Merry Christmas

It's been too long since I posted. I have had a very busy holiday season and I'm very grateful for all our wonderful customers. I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! I wish you joy, peace and love!

Open For Business

Even though it took longer than I'd hoped, I finally opened my Etsy shop!! I'm very excited to be apart of such a great community. I hope you will have a look and let me know what you think. I've decided to feature my gemstone and vintage pieces in my shop, as well as our Cancer Awareness line, which will be moving over in a bit. Above is one of my newer creations. It is a re-purposed necklace that was originally my great-grandmother's. It is comprised of vintage glass beads, vintage chain and a large Swarovksi crystal pendant. My grandmother believes it is from the 1950's. Cool, huh?! The lovely model is one of my best friends.

With thousands of sellers on Etsy, it's very nice to meet some that are nice as well as talented. I'm lucky to have found both in my Creative Bloggers group (you are a member aren't you)? Karen of Winding Threads creates lovely bags in her Etsy shop. Viktoria of VisArt creates lovely polymer clay beads and is having a 20% off sale right now! I hope you'll visit these lovely artists and their blogs.

Make and Take Jewelry Class at Hello Bluebird

I am excited to be teaching my first class at Hello Bluebird this Wednesday evening! If you're in the area, I hope you will join me in learning some techniques and also making a great pair of earrings! You can register by calling the shop at: 610-750-6642

Giveaway: Win A Pair of Vintage Lucite Earrings!!

Would you like to win a pair of vintage lucite earrings? We are partnering with Style Epiphany for the launch of their site, to offer you an opportunity to win a pair of these fun, lightweight, and trendy earrings! Available in 8 colors, they are not yet available on our website. For now, this is your chance to own a pair of these. All you have to do is visit this link, and leave your most 3 favorite pieces from our site: http://styleepiphany.com/2009/10/win-a-set-of-vintage-lucite-earrings-from-michabella-creations/ *Hurry, the giveaway ends this Sunday, 10/25!

There is also a *special discount* you will find on the link as well! Good luck!

Think Pink

It's halfway through October. Fall is here in many parts of the country. The temperatures are cooler and the leaves are changing into beautiful shades of red, yellow, and orange. Halloween is nearing and many kids (and adults) are anxious to dress up and go trick-or-treating. But the color that I associate with October is pink.

As many of you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. My grandmother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer 7 years ago, and thankfully, is in full remission and doing well. My grandmother has always been one of my best friends and I'm blessed to have her around and to be able to see my daughter grow. Chloe, by the way, LOVES her Memaw! However, not everyone is as fortunate as I am. There are too many women, and men, who die every year from Breast Cancer. That's why Cindy and I have created a Cancer Awareness line, where a portion of the proceeds go to the research and support of those suffering, or to prevent further suffering. I hope you will find something you like and will help us to donate to a worthy cause.

Elena, a fellow blogger and talented artist who repurposes items, does a weekly Pink Saturday. She has so many wonderful pieces she shares, I hope you'll pay her a visit.

I'm Taking The Plunge

I'm officially starting on our Etsy shop, which I hope will be up and running in a few days. I've been contemplating this for quite some time now, but as Etsy has really grown into the handmade marketplace, I've decided it's the right time. I will let you all know when it's officially open for business! I recently visited Jamie's blog and she has some great tips for Etsy shopkeepers. I'm going to be reviewing this, thanks Jamie!

Cindy and I have also been contemplating for awhile now about what the right type of shows are for us to be participating in. It seems as though we wind up not making much of a profit after we figure in travel, hotel expense for some, supplies, food, etc. We've done quite a variety of shows over the past 2 years and have ruled out the ones we know we definitely won't do again. My good bloggy buddy Annette, has a post about a recent experience as a first time vendor at a show (check out the gorgeous earrings as well)! Our goal is to start vending at wholesale shows, which it turns out, is very expensive! So if any of you dear readers know of any great shows Cindy and I must check out, please list it in your comment :)

My Work Featured On the Runway: Boston Fashion Week!

I am back from Boston and am excited to report that some of my pieces were chosen by Keith Lissner for his runway show! If you are not familiar with Keith, he was a contestant on Bravo TV's The Fashion Show, which aired this past spring. He is a very talented designer, with some of his pieces being worn by celebrities, including Janet Jackson! His pieces were lovely, and I wish I could have gotten some good pics of his show. If only I had a better camera!

