Merry Christmas!

Before whisking the family off to enjoy seeing my 1st grader be a shepherd in his first church musical this evening, I want to wish you all a sincerely, very Merry Christmas! I'm so grateful for the opportunity you've given me to design jewelry for you. My heart has been filled, my eyes wide with surprise each and every time I meet one of you and you share how much you enjoy my designs. This has been such a wonderfully surprising, unexpected journey!

I hope that your heart is warmed by all the goodness of the season and you have happiness around you and in you, at this special time. What a wonderful gift this season gives us!

Merry Christmas!!

Hoop earring set - the gift of impatience

Mid-sized, oxidized handcrafted sterling silver hoop earrings are all the rage right now. Dangle an awesome stone or cool cut glass from them, and they're even better! I've just posted a set of oxidized sterling silver hammered hoops in my shop, with 10 different dangles. You read that correctly ... TEN different dangles! Wear them alone, or slide any of the stone or glass sets on that I've included and you get 11 different earrings, in one set! 

I made the hoops the other day. I don't often make hoops (I don't know why?!), and when I do they typically sell very quickly. After thinking about that, I decided I wanted to make a really dark pair - cool, dark blackened/gunmetal looking and hammered. So popular right now and they update your style with their rustic, trendy, handcrafted look. 

I'm in between sterling silver shipments right now, and these earrings used up the last little bit I had in stock for the moment. After finishing them, I decided I wanted to make another pair with a single, cool dangle too. Once I got the image in my head, the plain hoops were calling to me each time I saw them, to add something to them. While plain hoops are great and so versatile, I couldn't get these dangles out of my head ... and they just wouldn't wait! 

As I was digging the materials out that I had in mind, I came across several more stones and beads that I thought would look so great with the hoops. I started laying them out and when I was satisfied with what I had pulled, I had enough for 10 different sets of earrings! They were all beckoning to me, "pick me!", "pick me!". The stacked turquoise nuggets were awesome with these hoops, but the purple & blue are such popular colors now and these beads showed the colors so beautifully ... and then there were the clear quartz with pyrite - which are just so "me". I COULDN'T DECIDE! 

The option to wait for more sterling silver crossed my mind. 10 different dangles could mean 10 different sets of earrings to add to my shop. Of course, that involved me being patient and waiting. We're already amidst the season of waiting for the birth of Jesus Christ, and all of the celebration that goes with that. I couldn't wait anymore! So I decided to give the gift of offering the possibility of 11 sets of earrings, at a very low per-earring price ... all packaged together! So Merry Christmas, I hope someone finds these and either enjoys their ultra-versatility themselves, or gives them as a gift and feels that swell in their heart that happens when you know you're giving something that they'll be able to use, and will bring them joy! 

http://www.MyHappyThings.etsy.com

Get it in time for only $1.00!

I'm upgrading all shipping beginning Monday, Dec 19, 2011

to Priority Mail for the same $1.00 charge

to help get it to you by Christmas!

http://www.MyHappyThings.etsy.com

Snowflake Joy

Every year when the weather man starts to talk about snow here in Ohio, the song "Suzy Snowflake" pops in my head. I think partially because my name is Susan (although I've never been a Suzy), I'm a bit partial to the song and its happy, lighthearted, bouncy tune. My little boys LOVE it, and always want to wait to start singing it until they see the very first snowflakes of winter. Then they burst out in laughter, chanting "HERE COMES SUZY SNOWFLAKE" at decibels that could arguably effect your hearing! 

The funny part is, I can never remember the rest of the words to the song! Last year, my (at that time) 3 year old insisted that I tell him what comes next, and since we were driving down the road at the time, I had to come up with something on the fly. And so, I made up:

"Here comes Suzy Snowflake

she and her friends fall down

tap tap tappin' at window sills

all around the town"

It sufficed for the time being and we've been singing it that way ever since, all the while intending to look up the real lyrics. Well, the boys just started screaming, "WOW! Look outside, it's like a giant snowstorm!" and when I went to the window, I saw millions of beautifully tiny snowflakes lightly dancing to the ground everywhere. It's not actually a snowstorm, in fact the ground is too warm for it even to stick. But my 'drama gene' has been passed down to both boys, and even the hint of some kind of weather event, is enough for them to embellish and turn it into major, overstated excitement! As I started humming the tune and we commented on how Suzy brought SO MANY friends with her today, I decided I was going to look up the lyrics once and for all. So I share with you "Suzy Snowflake", made famous by Rosemary Clooney in 1951 ... and a few snowy, icy, crystal-ly pieces of jewelry! Enjoy!

Here comes Suzy Snowflake

Dressed in a snow white gown

Tap, tap, tappin' at your window pane

To tell you she's in town

Here comes Suzy Snowflake

Soon you will hear her say

"Come out ev'ryone and play with me

I haven't long to stay

If you want to make a snowman

I'll help you make one, two, three

If you wanna take a sleigh ride

The ride's on me."

Here comes Suzy Snowflake

Look at her tumblin' down

Bringing joy to every girl and boy

Suzy's come to town 

Love Affair with Blue and Green

If you've been to my online shop lately, you've probably seen some of the beautiful blue-green materials I'm working with. I'm finding that I'm completely infatuated with this color combination! I just can't get enough of it and love, love, love the way designs turn out using these colors in my jewelry pieces. 

