Ryann's this n that

DIY Wall Panels

2012-01-30T11:38:00.000-08:00

A few weekends ago my roommate and I FINALLY decided to paint an accent wall in our living room after talking about it for...oh about 7 years or so.

What finally prompted our motivation after so long was inheriting a dark green sofa set from my sister back in November. Because our living room decor previously consisted of red curtains, the addition of the green couches was a bit too holly jolly for us. Luckily the combo worked perfectly with our Christmas decor, giving us some time to come up with and agree on a new color combo.

We decided to go with a neutral color palette against the green with subtle pops of orange. The first thing to go were definitely the red curtains. The panels we chose were a rustic burlap style from Target (LOVE them). Once the curtains were chosen the rest of the room just fell into place. Overall the redesign of the living room was very inexpensive. New curtains, throw pillows, a can of paint...and the room was transformed!

Custom wall Panels
A few years back I painted floral wall panels for one of the walls, pulling in all of the colors we were using in the living room. Although I still liked the painting, it no longer went with the room.

Being perpetually on a budget and a committed DIY girl, I knew I was going to make something myself. I tossed around a few ideas and actually had settled on a plan when I passed by these tin tiles at Michaels in the exact burnt orange and brown that we were using in the room. Believe it or not, the tiles were only $1.50! I may have to go back and buy the rest of them. I visualize so many uses for them, and they were so inexpensive! These specific tiles were found in the $1 bin at Michaels, which changes often so you may not be able to find them at your local store, but any lightweight tile or square accent would work. I am merely showing you an idea of something you COULD do rather inexpensively for your home.

Supplies:
6 Blank canvas squares
Acrylic Paint (I used pearl white and sand)
Stencil of your choice
Tin tiles
Foam blocks
Paint brush
Hot glue gun

The process was really very simple.

First, I painted all of the canvas squares in a neutral color (a few shades lighter than the painted wall I planned to hang them on). I lined up the canvas squares the way they were going to hang on the wall so that stencil lined up correctly. I suggest labeling the back of your panels so you know the order they go in. I did not do this, and it was a pain in the ass when I went to hang them because the stencil was so light. Keeping the canvas in place, I painted the stencil in pearl white acrylic paint in a straight pattern. This was the only tedious part of the project, but the part that I feel was the most worth the time. The iridescent paint is so subtle and elegant against the wall.

I always use painters tape when I am painting with a stencil because the slightest shift will screw it all up. You may have to replace the tape every 4 or 5 applications. Be sure to wipe your stencil with a wet rag every other time so the paint doesn't start to spread onto unwanted spots when you are placing the stencil down on the canvas.

I used foam blocks to raise the tiles slightly off of the canvas by gluing them down using a hot glue gun. Foam glued to the canvas, tiles glued to the foam.

Alright now I have inspired myself to go back to Michaels to buy more tiles!

You never know when you may need a decorative tile laying around...am I right girls! :-)

Happy 2012!

2012-01-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

Now that the dust has officially settled from my "first" holiday season online, I am able to update everyone on what I have been doing, and more importantly what I have been making.

Anyone who follows this blog or my facebook page knows that I do not try to present myself as a seasoned jewelry designer who knows all of the tricks of the trade. I am learning, trying new things and making mistakes all of the time. I have no problem admitting to my newbie status. We all have to start somewhere. Why not invite everyone to follow along. Maybe you will learn from my mistakes...maybe you will appreciate my designs knowing the road traveled...maybe you will be kind enough to lend some of your own advice...maybe you have been supporting me from the very first pair of earrings and are excited to see where I go with this. So, although you have not heard much from me these past few months, I have been working very hard and learning so much throughout this past holiday season and I am ready to finally share it with you.

Wasn't it just October?!?
This was also my first official holiday season offering my photo necklaces and ornaments in my Etsy shop. I was excited and hopeful, but also a little nervous. Luckily I was able to keep up, and next year I will be much more prepared. I knew going into November and December that I was just to do the best I could but that I was probably going to make some mistakes along the way. I just put my head down, got it all done and took notes along the way. The plan for January is to implement what I have learned and get myself organized. You will see a few changes this month. I will be expanding the options of photo jewelry available to you within these next few weeks. So stay tuned and get your pictures ready!! There will be a contest coming your way where you can win a personalized photo necklace at 1/2 the price!

Take a look at a few of the orders I competed for Christmas, and what some of my wonderful clients had to say about their necklaces. Unfortunately sometimes getting the order to the post office on time took precedence over taking pictures of the final outcome. Note: always make time to take pictures!

Personalized Photo Ornaments!!

I was pleasantly surprised with how many orders I received and how excited people were to give their family and friends something that I had made! I was able to work with some really wonderful people. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. Thank you, to everyone who chose to give one of my handmade necklaces as gift this year!

Old printer tray = Jewelry organizer!

2011-10-17T09:24:00.000-07:00

Several months ago I came across an Etsy shop that was selling old printer trays re-purposed as jewelry organizers and displays. I thought this idea was genius! I needed a new way to separate my personal stash of jewelry from the items I planned to sell, and this would work perfectly with the semi-vintage/rustic style of my room.

Although the printer trays in this shop are beautiful, all I see when I look at them is how can I make one myself. I also alerted my friend and fellow jewelry designer, Amy over at Helen Ethel Studio about this discovery because I knew she would flip over the idea as well. We decided to start hunting for trays, but neither of us were in a big rush. It's good to be patient when looking for something like this, you never know when you will find it. My Stepmom has been searching for certain vintage items for years!

Luckily it only took me a few months to find my printer tray!

A few weekends ago I decided to take another trip up to Shupp's Grove in Adamstown with one of my oldest and dearest friends, Lauren along with her adorable son Luke. Luke made quite the impression amongst the market goers in his little overalls.
We did hit some of the other markets that day, but it was at Shupp's that I found a stash of printer trays for so cheap!! I think the most expensive one was $20,
I bought mine for $7!!

I came home and immediately took a picture to send to Amy. She then told me that SHE actually found 2 trays the day before! Turns out Amy and I found our printer trays at the same market, under the same little tent, on the same weekend in a town that isn't right up the road for either of us. I find this so amusing. After months of talking about them we found them on the same weekend without even knowing the other was going there!

I got started as soon as I could. All it took was a little bit of stain and some hooks. I had to trim the hooks so they didn't push through to the other side. That made my arms hurt! But well worth it!

I can't wait to see what Amy does with her trays!!

I am giving full credit to the shop owner who ignited this idea. I thought about posting the link to her shop, but I don't want to offend her by pointing out how I made one myself. Which is also why I am not going into detail about how I made my printer tray (email me if you have questions). So go on over to Etsy and search printer trays. Her shop is awesome!
However, I am always working on a budget, and I am a DIY girl. When I see something I like, I don't want to buy it, I want to figure out how I can make it...I blame/thank my father for this. So if you like this idea too, but don't want to take the time to make one yourself, visit Etsy!!

Polymer Clay Cuffs

2011-08-29T11:34:00.000-07:00

This post has come because I feel the need to proclaim my new found love for polymer clay. I have been steadily working with the material for almost 2 years now, but I went thru a period where I was lacking some motivation and creativity when it came to coming up with new stuff...until recently.

I can't to stop making cuffs. I love them! There are so many possibilities when you are working with clay. I can mix pretty much any color I can imagine, use many different stamps in many different ways and then accent the design with any paint color I chose. If I mess up, I just roll up the clay and start over.

There is nothing like rediscovering a favorite material and becoming inspired by it all over again. The kind of inspiration that makes you feel like you have just stumbled upon something new that kick starts your creativity triggering a marathon of new projects. A domino effect that all crafters, artists and designers understand.

You might be familiar with a material and think you know all that you need to know about it, but sometimes there is a moment when you are introduced to it an a whole new way. Maybe you accidentally mixed the wrong color...or haphazardly sliced your clay in an unintended angle, or prematurely pressed down on an imprint leaving the design off center...What do you do when this happens? Roll up the clay and start all over? Sometimes, but most of the time I just go with it because I have learned by now that these are the moments that often produce my favorite pieces.

This green floral cuff was a "happy accident". I have had this large flower stamp for awhile, I just never really looked at it until the other night. I was actually trying to work on something other than a cuff, and I was only experimenting with the stamp in some spare green clay I had sitting on my work station.

I'm pretty sure this might be one of my favorite cuffs so far. Everyone I have shown it too seems to be just as enamored with it as I am. Too bad I sold it last night. I will make another one...or eight!

How I make my cuffs...

First you have to condition the clay. I have come to realize that I must be patient with this step. Sometimes I am too excited about my idea and I do not work the clay long enough, but it really is worth the time. Run it through a pasta machine (designated only for polymer clay), roll it and work it with your hands, turn on a bad 80's movie or anything that stars Schwarzenegger and hand it to the man hanging around. He'll be so zoned out watching the movie that he won't realize how long he has been working the clay.
What..? My hands hurt after awhile...his are bigger and stronger!
He has mixed some pretty bad ass colors for me...Thank you, Jeff!

After the clay has been sufficiently conditioned I run it thru the pasta machine again. Then I use a rolling pin to gently smooth any lines the pasta machine has made. I will trim my piece a bit at this time, but not down to the exact size that my finished cuff will be because when I press down with the stamps it will distort the edges and you will have to trim again.

Then stamp it up, bake it and paint it.

What? Did you think I was giving away all of my secrets? :-) Leave a comment if you have any questions about my process.

Here are some more of my favorite cuffs...
If you want to see more, visit my Etsy shop and my facebook page.

Welcome Baby Patrick!

2011-08-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my family welcomed my Sister's second child and first boy, Patrick Edward. A nice strong Irish name for a beautiful baby boy.

When my Sister had her first child, I made a slideshow of the pictures taken during Elizabeth's first few days to share with family members who live far away, so of course I made another one for Baby Patrick.

I chose "Circle of Life" by Elton John mainly because of the theme my Sister chose for Patrick's nursery. She went with an adorable Lion King crib set from Babies "R" Us. If you are wondering how I made this video, I used Microsoft Live Movie Maker. It is actually a pretty easy program to use if you are just a little patient with yourself. If you take the time to use all of the features they offer, your video will turn out really well.

I also felt that the song was a good choice because of what my family has gone through these past few months. Edward is our Grandfather's name who recently passed away this April. My Grandfather was a wonderful man and although he had many children (8), many grandchildren (14) and now 4 great grandchildren...he loved each and every one of us just the same, and made us all feel just as important as the first. Unfortunately my new nephew is the first member of our large family that my Grandfather will not meet, so it is very fitting that he carry his name with him. I am certain my Grandfather is watching over Patrick and the rest of the family that he and my Grandmother so lovingly created during their 58 years of marriage.

