joya jewelry

oh pastels how i love thee

2012-02-06T22:26:00.002-05:00

I am so drawn to pastels right now. It might be this crazy warm weather we are experiencing here in Georgia. So with Spring in the air, I guess I have Easter or Easter eggs on the brain :) Oh, and have I mentioned how addicted I am to crocheting on chain. So addicted! With pastel thread of course! Feeling inspired is a great thing! No matter how small and or kookie the inspiration may be. So below you can see all the lovely eye candy. I have my palette for my new collection and I can't wait to get started. The orange strand is an exception but still isn't it purdy:)

serendipity

2012-01-07T22:35:00.000-05:00

When celebrating the start of a new year I always feel a sense of gladness and hope. They are such refreshing feelings. Like anything is possible and new again. This is where kindness of spirit takes flight and all is calm in my mind and heart. As if to let myself know that what was not accomplished last year can absolutely be pursued in this new year. Renewal!

So, while shopping at my local thrift store, I found this bag. But at closer look it turned out to be a little more than a bag. As I was inspecting it, to see if it would fit my laptop, I found an envelope, but not an ordinary envelope. I slipped it out and noticed it had some writing on it. I began to read what was written on it. I was frozen! It was meant for me to find. "Serendipity". On July 15, 2006 she wrote, "maintain positive spirit, joyful, reverent, balanced - healthy faith"! I couldn't believe it. She wrote more through scribbles and clarity. Isn't that what complete and honest thought is all about. So whoever she was I thank her for leaving this list for me to find. I am a true believer that things happen for a reason and I am proud to be the one to take these words and add them to this year's way of living. I also wanted to thank each and everyone of y'all for reading my blog these past years and I wish y'all a happy and healthy new year! xoxo joyann

Play, Play, Play

2011-12-29T21:10:00.000-05:00

We are enjoying these wonderful lazy days now that Christmas has come and gone. Playing choo choo, staying in our jammies all day watching videos, and playing more choo choo! Wren has made this Christmas extremely magical and so much fun. That is why I am so greatful for this past week and all the memories we've made.
Hope you all were able to enjoy some lazy days in your pj's too.

Ornaments And Friends

2011-12-21T22:28:00.000-05:00

Where has the month of December gone? It is the most wonderful, yet hectic, time of year. In a span of a couple of days I attended our annual DIY ornament exchange and was part of an amazing handmade holiday open house.
Getting up to that point was a lot of preparation but heaps of fun to be a part of. Tiffin hosts the ornament exchange every year and this year she just made her home a wonderland. A wonderland of crepe paper and vintage baubles. Each one of us had our own personal ornament boxes to put our creations in. I couldn't wait to see what everyone came up with this year. It really truly amazes me. Even those who say they are not creative end up making the best ornaments. This year mine were a decoupage of pages from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and glittered to the hilt :)

A jump to a couple days later, Jenni, Tiffin, and I got together at Jenni's home and hosted a handmade holiday open house. It was so much fun. And we turned Jenni's already amazing house into a boutique. All of her beautiful paintings, jewelry, and wonderment that she does paired with Tiffin's amazing hand drawn botanicals, re-purposed vintage lamps and sweet, sweet embroideries. I couldn't have been happier to be among them. It was a nice success and I think we may do something else this spring.
Merry Christmas Everyone!! I hope your holiday is a very blessed one.

sorry for the dark picture but it still looks like a crepe paper wonderland doesn't it?

my own personal ornament box

it was filling up fast;)

I got to set up in Jenni's amazing pink dining room!!

my newest creation! crocheting on chain! I am in LOVE!!!

also preserving vintage baubles on cuffs! another LOVE!!!

one of Jenni's amazing paintings!!!

also her necklacs with my faves.... birds :)

her sweet message heart ornaments

Tiffin's amazing botanicals

her o so sweet embroideries..

Tiffin is a true jill of all trades... jenni's art tiles in the back ground

Looking a lot like Christmas

2011-12-07T20:50:00.001-05:00

I love pulling out our Christmas decorations! I am a cheese ball and always tell the ornaments I missed them. Which is what I used to do as a kid. Instead of my sister laughing at me my husband does that now. :) I can't help it I always get so super nostalgic around this time. And this year Wren really understands what is going on. When we lit the tree he just kept saying wow, wow, wow!