It's funny, because I've always considered myself a "warm color" person. Show me a  a warm orange, cheery terracotta or rich rust and I'm hooked. These are always the colors I choose for my clothing, whenever possible. But lately I notice myself falling in love with the cool, crisp allure of blues and greens. The mystical trance of a pristine blue crystal or the mischievous, flirtatious shades of green that tease me, when I see these soft, blue-ish shades. I'm head over heels! The funny thing is that I'm having a horrible time coordinating these wonderful colors in the jewelry, with my clothing! For some reason, when I put a blue or green shirt on and view my reflection, I can't seem to marry the color combo with "me"! I'm determined to embrace my new love though, and simply have enjoyed pairing these colors in my accessories, with jeans and a black sweater or turtleneck, or even gray. When the materials in the jewelry are spectacular and steal the show, it's best that the clothing play a supporting role anyway ... right?!! ;)

Lately I really enjoy wearing blue with black. It's a bit unexpected, but very complementary when the shade of blue is vibrant, or special. And it can be a very crisp and clean pairing, even with the darker shades.

I'm thinking my new love affair might partially be contributed to my boys. I have two of them, ages 7 and 4. Cute? Oh yeah! Rambunctious? OH YEAH! They wear me out! The constant "brotherly love" (which looks more like WWF wrestling most of the time) has me feeling more at home in a black and white striped shirt with a whistle, than any of my past or current favorite color combos! Fashion aside, lately any opportunity for something soothing and calming is greatly appreciated and welcomed with open arms. I even found myself enjoying a little "mini vacation" while waiting in the Elementary school pick up line this afternoon. Since my 4 year old is typically with me for 1st grade pick up, I noticed that today the quiet of my solitary little road trip was a welcome change. As I put my car in "park" once taking my place in the middle of the 1/2 mile long line (I refuse to come 20 minutes early to get a spot in the front of the line, yet don't want to hear the complaining about how LOOOOONG he had to stand there waiting when I'm one of the LAST FEW in line!), I wasn't quite sure what to do with myself in this unexpected few moments of peace! I quickly seized the moment and adjusted the seat to a slightly more relaxing position, then leaned my head back and popped open the top of the Diet Coke can I had thrown in my purse as I dashed out of the house. Ahh. Peace. Quiet. Solitude. Relaxation. ..... Blue-green!

Whether the blue-greens magically transport you from the bank drive through line to a mental vacation ... or you just think the colors are pretty, I hope you enjoy some of these latest designs!

As always, thanks for stopping by and don't miss the new designs I'm adding to the online shop daily this season! http://www.MyHappyThings.etsy.com

Mid-week SALE!

A quick heads up ... I've put a few earring items on sale in the online shop, for some mid-week savings! Hope you find something you like! http://www.MyHappyThings.etsy.com

Gorgeous, soft hues

For some time now, I've been completely in love with these crystals. I found them a few months ago, and have used some in fancy lampwork glass charm bracelets that are on display with the lampwork glass artist I design for. I've finally taken the time to create some gorgeous chandelier earrings, for the online shop. I love how the blue is so light and soft, having a bit of an earthy touch. Paired with a touch of sparkly soft brown, the color palette is so soothing and comfortable. I think they're just perfect on these ornate silver chandeliers! I'm hoping they make someone very happy this Christmas! ??? Enjoy!

Animal Print Hoop Earrings!

Rarely do I have my artisan lampwork glass jewelry ready in time to post online, before sending it to the lampwork artist I design for. I'm always last minute - no shocker, to anyone who knows me! I've had these amazing animal print sided lentils she made, in my stash for some time. They're the kind of beads that are so cool, you want to make sure you find a great design to showcase them. This holiday season, I've been adding a bit more "shimmer" to my designs, a bit of a change from the more matte, opaque designs, I typically create. While working on a necklace to send to the lampwork artist's next show, I had a vision of these animal beads in these fringey, slightly shimmery large hoops ... and knew I was ready to commit the beads to the design! If my neck were even just a touch longer, I would keep these for myself, I love them so much! For some reason, I often seem to design earrings that are just a bit too long for my petite stature ... maybe it's subconscious self defense, so I don't keep everything for myself! :) Anyway, they're in the shop for a day or two before I ship off my next lampwork package, so enjoy!

http://www.MyHappyThings.etsy.com

Earrings, earrings, earrings!

A little glitz & glitter added to the shop this weekend! Earthy with some bling, I think you'll enjoy the variety of earrings currently online ... and a great shipping deal too! Happy shopping!

http://www.MyHappyThings.etsy.com

$1 Shipping this season!

This season, let's celebrate with $1.00 USPS 1st class shipping* !! I hate it when I find something I really like online, decide I'm comfortable with the price ... then find out it's going to be another $5 - $10 on top of that to get it to me! Somehow, I forget about shipping, when I'm "window shopping" online! So let's take the frown out of ordering online, by only charging $1.00* to ship my jewelry to you, so you can get what you want and smile while you order it! Happy Holidays ... enjoy!!!

*$1.00 shipping covers all items except the "Susan's 7" value priced items. Many of these items are at or below material cost already for only $7, so regular 1st class mail charges of $3.00 will apply to items from this section of my shop.