Keith liked my dangly and bold earrings, which he chose for his models. All the girls either had short hair or had their hair pulled back as to see my earrings! Above are some of the earrings Keith chose for his show. The first pair are gold-filled chandeliers with lots of citrine and peridot. The second pair are a lovely, plump Rose Quartz briolette with gold-filled chain. You can purchase them at my shop!

Emerging Trends Event: Boston Fashion Week

I'm not quite sure why I've waited until now to share this with all of you, but I'm participating in Boston Fashion Week tomorrow!! I'm super excited, nervous, stressed out, and exhausted. I've been working very hard the past 3 weeks after I found out I was going to be exhibiting my line of handcrafted jewelry. I will be a part of the Emerging Trends event, which is being held at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers. The event will enable up-and-coming designers the unique opportunity to showcase their collections to hundreds of fellow fashion enthusiasts, retailers, press, and media.

I think this is the biggest show I've ever done and I'm really hoping it goes well! I've made a lot of new pieces, many of which were firsts for me. I've worked with some unique gemstones because I really wanted my creations to stand out. Here are a few of the pieces I've created for the event. The first picture is a statement necklace made of Biwa stick pearls in a pretty silvery green shade. I've accented them with tiny green Swarovski crystals, sterling chain, and a magnetic clasp. The second picture doesn't do the lovely Mystic Blue Topaz briolettes justice. Nonetheless, I think they're gorgeous dangling from sterling leaf chandeliers. The piece above was hard to photograph. It's solar quartz, which is a very rare gemstone. It's accented by faceted green onyx on a gold-filled chain. The last piece I will share is new for me. The collage necklace is made with antique brass findings and chain. What do you think?

The HoPo Shindig

I am gracing you with two blog posts today. Call it procrastination, but I have some things I want to share with you. First is the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Grand Opening Celebration of the HodgePodgery. I wrote about this lovely shop a few weeks ago, as I am teaching jewelry classes there. Dawn and her daughter, Jessica are lovely ladies and they have lots of fun in store. Their ribbon cutting was postponed back in August, so they're super excited to finally have it tomorrow evening. If you're in Central PA, pay them a visit!

Meet Our New Puppy

Last week, to the utter delight of my daughter, we got another puppy. As you loyal readers probably know, we had to put our miniature dachshund, Andy, down a year ago this month. It's taken awhile to mourn the loss of him, and while our new puppy will never replace him, we felt it was time. Now, I had forgotten about the crying in the middle of the night, the biting on everything, and the "accidents". Truly I don't remember Andy keeping us up at night, but I have to say that before I had Chloe, I was a pretty sound sleeper. Not only does Chloe frequently get up in the middle of the night, but now so does the puppy. The lack of sleep is starting to get to me!

Now I'm sure you're wondering what we named the puppy. Andy had gotten a nickname because of all his peeing in the house. Not quite sure how or why, but we started calling him Weber, as in Potsy Weber. Chloe insisted we name the puppy Weber, and since she has taken the loss of Andy so hard, I obliged. It's kind of weird to have a puppy that looks almost identical to our old dog, and walking around yelling Weber. Nonetheless, we are very happy to have him in our lives. I can't say the same about our cat, though!

My First Jewelry Class

I will be teaching my first jewelry class Friday at the Hodge Podgery in Harrisburg. This lovely shop is owned by mother and daughter, Dawn and Jessica. The Hodge Podgery is dedicated to promoting the independant arts & crafts movement in PA. Described as "A Consignment Shop and Studio for Recycled, Repurposed Arts and Crafts in Midtown Harrisburg." I am very excited for my "BYOB Jewelry Classes". This week we are going over the basics and making a pretty brass and crystal pearl necklace and lucite leaf earrings. What a great way to spend a night out with friends!

Back To School

The past few weeks have been quite a whirlwind! My family and I had a wonderful, if not painfully hot, trip to Disney World. Right before we left, I had a weekend show in MD which had been planned before my vacation. Upon return home from Disney, I had 5 days to get my house back in order and get my little girl ready to start pre-school. Chloe had 4 days of school last week and it was quite bittersweet to see her go. Thankfully for both of us, she goes for 3 hours in the morning. It is a nice little break, but I can't help but be a little sad at how big my baby is getting. It's been quite a journey and I'm so blessed to have her as my daughter.

