hawleywood tales

Hello

2012-02-10T09:17:00.000-08:00

Is it me you're looking for? I can see it in your eyes. I can see it in your smile.

Just kidding I'm not Lionel Richie. It's me! I'm back from blogging hiatus, which is good, because I have A LOT going on.

I'm still in the PhD program at USC, taking 2 classes each term. I made straight As last semester. Seriously. I will post my grade report not only to prove to internet people that I really did, but because I MADE STRAIGHT A'S PEOPLE.

I got a new job. Yay! I love it so far. It's much less stress than the Ydub since I'm working on educational initiatives from a community level rather than providing direct services. I also get to wear cute clothes to work every day and not worry about getting vomit, poop, snot, drool, or any other bodily fluid on them! (If you're just tuning in, I used to work with children ages birth-5 years old, and there is a lot of contact with bodily fluids during those ages. A. Lot.)

I opened a tee-tiny little store with one of my good friends. It's called Magpie and it's freaking adorable. Click here to go to our Facebook page so you can see pictures of our little 10x10 space where we have so much fun decorating, designing, creating, and playing. We rent the space from Shinola Antiques, which is an amazing, eclectic, and crazy antique store with an owner and manager who love mid-century furniture and all things funky, macabre, and just plain weird. Click here to go to their Facebook page. Even if you don't live in the area, you should still like their page so you can see the Freaky Toy of the Day!! I only work there on Saturdays, since I have a day job, but that's the most fun day to be there anyway!

I just found out (last night at 11:00, and then I couldn't sleep for shit!) that I was chosen to be a 2012 ModCloth Style Ambassador! W00T! If you don't know what ModCloth is, we just can't be friends. Go there now and educate thyself on the fashions therein. I'm not 100% sure exactly what I'll be doing, but I'm sure it will be awesome.

I also just turned 29. I thought I would feel old and decrepit, but I don't. Well, not really. I did realize that it has been almost seven years since I graduated from college and I might have had some heart palpitations as a result, but I've mostly recovered. By the time my parents were this age they had a house, two cars, and ME. Nick and I have one car, six cats, and a guinea pig. Times sure have changed!

My sister got married last year. It was GORGEOUS. The wedding ceremony was in the Rose Garden at Furman (our alma mater), and was just for family and close friends. It was so beautiful and sweet. The reception was much larger, and was held at this great old house in Greenville (that was a funeral parlor for a while...just sayin'). It was beautiful (thanks in no small part to my amazing design sensibilities and general craft-abilities), and I got way drunker than I did at my own wedding, which is always fun.

I think that's all the big life changes that have happened since I blogged last (April 2011? WTF me?). Holler.

Also, this

2011-04-24T11:53:00.000-07:00

F-ing hilarious. Thank you, Cinched at the Waist.

Some craziness;

2011-04-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

So, I got accepted to a PhD program. Insanity, yes. I start this fall. I'm still in disbelief that I actually got accepted. I had the most terrible interview of my entire life. Seriously, it was bad. I got flustered, and my face turned bright red, I started sweating, and stuttered through all of my answers. SO AWKWARD. There were five professors staring me down, so if I wasn't nervous to begin with, the sight of all those eyes on me kicked it up a notch. Lucky for me, it appears they saw something that they wanted to cultivate in their program, so there it is. Yay me.

I haven't been making jewelry as much lately. I just don't feel very inspired right now. I love having my jewelry in local stores, but being required to make things in order to keep up stock kind of kills my creativity a little bit. Hmph. I've also been busy making stuff for my sister's wedding. SO EXCITED about that!! But not excited about having lots of pictures taken. Still haven't lost any weight or started exercising (cue sad horn). Again, I'm just feeling unmotivated right now...not really sure why. I think I've just had so much going on at work that all I want to do when I get home is stare at the TV/read blogs. Hopefully I'll find some motivation here somewhere--maybe it's hiding under the bed.

Holleration

RIP Lina

2011-01-14T17:39:00.000-08:00

My cat died. She stopped eating for no apparent reason and then died. Nick found her under the bed today. I don't want to talk about it. Just want to cry about it and be miserable for a while. I got her right before I graduated from college, and she was the best cat ever. She slept on my pillow every night, and liked only me. She had velvety black fur and green eyes. This is a lame picture but it's the only one I could find quickly since I installed our new hard drive:


The best cat that ever lived.

I love and miss you, kitten boo bear.

Inspired by Liz...the evolution of Notorious F.A.T.

2010-12-04T22:22:00.000-08:00

So my friend Liz (who is awesome, btw, and you should definitely read her blog, Splendid Minta) just posted pics of herself on her blog. Not just any pics though, pics of herself slowly changing over the past few years. Her hope is that the pics of her will inspire her to start living healthier. Go here to read it.

Being totally unoriginal, I pretty much decided to copy her idea and do the same thing here, because (REAL TALK) I am fat. Seriously. Not chubby or plump, just straight up FAT. Now, I'm not one of those people who just suddenly got fat; I was a fat kid, a fat teenager, and a fat college student. Right after I graduated, I got my heart stomped on and my soul shat upon by a guy, and decided that I would make him sorry by getting skinny (how that made him sorry I'm not sure, but somehow in my constant post-college drunken stupor, I thought this was a GREAT IDEA). Long story short, it worked, in that I got skinny-ish. (Not in an unhealthy way, I just ran 3 or so miles every single day.) Skinny enough for me to feel super-hot and totally awesome. (The guy did feel sorry, and like a total piece of shit - which he sort of was - but not because I got skinny. More because I would get drunk and call him and scream at him like a psycho or send him threatening emails/IMs. Seriously. Don't you want to be friends with me now?)

Side note:

Who WOULDN'T want to be friends with/date me? HELLO, I'm wearing a "Fuck Me I'm Irish" t-shirt! If that doesn't scream class and sophistication then I don't know what does.

Anyway, during the time that I was skinny I went on more dates than I ever had in my entire life (seeing as I dated the same guy from the summer before freshman year to February of senior year that sort of makes sense, but I digress...), and I pretty much felt super-awesome about myself. During this time, I met Nick, fell in love, and eventually got married. But before we got married, we moved in together, and I started getting fat again. Slowly. Then, the year before our wedding I started getting fatter faster. I thought after the wedding/grad school/job stress was over I'd start losing weight again. WRONG. I kept getting fatter, and now I'm the biggest I've ever been, have a permanent double-chin, and I wear dresses every day because none of my pants fit. Literally. Not one pair. Zero.

I don't feel bad, per se, but I definitely don't feel great. Like, I could walk up a flight of stairs and have to catch my breath. Sad, seeing as I'm only 27. Plus, Type II Diabetes runs in my family, so I am setting myself up for some serious health problems if I don't get my shit together and get healthy. Here's my problem: I love to eat. I love to eat bad, fried, artery-clogging, delicious Southern food. And pasta. And pizza. And cake. God, I love cake. And Krispy Kreme doughnuts. I don't eat those things all the time, but I shouldn't eat them ever, at least until I get my weight under control again.

My other problem is that I've grown to hate exercising. HATE. I would rather roll across hot coals naked than go for a run. I would rather sleep on a bed of nails than get on the exercise bike on our porch. For reals. I wouldn't mind walking around our neighborhood, at least to get started, but there are all these seriously WASP-y, skinny ass bitches that power walk around the 'hood like it's going out of style, and I really don't so much enjoy huffing and puffing my fat ass around with them stalking the streets like a bunch of anorexic lab rats running in a maze. Plus, I am super pale and have curly hair, so when I exert myself my hair becomes even more of a frizzy afro and my face gets beet red. As much as I do enjoy looking like Bozo the fucking clown, it is just simply not a good time.

So how did I ever get to the point of running every single day and actually enjoying it? College. Seriously. I had HES (it's like PE) my senior year, so I had to workout at least every other day or risk failing, and really, how much of a fuck-up do you have to be to fail gym class? So I started there, and then one of my friends thought it would be a great idea for me to join the club lacrosse team. I'm not kidding. They needed more people and my friend swore to me that I didn't have to be athletically-inclined or anything, just as long as I was a warm body. That I was. So, in joining the lacrosse team I started going to practice a few days a week, joining in on a couple of team runs, and spazzing out during scrimmages and games on the regular. And I do mean spazzing out. I'll save those stories for another post.

So anyway, after I graduated, I was already in the habit of exercising most days, and I moved in with two of my college friends whose evenings were spent playing WoW (World of Warcraft - Google it) on the couch and watching whatever was on TV. I am not a video/computer game enthusiast, so I did not partake of the WoW fun, and they didn't really talk while they were WoW-ing (is that a word?), so I would get pretty bored after work. I started jogging a little in the neighborhood around our apartment complex, and found that it really made me feel good. Plus then the aforementioned guy did the soul-raping and heart-stomping, so I had yet another reason to run.

After a few weeks, I started to notice my clothes were getting looser, I was getting toned, and I had more energy. So it was all great, and I ran all the time and felt super. Until it got cold. Then I put my running shoes away until the next spring, because let's face it: I won't even go to the mailbox when the temp drops below 50 degrees, so there's pretty much no way in hell I would willingly spend time outside, breathing cold air and freezing my ass off running. The next spring, I moved in with some other friends from college. These friends' idea of fun was getting piss ass drunk pretty much every night for funsies. I don't think I need to explain why I stopped running. Or maybe I do. Let me spell it out for you: I was drunk. All the time. Well, not all the time, but most nights.

Then I met Nick, and we were super-glued together immediately. We would go out to dinner, go to movies (and eat popcorn and candy at said movies), and do other date-type things that didn't include exercising. When we moved in together, Nick cooked all the time, and I ate all the time. Thus began the slippery slope to fatness for reals.

Let's take a visual tour, shall we?

Halloween 2005 (the year I graduated from college) I was going to say something like, "Look, I was so confident I wore nothing but a leotard and fishnet tights in public!!!" but just keep scrolling.

Spring 2006 (I felt like the hotness in this Anthropologie dress, even though the size 10 (OMG) was literally falling off it was so big.)


Halloween 2006 (the fat is slowly creeping back on)

Fall 2007 (We just got engaged!) Notice the rounder face...

October 2008 (Our wedding day. Duh. I felt gorgeous in my dress, but literally a month before the wedding I had to have it let out because I had gained so much weight between since I bought it. Oops.)

March 2009 (WHOA MAMA. It was a Madonna-themed birthday party for one of my best friends from college. Notice that even at this size I was still wearing a leotard and leggings. Clearly I have no shame.)

Halloween 2009 (YIKES! Again, gold leggings and a gem sweater. NO. SHAME.)

December 2009 (EEEEEEK!!!! I saw this picture when it was posted on FB by a friend and immediately shit my pants from horror, then untagged myself ASAP. Horrifying. This is the reason I don't have any recent pics, and the reason I need to get serious about losing weight.

Help me, blog friends. Please don't let me forget this post and that I need to go from Notorious F.A.T. to Notorious H.O.T. Not only because I want to be skinny and for all my cute clothes to fit, but also because I don't want to get the diabeetus or other obesity-related diseases. Plus cankles are just so unattractive.

Peace.

I had to include this pic of me on Easter when I was 4 or 5. No, I am not wearing a wig. That is my real hair, that my mom cut herself. I am modeling my new bathing suit that the Easter Bunny brought me and wearing my hot house slippers, because I am the shit.

Some new hotness for your eyeballs

2010-11-28T16:46:00.000-08:00

Check out the red hotness in the first Etsy treasury I've ever curated! Click here and prepare to be amazed. Or not. But do it anyway.

I peed a little

2010-11-28T13:16:00.000-08:00

When I read this.

