...little pieces of my soul ~

...the butterfly is a symbol of the soul

and the dance of lightness and joy.

I am often times amazed

with the creation process of the jewelry that I make!

I love using vintage, combined with other interesting, very textural materials

and I never know know just how that piece will turn out ~

of course I have a vision of what I'd like it to be,

and I never duplicate a piece

but still ~

as I spend time,

gathering those unique materials,

hand sewing special bits in place,

and watching a pile of...

well...stuff ~

(beautiful stuff mind you!)

transform before me and come to life 

(not in the literal sense, mind you, I'm not crazy!)

but, as each piece commands my upmost attention to detail,

in turn, each piece will take on it's form, so to speak.

And by the time those lovely bits have become a finished piece

I have become attached!

little pieces of me are sewn in right along with those other materials ~

I love what I do, so naturally each piece is made in love!

and when I sell one of my pretties

I am thrilled that someone else finds it beautiful as well!

I will be sending this Butterfly Goddess piece off to Finland today!!

Finland!!

...so in a way,

I will be in Finland too...

via ~ something these small hands have made,

and it blows my mind that little pieces of my soul are starting to flutter to places

I never imagined they'd be!

I am excited

&

humbled at the same time!

I can't wait to see where this journey will take me

...and the little pieces of my soul ~

xo 

...and the winner of my very first giveaway is ~

...okay....okay....okay!!!!

I'm soooooo nervous

&

excited

&

did I say nervous?!

OKAY!

without further adieu......

the winner of my very first giveaway is......

is....

Amarie D!!!!!!

Congratulations, my dear ~ you won!

I want to thank you all for participating in my very first blog giveaway!

I enjoyed reading all of your comments and thoroughly enjoyed the anticipation!

I truely wanted all of you to win!

~ don't feel ripped 'cause you don't see your name

I want you to have another chance

sssooooooooo

on monday, February 1st ~

a brand new giveaway 

will be revealed from behind the curtain!!!

and as you will soon know this about me,

you just never know what I will do next!!!

I can give you a hint!!!

It does have to do with Omar.

Oh, what's that

You don't know who Omar is?!

well,

I simply must introduce him to you!

That man lounging on the couch, at the top of this post is Omar!

blog readers, this is Omar,

Omar, these are my blog friends

...Omar says "charmed"

Don't you just love him?!!

anyway, back to my clue ~

so it will have something to do with Omar 

and lavender!!!!

So stay tuned my loves!

Your going to love it!!!

xo 

  

Amarie D, please e-mail me your info, so that I may mail off your choice of sweet tarte slip!

(hurry, there are only two left in the shop!)

...my first blog giveaway!!

Yes! It's true!

This is my first ever ~ giveaway!

and the prize is...

these

OH-

SO-

Yummy

Fleur de Sel Caramels!!!

...a sweet package of 12

of these "sea salt blossom caramels"

that have been dipped

in Valrhona dark bittersweet chocolate!

...but wait ~

there's more!

you may choose 1 of my

sweet tarte slips

that are listed in my etsy shop!

I have 4 listed, (now 3)(now 2!)

and if you are the winner,

you get to choose

the 1 you want!

Now to enter ozma's first ever giveaway,

this is what you need to do:

Leave a comment on this post ~ earn 1 chance

Become a follower ~ earn 2 chances

Mention my give-away and link on your blog ~ earn 3 more chances
(you can grab the button on the side!)

I will pick a winner on Friday!

happy, happy, joy, joy!!!!

xo

 

...oh anthropologie!!

You've done it again!!

Okay, I'll admit it...

...I've got a thing for anthropologie,

but who doesn't?!

Their body adornment are nothing short of

fabulous beauty!!!!!

Let's start from the top with this pretty little number ~

then

try these on for size ~

aahhhh, soft jeans, perfectly faded ~

then

grey, flower embellished, ballet flats

 I know I could buy really inspiring groceries in those!!!

and

this oh-so-sparkley wrist cuff

this braclet is to die for!!!

are you still with me?!

We simply can't forget about the pretties underneath

anthro's newest addition ~

I feel like a princess already!

this matching set is silk at it finest!

and I know these thigh high socks

with a little frill at the top

would hug my legs just enough

...I'm still looking for just the right handbag,

but maybe this one...

...or maybe this

...so many pretty choices!

but

 I know if it's beautiful,

I will find it right here:

  http://www.anthropologie.com/

and for your neck adornment,

go here and enter for your chances for one of Gypsy Brocante's

lovies!

http://gypsyfleamarket.blogspot.com/

Have fun "virtual shopping"

xo

...dancing in the rain

The lovely Lizet has featured my "Dancing in the Rain" parasol

in a magical spotlight on byhand.me. You can visit it here: 

http://lizetfrijters.blogspot.com/2010/01/dancing-in-rain.html

Seems as if  parasols are the theme this week!