Of course I'm not the only one getting their little ones ready for the start of the school year. I see Melanie over at Bags by Melanie is just as crazy as I am! While she's getting her son ready for school (poor little guy has a broken wrist), she's also working on orders. I have to say I've been blessed with two custom orders this past week! She's also working on a Christmas tree skirt for her mom. Can't wait to see it once it's done!

Carol of Shwanda has a blended family with 5 kids at 5 different schools! Wow, I can't even imagine! Carol has some great posts that deal with her life, one of which I'm going to be sharing with a family member who has just gone through a divorce. Shelley from I'm Still Standing has a wonderful blog about her life, which includes her lovely daughter who is disabled. She's also getting into the swing of things in getting her kids back to school.

The picture above is of one of my new pieces. It's so perfect for fall, with a deep wooden pendant, that's accented with a cascade of olive jade. It's all done on a natural brass chain and is long enough to wear over your heavier tops.

Hello Bluebird Grand Opening

I was fortunate enough to meet Alex McCarty through Twitter and am very excited for her shop to open this Thursday! Hello Bluebird is a brick and mortar store in West Reading, PA that specializes in promoting the indie craft movement. I am so blessed to have some of my jewelry in the shop, some of which sold already!! If you are in the area, please join us for a fun-filled night.

Down By the Bay

I mentioned I have a show this weekend. I will be at the 46th Annual Havre de Grace Arts Show in Maryland. It is held at Tydings Memorial Park and overlooks the Chesapeake Bay. This is my first time doing the show and I hope it goes well. Here are a few new pieces I'll be showing this weekend!

Home Sweet Home

This week I've been home a lot. Not only do I have a 2 day show this weekend, which I'll post about tomorrow, but my family leaves for Disney World on Tuesday!! Needless to say, I'm prepping for both. Making jewelry, working on orders, and making sure everything is caught up in my home for when I come back Sunday night. Monday will be spent packing for myself and little Chloe.

My home is nothing large. It's certainly not my dream home by any means. I make jewelry at the kitchen table for goodness sakes! Ah, to have my own studio! Brittany from The Greer 5 just had a post about her dream home. I'm hoping to move into mine one day soon. Speaking of being home, Theresa from over at TiLT Creations is home (and back sewing) from a nice family vacation. Take a look at her great pics!

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of winning this dachshund print from ChloeJessica. Jessica was sweet enough to send a bonus print, the one I picked as my fave in her giveaway. I just love them! Ever since my doxie passed away last year, my home hasn't been the same. They will brighten things up a bit around here. Check out her blog for some cute pics of Chloe the doxie and some new items she's working on!

Classy Closet Blog Swap: Guest Post By Kim

I joined the Classy Closet Blog Swap, and here is the guest post from Kim of Mission-Mommy. Enjoy!

I'm pleased to be participating in the Classy Closet Blog Hop with Michelle. I'll be taking over this blog for now, so bare with us! :)

I'm Kimberly, a stay home married mom with 3 children: Caleb-age 6, DJ-age 5, and Allison-age 2. I'm not your typical mother, and if you have a minute, I'll tell about what my life has been like since having my first child, Caleb, when I was just shy of 15.