I found these amazing vintage ornaments at the thrift! I had to rescue them. They are on a smaller gold tree. The little gnome on the right is in Wren's room. He calls him gnomeo.

Love our white retro tree! We have a real one in another room. Pics of that one coming soon.

At an estate sale I went to this summer I came across a box of vintage foil reflectors. I knew I could do something with them and at 2 bucks for the whole lot it was a no brainer. Then as I was researching them I found out that they are going for up to $10 for just 5 reflectors. Wowssa!

An Invitaion

2011-11-28T20:43:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone, my friend is hosting a Holiday Open House. Featuring Jenni (the artsy hostess), Tiffin (Linwood Avenue), and I. And ya'll are INVITED!! We all have so many wonderful handmade pieces for that someone special. So, join us for this wonderful holiday event. If you live in the area and want to attend e-mail me for the address! joyajewelry@hotmail.com

Falling For Fall

2011-11-20T21:48:00.001-05:00

Lately our weekends have been full of playing in the leaves and scouting out as many acorns as possible. Wren is at an amazing age right now where everything is so wonderous and extraordianary. It is so much fun seeing everything through his eyes. My cup runneth over and I give thanks for my family everyday. I hope all of you have a wonderous and extraordinary Thanksgiving. xoxo

Falling for fall is wren's favorite song right now. Love Moose and Z on Nick Jr.

This was just the beginning :) his wagon is now full of acorns. Need to put them back in the yard for the squirrels :)

Trying New Things

2011-11-14T10:51:00.001-05:00

I have been holding on to a box of silver clay for about four years now. I had no idea what to do with it and all the goodies that came with it. So, it just sat in my crafting closet. After a funny talk with my friend Elizabeth about how long I have had it she and I were hoping it wasn't dust. She is a super talented jewelry designer and was ready to show me how to use it. She works with silver and has experience with the clay and the crazy torch that you have to use to fire it once it is dried. Wowsa! No idea that it would be so addicting once I finished my pieces. I know it has been around for forever but I was just too busy with all the other ideas swirling in my head to play around with it.:) Plus for those of you who know me I am so impatient with directions. I am a visiual gal. So, 20g made these four pendants below. The large piece is the Jane Austen pendant I made out of a stamp that I bought at her home in Chawton a couple of years ago. I can't wait to bead and chain it. I put the other three together on one chain and absolutely love it. Now I have to buy some more silver clay and keep practicing. But to be honest with ya'll the torch to fire the clay freaks me out just a tiny bit. Will work on not burning down the house. :)

Happy Halloween Ya'll

2011-10-31T00:00:00.000-04:00

The little guy who just turned 19 months is all about this holiday. He loves pointing out every pumpkin he sees and he calls them pumpkits. He also calls Halloween, EEEN :) So sweet! This year I made his costume as opposed to last year, because was so little still. But this year he made it very clear that he wanted to be Buzz Lightyear. So Buzz it is. I loved making his costume and we were lucky enough to find little inflatable wings for him to wear with it. I will post a pic after Halloween. We just can't wait to got trick or treating with him. This is such a great age. He is soaking everything in and it makes this time so magical!! Happy Halloween ya'll!

The Country Living Fair Was Here

2011-10-29T23:11:00.000-04:00

So last weekend was the fair of all fairs. The Country Living Fair right here in Atlanta! Of course I had my early bird ticket and was there bright and early to get my shop on!!! This amazing booth was the first to catch our attention. And BOY did it ever. You just wanted to move right on in.

There were so many amazing re-purposed items that just made my head spin and my heart swoon. I wanted this couch so badly. Love the vintage suitcase and train cases also.

The sisters on the fly were there with a couple of their refurbished campers. So amazing how they brought them back to their original state. Inspiring that the journey isn't over for these amazing pieces of Americana!!

Look how romantic and cozy!!