I found Bailey's blog through the rabbit hole of Google Reader recommendations, links, and other sorts of interwebs shenanigans. Anyway, I literally LOL'd when I read the above post. (Sidenote: I HATE it when people write "LOL" after everything they say. I know this is a pet peeve of tons of people, but I just wanted to get it on record that I officially hate and want to personally stop this abuse of aimspeak. That's right, peeps, I just referenced AIM (pronounced like the word, not spelled out a-i-m, unless you're a technological dinosaur, which I hope you aren't, otherwise how did you find my blog? Do you even know what a blog is? But I digress. The next time someone uses LOL when you know they are not actually LOL-ing, virtually slap them in public. Thank you.) (PS the proper pronunciation is "lull," not spelled out l-o-l, unless, again, you're one of those dinosaurs, or you just enjoy being tragically unhip. I am actually tragically unhip, but I don't enjoy it. So there.)

Cooter out.

Hi there!

2010-11-23T20:48:00.000-08:00

Just popping in to say hello, and let you know I've got a promotion in the Etsy shop for this weekend! Just use the coupon code BLACKFRIDAY10 to get 10% off your total purchase! EVEN BETTER NEWS: No more waiting for adjusted PayPal invoices, because Etsy applies the coupon for you!

Also, my logo/branding ADD has kicked in again, and I made new business cards and a new banner. Thank God VistaPrint is so freaking cheap, otherwise I'd be stuck with the same old business cards forever! Anyway, here's the new look:

New card!

New banner!

Hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving!

I love Amy Sedaris

2010-11-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

And you should, too! Check out her interview on Etsy here. She's whoring out her new book, Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People.

This pretty much sums it up:

That is all.

Pretty much the cutest thing I've seen in a while

2010-11-02T15:01:00.000-07:00

An Awesome Book of Thanks! from Dallas Clayton on Vimeo.

Pretty much the funniest thing I've ever seen

2010-10-22T20:47:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe not ever, but in a long time. You should go watch it, now.

Funny story

2010-09-16T17:48:00.000-07:00

I changed my business cards again. Before the Indie Craft Parade. But I'm so glad I did. I'm really happy with them (for now). Especially because the horizontal ones incorporate my stamp from Primele! :)

And now on to the actual Indie Craft Parade. What an amazing experience!! There was so much great art, and so many creative people! It was wonderful to meet some "blog friends" in real life, and make some sweet new friends, of course. I was thrilled to meet Bonnie from Going Home to Roost, Bonnie from Carolina Postcard, and I was lucky enough to be beside the great peeps from Canoo, and next to them the sweet Kina from Joretta, who had her adorable baby with her!

I was of course thrilled that Sally from Sew Few and Elizabeth from Yellow Elm were there--great girls with great products!

I got some AWESOME stuff, mostly traded (which I love!), but I bought a kitty catnip squid from Canoo because they're just so freaking cute. The cats have hidden it somewhere...

Check out the goods!


Awesome grid notepads from Two Over Zero

Gorgeous pillow from Going Home to Roost!

Sweet bag from lightnest (I was too busy stuffing everything in it to get a picture of it by itself!)

My booth (view as you walk in the door--I was amazingly lucky and got Booth #1, right in front of the main entrance!)

My booth (view from the aisle)

So, yeah, the Indie Craft Parade was pretty much one of the coolest things I've ever been a part of! More pics are below if you want to take a virtual tour of my favorite vendors!


Top row: Tracie Kelly Designs, canoo, and Going Home to Roost; Middle row: Joretta Natural Hand Knits, , and Illyria Pottery; Bottom row: Pretty. Simple. Things. and Finkelstein's

Seeing as it's almost a week after the Indie Craft Parade actually happened, I'm clearly late. But all that matters is how awesome it was!!! I can't wait to do it again next year!

2010-08-17T19:42:00.000-07:00

Once again, I've decided to change my business cards et al. I got this AWESOME stamp from Primele, and wanted to somehow incorporate it, but working full-time, making jewelry for the Indie Craft Parade, and making jewelry for two stores and two brides just doesn't leave me enough time to individually stamp 1,000 business cards! So I'm doing the easy thing and throwing some stuff together in Gimpshop, then sending it to VistaPrint. Here's what I'm thinking...for now:

Clearly that's the regular one. Here's the vertical one:

I'm sure I'll change my mind in five minutes and make a new one!

In other news, I am now the director of the non-profit child development center where I've been working on and off since high school!

I'm also gearing up for the Indie Craft Parade, and making lots of new pieces! I'm trying to come up with interesting ways of displaying my pieces and really making my booth stand out. I'll be in booth numero uno, which could be awesome or terrible, depending. People could be so stunned by my awesome stuff that they want to go ahead and spend money at my booth, or they could decide that they want to see what all's out there and skip me. Hmmm...not sure how that will go. Either way, I'll post lots of pictures from the ICP here after it's over.

Love and other indoor sports,

Jess

Sad face

2010-07-24T08:36:00.000-07:00

I've been a bad, bad blogger. Sorry to all 2 people who actually read this!

But the good news is....I got into the Indie Craft Parade!!! Yup, I'll be peddling my wares September 10-11 at this Etsy-sponsored event. Yay me!

I've been trolling lots of design blogs lately, and it's made me antsy to do some redecorating. I repainted the front hallway. Again. This time I'm in LOVE with the color--we used Behr Premium Plus Granite Boulder, and only needed half a gallon. I'm telling you, this paint + primer action is awesome. I think I'm going to use the rest of it to paint the front living room. As soon as we get it cleared out....whenever that happens.

Nick and I also took a trip to Ikea, where I got some things for the craft room, which I will now be calling my "studio," because it's looking so professional lately! I swear I'll post pics as soon as I finish it....but I wouldn't hold your breath if I were you! In the meantime, here's some gorgeousness from some of my new favorite blogs. Enjoy!

i suwannee

bryn alexandra

Coincidentally, both Jamie from i suwannee and Bryn from Bryn Alexandra live and work in North Carolina! Go Southern ladies! Click on their pics or links to read their blogs and enjoy the beauteousness! Happy reading!

I did it!

2010-06-03T19:08:00.000-07:00

I applied to be a participant in the Indie Craft Parade here in Greenville!!! I'll find out on or around June 28 if I'm accepted. ME = NERVOUS!!!

I already have lots of fun ideas for displays and my super-awesome friends Melissa and Chad (two amazing graphic designers who also happened to be married. To each other. Duh) are helping me revamp my branding kit! I'm so excited! Yay!

In other news, I'm currently the Interim CDC Director at the YWCA of Greenville. Again. But this time, I'm done with grad school and I am applying for the position, so hopefully I'll get it!

I don't have anything else to report. My jewelry is being sold at Talloni of Greenville, in the heart of downtown. I don't know if I've already posted that. Clearly my posting has been....spotty, at best. I'll be posting updates on branding, jewelry display ideas, and new pieces. Pinkie swear.

Out.

And I thought yesterday was a great day!

2010-04-17T20:31:00.000-07:00

Well, today was even better? Why? Because when I checked my email this morning I had a message from Cathe Holden of Just Something I Made (one of my fav blogs), saying I HAD WON a giveaway!!! And just what was that giveaway, you ask? Only the Martha Stewart Faux Bois FLOR rug that I have been coveting FOR MONTHS!!! I'm SO EXCITED!! I have to clean up the front living room so I can put it in there.

Also, I just found out about the most amazing furniture company via Young House Love. It's Custom Sofa Design, and it is UH-MAZE-ING!! The pieces are identical to Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Crate & Barrel, Room & Board, etc., but for LESS THAN HALF the price!!! Can you tell I'm excited? I'm saving up for two couches, two chairs, and an ottoman. The cost of all of them will probably equal one sofa from Pottery Barn. SRSLY. In case you're wondering (which you probably aren't), I want the Voltaire Sofa, Cameron Sofa, Metropole Chair, and Hattiras chair and ottoman. I want the Trinity Chair, too, but I'll have to find somewhere to put it first!

Anyway, enough blathering for tonight. I have to get up early and drive far ass away to my mom's church.

Holler on your dollar. Peace in the East. And in the Sudan.

Woot!

2010-04-16T20:17:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was a great day! Not only because I got to hang out with my friend Heidi and her sweet, adorable, precious twins, but also because I sold two prints and another was featured in a Treasury! Sweet

Anyway, here's a shot:

Hope everyone's having a great weekend!

I think I have logo ADD

2010-04-07T10:53:00.001-07:00

Or maybe just regular ADD... Seriously. I get bored with logos so fast! Not like I even have a logo, per se, more like a font thing. Or something. Clearly, I'm using technical terms here.
I've been messing around in Gimpshop today while thinking about designing some stickers for my packaging, and I decided I wanted to change my "logo." Because again, I have logo ADD.

Here's what the stickers look like now:Meh.

So here's what I'm thinking about:

I liked the lace thing in my "logo" at first but I'm SO OVER IT now. I'll probably hate the frame thing in six months, but for now I like it. And that's all that matters when you have the attention span of a fruit fly.

Picture it on top of a white box with a bright ribbon underneath wrapped around the top of the box. Go on, close your eyes....imagine.....

Like? Hate? Ambivalent?

I also did it in different colorways, just for funsies!

Anyway, onto the business cards. This is what they look like now:
Again, meh.

And here's what they might look like if I decide to change them:

Thoughts? I love the yellow! Again, I'm sure I'll hate it in a few months, but maybe not...

Also, I'm working on a Tiny Guide to selling on Etsy. I've had several friends who are starting up ask me for advice, and one in particular who suggested I put together a little guide and sell it. I don't think I'm going to sell it, just give it away for free on this here blog. I'm waiting on the okay from Etsy admins to include some links to their Storque posts, and once I get the yes/no from them I'll publish it here for all to have. Because I'm nice like that, obvs.

Also, I got 10% off at Urban Outfitters because I Googled and found a code! Use the code "UOUOUO" to get 10% off your purchase at checkout! CHA-CHING!! I can't wait to get my white birch branch jewelry tree!! Yes, I probably could have made something that looks similar using a branch, some scrap wood, and white spray paint. And yes, I definitely have the time to do that, but 1. We don't have an electric saw so I couldn't cut the branch or make a nice-looking base and 2. I clearly have more productive things I should be doing...which I will...as soon as I'm done with this blog post. (Lies!)

Okay, I'm done being spastic and ADD...at least on my blog. Now I'm going to go be spastic and ADD in my real life. Awesome.

O.M.Geezy

2010-03-18T09:40:00.000-07:00

I'm back from New Jersey! (In case you didn't know, I went to Jersey for 8 days with my friend Heidi and her freaking adorable twins to visit her family.) It was a nice vacay, and I got to go into Manhattan twice! It was fun, especially because I'd never been there before. Now I'm back, and the real work begins!!

I've got a deadline--10 necklaces and as many earrings as my fat little fingers can make for a party this Saturday at Talloni of Greenville, a local shoe boutique where my wares are peddled. Plus, I'm donating a necklace for a charitable silent auction (that I still have to make), have a special choir rehearsal on Saturday from 10-12, am singing for a wedding in two weeks, and still need to find a "real" job for next school year!!! Eeeeeek!!

But I guess it's a good kind of crazy--the kind where I get paid. Always nice. I'm working on some new designs that I'm really excited about and some bridal jewelry for Mia Alexander Salon & Spa. Well, I'm actually watching Celebrity Fit Club right now, so....I should probably get to work on making baubles!!

Before I go, please keep my blog friend Shan from Design Gal & Her Handyman in your thoughts--she has recently been dealing with some tough things--her grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer and now her cat Kiki has also been diagnosed with cancer. Head over and give her some blog love.

Out.