I grew up in a close, loving family. My parents were always very loving and supportive. I also had a great extended family who helped in rearing me. I was an honor roll student who never got into any trouble.Then, when I went from elementary school to middle school, I went through a rebellious phase. I never got into drugs or drinking, but my closest friends had already had sex, and naturally I wanted to see what that was like, and also I didn't want to be the known as the last one left. I realize as I've gotten older how stupid I was at the time, but what happened then changed my life for the better.When I had sex for the first time, I never imagined that I would get pregnant! What teen does? When I first realized what was going on, my period was very regular, so I just knew it. I was scared, ashamed,worried. I couldn't tell my parents! I actually went 2 months hiding this from my family, until a friend told a nurse at my school, who naturally told my mother.My mom was heart-broken. To say the least, I was embarressed that I had gotten myself into that situation in the first place. I had contemplated getting an abortion, but my mom found out before the event could happen, which now I'm glad I never went through with that. She's strongly against it. I am now as well. I feel you should never opt for an abortion in any situation, please choose adotion if youfeel you can not handle being a parent.Pregnancy as a teenager is not fun. You stand out, everyone is talking about you, and you feel everyoneis making fun of you. More than likely they are. It's hard on your body, mind, family, and school life. It's not easy, and it's not even the hardest part of your journey in motherhood.To speed my story along, I went through my pregnancy, with complications, and had a beautiful 8.7 oz.baby boy. My family helped me tremendously while I was attending school. I never went out with friends,which was hard at times. I wanted to be the mom to my son, not just a birth mother, so to speak.I graduated two years early at 16. I wanted to enjoy the special moments with my son, and thankfully,my mom actually pushed me to. She had to work and my grandmother took care of mewhile she was at work. I had two other children, thanks to my bad experiences with several birth control methods. I was a singlemom up until 2008, when I married the man who gave me my oldest child. We've been married a little over a year now. I've started a blog this year, Mission-Mommy.com. I first started as a frugal gal, which naturally as a newlywedcouple with 3 young kids we have to be, but have grown into working with well known brands and companies to offer innovative products to my readers. It's fun, exciting, and gives me something other than endlesshours of pretend play, which I love, but every mom needs a little bit of time enjoying what they like to do for themselves. I stumbled into blogging, and it's where I'm staying until I eventually return to college to finish my teaching degree.

Kimberly

http://www.mission-mommy.com

Christmas In July

Well, it's the end of July already (where has the summer gone)? A lot of people are starting to think about the holidays with all the great Christmas in July sales that are going on. I came across this lovely ornament from Gretchen of Chichiboulie and just had to share. I just love snowmen, and Christmas is about my favorite holiday. Gretchen is a very talented designer and illustrator who lives in France. She's also the mommy to 3 little ones. You must check out Gretchen's blog for some great art and fun goings on!

Speaking of the holidays, how incredible would this necklace be for all those special occassions?! Hilary Johnson is a very talented jewelry artist whom I've been acquainted with for some time. She is also very knowledgeable about social media, so pay her blog a visit for some good reads (she's also very gracious)! Tell her I sent ya!

Happy 4th Birthday Chloe!!

Where I Will Be This Weekend

If you live in or around Philadelphia, I hope you will join me this coming Saturday for the Philadelphia Designer's Market! This is their first event, but it is gaining alot of press. I'm really looking forward to being a part of it and meeting some other great, independant designers! The event is free and, in case you can't make it out, will be held at the Broad St. Ministry, 315 S. Broad St. The first 250 guests will recieve a goody bag filled with samples! The event runs from 11-6. Wish me luck :)

Time Flies...

...when you're busy! I've yet again neglected my poor blog, I'm so sorry! My little girl is just recovering from her stint with the chicken pox. I hated seeing her so itchy and uncomfortable! I've also been busy on the business front. I have been working with two ladies whom I've met on Twitter (love it!) who are both in the process of opening shops. I'm happy to report that I will be supplying both of them with some of my handcrafted jewelry! I'm so excited for the shops to open. I also have a show next weekend, so I've been busy working on new creations.

This week I will be featuring two of my fellow Creative bloggers, both of which I'm particularly fond of. Kelly of Macaroni and Glue is a very talented lady. I admire her ability to be a mom to a little girl, design pretty stationery, and run a beautiful blog. I fell in love with these pretty bird thank you cards. I have been wanting to find something a little more personal to include with my orders. With a few tweaks in color, I think this may be it!

Susy of Earth Expressions creates graphic pendants and other pieces of jewelry. I featured one of Susy's pendants in a Gift article that was featured last year. I particularly love this one of a kind bird pendant. The birdie is seen protecting her nest. This would be so sweet for a mom, or any bird lover. Susy also has some great rings that are perfect for summer!

Just In Time For Summer

This week's Creative Bloggers are very talented in their respective crafts. While I'm not much for the heat that summertime brings, I do love the 4th of July. The holiday reminds me of how fortunate I am to live in America and have the freedoms I do. I also like the picnicing and the fireworks! This collection by Kim of The Polka Dot Press is perfect for this time of year. Combining patriotic symbols and beautiful dragonflies, these notecards and notepads scream summer!