There was so much to look at that after a while my head was spinning. I think I could have really gotten carried away. Good thing I had a really strict budget :) Below we literally turned around and was smacked in the face with a booth dedicated to nothing but buttons and vintage trimmings.

I wanted all of the these spools of vintage velvet ribbon!! I cannot tell you that just walking away with three yards was just not enough. O' to dream!! All in all this was an amazing event and after it was all said and done. I was pooped. Did I mention I came back the next day. But, this time it was to help my friend Jenni at her booth, which i cannot believe i didn't get a picture of. What a fun time though and wow do i have a lot of ideas swirling in my head.

Always Carry A Handkerchief

2011-10-18T21:45:00.000-04:00

One of the fondest memories I have of my grandmother is that she always carried the most beautiful handkerchiefs. I also remember getting my first hankie when I was about six. It was a hello kitty one and I still have it to this day. I still carry one to this day, thanks Grandma :)
The love I have of these tiny pieces of fabric has made me go a bit crazy and I am buying them all up at the estate sales I obsessively go to. They are too beautiful to wither away with rips and holes that I encased them in glass. Of course I had to make jewelry out of them. I am so in love with making each piece that I just can't stop. They are so sweet and lovely. And quite nostalgic! These lovelies will be in my etsy shop soon. ;)

Home Sweet Festival

2011-10-04T13:57:00.000-04:00

I always love when Shakerag Arts and Crafts Festival comes around. The first festival of the season that gives me the warm and fuzzies! It welcomes Fall and it is my favorite hometown show to do. I usually set up the Friday before and love listening to the chatter of all the other vendors reintroducing themselves to their booth neighbors. Honestly, the general buzz of everyone setting up makes me feel super charged up. This year the weather was AMAZING!! We were super lucky and I believe the climate had something to do with the huge crowds. I was completely humbled by all the joyajewelry love and want to thank all the cutie pie girls who came by and said hi or bought a goody or two. Thanks gals for your support!!!!

Braselton Antique Mall

2011-09-27T14:42:00.001-04:00

I am writing this blog entry on my new laptop! Yep, my other one died last week after 4 years of a lot of work. Holding my gazillion photos, posting all my blogs, and helping me keep my etsy shop stocked. But I have high hopes for this new computer. It has more memory and other bells and whistles that my hubby is showing me how to use.

So with all that said, I can't wait to tell ya'll about this amazing antique mall I visited in Braselton Georgia. It's just a few miles away from Chateau Elan called Braselton Antique Mall. First, the window display had me at turquoise dresser and vintage hat :) Just beautiful. Then once you go in, it goes on forever and even upstairs. I could have done some serious damage but I was with friends and didn't have my own car. I took a ton of pictures so I hope you enjoy them. If you feel like a rode trip hit the antique mall and then go onto the winery for a wine tasting tour. Fun times for sure:)

This window display was beautiful! I couldn't figure out why it came out a bit fuzzy. But then I looked at my lens and figured out it was a banana smudge the size of my little wrens finger. :) He loves playing with my point and shoot.

They set up a mock general store with all the original canned goods and what nots from the past. So neat to look at each piece.

This gal's space was so beautifully put together. Swooning!

This hutch was amazing!

Fabric Love

2011-08-25T21:00:00.000-04:00

While at another estate sale last week I came across a bag of what I thought was real suede. But it turned out to be faux suede. No big deal though because I love it just the same. :) It was the colors that really drew me to the bag. The best part is that I got the whole lot for 50 cents. I was thrilled! I knew exactly what I was going to do with them. Rosettes, lots of rosettes! Stay tuned for the finished necklaces. They are so so sweet and just perfect for Fall.

August

2011-08-23T22:51:00.000-04:00

Dear August, where have you gone? I don't know about ya'll but this month has just flown bye. It has been a while since every weekend has been jam packed with functions. Birthdays, baby showers, end of the summer pool parties, and sadly a funeral. Ups and downs emotionally this month but happy to be surrounded by great family and friends. And in the weeks in between I have been as busy as possible getting ready for a festival right around the corner in September. I also had the chance to do a tiny bit of sewing. Made a taggy blanket for Ms. Mya who will be here in October. Hope she likes it as much as Wren loves his.