REAL TALK: I'm famous

2010-03-07T06:18:00.000-08:00

Not really, but apparently I'm front-page news in G-Vegas! I woke up this morning to a voicemail from my sweet mother-in-law, letting me know my visage was gracing the front page of the Greenville News. 1. I didn't realize it was going to run on the front page! Eeek! 2. I look a) fat and b) fat, but I guess them's the breaks!

Also, I have explosive diarrhea. I SAID REAL TALK, PEOPLE. This is what you get. So let's just say I'm not going to make it to church today. Not that they would want me there anyway; apparently there's a stomach bug going around.

Oh, here's the link to the story if you're so inclined: http://bit.ly/93CpbB

I'll be in the bathroom if anyone needs me.

Christ on a cracker

2010-03-06T11:37:00.000-08:00

Ugh.....there is a reason I don't go out anymore. It's because I'm OLD, and I can't drink like I used to. It's 2:30 in the afternoon, and I just now feel well enough to get out of bed.

One of my best friends from college and her boyfriend came down from Philly for the weekend and we went out last night. I'm dumb, and was drinking as though I had actually eaten enough food to call a meal. WRONG. It's Friday, and I'm trying to be a good Catholic, so I fasted and didn't have any meat. Add alcohol into that mix and you get one drunk ass (me). I did eat one full meal, only like an idiot it was at lunchtime. Was I thinking ahead? No. Do I regret it? YES.

We had an awesome time, and I'm so glad we went out, but I am never drinking that much again. Stupid stupid stupid.

When we got home last night, I threw up in the sink. Yes, the sink. Then I threw up again this morning. The whole bathroom smells like vomit and I can't go in there without feeling like I want to hurl.

Yes, I am 27. I am not in college anymore.

There, I said it.

I'm going to put on a gas mask and rubber gloves so I can clean the sink and then hopefully take a shower without throwing up.

Hope everyone's having a better Saturday than me!

muchas gracias!

2010-02-26T20:15:00.000-08:00

...to Bonnie of Going Home to Roost for featuring my Quiet Bird print! Click the image above to read the feature on shopping locally in my hometown, Greenville, SC.

Thanks for the love!

I'll be making lovely things all weekend for a jewelry party next week and for a local boutique (Talloni of Greenville, if you're wondering) where I've started consigning my jewelry (yay!). I will have a short break from creating because I'll be spending my Saturday afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese's for our 5-year-old niece's birthday party, then going to my mom's in NC for a quick visit before coming home to chain myself to my desk in the craft room.

I hope everyone has an AMAZING weekend!

I rocked it

2010-02-25T12:26:00.000-08:00

I'm not trying to brag, but I had a job interview today and I'm pretty sure I did AWESOME!! It's for a teaching position in Spartanburg County (about 45 minutes away). I LOVE the school's philosophy, vision, and overall essence, but I don't love the drive. On one hand, it'll be very quiet at 6:30 in the morning, when I'm driving there, but on the other, I'LL BE DRIVING THERE AT 6:30 IN THE MORNING! I know lots of people commute for their jobs, so if I get it I'll just suck it up and deal. Plus, my friend Jessica said that her mom liked teaching so far from home because it gave her time to decompress on the way home.

Honestly, if they had offered me the job today I would have taken it! There are no school jobs in Greenville County (unless you're a high school coach), so I'm just excited that I had an interview! Plus, I didn't even apply for the job--they found my application on the state website and contacted me for the interview.

I've been uber-busy making wedding jewelry for some of my friends, plus I've got a jewelry party next Wednesday and I'm now selling in a local boutique, so I've got a lot on my plate! My Etsy shops are on the back burner for right now, but I will update them after next week is over and I can breathe easy again!

I'll have pics of the bridesmaids'/bridal jewelry next week. I hope everyone is having a great Thursday afternoon!

I'm off to the craft room!

Yes it's 2:00 in the morning

2010-02-17T22:52:00.000-08:00

And yes, I'm doing fun wedding stuff for my sister! I'm excited, and I wanted to have a little show-and-tell + get some opinions. Her color scheme (as of now) is blue and yellow. I'm trying to push a little bit greener and greyer on the blue, which is why I suggested this bridesmaid's dress from J. Crew (stolen from Kate's wedding inspiration board!):

Gorgeous? Yes. The color's called Dusty Shale and I love it. I made a board for Jo's wedding but her dress is on it and I'm not sure if she wants it to be readily available on the interwebs for anyone (her fiancé) to see. Based on her color scheme, I whipped up an invitation and a save the date:
Like? Hate? LOVE? I hope she loves it!!

Good night!

The new Lonny is here!!!

2010-02-11T10:33:00.001-08:00

I know, I almost crapped my pants, too. What are you still doing here? GO READ LONNY, NOW.

OMG

2010-02-07T22:10:00.000-08:00

I am so talented!! I made an animated button for my blog!!!!SRLSYOMGWTF!!!!

That's how excited I am. Seeing as it's 1:00 am and I've been working on this since, oh, 11:00 pm, I'm happy that it's finally done!! It's too late to figure out how to do the whole "grab this button" thing, but I will figure that out tomorrow and then PRESTO you can have a sweet hawleywood animated gif!!!!!!!

I realize that I title probably 95% of my posts with some form of "OMG," but that's because I know of no other phrase that fully captures my EXCITEDNESS AND DISBELIEF when something awesome happens/I do something cool.

YOU ARE JEALOUS OF MY ANIMATED GIF DESIGNING SKILLS. ADMIT IT.

On a Granny note, she is doing fine. Her pills make her woozy, but she still feels well enough to read her "important literature," aka, the National Enquirer. She goes this Tuesday for her first IV treatment, so please keep her and the rest of my family in your thoughts and prayers.

And have a fabulous week!

Ugh

2010-02-04T18:35:00.001-08:00

I am hesitant to post about this, because I am usually very tight-lipped about personal things that are actually important and/or meaningful, but I think Shan has the right idea.

Yesterday, I found out for sure that my grandmother's breast cancer has come back. Even though she had a double radical mastectomy over 10 years ago. It's come back in her bone marrow. Luckily, the doctor says it's easily treatable with pills and intravenous treatments (not chemo, but I don't know exactly what it is). So that's good news.

In case any of you are readers of my old Myspace blog (if you're not, don't worry, you didn't miss anything), this is Crazy Granny of "greasy twigs" fame, not Grandmommie who lives in the Retirement Castle. No, my Granny is not really crazy, just...ummmm...eccentric? She researches aliens and government conspiracies and totally, 100% believes almost everything she reads on the interwebs. She has a laptop and a printer, and goes to town printing articles on how the Hopi Indians reverse-engineered alien technology to build spaceships and other things like that.

My Granny is hilarious, and lives with my mom, whom Granny calls bossy at least five times a day. I have some awesome Granny stories, too many to put here, but I need to write them down somewhere before I forget. Here's just a few reasons why my Granny is so awesome:

Granny was a teacher for a million years, and taught elementary and junior high in BFE Georgia. She was married to my Grandaddy, who was the high school guidance counselor and a WWII veteran. Every summer, my parents would ship my sister and me off to their house in the mountains of North Georgia for a three-week vacation. Usually, our first cousins were there, too, and we would spend the whole time playing outside, running through the cornfields, stepping in cow pies (that's cow shit, in case you didn't know), and fighting with each other constantly. Granny usually had to paddle at least one of us every single day with her ping-pong paddle of butt destruction. Not pretty, but we were brats and totally deserved it.

Granny is the best cook ever. Don't even try to tell me anything different because I will call you a liar. She uses "seasoned oil" in everything. "Seasoned oil" is also known as "starter grease" to some, or drippings to others. You know that stuff you drain out of your meat after you cook it and throw away or pour down the drain? Yeah, that stuff. But ONLY fried chicken and bacon grease. None of that hamburger grease--it will not do. And I don't want to hear any of this crap about "clogging my arteries" or "Type 2 Diabetes." I will eat Granny's cooking as long as she is able to cook it, and that's all there is to it.

Granny taught my sister and me (and my cousins I suppose) to read when we were 3 or 4.

Granny used to play her guitar or the piano and teach us folk songs from when she was young. My favorite was The Happy Wanderer.

Granny and Grandaddy had two huge gardens, cows, crabapple trees, and a lot of pasture land where we would roam and play act to our little heart's desires. It was like a wonderland to us.

As my mama and my Granny would say, she is the salt of the earth. I love my Granny SO MUCH.

That is all.

Just a taste

2010-02-03T12:51:00.001-08:00

Gorgeous flowers in the lobby (from Dahlia)

I took some photographs for the fabulous women at Mia Alexander Salon for their website, and I wanted to share a few of my favorites:

Kelley's feathers in the aesthetics room--facials, skin care, makeup artistry, and more!

Kelly V.'s hand-mixed massage oils. Yum!

Chandy

Bling

Potions

Love

Blue

Magic wand

Tool shed

So I guess that was technically more than just a taste, but it's fine.

Thanks to Kelley, Kelly, Kari, Morgan, Robin, and Lisa for letting me photograph your beautiful salon!

Giveaway from Children Inspire Design!

2010-02-01T10:03:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know I haven't posted in a month of Sundays. I am lame. BUT I'm posting to give you a chance to win a beautimous piece of original art from Children Inspire Design! How nice am I? Really, I'm sort of selfish because I get another chance to win by blogging about it, BUT you also get a chance to win so go leave a comment!!

Exciting things are happening around these parts! I was interviewed by our local paper today about Etsy and the crafting movement in general. I'm not as famous or cool as Shan, but I'm excited nonetheless!! Also, my jewelry is going to be sold at a local boutique here in Greenville, so I'm super-duper excited about that!

Yay!

The Greenville News people are coming to take pics of my craft room next week (EEEEEEKKKKKK), so I need to kick it into high gear and get it cleaned up ASAP!!!

Enough screeching...I hope everyone in Blogland is doing wonderfully! Nick and I are enjoying a "snow day" here at home, which is awesome. (FYI, in South Carolina, one inch of snow = snow day. Yessssss!)

That's all I have for now...still haven't heard from the school district about the job--I submitted my resume for a 4K job and haven't had a call back. Yikes! I know I'm only one of probably 8 million people that applied for it (seeing as it's the ONLY early childhood job open right now), but still, a call or email or anything would be nice! Send me a carrier pigeon, even!

Anyway, love and other indoor sports,
Jess

Oh, buddy!

2010-01-22T00:41:00.000-08:00

I've been a busy little bee! I'm trying super-hard to list new items in my Etsy shop every day or at least every other day. My goal is to have 500 sales on Etsy in 2010. It's a huge goal, seeing as I haven't sold a blessed thing on Etsy so far this year, but I'm sticking to it! I purchased a new ad on CraftCult, I'm posting to FB and Twitter daily, and of course I'm handing out business cards like candy! I get tons of compliments on my jewelry, and have had a lot of success at boutiques/salons, but Etsy success is still evading me.

I read every single one of the Etsy Success newsletters, the "Quit Your Day Job" series, and have pored through every thread in the community on how to be successful on Etsy, but to no avail. Ugh. I'm just going to keep on truckin' and hope it works out!

In other news, I applied for a 4K job with the school district, which I REALLY hope I get. Insurance, benefits, and a salary are all things I a) want and b) need. In the meantime, I'm still helping my friend Heidi with her twins. We've been trolling thrift stores to get some accent pieces for their living room and we totally scored! I'm hoping to post some before and after photos of the room with the new pieces sometime next week.

I'm also still working on the craft room....slowly but surely it's coming along. I swear I will post pictures when it's finished. Whenever that is.

Nothing else interesting going on. I'm still boring as always.

Cooter out.

