The show is tomorrow!!!!!

Wow, things have been busy and now the show is tomorrow! I'm so excited and can't wait to set up shop. As well as preparing and planning for the show, I applied for and got a new job, did a photo shoot, did a book layout using MyPublisher, got my sweet daughter ready and off to Kindergarten, and maintained my online sales. Whew, glad this show is here so things can slow down some~

It's been wonderful though and I have all the support I need from my amazing husband and encouraging daughter. Great friends and family have also encouraged and supported my efforts and business plans, wow I am blessed. I hope to see locals at the Deepwood Estates show Sept. 16 & 17, it's going to be an amazing Vintage Flea Market!

First Day

Today is the first day of Kindergarten for Sawyer, my amazing 5 year old daughter. She is so excited and more than ready to start class. Today is also the first day in my new job back with the Workers' Compensation Division and I'm also more than ready to dig in. I'm very excited to learn and get started, and the best part is the great support and patience I have with my team. I developed some lasting friendships in OSHA and God has taught me a lot about myself so I'm thankful for that experience. It's time for the next chapter and a lot has changed for Jeremy and I in a short amount of time but we're excited about the new adventures on the horizon. The excitement isn't without sadness though, we will miss Sawyer's pre-school teacher Donna at Peoples' Church, and we have missed our old church over the last year too.

I offer a huge thank you to the friends and family who have always been constant through it all. Love you and thanks so much for being in our lives.

Mock Set-up for the Deepwood show

This weekend we enjoyed the nice weather but I also set up my display to make sure I have everything I'm going to need. At this point everything is priced, and situated but I still have 2 more pairs of earrings to finish and 7 Austen necklaces to make. Then I'll pack up everything and look forward to the show Sept. 16 & 17.

F-a-b-u-l-o-u-s

The photo shoot was so much fun. All of my models looked absolutely beautiful! I picked this photo for the booth banner and my design book. I have a little more work to do on it in PhotoShop, but you can see what counts now.

Thanks to all the ladies (Kathleen, Meghan, Angela, Kathy, Ana, Anne, Kara, Nameun, and Kay)! You look amazing and made my new enameled designs look pretty good too. I appreciate all your love, encouragement, and support over the years.

$5 French Market

I have found an Etsy shop that creates amazing handcrafted French inspired tags, gifts, and more. Every listing in the shop is an affordable $5. By the time I buy the paper, stamps, ribbon, and glitter I’m way over $5 and out of time. This shop’s concept is amazing to me and the creativity involved is above and beyond. I just love that anyone can afford these handcrafted goodies with so much style. $5 French Market is definitely worth checking out, admiring, and finding a lovely goodie you can’t live without.

strike a post

In a week I’ll be having a photo shoot! I’m really excited and hope it turns out how I’m picturing it. The photo shoot is of 9 special ladies who have encouraged and supported me in my jewelry business. They will be wearing earrings and necklaces from my collection and I’ll be using the photo to create a large vinyl banner for my display and the cover of my designs book (created with MyPublisher). My plan is to take tons of pictures in a short amount of time so that I have several to choose from. Everyone will get to approve the final selection, and then I’ll get to play with PhotoShop to process it. I was inspired to do this after doing a show in the Sellwood district of Portland, Oregon. I met a fabulous crafter there, owner of Hortense and Eloise, and she had a beautiful vertically hanging vinyl banner as her backdrop. It added so much professionalism and it was so eye catching that it stayed in my mind. The designer is very creative and specializes in vintage inspired stuffed bears and bunnies, and children’s aprons. She also has a knack for jewelry design and fixing up old homes; she's multi-talented. She is so funny and sweet, the type of person you could talk to for hours and I wish her all the success and fortune possible. Check out her shop, Christmas is coming up and her prices are fantastic.

Plans, plans, and more plans

It seems like I’m always planning something, big or small makes no difference; my mind is always thinking up something and the planning commences. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the last year though is to not invest too much into my own plans. I’ve come to realize time and time again in my life and through others’ lives that our plans aren’t always the best. God has bigger and brighter plans for us in His timing and His will. I had an inteview today for a position that looks really good, I know I could do a great job, and I’m ready for a change, but this time I’m not going to be so invested in case it’s not God’s plan for me. I will be dissapointed of coarse, but I’m not resolved to thinking it’s the only direction I could go. If I’m not offered the job it’s for a reason bigger than I can conceive. So I’m going to do my best in the interview, learn more about myself through the experience, and wait to see what God wants to do with it. As I’m faced with a possible change, I’m content with whatever direction I’m taken.