Determination

2011-08-08T00:14:00.001-04:00

This summer for us has been full of so many firsts. Wren was a newborn last summer and we hibernated and focused on being first time parents. But this summer has been so full of adventure and seeing life thru new eyes. Leaves, bugs, trees - lets just say all of nature and the outdoors in general. He is all about it. :) It has been such a fun and busy summer that I feel like I have lost track of time. I realized this weekend that it was already August. August!? I have a festival in less than a month! I have been making jewelry here and there but nothing for a show in one month. Yikes!!!
So, this is where I had an epiphany as I was watering our garden yesterday. We have a lower rock garden and when we were creating it the ground became so hard that nothing would grow there. Well, to our surprise right under our bird feeder, stray sunflower seeds have begun to grow and this weekend they began to bloom. Watching these flowers bloom is the perfect culmination of one great summer. The obvious is watching our child bloom everyday with the newness of everything. And then your probably wondering what do these sunflowers have to do with making jewelry. I thought to myself if these sunflowers can grow through the rocks then I can find the motivation and determination within myself to get my toosh in gear. To start creating again. I've been having an ongoing battle within myself. I didn't want to miss anything with Wren this summer so that meant I had to put my jewelry biz on hold. Which I did so willingly. But, I am determined to figure out how to be both creator and nurturer. It was one of those moments where you look inward and feel a peace wash over you! And a voice that says you are a great mother and it is not selfish to want to get back to work! So with that said, this week is all about creating new pieces and getting my toosh back to work!! I will post pictures soon on what I hope will be a wonderful new fall line.

Blooms Abound

2011-07-28T12:31:00.001-04:00

I have just posted more Flower Garden Necklaces in my etsy shop! I Love making these necklaces and I love wearing them. They are just so cheerful! There is something so satisfying in creating each one. I take time to make sure each necklace is unique and one of a kind. It starts with a bit of crocheting, a flurry of flower making, a hunt for the right vintage buttons, and then the adorning of the perfect vintage brooch or re-purposed piece of jewelry. Add the right vintage chain and ta-da the sweetest statement piece!

Estate Sale Love

2011-07-26T11:20:00.000-04:00

Last week I went to two estate sales, which if you know me by now made for one happy gal!! The excitement I feel is heightened when they are good sales. And they were! I got some great pieces but my favorites were this sweet silver platter, a set of bumble bee cuff links, a single vintage clip on earring (soon to be re-purposed into a necklace), and a sweet, sweet, cross stitched comforter! I bought other items but I had to control myself. There was a ton more I wanted to pack up and take home with me. :)

There are also deer, birds, rabbits, dragon flies, living among a series of trees it is so stinkin sweet :)

Summer Past And Present

2011-07-19T23:16:00.001-04:00

Last year we had a couple of ducks show up and swim every morning. This year we have only seen them a handful of times! Love ducks :)

Growing up in a small town in the south was so much fun especially in the summer months. Exploring all day and sometimes into the evenings, fire flies, and lots of kids in the neighborhood to play with. I started reminiscing about my childhood after Kenon asked me about how summers were around here. We were driving Wren around on the golf cart before his bedtime and saw these boys playing in a creek. I had a flood of memories rush back to me after kenon's question and the boys just playing away. I immediately remembered playing kick ball in the street out the front of our house. I remember my sister and I getting lost in our imaginations as we navigated our way through the woods along the bike paths. There was this giant tree that fell across a small creek in the woods and we named it the Bridge To Terabithia just like the book. It was our magical forest kingdom. And now that I am older and have a little one of my own. I can't wait to see how his imagination will conquer the summer. So far this summer has been so wonderful and busy. Wren loves swimming and riding on the golf cart aka the go go!! Chasing bubbles and the ducks at the pond down from our house. Kenon and I also decided to landscape our back yard ourselves. A huge endeavor! But now that it is done, we are pretty proud of ourselves and completely happy with how it turned out. Honestly though the best part of this summer is just being. Taking it all in knowing that new memories are being formed and loving every minute of it.