Shit My Dad Says

2010-01-10T15:28:00.000-08:00

It's a page on Facebook. A 29-year-old guy lives with his 73-year-old dad and just writes down things he says. Hilarity ensues. Go there.
Wow, two posts in two days...crazy!

See? I AM crafty!!

2010-01-09T19:26:00.001-08:00

Sooo, I had this basket, and it was kind of busted and ugly. And I also had this cute fabric that I haven't found a use for yet. I decided to put two and two together, and I got a super-cute storage basket! I thought about using Shan's awesome method (you can fast forward to about the 4:35 minute mark, or watch the whole thing for some more craftiness! Here's a link to her blog, too.) using a hot glue gun, but then I figured I've got a sewing machine and moderately decent sewing skillz so I decided to do it the real way. I should measure and all that jazz, but who has time for that? Not me. So now I've got a sort of wonky lined basket, but it's under the bed in the "guest room" (aka, the crap room, and the bed doesn't even have a mattress, just a box spring (springs?), so it's not as if anyone's actually sleeping in there. Or even going in there, other than Nick and me, but anyway...) so no one will really see the whole thing. Especially not with stuff in it. Anyway, here's pics:

Before: Meh

After: Cute!

It's not perfect by any means, but it does go with the eventual color scheme of the room, which is grey, mustard, and a mushroomy brown color. (With some blue and green accents here and there--much cuter than it sounds, I promise!)

And yes, that IS my AWESOME light box (thanks to my Mama, who got it for me for Christmas)!! It was only $99 from Hammacher Schlemmer, and it included the pop-up light box/tent, three different colors of backdrops (four if you include the white one), two tripod lights, and a tripod for your camera! I know, it's crazy! And the light tent is so big--it's almost as tall as me! I'd say it's probaby like 4'10 or so. I'm not going to bust out my measuring tape (as if I could find it anyway) and measure it or anything, but let's just go with that estimate. Here's a link. Well the description says 40 inches, so that's probably close to my estimate. I don't do math. Hmm, okay so apparently the 20-inch tabletop one is only $99, which is the one I actually wanted. I guess my mom thought I needed a bigger one for some reason... Well get one if you need/want one because they're awesome! (Feel free to reference the above pictures and pictures of my jewelry.)

Cooter out.

The best sites EVAH

2010-01-02T17:08:00.001-08:00

I go to these religiously, every day. Sometimes 3-4 times a day. Seriously. Can you believe I have that much time on my hands? Me either.

Design Gal & Her Handyman - Shan has the coolest ideas and such awesome decor!
Life in the Fun Lane - Gorgeous furniture redos and fab interior shots
2Birds1Blog - Pure, unadulterated snark. LOVE.
TFLN - Don't ask, just go.
Young House Love - Again, just go there. You'll understand.
My Favorite and My Best - Snark + interior design/style commentary = priceless
Regretsy - A-MAZING
Lonny - Yes, it's the same issue, but I keep going there over and over again because it's THAT GOOD.
Better After - Love home and furniture updates/redos? Then you'll love Better After. 'Nuff said.

That is all.

And yes I know this is a lame post. Sue me.

OMG

2009-12-26T20:31:00.001-08:00

OMG.

OMG.

The new issue of Lonny is here, and...I have no words. It's...amazing. My heart was seriously pounding while I was reading it. It was that good. The only thing that detracted from the whole experience was the typos, but I am a grammar and spelling nazi-type, so it probably won't bother most people.

Here's a teaser:

It's designer Vanessa DeVargas's bedroom. DY-ING. Inside. By the way, she shops at JCPenney. WTF? Don't get me wrong, that's freaking awesome, but since when did JCP get cute home stuff? I guess I need to hit them up. When I get some money. Which will probably not be anytime soon.

I just wanted to share because I love Lonny, and I'm so excited that their new issue is out! Go now and read it! Here's another link: Lonny. Go now!

Merci beaucoup!

2009-12-25T18:10:00.000-08:00

...to simplysuzula for including me in her stunning treasury! I want to buy everything in it! Click here to see all the gorgeousness.

Oh, and Merry Christmas!!

UPDATE: Here is a screen shot of the Treasury!

Whoopsy-daisy!

2009-12-23T07:33:00.001-08:00

Once again, time has slipped by and I haven't posted! I've been relaxing and enjoying my freedom from homework and lesson plans...I haven't even been making jewelry! And it's been fabulous. If there is one thing I love, it is relaxing (or being lazy, as Nick would say). I don't really have any fun updates...just a new header for the holidays! I've been working on some new branding, so you might notice I've used different fonts. It's still a work in progress, but I like it better thus far.

I was looking for a pretty lace ornament-type thing to put on some of my branding items, and couldn't find anything that was 1. free (cost-free and copyright-free), and 2. cute. So, I made my own. I thought other people might want enjoy it as well, so I've included it in this post! It's a free, printable, vintage doily! I used the mustard-ish color you see here, but feel free to change the color to anything you want! If you use it, just link me so I can see what awesomeness you've created with it!

Here's a link for the PDF download.

I don't think I have any other news as of right now. Still no job, but I honestly haven't been looking! When school starts up again after the break I'm going to send my resume to a couple of schools and see if I can get an interview.

This was a lame update, but I hope you can use the doily!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

2009-12-11T12:55:00.000-08:00

And I don't mean Christmas. Don't get me wrong, Christmas is awesome, there's no doubt. BUT this year, the most wonderful time is now because I am DONE with student teaching and have turned in anything and everything that has to do with student teaching. I spent 6 hours at Converse on Monday, filling out forms, submitting my ADEPT Portfolio, and other paperwork stuff, and now I can say I AM FINALLY FREE!!!!

To celebrate, I'm going to make some jewelry! But first, I wanted to show you our itty bitty Christmas trees. Nick is not impressed, but WHATEVER they are awesome! See for yourself:

Here's a closeup of the fabulous bowl of all-pink ornaments:

Also, head on over to Design Gal's blog for the 11th day of her 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway! I am the featured seller for the giveaway, so you can comment and enter to win a pair of lovely earrings by yours truly!

Tomorrow, you can see me in person at Mia Alexander Salon for their Christmas Open House! I'll be there with a table full of hawleywood gorgeousness that has NEVER BEEN SEEN!! Not on Etsy, not here, not anywhere but my studio (aka, the crap room)!

So, come out Saturday, December 12th from 12-4 for food, wine, lovely salon and spa gift cards, and jewelry!

Adios!

FREE SHIPPING and some other things

2009-12-01T12:13:00.000-08:00

I have extended free shipping in both shops until Sunday, December 13, 2009, so head over and stock up! I've been making some new things and posting them slowly but surely. Also, check out my new shop headers! Special for the holidays:

Also, I am participating in Design Gal's 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!! From now until December 12, Shan will be giving away one AWESOME thing every day, so be sure to check in!

I think that's all the updates I've got right now, but I should be back with a real blog post soon!

Love and other indoor sports,
Jess

Oops!

2009-11-02T14:26:00.000-08:00

It seems I've been absent from the blogosphere longer than I planned! I just got back last night from a whirlwind trip to Philly for one of my friend Joan's fabulous parties. I was Leslie Hall from Leslie and the LYs, per Joan's request. Here's my favorite picture from the night:

Yes, that's me, and no, I'm not wearing a prosthetic butt. That's au natural, baby. I got so drunk I kept doing karate kicks and yelling, "GOLD LEGGINS!!" in a high-pitched voice at the top of my lungs. It was amazing, but I played the please-God-I-don't-wanna-puke game the next morning until I got to the airport and had to sprint to catch my flight. If exercise is the cure for a hangover I think I've just found a reason to exercise. Because clearly my health, looks, and clothes fitting aren't cutting it (see above picture).

I also bought some AWESOME fabric from my favorite store ever, Cloth & Bobbin in Narberth, PA. If I wasn't so lazy I would totally take a picture and post it here. Maybe I'll get unlazy later, but probably not. My throat hurts and I'm tired, so I'll probably just lay here in front of the fire that Nick built until I fall asleep. Good times.

I've been lazily making more jewelry, but I'm waiting on a supply order, so I'm kind of stuck until it gets here, but I am thinking of some fabulous baubles to make! In the meantime, I've been working on some felt bracelets and headbands. I'll hopefully post those sometime this week. As always, feedback is appreciated greatly! I'll post more when I've got something else interesting to say. Until then, just know that my life = student teaching, sleeping, church stuff, and making jewelry. So that's about it.

Holler!!

Just a quick note

2009-10-08T20:11:00.001-07:00

...to say hello! I'm still around--my ear infection is much better, and I've had naps for the past two days so I'm feeling fabulous! I just wanted to post some pictures of the necklaces I just made. I'm not sure if they'll make it to my Etsy shop, since I'm selling at Mia Alexander Salon also, so I wanted to show them off here!

Enjoy...

Winner winner, chicken dinner!!

2009-10-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, Linda and Think Chic Designs for winning the giveaway over at Design Gal's blog! Linda won the Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil necklace, and Think Chic Designs won the Quiet Bird print.

Ladies, if you will email your addresses to shophawleywood{at}gmaildotcom I will send your lovelies on their merry way!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway and for all the kind words about my shops, hawleywood and Tin Oiseau.

I'm down with a mean ear infection right now, but I'll be back soon with some new baubles and doo-dads, as well as some more random musings and crazy rants.

Cooter out!

Giveaway!

2009-10-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

Check out Design Gal's blog for the deets!!

Thank you!!

2009-10-01T19:24:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of you, I won the SC Etsy Street Team's September Creative Challenge!! I will be featured on the TeamSC blog for a month, and you can find an interview with me there starting Friday!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

September Creative Challenge - Please vote for me!!

2009-09-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

The contest ends today, and as of right now, my earrings are in the lead with only 2 votes between me and the next person!! Please help my Migration Earrings win the challenge! One or two votes could make the difference!! Here is the link: http://bit.ly/DSGp4. Just scroll down and select Hawleywood-Migration Earrings from the drop-down menu and click Vote. That's it!

Thank you!!

Vote for me!

2009-09-24T18:03:00.000-07:00

Please take a moment to vote for my Migration Earrings in the SC Etsy Street Team's September Creative Challenge! Here's the link: http://bit.ly/DSGp4. The earrings feature honey-gold aventurine coin beads and brass birds in flight.

Thank you for the kind words and sympathy for our loss--Kevin the kitten is sorely missed!! We are thankful that we still have two sweet kittens left from the litter, and they seem to be flourishing. I don't really have much more news, except that I bought two yards of fabric from Tonic Living!!! You're jealous, I know. I finally found the PERFECT fabric for the mid-century mod chairs. I'll take pics when it comes in. SO excited!!

Funny quotes from kids in my kindergarten class today:

Gracie, after getting up from Rest & Read: "Whatcha doin', Mrs. Sharky?" (Imagine this being said with a lisp. Too cute.)

Keniya, while talking about safety: "If you can have a fire in your house the alarm clock can smell it!"

I love kindergarten.

Happy almost-Friday, everyone!!

I have to make this quick

2009-09-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

Because Nick is harassing me to get the laptop, but I wanted to share two things: 1. An awesome, awesome new blog I found: In the Fun Lane. You must go there immediately and be amazed by Holly's talent, creativity, and super-cool aesthetic. 2. From In the Fun Lane, I found an A-MAZING new fabric store obsession: Tonic Living. You MUST go there!!

That is all. Relinquishing the laptop to hubby in 3...2...1....GAH!!!!