Aunt Ryann likes to paint...
In preparation for both of my Sister's children I offered to make paintings for their nurseries. I struggled a bit with Patrick's painting because I wasn't too sure about trying to paint a Simba...so I went with other parts of the nursery set.

Once I got started it all seemed to work and flow together. The spots above are from the crib sheet and the rest mimics the crib blanket. I just wanted to incorporate all of the colors to pull the room together.

I really enjoy painting. It is very relaxing and helped pass the time while I was eagerly awaiting Patrick's arrival.

I am so happy to welcome Baby Patrick into our family. I have loved watching Elizabeth learn and grow over these past (almost) 2 years, and now we are able to share in the life and growth of two new family members!!

Elizabeth is a little skeptical of Patrick right now, but little does she know that Mommy and Daddy have given her a friend for life. I don't know where I would be without my Brother and Sister.

Etsy Treasury

2011-07-23T11:20:00.000-07:00

The other day I received a notification on Etsy that one of my cuffs had been added to a "treasury" list made by Get Crafty on Etsy. Although I was honored that any of my items have been added to any list, I didn't exactly know what this meant. Etsy has a lot going on and I admit that I am only beginning to really understand all that this online market place has to offer. I quickly realized that "treasuries" were galleries comprised by fellow Etsians based on a theme. This immediately became my preferred method of searching for random delight-fulness on Etsy. Whenever I am on Etsy I stumble upon something fantastic that I wasn't even remotely looking for, so searching the treasury list is an even more effective way to randomly discover something fantastic and unique.

So I decided to take a crack at my own treasury list today. I am glad that they only give you 16 slots, otherwise I would have been adding items all day!! I chose to make 2 treasuries; One called, Sweet Baby Girl- Pretty in anything but pink and Little Man. I chose these 2 themes in honor of all of the new babies that have come into the world recently, and for some that I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of. I had so much fun making these treasuries and while searching I came up with many more ideas for future treasury lists.

I loved some of the items so much that I wanted to share them here on my blog. For the complete list visit my treasury.

Treasury # 1 Sweet Baby Girl- Pretty in anything but pink
I'm not saying there is anything wrong with pink, but I wanted to make a list that excluded the normal "girly" shades of pinks, purples and reds for those ladies that know you can feel just as pretty in a neutral color palette. So I chose shades of green, brown and ivory. I loved some of the items so much that I wanted to share them here on my blog.

0 to 3 Months Baby Bootie Boots, crocheted, dusty green by Handmade Baby Love

Ava. Baby Shoes by Ivory and Moss on Etsy

Austria Maria Dress by MilliLee Designs on Etsy

Treasury # 2 Little Man
My sister is having her second baby (a boy) in less than a month!! In order to contain my excitement and not drive my sister crazy, I decided to peruse some items for the "little man". I absolutely love the hats they are making for little boys now!

Dark Grey Loafer Baby Booties by Tilly Whistle on Etsy

You have to check out the rest of Tilly Whistle on Etsy...All of the shoes are ADORABLE!!

Brown Eyed Boy Brimmed Beanie Newsboy Hat by Sunset Crochet and Quilt on Etsy

Matching Baby and Parent Army Style Hats by Owl and Dot Dot on Etsy

I had so much fun making these treasuries, and while searching I came up with many more ideas for future treasury lists. I will be sure to post them when I do.

My Rooftop Vegetable Garden

2011-05-16T12:56:00.000-07:00

One of the first posts I ever wrote for this blog was about my little rooftop veggie garden last year. Well it is that time of year again, and I was very excited to give my rooftop garden another go. I'm still limited by my location, but I am not feeling as clueless about planting vegetables and herbs as I was last year.
I love the excitement of starting out with a brand new garden and all of the hope that my little edibles will thrive and produce this summer.

Recap of last year...
My little container garden started out pretty strong the first month. Every time I went out on the roof I noticed something new had sprouted. Sometimes I only saw a new leaf or two but I knew I was generating growth, and that was an accomplishment. The jalapeno peppers and cherry tomatoes started out the strongest, followed by the cowhorn peppers and bell peppers. The herbs did well all season. Herbs are pretty easy as long as you harvest them regularly.

The downfall of my rooftop garden came after we were hit my a huge summer thunderstorm. One of those short, yet powerful storms that do a lot of damage in just a few minutes. Many homes were out of electricity for a few days. I was at work at the time of the storm, so when I came home I went straight out to the roof to assess the damage. Any plant that had any height to it was uprooted and saturated with water. I did the best I could to revive them, but I never saw another pepper or tomato the rest of the summer. The cherry tomatoes did come back for a short time, but shortly met their demise after some intense heat. I admittedly lost my enthusiasm after I lost the majority of my crops and didn't pay as much attention to the cherry tomatoes as I should have.

Second season brings a little more experience...
As with anything you do, there is always room for improvement the second time around. This year I made a few changes, corrected a few problems and added a few more crops.

Last year I made a couple of mistakes, and this year I made a few changes...

The main and most embarrassing mistake being the lack of drainage holes in my 2 large galvanized tubs. I have been planting flowers long enough to know that you need proper drainage so your roots don't drown. This is even more important when growing vegetables. DUH!! I don't know what I was thinking. I probably meant to and just dumped in the dirt out of eagerness and excitement, forgetting about the holes. I am admitting this obvious FAIL so anyone reading this remembers to be patient and double check your containers. I had to laugh once I realized what I had done. Also explains why my peppers never recovered after the storm!! Luckily the Boyfriend was around on gardening day to help me pound holes into the tubs this year.

A change I have made this year is to plant a bit more in each pot. I'm sure well experienced gardeners and rule followers would advise against this because of those little tags that come with each crop telling you to plant everything miles apart from one another. That's crap. I've been following those tags for years and all of my flower pots and baskets always turn out so sparse and lame. Plus, when you go to the garden centers or read the magazines you'll see way more in their containers than those little tags tell you you're permitted to plant. So screw it. I'm not saying I'm going to plant 10 seedlings per pot, but I am going to push the limit a bit more this year.

Much of my research last year told me that planting a vegetable container garden was limited to tomatoes, herbs and a few other vegetables. I don't like tomatoes very much, but I still planted 3 different types last year because I wanted to plant SOMETHING! After doing a lot more research and gaining a little bit of confidence from already having one season under my belt, I realized that I really can plant anything in a container, they are just going to be smaller and require a bit more patience and attention. So I added a few more things this year. There are so many more edible treats that I would like to try, but I had to stop somewhere. For now...I do have a big enough roof to keep expanding...

Planting on a slanted roof wasn't really a problem except for the rolling of fallen peppers and tomatoes, which did not please my landlord very much. This year I planted my tomatoes in the back followed by the other flight risks and the herbs went in the front because they will not leap out of their container. I had left over flowers after I finished stuffing my hanging baskets and porch pots so I planted them in 2 window boxes to act as an additional barrier. If anything falls, hopefully they will be blocked by the pots in front. If that is still not enough I am going to add chicken wire to the front pots.

Last year I layered the bottom of my pots with foam peanuts. They seemed to work fine until the end of the season when they rose to the top of my poorly draining pots and went flying. Again, not pleasing my landlord very much. Plus they were expensive! I needed another method for layering my pots this year. Pebbles and broken pots are often recommended, but I am fearful of overly heavy pots on the roof so I don't think they are a good idea. This year I read online about gardeners using crushed up water bottles. They seemed to be a perfectly inexpensive, weightless solution that I was happy to discover. We shall see how they work.

What did I plant this year?

Peppers

I planted a lot more hot peppers this year - I love cooking with them, and I'd like to someday grow one hot enough to hear my Dad actually admit that a pepper is hot.

The butterflies indicate the 2011 additions to my rooftop garden.

Veggies

Crookneck Squash

Zucchini

Pickling Cucumbers - Hoping to make my own pickles using the dill seeds from my dill plant

Herbs

I planted most of the same herbs as last year with the addition of Lemon Thyme.

The Cilantro makes me a little nervous because it is such a pungent and plentiful herb. I am concerned that they are going to take over.

I omitted rosemary this year because I hate rosemary. I planted it last year for my roommate, but she didn't get much use out of it either.

I have a few simple goals this year...

Yield enough vegetables to make a meal primarily from my garden!
Make pickles!!

The point to my ramblings about my tiny little rooftop garden is to hopefully inspire more "urban gardeners". Just because you have a tiny outdoor space or think you have very little to no green thumb, you can still get out there and see what you can grow. Clearly I do not know very much about growing an edible container garden, but I am learning and that is part of the fun. I don't think I would be nearly as intrigued if I knew all of the secrets and was certain I would have a bountiful harvest. Right now just a tiny little jalapeno bud (spotted this morning) is something I can be proud of!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Trifle

2011-04-25T09:54:00.000-07:00

For Easter this year I made a new trifle that I have not made or even tasted previously. If you have read my recipes before, you already know that I try to make what I know my Grandmom will like. She definitely has a sweet tooth and will enjoy most desserts, but anything incorporating chocolate is always sure to please her.

Usually I make something lighter or fruity for Easter, but my Grandmom has been going through a very tough time after the loss of my Grandpop earlier this month. So if I can make something that will give her some enjoyment even for 5 minutes, I am going to try my best to do so, and this means chocolate.

I had other things to cook/bake the day before so I needed something easy. I have to admit that this recipe needs to be played with a bit. Everyone seemed to enjoy it and the trifle dish was empty, but I think that the combination has the potential to be awesome, and I think I am just not quite there yet. I am posting the recipe because I am totally open to suggestions, and I think it will be interesting to see how it develops.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Trifle
Probably the easiest trifle I've made so far.

Ingredients:

Chocolate chip cookies - I cheated and used store bought cookie dough. I will probably make them from scratch next time because I think this will cut down on the richness.
Brownie mix - Follow the "cakelike" instructions on the back of the box.
White chocolate pudding mix
Homemade whipped cream

Bake the cookies until they are done but still a little soft. You do not want them to be too hard or crunchy. I didn't pay any attention to the shape or size when I loaded them up on the cookie sheets. I knew I was breaking them up anyway so it didn't matter what they looked like. I set aside a little bit of the dough to make small round cookies to decorate the top.
Bake brownies- set aside to cool.
Make the pudding so it has time to set in the fridge.