This is from my Black Moth Studio

and you can see it here:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33367610

and it is truely lovely open ...and closed!

Now you know something else about me,

~ my offerings of artisan items

are a mélange of different pieces of my soul!

I hope your hearts are light today ~

and that you too

are dancing in the rain!!!

xo

...everything's coming up ~ RUFFLES!

What do you think about this parasol?

It's my first attempt for my outdoor umbrella for this summer!

I was inspired by this umbrella from Warp Weft and Co.

it's called the flamenco ~

and it has another one of my favorite things on it ~

RUFFLES!!!

You can see it here:

http://warpweftandco.com/Umbrellas.html

along with some other fabo ones!

I love, love, love (did I mention love?!) this umbrella!

I can see now, that I need to add more fullness to my umbrella's ruffles,

and let me tell you, there are already miles of ruffles on it!!!

BUT,  I'll just have to sew some more...

I've got time, right?!!

...at least until the end of March...

hhhmmmm,

 let's see now,

where'd I leave my seam ripper?!

xo

...one of my favorite things!

...is a plate of these!!!!

Years ago, when Jim and I were dating,
(many, many years ago!)

We would go to a place called Chi Chi's Restaurant

(a mexican food chain in Ohio),

and I would always order the seafood nachos.

Chi Chi's is now long gone,

 but ~

I was able to get that recipe for my own!!!

and I'd like to share the recipe with you.

Over the years I've tweaked it to my liking

(or embellished it more, if you've read my doll house post, you understand)

but here are both recipes,

 try them both and you decide!

The Original Chi Chi's Seafood Nachos

* 1 pound imitation crab meat

* 6 tablespoons butter

* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

* 1/8 teaspoon paprika, plus more to sprinkle on top

* 1 1/2cups half-and-half

* 2 tablespoons medium sherry

* 16 ounces shredded Monterey Jack or Colby Jack cheese

* tostitos crispy rounds tortilla chips

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Stir in flour, salt, nutmeg, and paprika with wire whisk; add half-and-half and sherry. Cook and stir until thickened. Refrigerate sauce. Meanwhile, empty crabmeat into a bowl and break up. Stir in cooled sauce, and put about a tablespoon of seafood mixture on each chip. Sprinkle with cheese, then paprika. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Makes about 5 dozen nachos. Serve with sour cream.

Rose's Version of Chi Chi's Seafood Nachos

* 1 pound imitation crab meat

* 6 tablespoons butter

* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

* 1/8 teaspoon paprika, plus more to sprinkle on top

* 1/8 teaspoon red pepper

* 1/2 teaspoon sugar

* 1 1/4cups half-and-half

* 1/4 cup white dry wine

* 2 tablespoons medium sherry

* 16 ounces shredded Mexican cheese

(I like the one that has cheddar in it)

* tostitos crispy rounds tortilla chips

(I've used them all, use your favorite!)

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Stir in flour, nutmeg, paprika, red pepper, and sugar with wire whisk; add half-and-half, white wine and sherry. Cook and stir until thickened. Meanwhile, empty crabmeat into a bowl and break up ( I cut mine up with my kitchen shears). Stir in warm sauce, and put about a tablespoon of seafood mixture on each chip. Sprinkle with cheese, then paprika. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Makes about 3 dozen nachos. I like mine with sour cream, green onion and parsley on top.

(and no ~ I didn't forget the salt, I thought it was too salty so I dropped it, I also use, no fat sour cream and reduced fat cheese to lighten this up a bit!)

I do hope you will try these and if you don't like seafood, just substitute it with chicken!

Bon Appetit!!!

xo

...featured on ETSY's front page!

I simply just had to share my enthusiasm ~

 my "mon amie - key to my heart" tags made it to etsy's front page!!!!!

Thanks to Maggie,

from: http://www.etsy.com/shop/DiamondDollsCouture

lovely treasury!

She will be receiving a set of those tags along with my gratitude~

as this is my first artisan item to ever be featured on the front page!!!
whhhooohhhooooo!!!
 xo

...winds of change

You never know when an epiphany will find you...

But you certainly know when one hits you!

Everyday, all around us, life is happening.

Sometimes it's sublime happiness,

and other times...sheer sorrow.

Today I have been catching up on reading my favorite blogs

and both of these feelings have applied!

I felt a shift in my soul after reading

http://breathingbesideus.blogspot.com/

Saturday, January 16th- "to-get-something-you-never-had-you-have"

most eloquent post.

And complete disbelief and heartsick, sorrow after reading

http://www.frenchlarkspur.blogspot.com/

Sunday, January 17, 2010 post.