RIP Kevin

2009-09-18T14:27:00.000-07:00

This post is in honor of Kevin the kitten, who died today. He died in his sleep, but I don't know why or exactly when. He was sleeping on the kittens' favorite blanket today when I got home, and when I moved the blanket, he was limp. I picked him up and his eyes were open and he was completely limp, but still warm. I tried to give him CPR, and when I pushed his chest there was a kind of slurping sound, so I think he might have had fluid in his lungs or something. His nose turned pink again when I was giving him rescue breaths, but he didn't start breathing on his own. Poor Kevin. He was Nick's favorite, and he was the runt. I love runts. And Kevin. He was a beautiful orange tabby, and not even two months old--way too young to die. I'm going to take the other kittens to the vet tomorrow (or Monday) and get them checked out because I don't want Tortoise or Onomatopoeia to die too! I have the major sads. We're going to bury Kevin in the back yard when Nick gets home from work.

Rest in peace, Kevin. We loved you.

I have a Fan Page!

2009-09-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

So I finally figured out how to create a Fan Page on Facebook. Yes, I am slow. You can find a link to it at the bottom of this page. Please join, even if you think my jewelry's crap and you hate my face...it looks so lonely with no fans!!

Sorry I've been absent--I started student teaching last week, so I've been pretty busy with that. I am in a Kindergarten class, and I love, love, love it! The kids are adorable! One little girl thought my name was Mrs. Shark, which was hilarious (it's Sharp). Nick thought that was awesome. Another little girl related everything to cupcakes. As in, "___, can you tell me another word that starts with /ch/?" Little girl: "Cupcake?" And later, "____, what is your favorite fruit?" Little girl: "I like cupcakes." Teacher: "Yes, we know you like cupcakes, but do you like, bananas, or apples?" Little girl: (Making a face) "No I just like cupcakes." TOO funny!

I am also gearing up for a Handmade Market this Saturday, so I've been working overtime making jewelry while also working on lesson plans. And now I'm sick, which doesn't so much help. At least four or five of the kids in my class have bronchitis, and they've been hugging all over me and holding my hands (not to mention sneezing on me) all week, so it's no surprise I'm sick. I just hope I start feeling better tomorrow because I've got a lot of jewelry to make!

I should probably get to bed for now. I'm sitting here with my head in Nick's lap as he's playing a game on Xbox, and the controller keeps vibrating on my head. You know you wanted to know that.

Love and other indoor sports,
Cooter Pooter McGrooter

PS the Handmade Market will be at the Liquid Highway at Hudson Corners, located at 2133 Old Spartanburg Road in Greer, SC. There will be delicious coffee (as always, it's Liquid Highway, hell-o!) and lots of lovely handmade things (I'm hoping mine will be the loveliest!).

Just wondering

2009-08-29T17:37:00.000-07:00

But is EVERYONE in the blogosphere Mormon? I'm NOT saying there's anything wrong with being Mormon, but it seems like 9 out of every 10 blogs I stumble across are written by Mormon women. Again, NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT, just sayin'. Of course, I quit reading Catholics' blogs after every other f-ing word was Jesus this and Jesus that, and all overly pious (I'm Catholic so I'm allowed to say that). I want to enjoy my blog-reading experience, thankyouverymuch, not feel like I'm sitting through a homily. Also, most of the Catholic-authored blogs I've read seem like they're trying to out-Catholic everybody else, talking about how everything they do is all about God, and how they went to this, that, and the other at church, and Fr. This says that....ugh. Gag me. I wouldn't mind if I thought it was authentic, but it seems like they're doing all this great stuff just so they can brag about it on their lame, boring blog.

ANYWAY, sorry to rant. I've been posting stuff on hawleywood, making jewelry, and gearing up for student teaching, instead of revamping furniture and cleaning the house like I should be. Oh well. I'm sure I will have a crazy rant after my first week of student teaching next week. I hope not, but I'm pretty sure it's inevitable.

I hope all two of my blog readers are having lovely weekends! I know I am! Our nephew Cooper had his 3rd birthday party today at Frankie's Fun Park, so we played Putt-Putt, some drove go-karts, and some went batting. I myself was a spectator in all except Putt-Putt. It was a lot of fun, and now we're hanging out at our friends' apartment, and Nick's playing Mario Tennis on the Wii.

I think I'm the only person my age who doesn't (and has never) gotten into video games. My sister and I had an Atari for literally two weeks, until my mom took it away because we fought over it. Oh, and I also had a Video Painter. I'll let that sink in. A Video Painter. You don't know what that is, you say? Well, allow me to enlighten you. The Video Painter is the retarded step-cousin of the video game. In fact, they are only related in that they both connect to your TV, and both have the word video in them. That's where the similarities end. You can use the Video Painter to color pictures that came with the Video Painter, do 5 puzzles over and over again, and spend countless hours wanting to stab yourself in the eye.

Fun, right? Here's a picture to make you all jealous of the totally awesome video painter I had while my cousins had every freaking Nintendo available, and my other cousin Mer at least had a Sega Genesis for crying out loud! What did I have? A VIDEO PAINTER.

Here's a little analogy for you: Video Painter : Video Game::Carob : Chocolate

Don't even try to tell me you like carob because CLEARLY it is no substitute for chocolate so don't even try it.

cooter out. tooter town.

Update

2009-08-24T22:25:00.000-07:00

Here's what's new:

Several hearts on my new shop (Tin Oiseau), so that's great, but no sales yet. Sad face.
I'm making 5 pairs of earrings for the TeamSC sample box that will be sold in the TeamSC shop
Gearing up for student teaching - I have orientation on Monday (8/31), and I start the next day. Yikes!
Still working on the twins' rooms, and trying to get motivated to start refinishing my new pieces. I'd better get motivated soon, seeing as I've got less than a week of freedom. YIKES again!

I think that's everything. Lame, huh? I've really been enjoying my freedom these past two months. I've really, really enjoyed sleeping until noon half the time. My ultimate dream is to make a living off of my jewelry and art, and be able to sleep until noon and work until 3 am every day. That would be so amazing.

Tomorrow night is the Bishops' mass at church, and we're doing Palestrina's Tu es Petrus, which actually sounded good on Sunday, if you can believe it. Anyway, I think that's all the news that's fit to bore you to death.

Goodnight!

Thank you

2009-08-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

A huge thank you to Paula of www.kevinandpaula.com for featuring hawleywood - handcrafted jewelry fabulosity! Paula is a member of the South Carolina Etsy Street Team with me and has an awesome Etsy shop: www.playswithmud.etsy.com.

Thank you, Paula!

Silly Goose!

2009-08-20T21:14:00.001-07:00

Now that Tin Oiseau is open, I am super excited to show you some of the goods! My current favorite is the Silly Goose print, because it is silly! Nick laughed out loud the first time he saw it (but he will totally deny it). I don't know why, but a goose with an orange afro (or clown wig) is hilarious (to me)! Anyway, this is it:

I begrudgingly listed one of my embroidered doo-lollies (a catchall term for any item where the actual name slipped my mind...deal with it) of a pear. It looks so nice in my dining room, see?

It's the little one...that looks like a pear.

I suppose I could part with it if someone else really loved it and would put it in their house.

Oh, duh, the whole point of this post (originally) was to show off some sweet goods I've picked up!!

Two mid-century mod chairs - $37.50 for the pair
Lamp that was silver & black (now spray-painted metallic bronze) - $5.00 + $3.00 for spray paint
Mid-century mod/Scandinavian style dresser - $25.00

So, I have the beginnings of my dream living room for under $100! Just as an aside, I saw the exact same lamp at Home Depot for $40.00! Thank you, Salvation Army Thrift Store, you're my hero!!

So my plan is to recover the chairs (obviously, since the cushions are dis-gusting), lightly sand and refinish the frames, and seriously sand and refinish the dresser. (Someone named Taylor carved his/her moniker into the top of the dresser. Clearly they had no appreciation for the beauty of this piece!!)

Now, here is where I need help. All two readers of my blog, listen up! I cannot for the life of me figure out what fabric to use for the chair cushions. I took some pictures of the chair with what I've got on hand, but I'm not really feeling anything in particular. Take a look and let me know if anything jumps out at you:

OR if you have any suggestions for some new hotness fabric, they would be MOST appreciated!!

Anyhoo, I suppose I should be going to bed now, seeing as it's 1:00 in the morning.

Good night!

Announcement

2009-08-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

Tin Oiseau is up and running!! Tin Oiseau: art + home is my new shop where I will be listing art prints and things I have made for the home. Yay!

Here is the finalized banner:

I decided to go with aqua, white, & brown, because I've seen way too much black, white, & yellow lately. Yes, there is probably just as much of the other color combo out there, but WHATEVER it is my logo so I'll do what I want. I may change it to aqua, white, & grey, but I'm not sure yet. In any case, check it out here!

Crafty craft craft

2009-08-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, I do make crafts other than jewelry, just not as much. Right now, I've got one reupholstery project in the works (two if you count the coffee table I'm going to turn into an ottoman...but I haven't actually started that one yet, so maybe we shouldn't count it), two nurseries in mid-decor (for twins, so they're right across the hall from each other, not across town or anything crazy like that), and I just finished a new crafty mama apron (of my own design, hence the bobo-ness of it all).

Here are the color schemes I've been promising of the twins' rooms:

*All colors are Behr except where noted.

And here are some pics of my apron (I didn't use a pattern, and cut the pieces of fabric separately, without really measuring, so yeah...):

This is the front.

Please ignore the complete and total disarray of our closet, but Nick wasn't home to take a picture so I had to do a self-portrait. Here are some details of the gadget-holders:

And here's the reverse! It's reversible!

That's all for now. I'll be back with an important announcement tomorrow!

Mmmmm

2009-08-15T20:13:00.000-07:00

I don't usually post about food on this blog, not because I don't like it (because one look at my ever-expanding waist...and ass will tell you that I do), but because I really don't "cook," per se. I reheat, toast, and bake, but that's really about the extent of my talents in the kitchen. Nick, on the other hand, is a master in the kitchen (most of the time). Just this weekend, for example, he made corned beef (awesome), and smoked a brisket and some cheese (who smokes cheese? My husband and his friend, that's who). Anyway, I woke up this afternoon (yes I took a six-hour nap today. Bite me.) to a delicious, cinnamon scent wafting from the kitchen. Can you guess what was waiting there for me? Go ahead, guess. I'll wait....

Note: This picture was taken after half of it was already devoured.

Did you guess a LOAF of cinnamon roll-bread? You did? Wow, you must be psychic! Yes, Nick made a braided loaf of Paula Deen's cinnamon roll recipe into bread. YUMTASTIC! I already made myself sick by eating so much of it, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop. I might have to go into a diabetic coma later, but for now I'm still stuffing my face full of braided cinnamon bread and milk. MMMMMMmmmmmmmmm

No amount of mmmm's can accurately describe the deliciousness, but maybe more pictures will help:Layers of cinnamon goodness and soft bread. I'm drooling.

Made-from-scratch sweet glaze. I think I know how Homer Simpson feels about doughnuts now.

Okay, that's enough crazy rambling about food. Clearly, I have a problem. Operation Get Skinny ASAP starts Monday. Someone hold me to it.

Finally!!!

2009-08-11T22:48:00.000-07:00

My computer is working again! Thanks to the fabulous people at iPlace in downtown Greenville, our MacBook has a brand new DC power converter and keyboard/touchpad area! YAY!!!

On to bigger and even better news: hawleywood jewelry is now being sold at Hip Replacements in downtown Asheville!!! OMGTOTHEMAX! My friend Karen had previously suggested I check out the co-op galleries up there, and last week, my friend Tristen suggested I take some of my pieces with us on our daytrip, just on the off-chance that someone in a store might be interested. Well, they were! I sold three necklaces to the owner of Hip Replacements, an awesome vintage-and-new boutique, and another to a lady working in Terra Diva, an upscale lingerie store. She bought the necklace right off my neck! Needless to say, I was SO EXCITED, and I celebrated by buying a sweet purple (plum, really) dress from Minx, yet another hot boutique.