Layers:

Layer the bottom of the trifle dish with half of the brownies.
Top with half of the pudding.
Break up the cookies and cover the pudding then top with half of the whipped cream.
Repeat the layers finishing with a layer of whipped cream.

Top of the Trifle:
You can do whatever you want on the top. You can see in the picture what I did. Have fun with it! My boyfriend topped the trifle with the final layer of whipped cream, I pushed in the cookies in a star/flower pattern, he spiraled the chocolate syrup on top, and then we finished it with the cookie crumbs. He wanted to add oreos too, but I told him that was a whole other trifle.

Last night while I was trying to sleep I had trifle combinations flying in and out of my head, and I came up with one that I am really excited to try. You know those TastyKake candy cakes with the peanut butter and chocolate? I'm not going to actually use them, but I am going to base the trifle off of that flavor combination. I might have to go ahead and make this for no reason because I am excited to see how it will turn out.

Jewelry Parties

2011-03-17T10:59:00.000-07:00

Since the festival season is on hiatus during the winter, I began hosting home based jewelry parties. I needed a way to keep the momentum building after all of the positive responses I gained over the summer. Plus I had no intention of slowing down in the studio, so I had to do something with my inventory before I had necklaces hanging from every corner of my home.

The first party was at my Sister's home in December. I felt very comfortable with having my first party at her house because it allowed me a chance to test it out and see how different a house party was from a festival. My Sister is very encouraging and supportive so I knew this was a safe place to get my feet wet. She invited some of her friends and coworkers, provided tasty snacks and beverages for everyone to enjoy while they perused my designs and caught up with one another. The afternoon turned out very well. I enjoyed being able to interact with everyone in the more intimate setting of a home that a street festival seldom allows.

Having a jewelry show in a home also allows your guests to really think about their purchases and try things on without feeling rushed by crowds coming through. Plus you know they are coming to buy. Which was a little bit awkward for me at first because I felt reluctant about "forcing" myself onto everyone. Then I thought about another benefit of the facebook business page - I upload pictures whenever I create new jewelry, so they have seen my work and they already know they like my jewelry or else they wouldn't be coming to the party.

I've had 2 more parties since then. One at my Sister's friend's house in York, Pa. One at my house with my friends and coworkers, and this Saturday we are having another one for my roommate's friends.
I really enjoy having them in my own home because it allows me plenty of time to set up, and I can work the jewelry into the decor of my home. For example; I picked up 2 large old wood frames for $5 each, painted them, backed them with screens and inserted S hooks for the necklaces and earrings to hang from. I then placed them on my walls in place of our regular wall decor so they worked right into the room like they had always been there.

As with the festivals, I learn something new every time I host a house party and some of the rules are different than they are when attending a festival.

When setting up for a house party I consider the fact that this is a more intimate event. They already know who I am and why they are there so I try not to overdue it with the marketing. I leave my business cards on the table and my earring cards are marked with my information, but I do not hang up my banner or plaster my information all over the house. I just feel that this is tacky. This is just my personal opinion, you may feel otherwise.
I also decided after the first 2 parties that I wasn't going to place price tags on everything. I may revisit this decision later on, but here is why I have decided that this may be a good idea; Hanging tags from everything disrupts the flow of my display. I don't really like them - although I know they are absolutely necessary when dealing with a festival crowd. Removing them from the home shows allows me to interact more with everyone. I make it known somewhere on an 8x10 framed sign that everything is under a certain price so my guests aren't apprehensive about asking and being shocked.
I made invitations that I can send in an email, facebook or snail mail. I had to design them for the first party, then I decided to order some off of vistaprint for the future. I put my contact information and a few pictures of my designs on the front and left it mostly open on the back for the information to be written in. That way I don't have to create new invitations every time someone offers to host a party for me.

Be prepared to take orders. Mark them down with as many details as possible. I say this because I made an error with one of the orders I received at my Sister's party. I mistakenly marked down the wrong color of clay (the difference between a matte gray and a shiny gray). I made the piece sent it along and received an email telling me that this was not the color she originally ordered. I was embarrassed by this mistake and quickly made her what she had asked for and sent it along. Had I been more specific when I wrote the order down I would not have made this mistake. Lesson learned!!
Always provide the hostess with a gift. I base this on how many people attended and my sales.

I have really enjoyed the jewelry parties, and I look forward to doing more of them throughout the winter. But right now I am getting super pumped about the return of the festival season and I have BIG plans for my booth this year. To think the thought of being a street vendor last year made me so nauseous. Now I can't wait!! I will see you out there!!

Screw Jared's. He went to Michaels!

2011-02-03T09:09:00.000-08:00

Gift giving can already be a pretty difficult task. Add into the mix that your girlfriend designs jewelry and that automatically scratches one of the go to ideas off the list. Don't get me wrong, I will always enjoy something sparkly, but when the occasion just calls for something small like a pair of earrings or a bracelet, it doesn't make sense to buy me one when I can make it myself.

So what do you give your jewelry designing girlfriend?

Well this Christmas, our first Christmas, my boyfriend figured it out. He wrapped up polymer clay tools, jewelry supplies, pendants and findings so I can make my own jewelry! Not only did he venture into the craft store, but he went into the jewelry aisle where any man would feel out of sorts and clueless. This could not have suited me any better. He earned points for several reasons...going to Michaels, understanding that it really is the simple things that make me happy while also thinking outside the box and not going the typical route most guys do when it comes to gifts. He also scored some style points by selecting items I am actually able to work with.

He tells me I am supposed to make jewelry out of these gifts to sell. How am I supposed to take something so thoughtful and meaningful and give it to someone else? I won't be doing this. At least not this year. This year I am making jewelry for myself to wear. Wear proudly because I have such a thoughtful man in my life.

So what am I going to make?

The first thing I made out of my awesome Christmas gifts was a necklace using the dragonfly pendant Jeff gave me. I have been wanting to take a break from my orders to make a new necklace for myself, and this gave me the perfect excuse. It has been a long time since I had a sentimental piece of jewelry. One of the downfalls of making your own is that I can't say oh this necklace was given to me by...when I...to celebrate...Of course my jewelry is special to me because I made it, but I am a sentimental sap and I always like a hidden meaning in things. The plan was to use this pendant in an "everyday" necklace that I can wear frequently. so I chose to accent the dragonfly with brown beads to keep it neutral. I chose the the converter design so I can wear it with many different outfits.

Why am I calling this a converter necklace?

Because it is 2 necklaces in one! I use the loop of a toggle class as a decorative and functional piece. I just double up the chain and slide the bar through the loop when I want to wear it as a short necklace. I will be using this design often so I can offer my customers a piece that they can get the most use out of. I am looking forward to discovering the possibilities.

Happy 2011!! A new year of fresh ideas and possibilities!

2011-01-10T11:44:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!! I took a bit of a break from posting over the holidays to work on some personal projects and allow more time to keep up with some holiday orders. I have also been experimenting and learning a few new techniques that I am excited to share with you very soon.

I also had my first house party in December and it went very well! I enjoy small gatherings like this because it allows more time to talk with the ladies about what they like and want to see in the future. I pay attention to the colors everyone is gravitating towards, what looks best with certain skin types and hair colors as they try on my jewelry, and of course I listen to all of their comments. From this first party I was able to book another one for later this month! This is a great way to keep the momentum growing during the winter months while I am waiting for the busy festival season to begin again in the spring. My goal is to have at least one party scheduled each month.

Let me know if you would like to host a jewelry party in your home. All hostess' receive their pick of the jewelry depending on the turnout.

I am very excited about what is to come in 2011, both personally and professionally. 2010 was a very exciting year, especially after I launched my business on facebook last winter. I cannot believe it has been less than a year since I began sharing my jewelry with everyone. I never imagined that my little hobby of making earrings would have turned into and all of the great people I have met along the way because of it. I am so very grateful for everyone's support and I am looking forward to what is yet to come!

Happy 2011! Let's all have a great year!

A Handmade Christmas

2010-12-28T20:29:00.000-08:00

Someone please remind me next year to start thinking about my Christmas gifts EARLY!
Waiting until the last minute to do your shopping is one thing, waiting until the last minute to decide you are going to make something for someone is a totally different kind of procrastinating. I often make many of my own gifts. Don't get the wrong idea...I am not crocheting oven mitts for everyone, but I do make several gifts each year. Occasionally one big project will take over my holiday season. The past 3 years have all been gifts for my Sister and her Husband.

Christmas 2008 - The wedding album.
In this album, I chronicled the year my Sister was married. I had pictures from the time they became engaged all the way up to the wedding reception and every dress fitting in between. Needless to say I love taking pictures. The album ended up being somewhere near 500 pictures. Ridiculous. I know. I am a shutterbug.

This is not however, a scrapbook. I have never been much of a "scrapbooker", but I don't mind making a few pages here and there. Mostly, I prefer to let the pictures speak for themselves. I make title pages and then insert plastic photo sleeves behind each occasion.

Christmas 2009 - The calendar.
On October 10th, 2009 my beautiful niece was born. To help my sister document her daughter's first year, I made a calendar for her to write things down on easily throughout the days. Yes, you can always buy a baby book and my sister kept one, but homemade gifts are always a welcomed treasure.
I look forward to projects like this. It is always better to be creative when your whole heart is into it. So if someone wants to do the work for you...let them.

Christmas 2010 - Album for Elizabeth.
As I am sure you suspected, I took many, many pictures throughout Elizabeth's first year. So for Christmas I took the Calendar back that I made in 2009 and placed the pages in an album along with all of the pictures. Each calendar page became the heading for that months pictures. Luckily my sister did a great job of filling in the days. Made it very easy for me to match up the pictures with the correct month.

The wedding album was more of an undertaking because I sat down and made all of these cover pages in only a few days at the end of the year. For Elizabeth's book, all I had to do was match up the month with the calendar page and organize the album. This is why I made the calendar on 12x12 scrapbook paper so I could insert them easily into the album a year later.

If you ever feel inspired/crazy enough to take this project on for yourself or someone you love, here are a few things I will remember to do the next time...

