Just in time for Christmas

This was one of the first (and last!) "Christmasy" pictures I took before our camera broke. BROKE! Can you believe the timing? I love that all I could muster for the holiday season was a screaming baby and some matching pj's.























While the hubs tries to fix the camera himself with tiny chips and boards and fuses and whatnot, I am trying to figure out creative ways to keep up with out a camera! Well, that's kind of a lie. I am secretly thrilled with the break it gave me from Etsy work, but especially from documenting family life.
We keep a little blog for friends and family of the kiddos - which I love doing - but during a time when events and busyness can overtake a little family, it can be just one more thing to do.
At first I felt odd and unprepared when we headed to two different Christmas sing-a-long/pageants for the four year old with out my camera. Then there's decorating, Christmas crafts and outings, dressing up on Sunday, Christmas parties...etc. I have been forced to enjoy them all first-hand, with my own eyes, relying on my own memory and I am loving it. Not to mention the time I've saved not uploading, editing and blogging every move the kids make.
It won't be forever, but my forced technology fast has been a welcomed change.

















As for The Shop, thankfully I am like a little squirrel stashing acorns away for winter - I already had a slew of new things made, photographed and ready to list...so no long breaks for me there. New goods on the way this week!

To You From Me

Now through the end of December, use the coupon code "MERRYANDBRIGHT" and receive 20% OFF your entire purchase in the shop. Just a way for me to say thanks to you all. I love getting to do this, and your support makes it possible. Thank you!























Endless possibilities when you hand-draw on your gift wrap like this!

Fox & Squirrel

My kids are four and one and they just got their first stockings. Pitiful, I know. We just never got around to it, and the four year old didn't know any better until this year. So we got away with it for a little while. :)


















This cutie set of woodland creature stockings was a team effort from my husband and me. He did that lovely whip stitch you see around the top edge - pretty, huh? I did everything else. I don't say that with disdain. You must know, I almost loathe stitching things by hand, but sincerely appreciate the craft. Anyone who does it gets a dozen extra points in my book.
Fox & Squirrel is a sweet, close to home theme. My son has always had a set of "silly words" he has kept in his vocabulary since he began talking. For a while it was "no-nee, non-ee" and he would never tell us what it meant. So my husband made up a bedtime story a few years ago with a fox and a squirrel and little message the wind tells the fox, and the fox passed it along to the squirrel, and the squirrel passed to a little boy named Judah...you can guess the message: "no-nee, non-nee". Anyhow. Fox & Squirrel quickly became a bedtime favorite and still gets told around here at night.
We thought it was only appropriate to appoint each character to a stocking. My son is the squirrel - who is also eating snow the way Judah loves to do. And it was obvious who the mischievous little fox would be....I love my wild child girl! :)



































Here's to full stockings... Cheers!

Magnolia Vale

We spent Thanksgiving in Brookhaven, Mississippi with my husband's side of the family. His Aunt's plantation home, Magnolia Vale, where we stayed is well over 100 years old...and has a name, y'all. Any home with a name is automatically way snazzier than all the non-named places I've ever lived. :) All the doors and drawers open with skeleton keys, everyone has double names, we lounged on the huge porch, and we ate with the family china and silver that will continue to be passed down from generation to generation...it was a true Southern holiday.
I received a few chuckles for snapping pictures of plates, spoons, and canned goods, but I had to document our stay. It was too nice not to share.
Here you have it, our Mississippi Thanksgiving...

It's Cyber Monday Y'all!

I'm fresh off my Mississippi Thanksgiving (a post on that later) and Cyber Monday is in full swing!
Check out the shop for FREE SHIPPING deals sprinkled around and don't forget to use your coupon code "Poppytalk2011" during checkout for 20% OFF your order. New items are on the way today as well. Lots going on!
Happy Cyber Monday!
photo source

As Promised...

To receive a 20% discount (Nov 25th through to Nov 28th) enter code: "Poppytalk2011" at checkout.
And there you have it. :)
CLICK HERE to SHOP!
...and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

20% Black Friday & Cyber Monday Coupon!!!

(That's Felix the Cat from the 1932/33 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade)

Hey friends! I'm gearing up for Black Friday & Cyber Monday promotions with Poppytalk next week. Stay tuned for a coupon code that will get you an automatic 20% OFF at checkout on all orders placed Friday November 25th through Monday November 28th.
I will post the coupon code in the next few days! Happy shopping!
(Pssst...stay home with your families on Black Friday, shop online, and buy handmade! ...just a thought) :)
Photo Source

Triangulation

I told you I was really into triangles lately! :)
This is the newest design in the shop. I made a set for myself too. I'm not real matchy-matchy with my jewelry, so I never wear them together, but I wear one of them almost every day. They go with everything!!!Click HERE ---> for the necklace
Click HERE ---> for the earrings

Our Town

When my four year old gets home from preschool and the baby takes a nap, we have "Mommy and Judah Time". Usually we color, read, build Lego boats, etc. But lately we've been working on this little project.
It's nothing but a big sheet of card stock (snagged from in between stacks of toilet paper at Costco - haha!) - a super easy project that needs no instructions. The best part though, is that every time we lay in the floor to color, he starts chatting.... he tells me about his day, his favorite thing to do on the playground, his best friends at school, what the girls at school say (one told him he was cute during nap time!!), which letters are hard to write, and which are easy, what he wants to be when he grows up. It all comes spilling out as fast as the colors on the page.
I know this will be hard to fit in the keepsake box, but I don't think I'll be able to part with Our Town any time soon!