Amazing, all in all. So, things are looking up for hawleywood - handcrafted jewelry fabulosity. I ran out of business cards that day, so I've been working on a new design. Here are the two I've come up with so far:

Yes, they are blurry, but I can't do much about that since Blogger will only let me upload JPEG files instead of TIFFs, which are much clearer. I don't know how those blog geniuses get their images so crisp (without increasing the resolution and making the file too big to upload). I'll have to find that out.

Anyway, I'm leaning toward the second one, just because of the gorgeous flowery border. But it doesn't really have anything to do with jewelry. Of course, my old card didn't have anything to do with jewelry either. I don't know, but I've got to figure something out fast! I'm going up to Asheville with more necklaces on Saturday, and I've got to have some by then!!

That's all the news that's unfit to print.

I hate technology

2009-08-01T16:41:00.000-07:00

But only when it turns on me. My Macbook pretty much had some sort of epileptic seizure and stopped wanting to boot up and act normally, so I had to take it to the iPlace today to get checked out. I'm sure whatever it is will cost me 8 bajillion dollars and probably my soul too. Dammit. To make myself feel better about the damn computer I've started an apron using all Amy Butler fabrics. Jellis much? If the tarded mac gets fixed soon I'll post pics of the finished product. I've also got some nursery before-and-after shenanigans to get posted, so my fingers are crossed that the death knell hasn't sounded yet for good ol' MacBook.

Did I mention that it died in the middle of finishing my final project for my last grad course for my master's? Oh, I didn't? Well, it DID, the bastard! The audacity! In other news, I have some lovely new beads coming in soon! I'm currently working on some bridal jewelry for a lovely lady in Etsy land, and there are two (yes, 2) jewelry parties in the works for this fall!! So at least some things are going well and working out as planned (so far).

I think that's all the news there is, and all the news there isn't, to quote Michael Feldman. (If you don't know who he is, look him up, because you're missing out.)

Say a silent prayer for my little MacBook, and pictures will hopefully be up soon of the myriad projects I've delved into.

Cheerio!

Why am I up at 2:30 in the morning?

2009-07-23T23:22:00.001-07:00

Well, I'll tell you. It's because I clicked over to MySpace for the first time in a LONG time to hear Neal Carpenter's music. Amazing? YES. I can't stop listening, especially to "Don't Give Up On Me." His music is like a mix of Ryan Adams, Kenny Rogers, vintage Michael McDonald, and a sprinkling of old-time bluegrass. That may not sound like your cup of tea, but you should DEFINITELY go to his MySpace site or iTunes and take a listen.

I grew up with Neal (I still live around the corner from his parents), and I never knew how musically talented he is. It's crazy that you can live down the street from someone your whole life and never really know them. Crazy.

Also, I have terrific, fantastic, wonderful news!! My friends Ryan and Heidi are the proud parents of twins, Owen and Ilona! They were born this afternoon via c-section, after a couple of touch-and-go moments in the hospital these past two weeks. They are about 9 weeks early, so there's a long road ahead, but they're doing great so far! They will most likely have to stay in the NICU for at least 4 weeks, so I've got some time before the nursery has to be finished (thankfully!).

That's all the updates for now. I guess I'll shuffle off to bed, seeing as it is L-A-T-E late!

Top 5 things I want to do (at this moment exactly)

2009-07-21T22:30:00.001-07:00

1. My very own re-usable Swiffer Dusters! Go here for the tutorial.
2. Freakin' adorable DIY iron-on onesies. Tute found here.
3. Hooded bath towels (for me, and maybe some kiddies...we'll see). Jump on over.
4. Gift bags from envelopes? Preposterous!! Not on the interwebs...click here to see for yourself!
5. A fabulous necklace display. Awesomeness here.

Go forth and craft. And then take pictures and show me so I can live vicariously through you!!

Yay!!

2009-07-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

I've been featured again, this time by the lovely Laura of Bright, Bold, and Beautiful. Here's the link: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=61892. Check it out while it's still up!

Here's a screen shot:

My Citrus Mint Necklace is in the bottom row, center.

SCORE!

2009-07-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

I got super-duper lucky in my thrifting endeavors yesterday, and wound up with a brand new chair for our den! The couch and chair-and-a-half that we have are bobo hand-me-downs that we got from a yard sale, and only bought them because they were cheap. I've started filling in with thrifted, antique store-bought pieces, and some handmade items to try and get a cohesive look. The main problems in our living room are: hideous dark green carpet, even more hideous pinkish/tan tile (yes, in addition to the carpet), and our total and complete lack of money. I would rip up the carpet and tile, but we can't afford new carpet (much less hardwood floors), so we would be sitting on lovely 80s-era linoleum (you're jealous, don't lie).

In an effort to brighten up the couch (there's only so much green-on-green that one can handle), I made some throw pillows out of some lovely blue flowered fabric. I also scored a hot pillow and throw from Marshall's that continue the blue accent action for the chair-and-a-half. I sewed up a quick little green pillow for the new blue chair to try and make it tie in better with the rest of the room. Anyway, here it is!

This is after I sewed the cute tiny pillow for it, but before I cleaned it, hence the dusty appearance.

I also got a torso - yes, a torso - for photographing my necklaces. As much as I love showcasing my double chin in my Etsy photos, I've been wanting one for a while, and it was meant to be because as soon as I walked into the Goodwill, my eyes fell upon it. There it was, sitting on top of a desk, in plain view from the entrance. It was calling to me, and I of course listened. Wouldn't you?

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that it's a male torso. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to put a bra on him and stuff it or just let him wear my necklaces without breast enhancement. We'll see...

I'm not done yet, though. I also got a sweet lamp (or candle stand for a fatty candle if it doesn't work). If it works, I'm going to paint it and use it for a friend's nursery that I'm decorating.

We'll call this the before picture

I also found a great dresser and an almost perfect match for the lamp I bought the day before, only it's a floor lamp! Could it be more perfect? No, it could not. All this stuff isn't for me, though. It's for my friends who are having twins. I'm decorating their nursery, so 'll be sanding, priming, and painting the lamps, dresser, and a few accessories this weekend, and I'll post pictures of the process some time next week.

Have a happy rest of your weekend!

I've been featured!

2009-07-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

In a treasury! Here's the screenshot:

And here's the link:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=70177

Thoughts?

2009-07-10T19:47:00.000-07:00

I'm seriously considering opening another Etsy shop for my prints, paintings, and fabric art, but I need to think of a good name first. Right now I'm debating between Tin Oiseau and Handbanana. I just thought of Handbanana tonight (Thanks, ATHF!). It was between TO and Odile, but Nick pronounced it wrong and I don't want to think of people pronouncing it "Oh-dyle." Like anyone will pronounce oiseau any better. (It's wah-zoh in case you're wondering. It's French for "bird.") Anyway...I'm still debating. These are some possible designs I've come up with. Thoughts and suggestions are VERY welcome!!

Sorry for the blurriness of this one, not sure what the deal is:

I haven't come up with a design for Handbanana yet, since I just thought of that one tonight. Which is, by the way, totally unoriginal. Handbanana is the name of one of the characters on the Adult Swim cartoon Aqua Teen Hunger Force, only one of the best shows ever. It comes on Cartoon Network.

Anyway, please leave a comment or shoot me an email with your thoughts, opinions, critiques, etc. Nick thinks it looks like everything else on Etsy, which I can totally see, but I don't know that I necessarily want to steer myself away from that, because if that's what people gravitate toward, then I want to be gravitated to. Or toward. Or at. Whatever.

Another before and after!

2009-06-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to find a cute and functional way to organize my jewelry supplies, and I think I've finally found the solution! My mom gave me a couple of lazy Susans (aka, turntables), and I thought that pairing them with some containers to hold my beads and tools seemed like a good idea. I mod podged them with some gorgeous Snow + Graham wrapping papers, and put my containers of beads on top. Perfect! Here are the pics, I hope you enjoy:

I also mod podged some cans to match so now I have coordinating pen/pencil/brush holders!Yay Mod Podge! Yes, I know they're lumpy and bubbly, but this is only my second foray into the world of Mod Podge, so I'm still learning...

Sweet tags for a sweet baby!

2009-06-29T22:45:00.001-07:00

I made these tags for my new baby cousin Emmy, who is a-dorable! I'm hoping her mommy can use them to label Emmy's stuff with them. I love giving handmade gifts, but unfortunately Emmy doesn't have a lot of use for jewelry right now, so maybe she'll get more use out of these! Anyway, here they are! If you know any babies named Emmy please feel free to print them out on cardstock and use them!

Thank you!

2009-06-28T17:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to Laura over at Bright, Bold, and Beautiful for featuring my Summer Sun Necklace in her "Beautiful Things" section. It's in the right sidebar.

THANK YOU!

DIY Display Fun

2009-06-24T20:52:00.000-07:00

I found an awesome DIY necklace display tutorial over at Stella + Hodge, the blog of a fellow Etsian (you can visit her shop here). She tweaked it from another tutorial she found, and made it even better! You can see the finished product here:

Image via Stella + Hodge

Cool, huh? I'm going to try it out as soon as I get some free time (so probably never). I love the pattern she used on hers, and I just so happen to have some fabulous Snow + Graham papers laying around...maybe one day I'll have a spare couple of minutes to whip one up. If I do ever get around to making it, I will be sure to post pics!

It's almost Friday!!

Hey, you look like a drunk on-the-go!

2009-06-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

Just kidding! Thanks, Jim Gaffigan, for the title of this blog post.

Anyway, here is yet another fabulous upcycle from Sue over at Junk Market Style. She found a metal caddy of some sort and repurposed it into a traveling bar! Love it! How perfect would this be for a summer party on the porch or in the backyard? I love the little bar that holds the bowl of limes and glasses. Also, the bottle opener tied to the top of the caddy? Perfection. Enjoy the pictures below, and click on over to read the whole post!

(Excuse the tee-tiny picture...that's what was on the site!)

Summer Ad

2009-06-22T12:10:00.001-07:00

This is what I'm thinking for my next ad on Facebook and Craftcult.com:

Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? (I'm looking at you, Melissa...ahem, Miss Graphic Designer!) FYI, it will be a lot smaller (150x100 pixels)

WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME ABOUT THIS???

2009-06-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

Apparently, there is a HUGE flea market in Springfield, Ohio, which just happens to be where my husband's family is from (and where a lot of them still live!!!). There are two more weekends of flea markets this year. One is next weekend (damn you, Saturday classes!), and the other is in September. I am seriously, totally, for sure going in September. I don't care if I have to hitchhike all the way there, it's on like Donkey Kong!

Check the site for more info, and let me know if you want to come along for the ride! I will be driving, since I'm sure I'll be bringing back lots of amazing things! Just look at the pics (I'm seriously drooling already...)!

What can you do with dominoes?

2009-06-18T21:21:00.001-07:00

A lot, if you're Sue Whitney from Junk Market Style. She's done it again! I am constantly amazed at her ingenuity! Here, she has used dominoes, hinge parts, and a piece of scrap wood to create one of the coolest desk organizers I have ever seen! Personally, I would want to use it for my mail, since I don't do so much of the desk organization type things...or really any organization type things at all. Don't judge me!

Here are some pics of the final product. Click on over to be amazed, inspired, and schooled!

Inspiration!

2009-06-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

I found a link to a post on Junk Market Style via Curbly.com, one of my fave DIY sites. I had never heard of the site, but I can tell you it is already bookmarked! Before I even got to the second page, I saw a fabulous desk redo that I had to share.