Plan ahead! I was snapping pictures all year long, however, I should have been printing and organizing the pictures all along instead of a few days before Christmas. Not to mention the cost could have been spread out throughout the year.
If you plan to do this for several important years like I did, buy more than one album when you purchase the first one. You want a book like this to be set out and enjoyed. It should work with the decor of the home, so I like the idea of matching or complimentary albums. A baby book doesn't have to be pink bunnies and bows. Choose a cover that works with the decor of the home or neutral enough to blend.
During a year of firsts, take your camera wherever you go! The greatest thing about digital cameras is that you can capture and delete later. I didn't miss anything with Elizabeth. My sister wrote on the calendar the day she had her first bottle in a restaurant...guess who took a picture of it! OK so that may sound a little overbearing, but I always have my camera with me, so if I see a moment worth capturing I will take one quick picture.
Include everyone. My brother-in-law's family lives far away, so I was sure to take pictures whenever they came to visit.
Collect pictures from everyone. Especially if the album is not for you. I wasn't able to be there for all of Elizabeth's milestones, but my Sister and Brother-in-law certainly were. Her first Christmas, the first time a tooth popped out, the first time she went to the pumpkin patch...we captured everything!
Make sure you do the same for the siblings. We've all heard that the first baby has the filled and documented baby album. By the time the 3rd comes along...you're lucky to even have pictures. I know what all mother's will say...once you have more than one, you just don't have the time. I get it. Just pace yourself. Print pictures once a month and take a nap time or an early morning alone to throw them into an album. Or just hope that you have an awesome Aunt Ryann to do the work for you.

What a great thing for Elizabeth to look through when she is older. Wouldn't you want to know the first time you ate string beans?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-26T07:44:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays because it isn't about what you are going to buy and how many gifts you are going to get. It is simply about spending time with your family while eating a good meal.

I have mentioned before how large my family is, so to host the entire clan is quite an undertaking. Sometimes the count may even reach around 30, but on average about 20-25. This year was a little different because my Aunt Maureen, Uncle Alan and their 3 boys moved to Utah this summer. For the past several years Maureen has always hosted Thanksgiving dinner. Every year I went to Maureen's the day before to help her set the table. You wouldn't typically think that setting a table would take all afternoon, but when you are trying to fit 20 some people all around one table, it takes some time. Thanksgiving Eve was always a special time for me because it allowed me an opportunity to spend the afternoon with my Aunt Maureen who is also very much my friend. Maureen would be working in the kitchen putting together what she could a day ahead and I would be clipping flowers assembling the centerpiece while catching her up on whatever drama was currently going on in my life. An afternoon I will be missing terribly this year.

Thanksgiving was special at Maureen's for several reasons. She always made sure that we were able to fit everyone around the table. This usually meant putting together many different sized tables stretching out into the hallway, BUT we all sat together.

One of the many tips I have picked up from Maureen- Keep notes from year to year. Maureen had notes scribbled next to her recipes about what worked and what didn't. She also drew little diagrams of the table configurations we came up with so that we could refer back to them in the years to come depending on the amount of people. Trust me, we came up with some creative table shapes.

Maureen's hosting skills have always impressed me. She never went too fancy or crazy with the food. For Thanksgiving I believe you should stick with the basics, but do them well. There is no need for fancy stuffing with crazy ingredients. Save that for a regular night when you are just having pork chops for dinner, Thanksgiving already has so much going on. Maureen also kept up with many small and perhaps unnoticed touches every year, like the pickle plate. We always had a pickle plate on the table. Things you may not notice year after year, but definitely do miss when they are gone.She always went above and beyond but somehow made it seem effortless. The reason is because she really does enjoy putting everything together, and you can tell by the way her food tastes and the atmosphere of the evening. The worst is when you go into someone's home and they are freaking out, running around, and look as if they might stab anyone who dares enter the kitchen. Don't offer to host if you are going to act like it is the biggest inconvenience, it makes everyone uncomfortable. If you do not have a choice...plan better, ask for help and keep reminding yourself that it DOES NOT have to be perfect. When all else fails grab yourself a glass of wine.

In Maureen's absence my Aunt Diane and Uncle Michael hosted this year. The dinner was delicous and the company was lovely, but it just wasn't the same and probably won't be for some time now. I might just have to go to Utah next year for Thanksgiving.

An Experiment in Personalizing

2010-11-21T07:39:00.000-08:00

Recently I began experimenting with personalized pendants using resin. I have played with resin before, but I was frustrated with the limited products available to me, and how long the process took. I am not very patient when I have an idea. If I envision a necklace I need to make it right then and there while the picture is still fresh in my head. By the time the resin was dry (a good 12 hours) I had already moved on to something else.

What's different this time? I found these brass bezel charms from Vintaj Natural Brass Co., they are right up my alley. I love them so much that I am confident the inspiration they stirred up will be around for a long time. They automatically triggered so many ideas in my head. I love the vintage look of anything brass. I don't want to just make a charm with a picture in it. I want to match the look of the jewelry I typically make and that is a semi vintage/rustic style. I also have plans to incorporate polymer clay, whether it be an initial, hand-sculpted flower or just accent beads. So I can work on the polymer clay accents while I am waiting for the resin to cure.

I experimented with 2 photographs. One of my very dear friend Lauren on her wedding day, and my beautiful and adorable baby niece. I figured if I was going to experiment with a new technique I should be able to share them as potential gifts...if they turned out. So far so good. 12 hours later the resin has cured, and is thankfully bubble free!

What's the plan?
Personalized jewelry incorporating pictures, names, charms, dates...

Wedding photographs accented with polymer clay flowers sculpted to match those you carried on your wedding day.
Photographs of your children, adding more as your family grows.
Treasured family photographs from many years...perfect with the vintage style.

When you're creating something personal the possibilities are endless because every picture, theme, and story will be different. I am very excited to see what else I can make.
Stay tuned...

Fall Weddings

2010-11-01T10:20:00.000-07:00

Now that the month of October is officially over, I can finally share with you the jewelry I made for two fall brides. I wanted to wait until after the weddings so I didn't spoil any of the surprise. Designing wedding jewelry has quickly become one of my favorite requests to work on. It is such an honor to be asked to create something for such a special day. Not to mention a little nerve-racking because it is such an important day. Both brides are dear friends of mine and working with them was an absolute pleasure. We spoke a little about what they wanted and the colors, but for the most part they left it all up to me. It felt great that they both trusted me so much.

October Bride #1 - Andrea
Andrea's wedding was a self-described earthy/natural wedding in a beautiful, historic farmhouse in Lancaster County. Her colors were simple black and white. Because her wedding was on the "rustic" side I was able to incorporate one of my favorite materials - polymer clay. We also discussed varying the styles so each girl would have a look that suited them best. I made 7 necklaces; one for the Mother of the bride and six for the bridal party. I decided to go with 3 different styles for the girls (2 necklaces of each ), Mom got her own altogether. When I delivered the necklaces to the bride she was visibly excited and pleased with what I came up with. She actually clapped and hopped a little - I have never seen her do this before so I was definitely ecstatic to see her genuine reaction. She even took time out of her actual wedding day to send a text letting me know how great the necklaces looked on each of the girls. I was so touched that she took the time to do this on such an overwhelming and busy day.

Congratulations, Andrea and Jesus! I know you will have a wonderful life together!

Happy Couple!

October Bride #2 - Danielle
I had the privilege of attending Danielle's wedding this past Saturday. The whole day was so beautiful. Weddings are always so much fun, but especially when you are celebrating a couple who are so obviously meant for each other like Danielle and Brian. The spirit of the wedding and the mood of everyone attending, clearly solidified that we were all there to support and celebrate 2 people coming together for the right reasons. It was a perfect wedding, and I am still very sore from dancing all night.

Danielle was happy to hand over the reigns in deciding what the girls should wear. We decided to go with an earring and bracelet combo. All of the girls are in their early twenties so it was important to keep things classy, yet youthful and hopefully make them something they would want to wear again. This time the color was a bit trickier because it was a brownish/purple. At one point I called it smokey brown, but we settled on Mulberry. So the girls wore beautiful mulberry dresses and I was lucky enough to actually find beads that matched perfectly. I made 2 strand bracelets with just a bit of sparkle. I must say that I was very pleased with the final outcome. It was a style I have not done before, but one I will certainly be working with again. It was especially gratifying to be able to attend this wedding and see the jewelry as it was intended.

Congratulations, Danielle and Brian! I am so happy for you both and love you very much!

I would like to again, thank both Andrea and Danielle for allowing me to design the jewelry for their weddings. You are both wonderful women and I was so honored that you asked me to contribute to your special day. Thank you.

Pumpkin Trifle Recipe

2010-10-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I asked my facebook friends which autumn trifle they wanted to try more...pumpkin or apple. The votes were basically split down the middle, although the pumpkin fans were much more enthusiastic about their love of ANYTHING pumpkin. I knew I definitely had to figure this one out. Personally, I have never met a dessert I didn't like, but pumpkin pie is not on the top of my list. I do, however, love everything else pumpkin. So the trouble with coming up with this trifle was trying to steer clear of the all pumpkin puree layered trifles I was seeing in the recipes online. They seemed to be trying to duplicate a pumpkin pie in a trifle dish. Just eat a pumpkin pie then!

I finally figured it out, and it was very tasty! Just the right amount of pumpkin.

Ingredients:

Pumpkin bread- From scratch or a box. Either way will be fine. Make or buy 2 just to be safe. So what if you have extra. Toasted pumpkin bread for breakfast...yes please!
1 box of white chocolate pudding mix
1 can of pumpkin
1 box of spiced wafers
Whipped cream- Homemade or cool whip (I am sticking with homemade from now on).

That's it! Now see how easy it is to make...

Base layer:

Bake your pumpkin bread according to the directions. You could also just pick up a loaf at your local orchard or market. Homemade doesn't have to mean made in your home right?
Cube the bread.
Layer the base of your trifle dish with half of the loaf. Set the rest aside for now.

Mortar Layer:
Make the white chocolate pudding (vanilla will work too if you cannot find white chocolate). Allow the pudding to set for a few minutes in the refrigerator.
Once the pudding has set beat in 1 can of pumpkin. Mix well with a hand mixer for at least 5 minutes.
Spread half of the pumpkin mixture over the pumpkin bread in the trifle dish.

Focal/decorative layer:

Put a little less than 2 sleeves of wafers in a large ziploc bag. Seal tightly. Using the back of a wooden spoon, mash up the wafers. I broke them up into dime sized pieces. Spread half of the bag over the pumpkin mixture for your 3rd layer.
Then top with whipped cream and repeat all 4 layers finishing with the rest of the whipped cream.

Top the trifle with a sprinkling of wafer crumbs!

If your family is like mine, you always have pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, but a lot of people don't actually eat the pie. Try this recipe out as an alternative and watch how fast it goes.

"Antiquing"

2010-10-18T12:31:00.000-07:00

This Saturday my Stepmom and I made a trip out to Adamstown, Pennsylvania. Known as the "antique capital of the U.S.A." Adamstown is located near Reading right off of exit 286 from the Pennsylvania Turnpike. If you like perusing old stuff, I would definitely make the trip. There are tons of antique shops and outdoor markets. I would suggest going on a Sunday if you can because some of the places are only open on Sundays.