I've been acquainted with Megan of Casto Creations for some time through social networking. I was thrilled when she joined us, and even more thrilled when I saw these earrings! Beautiful Mother Of Pearl starfish are wire wrapped with silver wire to highlight these glorious beads. My favorite thing about summer is the chance to go the beach, and these earrings remind me of a perfect vacation!

Creativity

I've been busy working this week on some new designs. I picked up some great gemstones, brass, and lucite that I hope will go over well at my shows this summer. I was able to sit down and turn out pieces I am thrilled with, but that isn't always the case. As fellow jewelry designer Teri of S&T Creations shared on her blog, " whenever sales slow down, motivation tends to slip a bit too. And whenever things get slow, for whatever reason, my creative side tends to go on vacation, I think." I can really relate to that. I find if I have nothing great going on with my business, I find less motivation to sit and create. If people aren't buying, why create more? I'm glad I was able to overcome that this week as I look forward to Art on the Avenue next Saturday. I think Teri has overcome that as well. Just look at this stunning piece:



On another creative note, check out Sara's blog to name her new horse! She is a beauty and when you comment, you will have a chance to win either a knitted acorn or a cat scrabble tile pendant if your name is choosen. Fun!

I Want These!

This week's featured Creative Bloggers are two more very talented ladies. This amazing cuff is totally handwoven using the single peyote stitch. Amber Leilani-Middleton is the talented jewelry designer behind this piece. I cannot even imagine the time it must take to create, but I just love the color combination and the boldness of it! Have a look at Amber's blog for some insight behind her design.

If you're a reader of my blog, you know I love cats. Coco is a talented stained glass artist, and I just fell in love with this pretty gray kitty! Each piece of glass is handcut and copper foil is applied to the edges before it's soldered together. The kitty is then put on a copper base. It would be so pretty sitting on a table where the sun could reflect through it! Check out Coco's blog for some more great reads!

What's Your Struggle?

For me I find that I struggle almost every day. I struggle to be a mom, wife, friend, entrepreneur, artist, and writer. With my soon to be 4 yr old daughter at home with me full time, I struggle to find ways to entertain her. She doesn't like to play alone very long, never has. The child has more toys, coloring books, and mind occupiers, but most sit to collect dust. Getting her out the door to go anywhere, fun or not, is also a struggle. So this leads me to letting her watch cartoons and movies so I can try to accomplish anything. I feel bad. I attempt to play, take her outside, and plan the occasional day out, but ultimately, this is her favorite pasttime. I therefore struggle with guilt about that.

The responsibility of all household chores seems to fall on me. So while the little one is wrapped up in Cindrella or Snow White, I clean, cook, do laundry, all the fun things I so enjoy. When my husband returns in the evening, he is often here, there, and everywhere without much question from the girlie. However, if I happen to leave her sight for too long, there is a sudden whining and sense of urgency that I return to her side. Heaven forbid I have to do a show or try to have an evening out with friends. I have never been made to feel so guilty in my entire life! After all, can't daddy put her to bed a or entertain her a few times a month?

With all of this struggle, what I really love to do falls to the bottom of the list. I find that I rarely have time to sit and create. It's next to impossible to do this while girlie is awake, because as any artist knows, it takes time for things to flow. Just when I start on a piece, she needs this or needs that. Even when daddy is home, she always needs me. I realize that comes with the territory of being a full- time, stay at home mom, but at the end of the day, it leaves me feeling depressed. I so want more time to create and to write, which is why I fail to do more than one blog post in a week. I so want to do more!

I did manage to create a few new pieces, which I hope to get onto my site within the next few days. The one pictured above is a bracelet with a large turquoise nugget in the center. It's flanked by two strands of Vintaj brass chain and accented with glass beads, and a Wish charm. Because I wish for less struggling! So my dear readers, I'd love to know (so I don't feel so bad), what is your struggle?

Meet Some Fellow Creative Bloggers!

I have had the opportunity to meet some amazing and gifted artists through my blogging group. This week I will introduce you to two of them, both talented in their respective fields.

First up is Carol of The Blue Cat. This adorable and funny painting is just one of many feline artworks. The piece reminds me of one of my parent's cats who likes to lay on the table. I was drawn to this painting because it features two of my favorite things: cats and coffee! Carol has been such a supporter of Creative Bloggers and I thank her for that!