A Birthday and A How To

2011-07-07T11:17:00.001-04:00

I love making gifts for my family and friends! I believe it is more personal to give a gift that is hand made :) For one of my friends, who just celebrated her birthday, I made her a mini cake plate or what I liked to call a cup cake plate. She has been collecting cake plates lately and I looked and looked for them in all the antique stores I visited while on vacation. But none to be found.
However, I did find this really beautiful flower plate and thought I just need to find a base to match and I can put this cake plate together myself!! I found a sorbet cup and turned it upside down to make the base. This was such a fun and easy craft to do. The outcome turned out wonderfully and my friend loved it. :)
So give it a try and tell me or send me pictures of what you all come up with! I will post them :) It really is fun and like I said the outcome is wonderful! You will love this easy peasy craft project!
What you will need:
A vintage or new plate (any size just make sure your base can handle it)
A base ( different sized cups, candle holders, etc....)
E6000 glue ( let it set for at least 12 to 24 hours) make sure it sits on a flat surface so that the pieces don't slide.
That is it!! Have fun :) You could also get more creative and make multi layered plates that hold candy or flowers! Let your creative juices flow :)

Our First Trip To Gulf Shores

2011-06-27T00:02:00.001-04:00

This year we wanted to go on a vacation that was not too far from home but a place we hadn't been before. So we decided on Gulf Shores. A friend of mine used to go every summer and always would come home talking about how much fun she always had. So we packed up the babe and headed to Alabama. My parents also came with us, nonie and papa, followed in their car. Let's just say there was absolutely no room in our car for them to ride with us. It is so funny how much stuff we had to take along. No more two suitcases and a duffle bag. More like, high chair, wagon, suit case for Wren's clothes, suit case for toys, pack n' play etc...;) It was funny but we were set!
It was so nice to be at the beach! I dream about sitting on the beach and smelling the salt air and just being. Wren was three months old when we went to the beach last year. So this year we were so excited to see what he was going to do when he was able to play in the sand. He loved it. He loved shoveling the sand and shells into his bucket. It was so, so, cute and I loved my morning walks on the beach.
The days we weren't at the beach we went exploring. We went to an amazing little town called Fairhope. It was the cutest artsiest place with quaint little boutiques, galleries, and yummy restaurants. You must go if you are in the area. We didn't get to walk around the whole town because of how hot the day was. By 3 p.m. it was 100 degrees and we began to melt.
That same day we stopped at the most amazing Historic Home called the Swift-Coles House in Bon Secour, Alabama. It was built in 1882 that began as a four room home only to grow to a 16 room home. Owned by Charles and Susan Swift and their family. In 1976 it was purchased by Nicholas Coles. You could feel the happy festive times that took place there. The Swifts had 11 children and the house was the center of a busy life for the family and neighbors in the community. Plus it was right on Mobile Bay. So Beautiful. I got to use my TTV to take some really neat pictures of the house. It makes the house look very mysterious.
Of course I had to find a couple antique stores and thrift stores. Thanks to the Holy Spirit Thrift Store I found vintage Ferragamo shoes for three bucks and a really beautiful floral blouse. That was a great little gem of a place. Love those!! The week went by slowly and it was a great vacation filled with all kinds of new and wonderful memories. Hope your summer travels are full of firsts and wonderful adventures!!! xo

view from our condo :)

my little guy handed me the rock of love :) he does have my heart!

I love this picture of our footprints first thing in the morning

amazing to behold

local artists point of view of a pelican!! Love them. They hung from each of the storefront entrances.

local fish art! live on re-purposed stuff!!!

our traveling trooper :)

This place was amazing!! So many wonderful chachkies:)

you can't go the beach and not a get an airbrushed t-shirt. So wren got his first one :)

re-inspiration store and me

2011-06-21T11:51:00.000-04:00

last month I had the pleasure of meeting Brooke, co-owner of re-Inspiration store. She came into my booth at Dunwoody and asked me if I would be interested in coming to the store with some of my jewelry. I immediately said yes! I was so pleased she loved my jewelry and thought it would be a great fit for her store.
Ironically minutes before I met her, these young girls were in my booth shopping and asked me if I was in any stores in Atlanta and I said no but I would love to be. Funny how that worked out :)