I myself am not really into the fancy old expensive antiques. I hate saying that I am going "antiquing" because people seem to associate the term with stuffy old trinkets that smell of mothballs. I like old crap, but I can't really say I am going to spend my Saturday routing and rummaging through old junk without also raising some eyebrows. I bet some of you would be surprised to find how much fun you would have doing this. I have a few friends that I know would really enjoy spending the day at one of these markets, but because of the stigma associated with it they moan and groan whenever I suggest the idea - Losers...it's cool...go green! Reuse!

I usually head to the junk in the corners or the stuff set outside. On this visit we headed straight to Shupps Grove. It is a huge outdoor market and my favorite place for digging and dealing. I like old vintage slightly beat up items that I can either refinish or love as is for all of their flaws and history.

When you are visiting the antique markets, it is OK to have an agenda and specific item in mind, but do not be afraid to veer off and discover items you never thought you would love. If you find the piece you were looking for...fantastic and congratulations! But be patient and don't allow yourself to be disappointed if you don't. I have done this. Focusing on finding one type of item closes off my creativity and prevents me from discovering the possibilities in something else. It took my Stepmom 10 years to find a washing stand for her antique pitcher and bowl set - she finally found it this weekend and it was worth waiting for. Mainly, I love looking for old jewelry that I can work into a new piece.

A few items that are always on my list:

Jewelry
Props for my jewelry displays
Old glass bottles
Beer cans- recently added to my list after this weekend. I began collecting beer cans and I have a feeling it is going to become a new obsession. Not something I am entering into for monetary purposes. I just love them. The marketing ploys companies used back in the day are hilarious.

Meet Miss Olde Frothingslosh- Apparently she is a trapeze artist who loves arm wrestling, soap carving and of course the 1969 "pale ale with the foam at the bottom" Olde Frothingslosh from Pittsburgh, Pa.
Ain't she a gem!
She is the one who started it all for me.

What is Olde Frothingslosh?

I can't wait until I find an old rusty pbr can! Classy huh?I have since been reading a lot of good information about collecting beer cans. I am excited to see what I can find now that I will be looking.

More importantly I did find some really good jewelry pieces. Some are old and some just struck and inspired me. You may look at them now and wonder what the heck I liked about them and what on earth I plan to do with them (after I clean them up of course) well you will see...

I try to ask the vendors if they have any broken stuff hidden away. Since I am going to break everything apart anyway, I can get some really good deals asking to see what they didn't expect to sell in the first place.

My favorite find from Saturday is these 2 little buddies. The charm was actually hanging on and old bottle no where near any other jewelry and just by chance I found it. I am not sure why I love it so much, I just think they are adorable. Stay tuned to see what I make with it...

Another good one is this silver leaf my Stepmom spotted. Leaves are big this year in jewelry and will make for a perfect fall accessory to any wardrobe. The detail is beautiful. Looks just like a real leaf!

My secrets to a good cupcake.

2010-10-15T08:21:00.000-07:00

Following my post a few weeks ago on Phillies themed cupcakes, I received a few inquiries about how I make my cupcakes. So I decided to share my secrets...

There is no secret. Cupcakes and trifles have kind of become my thing. People seem to get excited whenever I make either one. When really, they are both so easy. Especially the cupcakes.

I use the cake mix in a box and the icing out of a tub. That's it. It's not really a secret, I will tell anyone who asks. People still seem to tell me my cupcakes are really tasty and moist compared to when they make them. Why? I have no idea. I think it is because I take the time to make them pretty. We do partially eat with our eyes right? It is all in the presentation.

So here it goes...my "secrets" to a good cupcake.

Whenever I make cupcakes I make a batch of yellow and a batch of chocolate. I haven't settled on a brand I prefer, whichever is labeled "moist".
I rotate the icing combination between chocolate and vanilla (I do prefer french vanilla whenever I can find it). Vanilla on vanilla cake, chocolate on vanilla, vanilla on chocolate and of course chocolate on chocolate.
Scrape all of the icing out of the tub into a bowl and stir until it is really creamy. I never apply the icing with a knife. Instead, I always put it into a pastry bag and squeeze it out onto the cupcake in a circular motions just like an ice cream cone. Always purchase at least 2 containers of icing for each box of mix you use. Running out of icing is the WORST!

Decorate your cupcakes!

Sometimes I add dye to the vanilla icing depending on the occasion to add color.
You could add sprinkles or jimmies (yes, they are called jimmies and there is a difference between jimmies and sprinkles).
Make a visit to your local party store or craft store to check out their selection of cupcake cups. They really have a fun selection out there. Much better than the pale yellow, pink and blue pack you get at the grocery store. May seem like a pointless detail, but I think they add to the presentation.
While you are at the party store look at their selection of decorative toothpicks, drink stirrers and anything else you could put on the top of your cupcakes. Be creative!
You could get really crazy and add my new favorite accent...piped chocolate melts in various shapes, colors or letters that match the theme or occasion you are making the cupcakes for. This is really simple and people LOVE it. Such a cute little touch. Check out my post on the Phillies themed cupcakes to see how I did this.

Whenever I am planning a party, whether it is a birthday party, baby shower, bridal shower...I incorporate the cupcakes into the decor. Find some way to display them and set them out at the start of the party. People will drooling over them until it is time for dessert, and sometimes sneaking one long before.

Phillies Cupcakes

2010-10-03T21:19:00.001-07:00

It will indeed be another Red October!!

You may recall from an earlier post that I am a huge Philadelphia Phillies fan, and I am proud to say that my team has yet again secured themselves a spot in the post season. To commemorate this achievement and also celebrate my roommate's 30th birthday (she is a huge fan as well), I made Phillies themed cupcakes.

I made 30 cupcakes -15 chocolate and 15 french vanilla, rotating between chocolate and vanilla icing.

On top of each cupcake I sprinkled either blue or red sprinkles on the icing that I piped out of a pastry bag using a large round tip.
I found red and blue cupcake cups at the party store to keep with the theme.
For an extra added touch I tried out something new this time. I piped out the trademark "P" using red candy melts. This was surprisingly easy and added so much to the team spirited little cakes.

Decorating with chocolate melts.

Candy melts (I prefer Wilton's) -You can purchase these at any grocery store, although you will find a broader selection of colors at a craft store or even some party stores. They are about $2.99 but I almost always find them on sale at Micheal's Craft store. They do store well so you can hold onto the leftovers until Christmas.
Wax paper
Decorating squeeze bottles -You can also pick these up at your local craft store. When you are finished with your project try to dump out as much of the melted candy as you can and then stick the bottle in the freezer. After a few hours crunch and shake the frozen candy out of the bottle.

Melting the candy:

Fill the squeeze bottle with the candy melts and secure the lid and little orange cap. Place into a small sauce pan filled about halfway with warm water. Keep the burner set on LOW mixing and shaking the bottle often until the candy is melted. Add more candy melts as they turn to liquid and fill the bottle. Make sure the tip of the bottle remains out of the water and dry at all times. You do not want to get water into the bottle. When you are ready to squeeze out the melted candy shake it all the way to the tip with the cap on. You want to remove as many air bubbles as you can.
Lay out some wax paper and patiently squeeze out whatever shape or letter you want. Practice and allow yourself enough so that you can choose the nicest looking shapes to use. Allow them to harden (about 30 mins) and gently pop it off of the wax paper and place on your cupcake. That's it!

This new little trick has opened up so many possibilities for future cupcake toppers. If you decide to try this yourself, please post a comment below and let me know what you made and how it worked out for you. I am always open to new tips, tricks and ideas!

Candy Apple Trifle

2010-09-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

Although we haven't been experiencing "fall-like" temperatures (90 degrees when I made this), I still found myself in the mood for some sort of apple dessert last Saturday. I was looking for an alternative to apple pie. I decided on a trifle although I have never made an apple trifle.

I will try to give you the recipe as accurately as I can, but if you have been following any of my recipes you will know that I make them up as I go along. I also want to encourage you to trust your instincts and have fun experimenting with these recipes.

Ingredients:

6 Green Apples
Brown sugar
Bourbon (optional)
2 Tablespoons of butter
Apple cake or Apple cider doughnuts
2 pints of heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Candy Apple

Base layer:
I really wanted to use fresh apple cider doughnuts, but due to time constraints, I was unable to go to the nearest orchard. Instead, I used an apple cake which turned out to be a delicious substitution. You can either make this from scratch, box or pick one up at the market.
Cut up whatever you decided on for the layer and divide in half. Layer the bottom of the trifle dish with one half of the cake.

Focal Layer:
This is where the apples come in. I really didn't know what I wanted to do to the apples. I just kept thinking about what goes into an apple pie. Do whatever you want. Just keep in mind the moisture from the apples when cooking. Do not add too much additional moisture.
How I cooked the apples...
In a large skillet I sauteed about 6 green apples, sliced and peeled. I chose green because of their tartness. The cake and whipped cream layer were going to be sweet enough.

First add about 2 tablespoons of butter to a large skillet and about 2 tablespoons of brown sugar (I really just added whatever amount I felt like. Remember...I wing it). I also added bourbon because I already had the bottle out :-), but you don't have to. Cook down and add the apples stirring frequently until they look like they would if they were inside of an apple pie.
Cool slightly before you add to the trifle.

Mortar Layer:
I went with homemade whipped cream this time. Usually I cheat and use cool whip. I honestly do not think I will ever go back to store bought. The consistency and flavor is so much better when you whip it yourself and it is so simple to do.

Easy Homemade Whipped Cream:

2 pints of heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar (vary depending on how sweet you want it to be)

Whip the mixture with an electric hand mixer until raised peaks form in it and hold their shape. It should take about four minutes (or much longer if using a manual hand mixer or whisk).Add the whipped cream layer and then repeat all 3 layers finishing with a top layer of whipped cream.

As a garnish I sliced a caramel candy apple and placed it around the top. You could make them yourself, but if your sole purpose is for this trifle then just pick one up at the orchard when you get your apples.

I am really looking forward to making this trifle again on a crisp fall day after a trip to the local orchard where I can pick the apples, grab some freshly dipped caramel apples and try out the fresh apple cider doughnuts as the base layer. If you make it there before I do, leave a comment below and let me know how it tasted!