Sayo of SaruStar Jewelry specializes in unique and eye-catching jewelry. I just love this pyrite ring, probably because I love bold pieces. I can just imagine how it sparkles. Visit her blog for more great info!

A Positive Review!

I just wanted to share with you a really fantastic review done on my Eternal Dragonfly earrings (pictured above). Fiona of the Bantering Blonde was recently sent a pair and this is what she had to say about them. Thanks so much!

They Say It's Your Birthday

Alright, I know that's a bit corny. Today is my birthday though, Happy Birthday to me! I have been busy working on new jewelry, some of which will make it to the site. I have lots of shows coming up, the first is next month at the Art on the Avenue in West Reading.

I mentioned in my last post that I have some exciting things in the works. Well, my jewelry is going to be carried in 2 more boutiques! I am very thrilled and so glad to know people really like my pieces!

I have two talented artists to share with you this week. The first is Andrew of ChainmaillebyMBOI. I have the utmost respect for artists that do chainmaille work. It seems complicated and very time consuming, which is a little more than I can handle with a busy toddler. The result is beautiful though!Secondly is Jenny of Creature of Craft. A talented beadweaver, just take a look at this piece..AMAZING!! Again, I can't even imagine the time it took to make this necklace. I'm so happy with talented artists that have joined my little blogging group. We're all about paying it forward!

I'm off to hopefully do something fun today. My soon to be 4 year old doesn't want me to have a birthday. What's up with that??!!

Elegance of Emerald

I've had a really hectic few weeks and have missed my blogging. I have a few exciting things in the works, which I will share with you soon! Since my birthday is this month, next week actually, I wanted to share a gorgeous necklace I found created with emeralds. It's just stunning, isn't it?! Handcrafted from sterling silver, Prasiolite, Emeralds, Quartz, Cubic Zirconia, Swarovski crystals, and Pearls. Wow! Visit Marie-Michelle's shop for more beauties!

A Pop Of Color

Here in PA we had a bit of a heat wave this past week. Summer always makes me think of bright, bold colors. This print from Angelshair certainly fits the bill. Colorful flowers and butterflies are some of my favorite things!

These earrings scream summer don't they? Vibrant green, yellow, orange, pink and blue Swarovski crystals are hand wrapped onto Sterling silver chandeliers. Fun and funky! Be sure to stop by my site for 15% off now until May 10!

Meet The Talented Annette Piper

If you're a regular reader of my blog, than you are quite familiar with Annette Piper Dip.Gem. Handcrafted Jewelry. Annette is a gemologist who worked in jewelry trade back in the '80's. I interviewed Annette last summer for my blog and featured some of her gorgeous gemstone jewelry. Her goal is to create timeless, elegant, and affordable jewelry while highlighting the beauty of the natural stone. Earlier this year, Annette and I started CreativeBloggers, which is a blog ring type site where we try to promote our blogs and others' at the same time. It's really fun and you get to meet some great new people!



Have a look at one of Annette's latest bracelets, just in time for the warmer weather. Isn't it stunning? Rose Quartz, Peridot, Amethyst, Pearls, and Silver make up this handcrafted piece. Annette finishes up the Limited Edition design with butterfly, flower, and dragonfly charms. What better way to say spring?!

What's Your Inspiration?

Inspiration comes from many places. For me, I'm often inspired by the beads themselves. The necklace pictured above is the perfect example. I found these gorgeous, large olive jade rectangle beads at a shop in Philly. I didn't know what I was going to do with them, but since I LOVE this shade of green and knew they were one of a kind, I bought them. Since I try to keep my pieces affordable, and the beads were pricey, I knew I wanted to use them combined with something else. When I saw this carved Olive Jade flower pendant online, I felt I was onto something. I thought the color would combine well with the natural brass chain and that's how I designed the Jaded necklace. There's only 1 left, so if you'd like it, pick it up!

The second week of the HiP blog challenge is here and that brings me to my question for YOU..What Inspires You? You've heard what inspires me, and I would love to know what your inspiration is for the things you create. I can't wait to read your answers!

