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!