The Chester County Restaurant Festival

2010-09-21T08:03:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday marked the end of my very first festival season. I finished with the biggest one of them all -The 31st Annual Chester County Restaurant Festival. For those of you who have been following my blog, you know that I have been looking forward to and kind of dreading this one all summer. I knew this was going to be huge. Around 20,000 people are estimated to attend every year. In the years past I have walked the few blocks from my apartment to check out the scene and every year I become agitated and uncomfortable submerging myself into the crowd. I usually don't make it there too long, and I never walk away with more than a sugary lemonade before the crowd makes me want to start throwing elbows.

The idea of having my very own stand was exciting because I knew of the exposure it was going to offer me as well as terrifying because I knew how exposed I was going to feel. Some may think it is just about the money and that I should be ecstatic thinking about the cabbage I was going to bring home. Of course that is a perk and I am very appreciative for every dollar spent under my tent but for me, that's not all it is about. For a generally private person that somewhat hides behind her craft, I was putting it all out there. If I didn't care about each piece I made, it would be easier. If I didn't think about what brought that piece out of me while you were looking at it and trying it on, it would be easier for me. I openly tell people which pieces are the hardest for me to sell while they are purchasing them. I think it is important for people to see that I am not just pumping out necklaces and earrings here. I do it because I love it. Everyone has a stress reliever. I am just lucky enough to be able to profit from one of mine.

All in all the day was just what I needed it to be.

An unbelievable crowd of people stopped by my booth throughout the day, and were very receptive to my designs. I recieved a lot of postitive feedback and was asked many questions about my technique and how I learned to work with polymer clay. I loved being able to talk about the craft. I have such a deep relationship with it now and I felt at home when I was able to speak about it. At one point a customer found a piece he liked, but wondered if I might be able to put it on a chain instead of a leather necklace. Of course I was happy to oblige. I pulled out my supplies and went to work on it for a few minutes. I was surprised to find that a few minutes focusing on just that necklace provided me with some time to pull myself back in and center a little. This was a welcomed distraction as it was around the midday mark and I was beginning to feel the weight of the crowd. This confirmed to me at that point that this was truly something I loved to do - I am putting my time and energy into the right thing.

Although I was drained both mentally and physically by the end of the day, it was still a fantastic afternoon. When I came home and told my best friend about the day, she commented that this was my super bowl and I had won. I of course became emotional when she said this to me. 1- Because she was completely right and I felt very proud and satisfied with what I had accomplished; and 2- I was very touched that she understood what this day meant to me enough to put it in this perspective for me. Other people don't seem to understand what the big deal is. If you haven't picked up on this by now...I am pretty certain I have a touch of social anxiety and although I do not allow it to stifle or cage me in, it is still something I find difficult to deal with. Sometimes you can't avoid uncomfortable and overwhelming situations. But this time I was thrusting myself right into the middle of 20,000 people, in my home town of new and old/familiar faces, offering something I put my heart into for everyone to judge and critique. Yeah, not a normal day for me.

I am aware that challenging myself like this is always a good thing. But in the midst of it, it is very difficult to take the initial leap. In the end, however, the rush from my reluctance turning into something that makes you feel amazing is an irreplaceable feeling. Still, not something I will do everyday.

With all of that being said, I can't wait until next year. No really, I can't wait. I can definitely feel the momentum building right now and I am very excited about what is yet to come.



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2010-09-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

The ad I created for the booklet.

Last week I was asked to create and donate a piece of jewelry to be used as a door prize in the Pheasant Valley Farm's Annual Women's Pheasant Hunt. I was also asked to make an ad for a booklet that will be handed out to the ladies on the day of the hunt. My business cards will also be placed in grab bags that will be handed out to all 20 women involved in the hunt.
Initially I was creating the ad generally in the same layout as my business card. Only with a bit more information and a picture. When I went to drop in the photo, I forgot to downsize it and this is pretty much where it landed. I liked it immediately and decided that it went well with the outdoor themed event. So I made a few adjustments to the text and layout and there you have it. I was pleasantly surprised with this happy little accident.

Pheasant Valley Farm is committed to maintaining Pennsylvania’s outdoor heritage, wildlife conservation, and hunting traditions. They believe in order to maintain this valued way of life, today’s women must be allowed the opportunity to gain hunting experience and learn about Pennsylvania’s rich hunting heritage. In conjunction with the PA Game Commission and other conservation oriented groups Pheasant Valley Farm is to offering twenty women the opportunity to participate in a non-profit women’s hunt on Friday, September 24, 2010 at their preserve in Robesonia, PA
For more information visit: http://pheasantvalleyfarm.com/

I love when a solo Saturday unexpectedly turns out to be fantastic.

2010-09-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

The summer months tend to get away from you easily. There are always more occasions to celebrate, people to see and things to do. Last night was initially going to go the same way. I was debating whether or not I wanted to go out when I saw these 3 chunks of clay scraps sitting on my table. I wondered what color they would produce if I mixed them together. Next thing I knew I was in my comfy clothes with my ipod in, and I was creating. The more I made, the more energized I became. Last night turned out to be an inspired, motivating and satisfying night. I was singing off the top of my lungs and dancing while clay was baking. I guess my secret single behavior is no longer a secret...I ROCK OUT when I am alone. The ipod helps to drown out the world...and my own terrible singing.

I forget how much I love and NEED nights like this. I know this sounds cheesy...they feed my soul. I put everyone and everything out of my head and focus on the task at hand. For me, it is a cleansing experience. Sometimes I get so bogged down with orders and requests that I forget just how much I really love designing and making jewelry as it comes to me in the moment. Working without a plan, vision or task already planted in my head is when my favorite pieces are made.

Note to self...
At first the idea of spending a Saturday night at home was something I was trying to avoid. Why? Why do people become uncomfortable with the idea of spending time alone? If you do not enjoy spending time with yourself how can you expect anyone else to? Usually I look forward to the opportunity to do whatever I want without the input of others, but being so busy all summer caused me to forget how much I love these nights. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely people I would've wanted to spend my time with, but last night I was reminded that I am a girl who also enjoys spending the night solo from time to time, locking myself into the zone and being creative.

Unfortunately nights like this cannot happen all the time, and frankly they shouldn't for a number of reasons. But I do need to make time and appreciate these nights whenever the opportunity arises.

It all comes down to this...

2010-08-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

A little about my small town...
Although I have lived the majority of my life in Chester County Pennsylvania, I didn't move into downtown West Chester until I was in my early 20's. I love my hometown. West Chester is a cute little town that is has been fueled by the ambition and imagination of it's younger residents. Some grew up here, some left and came back, and many WCU students decided to call West Chester home after they graduated. People like to shame you for not straying too far from home, but I really do love living here. I know that I will not always want live within the borough, but for now being able to walk a few blocks for a cup of coffee, perusing the new consignment shop and making a visit to the bead shop on Gay St. makes for a perfect afternoon in my book.

The Restaurant Festival

Poster designed by Brian Barto

I have been posting all summer about my booths at the Swinging Summer Thursday festivals in Downtown West Chester and how this was all going to prepare me for the biggest event of them all...The Restaurant Festival. This is by far the biggest event Downtown West Chester will see all year. Held on a Sunday every September from 12-5pm featuring more than 50 local restaurants and nearly 110 arts and crafts vendors. There are also 3 stage areas for live music and a beer garden where everyone can sit and relax with a refreshing brew. I have loved attending this event for years especially because it is only a few blocks from my home.

Initially the idea of setting up a stand at the Restaurant festival seemed like a million years away. I didn't know if I would actually have enough nerve to really go for it, or was this something I just talked about doing. Well...there is no going back now. I am in. I called this morning because I am too impatient to wait until they mailed me my acceptance letter (it came in the mail a few hours later). I don't even know how many people attend this event, but it will be far more than I have faced at any other festival. Not to mention that I will know many of them. This is intimidating and exciting at the same time. All I can do is keep making my jewelry and stand proudly by everything that I display. There is no point in focusing on the nerves because either way, I am doing this and people are coming. As much as the potential crowd overwhelms me, I am really proud of myself for going through with this. This may not seem like a huge step, but for me it is. For me this is the ultimate in exposure and vulnerability. Here goes nothing....

Boxes and boxes of beads!

2010-08-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

I did the unthinkable this weekend. The unimaginable, the unspeakable, the unbearable!! I organized my dreaded and ever accumulating pile of rejected jewelry projects. Bracelets I made years ago before I had any idea what I was doing. Necklaces that were never finished. Earrings that never became a pair. Strands of beads that I forgot I had purchased. 6 years of misfit beads!

I have wanted to do this for so long, but dreaded the idea of sitting down and committing to what I knew was going to be such a mindless and tedious task. I don't even know how it started last night. I just started. It was a Saturday night without plans and I was too exhausted from a fun filled day of learning how to ride a motorcycle to make any. Instead I watched old, cheesy horror flicks and tackled the pile. I cannot tell you how satisfied I was to accomplish this task. I had tried once before but I kept thinking I wanted to keep everything as it was and repair or finish each of the projects. I didn't want to throw away the time I had already spent on making them. Or admit to myself that some were just not appealing enough to complete. Last night I was in the right mindset. I know that my style and technique have taken a vast detour from my earlier projects so it was time to put them all to rest. It was time to take the beads and put them back into the box so that they could become part of another, better piece that will actually be worn and appreciated. My whole work space feels better to me without this box of rejects hanging around taunting me. Ahhhhhh!!!! It's done!

Someday I would like to reorganize my actual bead storage boxes. I buy containers as my collection grows so it has become somewhat of a mix-matched method. I started boxing by color scheme but at the time I didn't have a lot of beads. I admittedly was not thinking ahead and I certainly wasn't dreaming my inventory would grow to the size it has. In the beginning I organized rows by color not boxes by color. So I ended up with boxes containing pinks, purples and reds. Now I could devote an entire box to just shades of pink. So what has happened as my collection has grown is that I end up with several boxes containing several different colors. The box that started out greens, blues and teals has grown into 3 boxes filled with each color because I have had to add spillover boxes over the years. I'd like to just dig in and separate those 3 into the designated color.

Do I really want to sit down and do this?? Do I really want to add that many more boxes? If I keep going at this rate the box count will inevitably grow anyway so I might as well start organizing them now while it is still somewhat of a manageable task. I know I will be grateful down the road. Do I even want to organize by color or do I want to group them by style and texture? Is the idea way too obsessive compulsive to be considered anything other than just anal retentive? Why can't I just be satisfied that I conquered the reject pile for now?! It's a domino effect as always...

Vacations always come and go way too fast.

2010-08-04T09:47:00.000-07:00


Catching up on the latest issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry.

