And a drum roll please.....

With the new task at hand, it seems I am always up to my elbows in Shea Butter or Cocoa Butter. I have found so many new and different views on how it is to be used, and how it affects the body, mind, etc. I have not come to any definite conclusions myself other than it has a strange smell that seems to disappear once rubbed into your skin. And it offers moisturizing like you wouldn't believe. Its like Magic!

With the new line of body products is emerging, I have spent far too much time in the kitchen, which I now refer to as the "Chemistry Lab" and too little in the office working on jewelry. But it never ceases to amaze me that when those huge Fire Mountain Gems catalogs come in the mail, I am right there checking out the new shiny things!

I have been having far too much fun with the scents and fragrances and flavors that I have been purchasing for the lip balms, salt scrubs and body butters. And I thought it would be fun to get some different perspectives on what you like. For the next week or two I would love for you to leave a comment with the favorite fragrances or flavors you like. Kind of a poll if you will. I have found that if you ask a friend, they will offer an honest answer.

Don't forget to check out the store and find some great deals on the new products, or just stop by and say hi. I would love to hear from you :)

So with a flick of the wrist, and a drum roll please...................................

My favorite fragrance is vanilla. It is warm, inviting, and sweet. What's yours?

And now a word from our Sponsor.....

Welcome to Plum Valley Designs!

Just a few photos this week of the new items going into the stores today. Be sure to visit Plum Valley Designs to see where we are going to be next. This is a busy time of year for us, and we are all over the place. The etsy store and the artfire store are just full of great new items that have been added over the past few weeks, so be sure to check them out too!

If you mention that you have been here to check out the blog, I will offer a 20% discount on any purchase! Just simply purchase the item at regular price, then I will refund the 20% as soon as I process the order.

A day to rest....

I have been all over the state of Oregon the past week! No, I have not been to shows or events, but even bigger! I have been on my daughters 5th grade field trips!

It seems as the year winds down, the field trips get more abundant! Last week we drove to Portland Oregon to spend the night at OMSI. It is a wonderful science museum that has so many great things to offer for kids and adults. The kids got to explore the museum, watch a show in the planetarium and watch a movie in the OmniMax theater. This is a huge theater that the best part, well one of the best parts!
Then less than week later we were off to the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. So worth the 2 1/2 hour drive (on the bus with the 5th graders I might add)! There were such beautiful displays of artwork by the early Native Americans of this area. It so inspired me to want to make something! And so I mastered the spiral stitch on the bus no less!

Thinking that this was my day to rest, I realized we have a band concert this evening for my older two children. But I just had to get back into the swing being that it is "Marketing Monday" for me. I have a couple of things I wanted to share that I have been working on. They will be listed in my Artifre store today, as well as Etsy. Hopefully by Wednesday they will be in Silkfair and 1000 Markets too! Yes, I have many online stores to visit, but not everything is out yet. I just seem to keep getting caught up in those field trips!.... Maybe I should say Thursday, we have a 6th grade field trip on Wednesday! :)

Butterfly Garden Earrings are a fun pair of earrings, with rose colored ab Swarovski crystals dancing below an inquisitive butterfly. The butterfly has a light green shimmery tint to it's wings that catch the sunlight just so. Just above the butterfly is another crystal that seems to catch her attention. These are just so springy and fun I just had to get them out there. You can find them here.


The "be still my heart" Necklace is a lovely piece that inspires romance with it's vintage style. A shorter necklace, 16", has a captivating filigree antique bronze heart and three small Swarovski pearls dangling lightly behind or in front of it, as if they were children playing hide and seek. You must check them out here.




There is also "A Fairy's love" earrings. These were so fun to put together. I have attempted the "Banana Bobian" style and added my own flair. These dainty fairy's have a light green shimmer to their wings. They look as they are shining so brightly with the Swarovski crystals behind them. There is a rouge color to the rose earrings just above the fairy and a single crystal that is wire wrapped above the fairy. She is gently rests atop two heart shaped filigree pieces that have been combined to accentuate her glorious backdrop. View her and more great items here.

So with two more field trips this week and next, I will be sure to get something done on the bus to show you all next week!

New Geo Bangle Bracelet

Today on ArtFire and Etsy, I have posted a new item. I had a lot of fun with this bracelet because it is not something I would normally make. But, I feel it important to step outside your safety boundaries to create and invent something different. That is what makes me, a custom jewelry designer.

So with creativity at hand, and a lot of beads in front of me I started off on this little adventure! I had to use these lampwork beads I had stashed from awhile ago because the squares intrigued me. I was not sure what to pair them with at first, but it seemed the only choice as I came across my gold chain stash. I thought of the age old saying "You can't fit a square peg into a round hole...." and thought Yes I can!

Without further ado, I started wrapping the square lampwork beads and gettting them prepared for thier journey into the unknown. But I just had to add a few more squares of something to make it sparkle. About a week ago I came across some Olivine Swarovski componets on the Fire Mountain Gems website and I just fell in love with them. Of course they mysteriously showed up on my doorstep two days later! The olivine color is such a great color. It reminds me of all these lush green Pine and Cedar trees that surround me. I just wish I could capture the sparkle of the crystals in the pictures. Then for the final piece I found a few random stardust beads without a home and gave them purpose.

Finally, a very simple and understated, but great bangle was born. This is the type of bracelet that can be worn with a sweater and a pair of jeans, or that little black dress for a night out on the town. There are not a lot of bangles hanging off it so it does not feel like you have 20 lbs attached to your wrist, thats next week! You should stop by and check out the "Spring Sale" and receive 20% everything in my shop!

I should also mention that I did get other pieces done this weekend as well, but have not posted them yet. It was a great weekend for getting some bracelets done. They are quick and easy so I can keep up with the kids and husband over the weekends! Not to mention nurse a sunburn.... Yes, I was working on my beads outside in that beautiful sunshine we had! :)

Come by and leave me your feedback, say hi, let me know what you think. And thanks for stopping in!

New Giveaways this month

As I frequent the blogs, I come across some pretty great give away's. First up that I have seen is a "creepy" giveaway. DLynne Artdolls is giving away a Creepy Skeleton sculpture. It is part of her new line of sculptures. She also has some beautiful fairy sculptures in her shop.

The second give away I have found is NiftyKnits is showing off her talents, and they are quite good, by offering a delightful meekrat. She also has a bunch of other neat items in her etsy shop.

On Marion's Dream Works, a contest for winning a lovely chainmaille piece is going on through Etsy. there is only a couple of days left to vote, so get over there and vote!

I do have to say, that I have found a lot of these links on Baroness Bijoutery's blog page. She has a great page that always has something new! Thanks!

With all the great giveaways I have seen, I was thinking of starting one myself. And there are more out there just waiting to be found! Check back often to see what will be on the great giveaway list next!