Sue Whitney revamped her high school daughter's desk with (of course) some cool flea market finds. She has some great tips and photographs on upcycling a damaged desk protector using vintage wallpaper. Please click here to read the whole post. I'll leave you with some images of the "after" loveliness.

I have a very important and serious announcement

2009-06-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

CANNONBALL!!

Just kidding. My real announcement is that I'm having a Summer Scavenger Hunt in my Etsy shop! Some of my items will be shipping for free this summer, but you have to hunt for them! You will see this picture in listings that ship for free:

Happy hunting!

Something Completely Different

2009-06-17T17:46:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon some loveliness while trolling Etsy (as I am wont to do) this morning. I have been wanting to make a new pincushion because mine, although functional, is completely lacking in style. If your sewing area needs an interjection of lovely (or even if it doesn't), you must take a gander at The Daily Pincushion on Etsy.

Why yes, I would like a Cherry Blossom pincushion, why do you ask?

A pink and green pincushion with matching emery? I couldn't...YES I COULD!!

The cutest pincushion ever, you say? Yes, I think you're right.

What? My favorite color combo ever (as of right now), red and turquoise, in a pincushion? Impossible.

I'm done gushing. However, if anyone really wanted to get me a you're-so-awesome present, or even an un-birthday present, I certainly wouldn't mind getting one of these! I do love to sew, and pincushions are a necessary piece of equipment...

Happy Wednesday! Just two more days until the weekend!

Want. {Black, White, & Grey}

2009-06-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

This purse by CamilleStar

These milk glass vases from ModishVintage (I don't think anyone can really comprehend how much I love milk glass. Seriously. It might be an addiction.)

This paper organizer for my office/crap room, also from ModishVintage (I'm at the point of trying anything to organize...)

These glasses, again from ModishVintage (do you see a trend here?)

These pom poms, for every room in my house, from PomLove

And this brass armadillo from ModishVintage! No, it's not black, white, or grey, but it is amazing!!

Oh, Etsy, thou art a dark mistress!

New design

2009-06-14T21:19:00.001-07:00

Hello, all 1 reader of my blog! I decided to get fancy and make a new blog header for this summer, mainly because I have a lot of time on my hands and I like designing stuff. I think it's summery and fun, and I hope you do, too!

Speaking of summery and fun, here are my latest desires:

These exact four prints from Irene Suchocki, one of my all-time favorite artists on Etsy:
This dress, in this exact color, from Amanda Archer's Etsy store:

"Simmer" print from Yellena's Etsy shop:

This bib and onesie set from BeanPickleSprout, my favorite baby store on Etsy (not for me...for my adorable new baby cousin Emmy):

I love Etsy, as if that isn't already obvious. I've found some of the most beautiful and unique items there, and the sellers I've worked with have been amazing! If you haven't ever bought something from Etsy (and I'm sure you have), then do it! Now! (From my shop, preferably...just kidding...sort of...)

Speaking of hawleywood, I listed some new necklaces in my shop, so take a gander if you've got some time!

2009-06-07T16:10:00.001-07:00

I was bored today, since I spent all day laying in bed, followed by a little organizing (only a little). Then I started thinking about how I need to cook dinner more often, and I thought that if I had some cute recipe cards that might inspire me to cook more often (probably not). So I whipped some up and thought I would post them here for you to enjoy as well! You should be able to print them double-sided (unless I messed up, which is entirely possible!).

Click here to download, and please let me know if you love/hate them!

The Giveaway to End All Giveaways!

2009-06-02T12:07:00.001-07:00

You'll find it at oh, hello friend. Hop on over to the 1-year blogiversary giveaway and enter!! There are several ways to enter, and you can enter up to 5 times! Amazing!

Good luck!

On a side note, I found my camera, got a sweet free shelf for the crap room, and I have rehearsal tonight for my gig with The Substitutes!! How's that for an awesome Tuesday?

P to the S

2009-05-26T20:01:00.001-07:00

I have some solos, bitches! That's right, I'll be channeling Dolly when I sing "Jolene," and there will be other lovely ditties to tickle your eardrums (or something). OMG to the MAXXX!!

My Rock n' Roll Debut

2009-05-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I will begin my career as a rock n' rolla on Thursday, June 11th at The Handlebar in Downtown Greenville. That's right, yours truly will be singing with The Substitutes. I'm really just there to round out their sound, but who cares? I'M WITH THE BAND. The Substitutes perform songs from the '60s and '70s, so if you like that kind of music, come on down and listen! I don't know all the details yet, but I'll know more after rehearsal tonight. Yessss it will be so awesome!

The End.

Oooops!

2009-05-23T19:13:00.001-07:00

I know I promised updates in my Etsy shop, but I seem to have misplaced my camera...I will update as soon as I find it. I've been making some lovely baubles, so I'll upload a few things at once when I finally find it.

Love and pancakes!

Ack!

2009-05-20T14:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been gone for so long! I've been unbelievably busy with school, work, and some freelancing! Please check out the blog that I designed for The Lilypad Children's Boutique, an adorable shop here near Greenville, SC.

I've also been busy making some gorgeous wedding jewelry for my beautiful friend Melissa, who is getting married in two weeks! You can see her bridesmaids' jewelry here, and her necklace here. She is going to be such a gorgeous bride! I went to a shower for her last Friday, and it was one of the most fun ones that I've attended. It was really laidback, and the shower games were actually fun and not annoying, which was refreshing. Of course, her bridesmaids are awesome so I should have expected no less!

Summer school starts June 8th (wish me luck!), so until then I'll be furiously making jewelry, cleaning the Crap Room (no, it's still not finished!), and trying to post here more often!

I found out that I'll be student teaching at Duncan Chapel Elementary School this fall, which is close to Furman University, where I went to undergrad. I did a clinical with the old art teacher at Duncan Chapel when I first started grad school, so it'll be nice to go back again. It's an adorable neighborhood school, and I'm so excited to be there! I'm not so excited about the not-working, having-no-money part, but hopefully we'll be able to scrimp and save (and sell jewelry!) before then.

Nick has poison ivy over about 75% of his body right now, which is fun. He finally started another round of steroids today, so hopefully that will get rid of it again, this time for good! He's supposed to be on Prednisone anyway for his Crohn's Disease, but he hasn't had that or any other of his Crohn's medicine for a long time. He's actually very healthy (fingers crossed!), and is training for a triathlon this fall (and yes, he is crazy). The closest you will catch me to a triathlon (or any sporting event, really) is on the sidelines, cheering and trying to stay out of the sun.

My best friend, her husband, and their new adorable baby are in town tonight, so I doubt I'll get any new pieces made this evening, but look for updates in my Etsy shop on Friday and Saturday!

Peace and love,

Jess

Ugh...the Craft Room

2009-04-28T16:07:00.001-07:00

As promised, here are pictures of the "Crap Room." I have started working on it, I swear! Allow me to give you the tour:

This is the hallway outside the crap room. Yes, it is so bad that it overflows into the hallway. The pile of things on the rug contains objects I'm going to Craigslist or give to Goodwill, depending on how lazy I want to be.

This is the view when you first walk in. Nice, huh? (Please note the sarcasm.) The only reason there's a path cleared out is because I took down the ironing board and moved my easel into the spot it vacated. Seriously, that's the only reason.

View from the opposite side of the room.

I rotated. The rolltop desk belonged to my grandparents (did I mention my whole family stores things in our house? Well, they do. Seeing as we don't actually own the house, I can't really say anything, but still...)

My easel and the painting I started in March last year. That's how much time I have to paint. Sad, huh?

This is a super-sweet montage of mess. That desk was given to me by my grandmother, and it's one of my favorite pieces in the whole house. Too bad you can't see it under all the clutter. Yikes! One of my favorite parts about the room is my "Divining Rod." Really, it's just a curtain rod that I clipped inspirational/favorite images to using curtain rings.

Are you disgusted? Me too. Let's not look at it anymore.

I swear I am working on it. I'll post more pictures as I make more headway. Snarf. I need some pudding.

For fun, here's a Font Quiz that you should take if you're addicted to fonts (seriously, it's sad) like me:

Sara Newton's Fontastic Quiz

Score: 70% (7 out of 10)

Oh my!

2009-04-23T20:03:00.000-07:00

I was featured!! In a blog! Yes, someone else's blog! I'm all atwitter with excitement! My Watermelon Necklace was picked by guest poster Lindsay for her post titled "Lindsay's Loves." Click here to see it! How exciting! I'm also running a special for We Chirp readers at my Etsy shop. You'll have to hop on over to find out what it is!

Hooray!

Also, Happy Birthday to Nick's mom, Nancy!! She's the best MIL (that's Mother-in-law, for those not hip to the lingo) I could hope for!

Peace, love, and jellybeans!

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

Too bad I couldn't enjoy it because I am sick, sick, sick! I have yet another sinus infection, and I just woke up with a man voice, which is awesome. (Please note the sarcasm in my online voice.) But the good news is it's almost Friday! YAY!!!

This Saturday, I'll be volunteering at the YWCA to do some playground restoration, meaning we'll be tearing down some old equipment with Operation Inasmuch to make way for a new fence and new playground equipment for our lovely and adorable children (not mine, because I don't have any, but the ones in the Child Development Center).

I hope you all had a Happy Earth Day, and did lots of earth-friendly things! I slept and whined about how bad I feel (thankfully, my husband is very doting and a wonderful caretaker of poor old sick me!).

This has nothing to do with Earth Day really, but you should head on over to Curbly (one of my daily reads!) and enter to win a George Kovacs reading lamp! I hope I win!! I've been coveting his arc reading lamp forever!!

Also, please check out knack and Art and Light Gallery. They are two awesome stores/houses of chic/cool/quirky/awesome art and home accessories here in G-Vegas. For those of you not in the know, G-Vegas = Greenville, SC.

Peace in the Middle East.

And Africa.

A little bit of whimsy

2009-04-18T21:42:00.001-07:00

Whimsy Press, that is! I've known about this paper company since 2006, when I worked in what I can only describe as the most beautiful, best-smelling, amazing boutique ever. There, we sold Whimsy Press wrapping papers, amongst other wonderful things. Sadly (very sadly), Eden Limited is now closed. But the good news is that you can still buy Whimsy Press papers at their online store! Hooray! You should also know 3 things: 1. Whimsy has a line of 100% recycled wrapping paper, 2. They also have a line of 30% recycled paper, and 3. THEY ARE HAVING A 60% OFF SALE! Use the code 2009 at checkout, and receive 60% off your entire order! Whew, I nearly crapped my pants from excitement! Just kidding (sort of).

Images from www.whimsypress.com

So, I bought some (way too many) sheets, and am using them in some lovely projects, which I will disclose in the coming week. Pictures will be up soon, but in the meantime, enjoy your weekend and these links:

www.moggit.com (Best snarky design blog, EVER)
www.makingitlovely.com (I'm sure you already know about this, but just in case you don't, now you do!)
www.ikeahacker.com (Don't ask. Just go.)

Living Room Redo

2009-04-16T06:59:00.001-07:00

I've seen these mood boards all over the place, and I wanted to try my hand at it! Here is what I'm thinking for our living room, which currently has teal carpet, white walls, and is used as a storage room for my whole family:

1. Dolphin Fin interior paint by Behr
2. Innocence interior paint by Behr
3. Accent Fabric 1 - Ginseng Home Dec Fabric by Joel Dewberry $15.99/yard
4.Accent fabric 2 - Belle AB07 Fabric by Amy Butler $9.50/yard
5. IKEA Expedit Bookcase $159
6. Kinmare Chair by Ballard Designs in Easy Care Sand $1,379
7. Seabury Sofa by Pottery Barn in Pewter Canvas $1,999
8. Cole Ottoman in Jade by Room & Board $349
9. Unagna Indoor/Outdoor Natural and Chocolate Rug (7' 10" x 11') from Overstock.com $184.99

What are your thoughts?