This past week I went on my annual trip to the beach with my sister. We have been coming to this beach with the family for as long as I can remember, but as I became older the trips became fewer and further between. A few years ago my sister and I decided to start going down to the family condo again. It began as a sisters weekend while we were both single, and as our lives have changed over the years, so has the vacation. Last year she was pregnant during our vacation and we sat on the beach talking about how different and wonderful things were going to be next year with a little one. I could not wait to bring my baby niece with us. So finally this year came. Waking up to her sweet, smiling face every morning was exactly what I needed right now. I was so excited to watch her experience the sand and the water, to see it all for the first time through her little eyes. It reminded me of all of the trips we have taken there through the years with the family. I have always looked forward to this trip, but now I know every year will be even better. I felt like I have been waiting my whole life for this little girl to join us. As you get older you forget about some of the fun things you did at the beach as a child. Now I have an excuse to play in the sand, feed the seagulls and run around the boardwalk from ride to ride.

Beading on the beach...?

While I was packing I really considered bringing some of my beads with me. I love the beach and I always feel very calm and relaxed which is the perfect mode for being creative. It would be a shame not to be able to tap into this source while the creativity was flowing. My sister also likes rummaging through my beads and creating a "wish list". But I decided that would be ridiculous since I have way too many boxes of beads to make them mobile, and I didn’t want to burn myself out. I deserved a break even if it was from something I love to do. Instead I packed up all of the jewelry magazines I have been meaning to sit down and read along with a notebook so I could sketch out any design ideas as they hit me. It was perfect, sitting by the ocean catching up on some of my favorite jewelry magazines. I felt refreshed and motivated to return home and begin working on some new projects. Even though sometimes you may be reluctant, you always need to take a break. I love making jewelry so the idea of bringing some beads with me didn’t feel like something I had to do because I was behind on projects, I wanted to bring them because I am admittedly obsessed. I was going to one of my favorite places with some of my favorite people and I wanted to bring some of my favorite things. I am glad that I allowed myself to take a breather. Everyone needs to recharge from time to time.

I should be embarrassed by this.

2010-07-25T23:33:00.000-07:00

I posted about how terrible my work station had also become...Well it has become even worse. This past weekend I had a bunch of work to do and I was having trouble getting started. I needed a change in scenery to allow the creativity open up. It really didn't have to do with the mess of my current station, it was more about the room I was in...I need to shake things up once in awhile. Sometimes I work in the kitchen, living room or my bedroom. Just moving from the table to the couch or even the floor actually helps sometimes. So I opened up one of the tables I use for my festival setup and took over the living room. Thankfully my roommate was away this weekend, otherwise I do not think this would've gone over so well. I made sure to have it all back to normal by the time she returned. Why subject her to this madness.

It worked out really well and some really great pieces came out of my temporary setup this weekend.

Uh...this is my work space?!

2010-07-20T08:25:00.000-07:00

Typically I wouldn’t expose this madness but I am starting to find it rather comical, and my friend over there at Helen Ethel Studio blogged recently about how overwhelming her space had become. I figured I would let her, and all of you know that you are definitely not alone.
This is my beading station. It is a complete mess. I keep finding random projects I started and put down only to be lost in the rubble because I was either stumped or more excited about the project that just popped into my head and had to move on.

I keep telling myself I should clean it. It would probably help me think clearer and work faster. But every time I start I become distracted and end up making something. Which is definitely not a bad thing. I guess I am afraid to mess with the area. I am on a roll right now and I feel very inspired. I sit at this table everyday and I am making some of my favorite pieces to date. If I start with a clean slate I am worried it will mess with my flow.

The beads and clay that are covering the table are the beads that are making sense to me right now. So for now, I return to the tiny workspace I cleared for myself amongst the wreck that is my beading table.

S’mores Trifle

2010-07-19T13:29:00.001-07:00

This one is great for the kids!

For my Grandpop’s 80^th Birthday party this weekend I volunteered to bring a dessert with me. I knew there would be a cake so I didn’t want to make anything “cake-like”. I also wanted to make something light because of the heat. I went with the perfect summer themed dessert…S’mores!

Ingredients

1 container of marshmallow fluff

1 boxes of chocolate fudge pudding

1 box of graham crackers

1 bag of mini marshmallows

1 bag of chocolate chips

1 (8 ounce) container of cool whip

Base layer

Graham crackers-I used one sleeve of crackers per cracker layer. You can just quarter them or crumble a little bit (not too much so they don’t get mushy and your layers seep together) and scatter them on the bottom.

Mortar layers
Originally I was just going to do a layer of the marshmallow fluff but I thought that would be too thick and gooey so I blended it with the container of cool whip. This turned out to be a nice creamy texture. I may tinker with this layer a bit more the next time I make it.
-You can do whatever you want here. Just fluff would’ve been OK once I tasted the trifle.

Of course you need some chocolate so I chose to use chocolate fudge pudding.

2 layers of pudding= 2 boxes. One box per layer.

Focal Layer

I sprinkled the mini marshmallows and chocolate chips around for this layer to add some substance since the trifle didn’t consist of any cake or brownies.

Top (my favorite part of this trifle)

Sprinkle some of the chocolate chips all around the top and crumbled graham crackers. In the center I placed some toasted marshmallows. I didn’t have a campfire handy yesterday morning so I layered a cookie sheet with foil, sprayed it with nonstick cooking spray and piled on some marshmallows. Then I stuck it in the broiler. *Keep an eye on it because you just want to toast the marshmallows a little bit and they will catch on fire.*
To remove them I waited for the foil to cool a little and then turned it upside down so the toasted layer plopped in my hand. Then I gently flipped it on top of the trifle.

Everyone was really impressed with the appearance of this one. And it was so easy!!

My second and expanded festival display.

2010-07-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, my second festival this summer was going to include some changes to the set-up. All along I took an experimental approach to my first festival back in June. I knew that I was only going to set up one table to test the waters, but I was pretty sure the second would be expanded. And expand I did. I noticed a few problems with the one table set up, mainly traffic flow and congestion (technically I had 2 tables, but the one was mainly for the cash box and bagging the purchased items). In July I set up in a U shape with one 5ft table in the center and 2 4ft tables along the side. This was so much better. It allowed my visitors to spread out and circulate through my area without feeling cramped up against other shoppers. This also made my banner more prominent as it was framed out by the side tables.

The addition of 2 more tables didn't require many more props because I just spread out what I already had. I did however add a few new things just because I wanted to, but it wasn't required. My favorite addition being a new log to display my bracelets. I found an old telephone post at my father's house that was perfect. All I had to do was stain it to match my other tree props. I also added another corner basket to balance out the main table and I elevated my mirror a bit so that visitors didn't have to crouch down to see themselves when trying on my creations.

Using props found in nature allows me to expand whenever I want to because I will always be able to locate additional items to match. And well, it's really inexpensive! The response to the new display was wonderful and I plan to stick with this set up for the rest of the season.

Read my earlier post about how I made most of my display.

4th of July Trifle

2010-07-04T08:21:00.000-07:00

What do you think of when you think of a great 4th of July dessert? Probably something with strawberries and blueberries right? Maybe strawberry shortcake or fruit pizza? Well that is exactly what I didn’t want to do. I was trying to steer away from the typical desserts. I was also in the mood for chocolate, but I didn’t want it to be too rich because this day was going to be a scorcher. When I was at the market I saw some raspberries and blackberries on sale and I thought that could work to incorporate the 4th of July theme and add a nice light pairing to the chocolate. Now for the “mortar layer” I thought back to a trifle I made for Christmas that called for white chocolate pudding. This was a big hit and I knew it went well with chocolate and would pair well with fruit too. So there you have it… A brownie, blackberry, raspberry and white chocolate trifle.

Ingredients

1 box of your favorite brownie mix

1 pint of black berries

1 pint of raspberries

1 box of white chocolate pudding

1 container of cool whip (8 ounce)

I made the brownie according to the directions on the box (add an extra egg for cake-like brownies). I always split the batter and bake them into 2 9" round cake pans. Some people prefer to cut the brownie into squares for their trifle layers; I prefer a more solid layer so I push the whole round right down into my trifle dish.

I found early on that making the brownie mix with 3 eggs instead of 2 was better for the trifle because it gave the brownie a more fluffy “cake-like” texture instead of a thick fudgy texture. You have to be careful not to make your trifle too rich and dense because you already have so many intense flavors working together.

Make the white chocolate pudding and set in the fridge to cool.

While you rinse your berries set aside enough berries to decorate the top. However many you want, just pick the prettiest berries.

Next, mash the rest of the blackberries and raspberries with a potato masher. I mixed in a TINY bit of cornstarch and honey to thicken and sweeten up the berry mixture. Next, layer as you wish.

Click here for my layering tips.
Top the trifle with a layer of cool whip, berries and a chocolate drizzle. This trifle was especially pretty with all of the bold layers of color.

Stopped in my tracks.

2010-06-15T10:33:00.000-07:00

It always happens the same way. I go into the craft store with a list of supplies in hand and I see something out of the corner of my eye, I look at it but don't really know why I am being drawn to this particular item. I go on my way. I almost always end up circling back to whatever it was I stumbled upon. I say to myself, I don't know what I am going to do with this or when I am going to do it, but I know that I must make something with it eventually. And this is how I ended up with these wonderful floral pieces created by paper craft designer,Tim Holtz. I love that they are feminine because they're flowers and yet made with a rustic style. Perfectly pairs with almost everything that I create, whether it is a piece of jewelry, painting or a home decor item.

Originally I passed by them because I knew they were intended for scrap booking and card making which I do not really get into much (I didn't say never). I thought about using them in an art piece, jewelry or maybe accenting a picture frame with them. Then I thought...Polymer clay! Yes! Duh! Of course they belonged in clay!

I couldn't wait to start experimenting with them in my jewelry designs. I love when something strikes me this way. When you know that you found something that inspires, motivates and excites you so naturally that you don't even have to really think about it, you just have to start creating. I spent that weekend held up in my studio (bedroom, studio...all the same) working on some amazing pieces. I uploaded my new collection a few days later on my facebook page, and the response was overwhelming. I was so happy to see that everyone loved them just as much as I did. I went back to the craft store and purchased every pack they had and then went online to order many more.

When I flip through this seasons jewelry and beading magazines there are 2 completely unrelated trends that seem to be monopolizing the pages; floral and industrial chic/steampunk. In my humble opinion I feel that my new floral collection blends both of these current trends very well. My personal style is always been caught somewhere in between feminine and a more relaxed vintage/rustic/hippie style. I think these new necklaces and bracelets are a perfect fit for me and I hope for you as well.