The dog watches while the local church gets an orange window...Making a traffic jam...Toy Store and Pet Shop (he made it rain on them one day)...His tree house...New additions will include a train track and station, and a bakery. :)

Tidbits...

Good Morning!
My chicken pot pie is prepped for tonight, the baby is napping, and coffee is poured...I thought I'd pop in and let you all know that Poppytalk's Pre-Holiday Market is up and running. Check out my table HERE.
Oh! And stay tuned... I have a fun little project I've been working on with the four year old that I'm going to post soon. For now, here's a little video of him and his sweet (and gullible) imagination.

Spiced Pancakes

The picture isn't as tasty as the cakes were, so you'll just have to trust me on this one.
These were super-duper easy. I followed the directions on Bob's 10 Grain Mix, and added about a tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice, and a cap full of vanilla extract.
The one-year-old and I gobbled them up. I just did butter on mine, although I'm sure they would be good with powdered sugar and syrup (what isn't?) or whipped cream, ooooooh! ...or pumpkin butter! Yum.

The Lunch Bag Costume

My four year old has never really been into Halloween. This year I told him all of his friends would be dressed up, but that didn't phase him, he still didn't want to dress up ...until about five days ago when he declared that he would be a lunch bag for Halloween. A lunch bag.
Whaaaaa?
We still don't know where he got the idea, but when the girls in his class approved with laughter, he stuck to his guns and helped me sketch a "design" for what we would make. He insisted it have a zipper, and I insisted that it say "LUNCH" on it, since he would otherwise look like a zippered pillowcase. (He selected the apple print fabric from my stash since he likes apples in his lunch, of course.)
So here you have it: The Lunch Bag CostumeHappy Halloween!!!

And the winner is....ME!

I'm so excited y'all! I just found out that I won a free month over at Poppytalk Handmade! Wahoooooo!
Some of you may remember them, but here's the scoop in their words: they are a "monthly online street market curated by Poppytalk to showcase, buy and sell handmade goods of emerging design talent from around the world."
I spent some time over there a while back in my early Etsy days and I am thrilled to be back! I'll keep you posted on the details. But for now, head on over and check out some of their other inspiring artists, or catch up on your blog reading HERE.

New Design...

I just listed my newest design today - the Flora Necklace.
I actually made one like this last year for myself, but I had to share...they're adorable! The lace and button are vintage (the button is actually from my Great Grandmother's button jar!).

Flower Crown

I've made several of these flower crowns recently. You may remember this one.
The one pictured here was for my best friend's daughter. Ruthie is my talented model, although it was impossible to get that girl to sit still! (hence the blurry photo)I love making these, but keep saying that I'm going to do the next one more simple. But I just can't help it! Every time I get started I just keep adding more and more flowers!
Maybe the next one will be a little less crowded.
(Somehow I doubt it) :)

Newsies...

Just listed this starry necklace...CLICK HERE to check out the Single Star Necklace.
P.S. Now that we are Texans, my 4 year old thinks every star is a "Texas Star" and thought I should name this one as such. They get 'em early around here! :)

Is there an echo in here?

It's been one of those weeks. This is what I feel like even when I sit still:This also happens to be my latest listing...one of my new designs, the Echo Necklace.
Here's to better days...Cheers!

Painted Rocks

Aren't these so pretty? I keep seeing these painted rocks all around and I just love them! I think I might have to paint a few for myself. Some inspiration...
Source: one, two, three, four
This could be a fun kiddo project too!

Patio Chair Makeover

My goal was to have our cute little back patio outfitted with furniture by the time fall weather hit. Since we're in Texas now, and still reaching into the upper 80's, I'm assuming that time is now? I don't know, it doesn't feel very "fall" to me, but I'll take it over 110˚.
Anyhow, I spotted this set of vintage metal patio chairs and table at a garage sale for $5!!! All they needed was a coat of spray paint. (I thought).
That job fell on my husband, who said they first needed sanding. He did a great job, and I'm glad he was in charge of that part of the project since I would probably have rust-eaten chairs already by now if it were up to me.
Spray paint colors are limited, but we picked green for the chairs, and yellow for the table. I wish now that I would've done them all the same color, but the husband quickly informed me that he was done with spray paint for a while, and I don't want a green table bad enough to do it myself.
I'm just ready to put my lazy bum in those chairs and enjoy the balmy fall Texas weather!

Before:After:Hard at work (and doing tricks):

Kin Necklace

I can't get enough triangles lately. That sounds funny. But it's true. As a design component they are fun to work with - basic, but so much potential. And aesthetically when you're talking about style, they are a nice contrast to the often too florally girly things I usually wear.
Here's my latest piece the Kin Necklace (I'll be making one for myself too!).

From The Tribe

My latest treasury is also a wish-list of sorts. I would looooove anything from this collection!
Click Here to get to the click-able links.

Have A Sip...

The Woodland Cider Necklace is!