I need your input!

2009-04-13T16:45:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking about trying to sell some of my photographs in my Etsy shop, but I honestly don't know if anyone would buy them. Please leave a comment below on whether or not you or someone you know would consider purchasing a print for under $10.00 (unframed of course).

Thank you for your input!

Updates!

2009-04-12T21:01:00.000-07:00

I've been busy making new pieces for my Etsy shop! I'm uploading 1-2 every day, so check back frequently for new items! I'm working on a new section--Hair Adornments! I'm excited! I'm also working on some e-blast designs to send to friends and family, and I'm hoping to get a mailing list up and running soon.

Please visit my friend Liz's shop: www.splendidminta.etsy.com. She makes fabulous fabric goodies, so check her out!

I'm off to eat pizza before Nick's hockey game at 10:15 (yes, at night. Yuck!).

2009-04-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

So I'm participating in Apartment Therapy's Spring Cure. Not for the whole house (God knows that's going to take a LOT longer than 8 weeks), just for the craft room. Really, it should be called the crap room, because that's what it looks like right about now. After we got married and Nick moved all his stuff in, it went straight into the crap room (I'm going to call it that until it's cured) because it's closest to the front door. I should tell you that I can't even walk through the room. I have to jump and hop over stacks of books, rubbermaid storage containers (full of God knows what), and art and sewing supplies everywhere. Really, it's just sad. I'll post pictures as soon as I'm brave enough to venture in there.

Here's what I'm thinking:
-New shelving, made from drawers we found on the side of the road (SCORE!)
-Recovered desk chair (with some fabulous Joel Dewberry fabric)
-A lot of cleaning and organizing (hopefully with the help of some new IKEA cabinets)
-Hanging new art and framed fabrics on the walls
-Perhaps some new lighting...I am a Lamp Tramp, after all

I'm thinking those changes are going to make a huge difference in the room. I'll update and post pictures as I move along.

Wish me luck!

Madonna Party!

2009-03-29T13:36:00.000-07:00

Just a few pics of the fabulousness that was this weekend!

Un-freaking-believable

2009-03-24T17:27:00.000-07:00

Normally, I try to reserve this blog for posts about happy things, like crafting, my jewelry, things that I like on the interwebs, etc. Today, however, calls for an irate blog. WARNING: Foul language ahead.

You have been warned.

Here's the background info: I have a BA in Art. I am currently in grad school to get a Master's in Early Childhood Education. When your BA is not in Education and you go back to school to get a Master's in Ed, you have to take some interdisciplinary undergrad courses, these being Art for the Child, Music for the Child, and PE for the Child. Today, I had PE for the Child (EDU 393 at Converse). I had to teach a skill lesson. I taught my lesson, I thought it went fine, and the girls in my class seemed to like it. Unfortunately, my "professor" (I'm using that term loosely) did not like my lesson. The lesson I chose to teach was for 3rd and 4th graders, and the goal was to teach them a rudimentary version of an underhand volleyball serve. I got this lesson from www.pecentral.com, which is a resource my "professor" suggested.

According to my "professor," I taught the skill completely wrong, and she proceeded to rant on and on about how wrong my lesson was, and insinuated that I should not be a teacher, until I just couldn't take it anymore. BITCH PLEASE. I know I am a good teacher, as do my other professors and cooperating teachers with whom I have worked.

I am usually a pretty easygoing person, especially in my classes. I am respectful of my professors, and try very hard to do a good job. Today, though, I was not going to stand for her rudeness. I could not sit there and be bullied by this person in front of my entire class. I told her that I did not appreciate the way she was speaking to me, and that I felt the way she was handling the so-called "critique" was completely unprofessional. She basically called me a liar, and said that I did not get my lesson plan from pecentral.com, which I most certainly did. You can find the link here: http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/ViewLesson.asp?ID=4359. She said that there's no way the information I found was on PE Central, which again, it most certainly was. Again, I say BITCH PLEASE. Get your fucking facts straight before you try to contradict me. Don't EVER think you can get away with calling me a liar, because it won't happen.

I don't appreciate being called a liar, and I wasn't going to stand for it. The "professor" kept cutting me off when I was trying to speak, and said through clenched teeth, "I taught volleyball at the varsity level, don't tell me I'm wrong." At that point, I had had enough, and I grabbed my things and walked the fuck out.

On the way home I called the Dean of Graduate Education in tears, and asked for his help. I WILL NOT go back to that class, ever. I have NEVER been treated so rudely by anyone, much less a "professor." I'm meeting with him tomorrow, and I will do anything I can to keep from going back to her class. I'm not going to play nice and kiss the ass of someone who clearly has no respect for me, and for whom I have not one fucking iota of respect. Bitch.

After class was over, a friend of mine who's in the class with me called and said that one of the older ladies in our class was crying because the teacher was so hateful to me. That made me feel a little better, because at least I know the other students felt it too. Of course, no one said anything about it while it was happening. If she had been attacking another student like that, I would have jumped in immediately, but I guess I'm the only one with the balls to do it. I just won't sit idly by when I see someone else being mistreated.

Anyway, I'm still completely pissed, and would like nothing more than to slap that "professor" in public. Again, I can only say BITCH PLEASE. I hope my meeting with the dean tomorrow is productive, because I don't know what I will do otherwise. I don't want her to ever have the opportunity to treat someone else like that, and I hope the dean realizes what a terrible teacher she is.

I think this ends my rant. If things don't go well tomorrow I'm sure there will be more anger spouting.

One love.

Love

2009-03-19T13:54:00.001-07:00

Love XOXO
Originally uploaded by Pink Sherbet Photography

I'm oh, a month behind the ball on this one, but I think love is in style year-round, so it's fine. These are some fabulous love images from Flickr. I thought they were so beautiful I just had to share. Enjoy!

20/365- All You Need Is LOVE
Originally uploaded by Four Symbols

{ My love may not be perfect .. but it's true ,,
Originally uploaded by B a r c a ,

Your ice cold heart will melt

2009-03-16T19:33:00.000-07:00

This is without a doubt the most wonderful thing I have ever seen. This makes me want to move to France and raise my children there, so they will sound just like this.

Once upon a time... from Capucha on Vimeo.

I got this from sweet jessie's blog. You will enjoy it, too.

I should be photographing my latest pieces, but instead I'm trolling the interwebs for cuteness and enjoying sitting by the fire. (My husband is wonderful!)

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

2009-03-10T22:05:00.000-07:00

For all two of the people who actually read my blog, you have probably noticed a lot of changes lately. I'm trying to update and customize the look of my blog so it matches my aesthetic and coordinates with my branding, etc. Soooo if you happen to stumble across this blog, please take a moment to look at it and give me your thoughts! I would love any and all constructive criticism about the look, feel, and content of my blog.

Thanks so much!

PS also check out the YWCA of Greenville site. I've been working on some updates over there as well. Gracias!

My favorites!

2009-03-09T18:20:00.001-07:00

I was inspired to post these links after I attended a Web Design & Development seminar at the YWCA of Greenville. In it, I met other small business owners, and we shared ideas and experiences. I started talking about some of my favorite websites, and it got me thinking, so I decided to share! Below are links to some of my favorite sites. Some are helpful, some are fun, and some are just plain pretty! I hope you enjoy, and please let me know if you've found a fabulous site I should see!

How To: Make a cheap (free) light box for taking macro photos - The light box I made after reading this tutorial has helped my Etsy & Flickr sites SO much! I highly recommend it if you need to photograph items to post online.

Etsy - This one is pretty obvious. I love Etsy, and everything about it. The shops are amazing, the site itself is fabulous, and don't even get me started on The Storque. It's a daily addiction.

Great advice from The Brand Builder - This local (Greenville) brand strategist has some great advice on his blog from one of the greatest. Definitely check out his other posts for ideas on how to improve your branding strategies. I know I will!

Making It Lovely - I could look at Nicole Balch's photographs all day long, and still find something new and fresh about them! Her style is great, and along with her husband, she is working to transform their Chicago-area bungalow into an even more stylish home. Her site is always a source of inspiration for me!

knack - Barb, the owner of knack, is a Greenville artist and furniture resurfacer who has an amazing, funky sense of style and takes beautiful photographs. I love her work, and I'm sure you'll become a fan of the pieces she imbues with a renewed sense of style.

Flickr - Okay, you probably already know about this one, but I had to include it. Flickr is a wonderful community of photographers who want to share their images and inspirations with the world. You definitely need to bookmark this one.

Blogger - Really, do I need to say anything about this one?

IKEAhacker - I don't know if you are as obsessed with IKEA as I am, but even if you're not, you will definitely enjoy these hacks. There are so many inventive uses and revamps of the already-great IKEA pieces. Check it out!

Bakerella - I don't bake, but I love cake! I know you will love Bakerella's delicious recipes and mouth-watering photos of her cake creations. Yum!

Apartment Therapy - This is definitely one of the ultimate home decor inspiration sites. Home tours, project ideas, and small space advice abound on their pages, and bloggers from around the country contribute. A must-read.

design*sponge - Oh, I could talk for hours about this one! Grace somehow finds the most amazing things to post, and finds the best guest bloggers I've ever seen! If you like DIY projects, and pictures of sweet before-and-afters, you will love d*s, too!

decor8 - The tagline for decor8 is "Fresh finds for hip spaces," and I couldn't describe it any better than that! This is the source for fun, funky pieces for your home, and cool home tours from all over the world.

I hope you enjoyed the sweet link goodness! If you did, please leave me a comment below. In fact, leave me a comment even if you didn't like them! Also, if you like what you see here, please visit my Etsy and Flickr sites.

Peace and love,

Jessica

The Perils of Being a Badass

2009-03-05T21:07:00.000-08:00

My husband plays hockey in a local rec league, and last night he got busted in the face area. He should probably (definitely) get stitches, but he's not much for those kinds of things. So now he'll just have another scar to add to the collection.

We're hoping to go see The Watchmen tonight, but we'll see if that ends up actually happening. Here's hoping!

Anyway, Happy Friday everyone!

HELP!!

2009-03-03T20:00:00.000-08:00

Where can I find these beads? I want to buy them from a wholesale source, and I cannot find them ANYWHERE!! I have heard them variously described as lucite, plastic, acrylic, and resin. I have searched for them as flowers, chrysanthemums, mums, roses, and pretty much anything else you can think of! If you know where to purchase them wholesale, please let me know!! Thank you!

Snow Pictures!

2009-03-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

As promised, pictures from the snowy day!

My lovely (squinty) husband and me in the park behind our house, enjoying the snow!

Lovely hubby again...yes, this is all he wears in the snow.

Frozen bird bath in the park.

Frozen dogwood in our backyard. I love the blooms next to the snow and ice. Pretty!

Fallen branch in our backyard.

Our house!

Now I'm inside, getting ready to organize the craft room. (I swear I'm actually going to do it this time!) Then, I'm going to make some hot chocolate and snuggle up by the fire with my jewelry supplies to make some new hotness!

Peace and love

Snow day!!

2009-03-01T15:30:00.000-08:00

No work tomorrow! Woo hoo! I'm snuggled up in a blanket, enjoying the lovely fire. I was going to make some hot chocolate, but now we're snowed in with no milk! (Sad face) I'm going to spend the evening de-cluttering the craft room so I can spend all day tomorrow making pretties! If you're in the Greenville area I hope you enjoy your snow day, too!