I am currently in the process of uploading these new items to my Etsy page, so in the meantime please contact me if you would like to purchase one for yourself.

Or click to the right to see where you can visit me at an upcoming festival.

Update on the rooftop edibles

2010-06-10T10:15:00.001-07:00

My rooftop garden is growing wonderfully. I spotted my first green pepper this week and a few days later it was an inch bigger.

When I purchased the cherry tomato plant it already had a little green round growing. This week they started turning colors and I have spotted about 4 more on the vine. Too bad I don't really like tomatoes. My roommate will make good use of them, and I plan to use them for sauces and salsa.

The herbs are amazing! The cilantro, basil, dill, oregano, sage and thyme are all very plentiful. I am planning on making my first batch of sauce and pesto this weekend. I cannot wait to taste the flavor these fresh little herbs are going to add to my favorite recipes.

I knew I was going to enjoy this, but it has become far more gratifying than I had anticipated. Going out on the roof everyday to see if anything new has sprouted is so much fun. I cannot wait until I go out there and spot some red in the tomatoes. I am also really anticipating my first jalapeno pepper. I know I will get tons of use out of them. Beware family and friends...when you see me I will probably be handing you bushels of freshness!

My first festival!

2010-06-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday I participated in my very first festival. The event is called "Swinging Summer Thursday" and it is held in my home town, West Chester Pennsylvania on the first Thursday of every month from June until September. I chose this event as my first because it is a local festival (2 blocks from my house) and I figured a Thursday evening was perfect for my first. My town hosts many outdoor events, but this one seemed less intimidating. I wanted to experiment with a more low-key festival so I could work out my kinks. All in preparation for the biggest event of the season...the overly crowded and insane Restaurant Festival held in September.

I wanted my stand to compliment the style of my jewelry without spending a ton of money, all while keeping in mind that my display will grow so I want to easily add matching or complimentary pieces later. I didn't want to purchase something and then come back a few months later searching for matching pieces. I also wasn't impressed with the jewelry displays available to me so, being the overly zealous DIY girl that I am, I decided to make it all myself. This was an inexpensive and practical solution for the long run. If I made a few t-bars to hang my necklaces from and decided later that I needed more, I could simply make them and they would match perfectly.

I wanted to go with a material that would match the rustic style of my designs and be something I could find years later if I so desire. I went digging around my Dad's house and found some firewood, dowels and old deck boards to construct a few t-bars with. I absolutely adore them. I then scoured the rest of my belongings to find other unconventional materials for my display. Everything I used was either something I already owned or picked up at a discount store. The banner was purchased on vistaprint for only the cost of shipping. Table clothes were less than $10 each, the lace runners are curtain valances I picked up at the goodwill for a $1 a piece (purchased 6 for future tables). The tent (rain was in the forecast) and tables were all borrowed.

Overall I spent around $50 on my display. The response was wonderful. People were commenting on my stands all night.

Leading up to Thursday I was very surprised how relaxed and comfortable I was. This was the first time I was opening myself and my designs up to the general public, and I am sure any artist/designer/crafter will tell you that this can often feel like a very vulnerable and scary thing. I become very attached to my pieces so releasing them was fairly emotional for me (I did have a little bit of separation anxiety the night before) but I was happy to share my work when it was all said and done.

We had an excellent turnout and I sold more pieces than I had expected. Many of my friends and family showed up to help and support me, which was incredible. The fellow participants were also very supportive of one another and I am looking forward to July's Swinging Summer Thursday!

A week until my first festival.

2010-05-27T01:31:00.000-07:00

Here I am at 1:30 in the morning, a week before my first jewelry show searching and investigating the possibility of learning a new technique. I have so many other things that I should be doing to get ready for this show. But what I want to do is be inspired and make more jewelry. I know I have to stop right now. I have enough inventory. I need to prepare other things for the show. Truly one of the things I love best about making jewelry...I never get bored. There is always a new technique to learn and a new style to develop. Every piece I make leads to another. Sometimes I get so excited about what pops into my mind while making one, I set it aside to quickly make the other and then I return to the trigger piece. I admit to I having several partially unfinished "trigger" pieces laying around.

Living off the land...I mean roof.

2010-05-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

I planted my first vegetable and herb garden yesterday. I certainly do not claim to have a green thumb, but I do enjoy planting very much and hope to someday figure out how to grow successfully. I currently live in an apartment and although I do not have a yard I do not let that keep me from the post Mother's day dirt diggin. I hang baskets filled with petunias, geraniums, impatience and whatever else strikes my fancy that year. Some seasons I am very successful and some are a complete flop, but I keep trying. I figure if I knock out a few years of fumbles and failures while I am in the apartment I will be a pro by the time I have a real garden to tend to.

Which brings me to this years experiment, vegetables and herbs. The rooftop of the floor below me extends way past my porch and is hit with direct sunlight all day long. Perfect for growing some edible plants. I myself have never grown anything other than flowers. I purchased a few books, asked some experienced gardeners for tips, went to my Dads garage for some large galvanized tubs and just dove right in. Although I have grand ideas of homemade salsa, spaghetti sauce and fresh vegetables to eat, I do not expect to have too much success come harvest. You learn from your mistakes, and mistakes I am sure I will make. I have fun learning and experimenting with my planting and it is all to build up to the larger garden I see in my future.

Stay tuned to see how my garden grows!

Thank you "SweetLady"!

2010-05-01T21:09:00.000-07:00

Sweetlady's Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle

This is the trifle that started it all. I made it a few years ago for Christmas and many, many times since. Everyone loves it and asks for the recipe. It is also my Grandmom's favorite so I can't help but make it often for her. Truth be told whenever I am making a trifle to bring to a family gathering I always think about whether or not my Grandmom will like it. She is the boss after all. At least according to my Grandpop she is.

I usually make this one in the winter because it is very rich. Delicious, but rich. Next time I make it I will take pictures for you. This one is a show stopper. Everyone starts salivating as soon as I walk through the door. The full recipe is located at the link below, but I have made a few adjustments over the years.
Click here for Sweetlady's full recipe.

You can tell this isn't my recipe because it contains measurements.
Ingredients:

Servings:
24
Brownies boxed brownies work just fine. Don't stress yourself too much. Use 3 eggs instead of 2. It makes them a little more cake like and not so dense.

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla

Peanut Butter Filling

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter I add a little more peanut butter.
3/4 cup milk
1 (16 ounce) Cool Whip
4 peanut butter cups, chopped. I have made this so many times that I hardly follow the recipe anymore. I just looked over it again and saw she only calls for 4 peanut butter cups. 4?! No way. I use many more. I don't know how many, but it is a lot. At least 8. I don't mix it in the the rest of the filling either. I make it a layer of it's own. Makes it prettier and yummier that way. Plus I crumble some on the top.
chocolate syrup

Directions:

Prep Time: 35 mins
Total Time: 1 hr

Brownies:

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

Combine dry ingredients in large mixer bowl; stir.

Add wet ingredients and stir well.

Spread into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 18 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Let cool completely.

Trifle:

Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth

Add in peanut butter and milk. Combine.

Fold in Cool Whip until combined.

Take half of the brownies out and crumble in large glass bowl, if you have one, or in a 13x9 pan.

Add a layer of the peanut butter mixture.

Take the other half of the brownies out and crumble on top of the peanut butter mixture.

Put the last half of the peanut butter mixture on top.

Drizzle chocolate syrup on top.

Add the chopped peanut butter cups on top.

Refrigerate until serving time.

Why blog? Why not?!

2010-04-28T07:26:00.000-07:00

I am an artist and crafter through and through. I usually do not sleep very much because I cannot seem to convince my brain that it is time to rest. I am usually doodling in my "design journal" or getting up out of bed, pulling out my craft bins and sitting on the floor to experiment with whatever I have conjured up in my head at 2 in the morning...

I am a compulsive crafter!

I love cooking, painting, party planning, photography, jewelry making, interior decorating, planting and who knows what other hobby I will pick up tomorrow. I fantasize about parties that haven't been planned, rooms that haven't been built, paintings that have no where to be hung and cakes that have no reason to be baked.

I am a compulsive crafter!

Why blog? Why not?!

I firmly believe in making mostly everything myself whenever possible. I find it challenging, fun and always adds a personal touch to anything I am doing. I do not often have the money to spend on fancy craft supplies. So, throughout the years I have come to realize that I do not need to spend a ton of money to create something personal and visually appealing. What I make is how I express myself so I always make sure I am doing the best I can (and can afford) without compromising the integrity of the final product. I am often shocked by what I was able to create with a little ingenuity.

Of course I run into some snags. No matter how great the final product is, there is always something I probably would’ve done differently. This is where the idea to write a blog came from. I am bringing you a little bit of this and a little bit of that. All of the my experiences, tips and blunders to save you time and money!

Baseball Basement

2010-03-23T01:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I cannot sleep I find myself "window shopping" on the web imagining the purchases I would make if I were decorating the house I have yet to own. What am I mentally designing tonight you ask?

My baseball basement! Anyone who knows me knows that I am a baseball fan and MY team is the Philadelphia Phillies. I will have a baseball themed basement someday. A place where I can display my team spirit while cheering on my World Series Champs.

Having just spent about an hour looking on the web for ideas I realized that it will not be as simple as "Googling" the Phillies with my credit card in hand. I don't want a giant red leather recliner. Anyone can purchase everything they find with their team logo on it but it will be expensive and unoriginal. I will take a classy approach to my baseball basement. Of course I will have items with my team logo but there are also just as effective yet cheaper ways to work your theme. I will have some sort of small corner beverage area. Probably built by hand and stained a nice dark tone. I will have pilsner glasses adorned with the red "P". I have no desire to try to duplicate the "ballpark feel" by trying to make my basement look like the ballpark. That is a feeling that is reserved and savored for game day. My basement will never hold 45,000 people so why try to pretend? I WILL NOT have green carpet or a giant mural of the outfield bleachers. I will not glue tiny baseballs and bats to my walls.
I say all of the time that I try to look ahead. I know what I like. My style will always evolve but I know a good piece when I see it. So until I have my baseball basement, I will just continue to collect items knowing they will eventually have a home.
It will be a place where I can drink a beer, cheer on my World Series team surrounded by memorabilia, ticket stubs, pennants, newspaper articles plastered with grand slam moments, and jerseys commemorating players that have come and gone. A place where I will hang pictures of games I have been to with my friends and family over the years.

Ah... my baseball basement. I can curse my team in the 4th and praise them in the 9th. How sweet it will be.