back to wanting to make special, limited quantity, one of a kind pieces.

Oh decisions...

So, I know last week was supposed to be the first of the Friday Features.

But, I changed how I was going to do it and decided to be more personal with it...

So check back for my first Friday Feature, 

and see some great talent and beautiful handmade items!

You'll just HAVE TO HAVE what I'm going to show you. Promise.