You never know what a day will bring

so we must live each day with positive conviction,

to participate in life,

to inspire,

and to support each other

however and whenever we can.

Women truely are remarkable creatures ~

that's just how God made us!

So my ahha moment was simply this ~

Be Beautiful

Be Kind

Be strong

Be You!

xo

Thank You!

                                                     

A Most Special Thank-You to All who contributed in
 Etsy for Haiti ~

Whether you were a seller donating your pretties

or a buyer, purchasing
or a willing spirit simply spreading the word,

You did make a difference!

This print looks like what I imagine Washington to be during the

 Cherry Blossom Festival!

I so wish to visit during that time

and lay down under a tree and

feel the pink spring snow on my face!!

  

Have any of you had the opportunity to visit during this lovely time?

I'd love to hear about it!

xo

Etsy for Haiti ~ PLEASE JOIN US!!!!!!

(photo from Rebecca Sower's blog)

THIS JUST IN ~

~~~~ETSY FOR HAITI~~~~

A Fundraiser in effect until January 15th midnight.

ALL proceeds of ALL purchases will go to Artisan friends and family of Rebecca Sower's.

Please see this post for all information...

http://yourangil.blogspot.com/2010/01/etsy-for-haiti.html

ETSY shops participating:
http://www.yourangil.etsy.com/  100% of proceeds
http://www.ozmaofodds.etsy.com/ 100% of proceeds
http://www.blackmothstudio.etsy.com/ 100% of proceeds
http://www.thecraftyhome.etsy.com/
http://www.shaggychic.etsy.com/ – 50% of Sales 1/13 – 1/18
http://www.midnightandlulu.etsy.com/ – 50% of proceeds
http://www.boholuxeaccessories.etsy.com/ – 50% of proceeds
http://www.gleeza.etsy.com/ – All Proceeds going to Save the Children for Haiti
http://www.elisabethspace.etsy.com/ – 50% to American Red Cross or Yele Haiti Organization
http://www.beebeebee.etsy.com/ – 100% of proceeds
http://www.handjstarcreations.etsy.com/ – 10% of proceeds through Jan. 18
http://www.delacy.etsy.com/ – 50% of proceeds
http://www.thebeersoapcompany.etsy.com/ – 100% Proceeds
http://www.talktagz.etsy.com/ – 50% of proceeds
http://www.seaphemera.etsy.com/ – 50% to Doctors Without Borders
http://www.chuletindesigns.etsy.com/ – 50% thru Sunday
http://www.mccaligiuri.etsy.com/ - 100% of proceeds to Red Cross

* Again, ~ If you'd like to participate, Please visit Angela's shop: http://www.yourangil.etsy.com/

If all of us join together and do what we can, maybe we can make a difference!!!!
Thank You kind hearts!!
xo

...my projects have projects!!

...hello loves!

This is my dollie house,

 a constant, ongoing, ~ year's long project!

I've been organizing my studio this week and have found many projects.

Some of them half completed, some not started, some long forgotten.

I have many ideas swirling around my head ...

and I no sooner get one thing done and then I'm inspired by another!

My dollie house is an example,

I got this in a box  ... as in, assembly required!

and let me just say ~ Whew! That was quite a challenge.

I was happy when I got to the roof,

thinking I was almost done,

until I saw a bazillion cedar shingles!!!

all of which had to be glued on one by one!!!

(okay, maybe not a bazillion, but alot of shingles!)

anyway ~ I have enjoyed making it my own

and decorating the inside!

Picking paint colors for each room,

laying hardwood floor in the kitchen and then staining it!

very time consuming, but somehow satisfying.

As I was dusting my mini house ~

I got to thinking how my projects always have projects!

Meaning, it's never as simple as putting it together and being done!

I quess I'm what you call, a beauty embellisher.

It wasn't enough to put this dollie house together as is.

I simply had to add something else~

some gingerbread!

And no, you can't find it if your looking for it ~ I tried!

Sometimes it just comes to you!

And you don't know this about me ~ Yet ~

but another passion I have is decorative baking!

(more posts on that later!)

But I have always been a purveyor of the unique.

So, I had some vintage cake frills in my stash,

to which I used for the gingerbread on my dollie house!

(see what I mean! a project within a project!)

I have come to accept this of myself,

and recognize that we are all projects!

and that throughout our life there will always be projects...

inside and out!

and it's what we do with those projects,

using our own signature, so to speak, on our projects

that, I believe in turn, can affect our world and those around us.

One of my favorite life quotes is by Martha Graham ~

There is a vitality,

a life force, an energy, a quickening,

 that is translated through you into action,

and because there is only one of you in all time,

 this expression is unique.

And if you block it,

 it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost.

Wow!

inspiring stuff!

Now go leave some fingerprints on your projects!

xo

...on ruffles & virtual window shopping

...I adore ruffles!!!!

I love them one my clothes, on my sheets, on dish towels, on curtains,