A Few Good Challenges

When I started this blog, I didn't have a real goal in mind. It seemed everyone who was anyone was blogging, and I thought I better join in. At first, I didn't "blog" too much, after all, what's so exciting with my life I thought. Over the past 2 years, though, I've joined some great social networking groups and met some talented people, and it gave me inspiration for my own blog.

Just recently I found a Fabulous network for me, called Handmade in PA. Of course, I'm from PA, so I found this to be truly helpful. The creator, Tara, has recently started a Blog challenge which I just took part in. It's for the whole month of April and it's filled with some great tips, like writing a Mission Statement. I never really thought to do that, but read what I felt was my goal for the blog in the About Us section.

Another great challenge I found through Heather's Ramblings is The Stone Soup Challenge. We all know times are tough right now and the goal of this is to have no more starving artists. If we all band together and support each other as artists, than we can all make out. Just click on the link above to read more about it and see who else is joining me in the challenge!

How About a Giveaway?!

Just in time for the upcoming warmer weather, I am giving away one of my new wooden rings! Of course, they are perfect to wear any time of the year, but how cute would they be with a lovely summer dress or shorts and a tee? Want to know how to enter? Visit Elizabeth at A Nut in A Nutshell to enter. You'll also find a special just for the month of April (just in time for Mother' Day)! While you're there, have a look around. She has a wonderful little blog!

Something else perfect for summer is this cute little Card Wallet. I love the print! I think I may need to have this so I always know where my business cards are!

Prettiness for Spring

Isn't this a gorgeous piece? Lori Anderson is the very talented jewelry designer who put this together. Just in time for spring. I recently visited Lori's blog and learned she was hard at work already on Spring craft shows. I've yet to do another since the Shecky's showin February, but I must get going on that! I also sympathized with Lori as she talked of her struggles with migraine headaches. They are the worst!! If you've never experienced one, be glad! I've suffered with them for over 10 years, but during my last trimester of pregnancy I had them almost EVERY day! It was a bit difficult to work during those times.

Be sure to check out Lori's site for some beautiful designs, including a section on Pet Adoption jewelry, which I just thought was so unique! I've never seen anyone else design with the paw print ribbons that I use in my Bracelet for Simon. Check out what she's done with them. Great work Lori!

Ultimate Blog Party & Special Discount!

Welcome to my little part of the blogging world! I am so glad you joined! If you are a new visitor, my name is Michelle Harvey and I am a mommy to 3 1/2 year old Chloe. I have a handcrafted jewelry company, Michabella Creations, where I create unique, limited edition, elegant, and fun pieces! My blog is about my crazy life of being a WAHM and I also feature other independant artists, and talk about things that are important to me! I'm really enjoying meeting new moms and to show my appreciation for visiting me, I am offering a special discount on all my jewelry for the duration of the party! Just enter code "UBP" at checkout to receive and extra 25% off your purchase! I would love it if you followed me here on my blog or on twitter to learn more about my daily goings on.

Another Published Article!

Just a quick little post to let you know my article entitled "Going Green..For St. Patrick's Day" was published by the Chicago Sun-Times! It was originally posted at Beautiful!Fabulous! where I am a contributing jewelry writer. I'm very excited to have 2 published articles under my belt!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

March 17 is here again and time for some good old Irish traditions. Okay, some I'm only part Irish, but I love it all the same. My Irish Soda Bread is in the oven and my Corned Beef & Cabbage is in the crockpot. I wish you all a Happy St. Patick's Day!

Before you go, stop by and visit TiLT Creations. She is a SAHM also and makes some pretty great bags and accessories. She also includes some great recipes on her blog!

A Good Thing For the Animals

Animals have also been very dear to me. As a child I wanted to become a veternarian to help all the animals I could. We got our first cat when I was 14 and now my parents have 7! My kitty is 11 and as many of you know, my beloved dog passed away in Sept. I have belonged to many animal organizations over the years and I work closely with a local SPCA to supply them with my Bracelet for Simon.

I have recently become acquainted with Romeo and his friends. Just look at this face:

Romeo, and his owners, have joined forces with other anipals to raise money for homeless animals. I encourage you to check out the $1 FURPOWER Donation Challenge. It's a great way for us to help animals without, as Romeo puts it, "breaking our mousy banks"! I made my donation, will you help as well? The animals thank you!