even on potato chips (dipped in dark chocolate of course!)

but basically anywhere!

So you can imagine my delight when I spied this ~

Isn't this absolutely fabulous?!!!!!

I've been stalking this beautiful apron for a while now!

You can purchase one too from the ever so talented Renee

at http://www.apronanatomy.etsy.com/

she has named this apron ~ queen anne!

How lovely is that?!

This is so adorable, I would totally wear this out ~ in public!

I'd put on a pair of skinny jeans, a pair of cute heels and these socks!

Aren't these perfect?!

You can get a pair here:

http://www.shopruche.com/all-dolled-up-socks-by-betsey-johnson-in-oatmeal-heather-p-1225.html

I love virtual window shopping!

Well ~ I'm off to the studio to make some pretties so I can buy that oh-so-lovely apron!!!!

xo

...on an unsunny sunday

...bright spots on this unsunniest january sunday:

* 54 day's until tim burton's ~ Alice in Wonderland

(can we say Johnny Depp???!!!)

* time to clean up and organize the pretty things in my studio

(maybe I'll make some wonderland blue silk grunge ribbons...)

* baking some goat cheese and scallion muffins for lunch

(along side a salad, these are awesome!)

* spending time with my family

(even if we're just folding laundry!)

what are happy things that you like to do on dreary days?

...oh happy day!

Oh Happy Day!!!!

Today is my daughter's 13th birthday

Isn't she just lovely?!

~ I love you dear girly

Happiest Birthday!!!

hug, hug, kiss, kiss, big hug, big kiss, little hug, little kiss, kiss, kiss, little kiss, hug, hug

13 xo's!

...michaels store ~ supplies you can love!

Look at all these yummy supplies from michaels craft store!!

I love the metal water bottles, I plan on adding some flat back crystals to glam them up,

I am part crow you know!

I'm going to use the lip stamp to make labels for my "frenched kissed couture" line of  "sweet tart slips"

I really like tim holtz' line of distressed stamp supplies. The colors are faded like a vintage velvet flower.

After I emboss the lips onto handmade paper, I'm adding a wax seal stamped with a rose , dipped in glitter with red silk ribbon underneath.....lovely!

The brads are for my "fairy lights" ~  paper fairy doll matchboxes

because I am forever looking for pretty matches to leave out and not those eewww red ones!

and the mini paper cupcake liners are for mini paper wreaths

(like the ones  Heather, from http://prettypetals.typepad.com/ made in her online class)

but I'm trying small hearts, dyed pink!

 Busy day in the studio!

But do head on over to micheal's and see what lovely supplies you find inspiring!

xo

...aahhhhhh, calgon take me away!!!!

(snuggely, buggley bunny slippers)

...did you ever have one of those days that you just felt ~ off? You know, the kind of day that if somebody looked at you mean in the grocers ~  you'd just cry for no explainable reason other than because you thought

they didn't like you?!

and you slowly walk away

  clutching your coffee health bar crunch ice cream

and bag o' salty chips

(along with those other things you actually needed!)

thinking, how could they not like me, what did I do ?!

 as your heading towards the checkout

where the girl behind the counter says

I'm closed!

and so now I'm thinking

is there toilet paper stuck to my shoe? or what?!

and as you're finally loading you bags into the back of the car

some old fart superspeads by you, hitting that pot hole

that has a puddle of water in it,

and gets your favorite jeans all WET!!!

and then, on the way home

an extremely rude driver, completely cuts you off

and you had to SLAM on the brakes

so hard, your tub of ice cream

flew out of the bag and rolled somewhere

under the seat

and your thinking...

I hope the lid didn't come off!!!!!

well,

I had that kind of day!

and after dinner is cooked, and all the homework is finished and the dishes are done

you can find me in a tub FULL of bubbles,

eating my fuzzy

coffee health bar crunch ice cream

thinking to myself,

calgon...take me away

(or in this case...ben & jerry!!)

xo

...the rest is still unwritten!

I'm excited about the prospects of fresh new days!

Days to fill with positive energies, new dreams, new friends, ...new adventures!

I adore Natasha Beddingfield's song Unwritten:

I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined

Im just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned ...

Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else,
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
But the rest is still unwritten ...

So ~ here I go, pen in hand, scribbling these first new day's unwritten pages with the plans I have for this New Year! I encourage you to take up your pen and scribble along with me, Let's see where this journey takes us, together!!!!

...happy new year! Happy New Year!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I hope all your New Year's wishes come true!  Make magic happen in this  ~ "Once in a Blue Moon"  New Year! Peace & Love to you all!