I gathered some pieces up and headed down town to meet with Brooke and her partner Julia. The store is amazing. It is in a old mechanics garage and you can tell they work really hard to keep their inventory what they call "Eco-Whimsy". The art there is certainly recycled, re-purposed, and re-used in really wonderful ways.There are giant metal sunflowers recycled from old soda cans, purses and other art made from licence plates. So much to see and I am so happy to be a part of it all. If you are in the Atlanta area you have to go and visit the store it is near Ikea and the address is 810 Huff Rd.


I left all my stamp necklaces. The picture isn't the greatest I had to hurry because I had the babe with me:)


Left some spoons and some other necklaces

i loved these little critters stealing the garden gnome :)

My Heart Is So Full

2011-06-08T11:01:00.000-04:00

I have two Loves in my life, my hubby and my little boy. But today my first Love and I are celebrating our 9th Wedding Anniversary. Wow, time has flown by. I can't believe that it has been 9 years but in actuality we have been together for 16 years!!! We met each other when we were 18. It was the first day of college and we were the only Americans in an International English class. We were paired up with our class mates and asked to tell each other a little about ourselves. Kenon heard me talking about my hometown and scooted over to tell me he was from the same area. Small world. We walked back to my dorm after class talking about all kinds of stuff but the next day I forgot to wait for him. I didn't think anything about it but I knew how cute and charming I thought he was and then he found me the next day and was like, "you can't wait for me". Wow, I said to him, "I don't even know you". But he wasn't having it. From the get go he was witty and I admit I saw him as soon as he walked into the room the first day. So, we became great friends and then he became my great Love and the rest is history!!

Love you keen for loving me while we live this wonderful journey together!!

My Cuties!

Spoons

2011-06-07T08:00:00.002-04:00

I have been obsessed with making spoon necklaces lately. They made their debut at the Dunwoody festival I attended about a month ago. I cut the handles off the spoon and utilize both parts. Though for some reason I only have pictures of the handles. I will snap some photos of the spoon top..... wow describing spoon parts is more difficult than I thought.. silly! Anyway! I think they turned out beautifully. The hardness of the metal paired with dainty crystal beads really works well! To me they look a bit old world and romantic. I don't know if you are like me but when I get an idea in my head I can't just make one, I go nuts and make as many as I can. If time and baby permit :)

A Wedding and The Beginning of Summer Fun

2011-06-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

Wowza, sorry for my blogging absence! After the Dunwoody show I had to immediately put on my matron of honor hat for my lil sis's wedding. I also had to make all the jewelry for her, the bridesmaids, and myself. What a whirlwind of activity goin on over here. It was a beautiful wedding and my sis looked like a princess. And when it was all said and done. I dos and all. They went on their honeymoon and the rest of the family crashed for a week or so. I have taken this time to be totally immersed in the world of Wren and revel in every little conversation we have together. He is so into music and dances all over the house and it just amazes me that he is already 14 months old. I will post some pictures soon on his favorite thing to do when he gets up from his nap. Riding in the golf cart aka the gogo:) He loves it! plus he is an avid collector of leaves and bark. Puts them in his hands and holds on for dear life. So cute! So many wonderful summer adventures to go on with him! Can't wait!


I made this necklace and earring set for all the bridesmaids

And this was the necklace I made for myself. I had to be different and of course all vintage!

Festival, Friends, And A Heap Full Of Love

2011-05-11T11:19:00.000-04:00

Wow! I am finally feeling like I have semi-recuperated from this weekend. It was such an amazing high energy event. I was part of the Dunwoody Arts and Crafts Festival and it was amazing. We had great weather, an amazing crowd and lots of love! I am humbled by all the sweet and wonderful comments I received from passers by and new joyajewelry wearing customers. I heart you all!!

Let me tell ya I was so happy to be among such talented artists!....I swoon! There were amazing artists, fellow jewelers, and so much more. And like I said the love was palpable! I felt like the people who attended really did appreciate hand made in a way I hadn't seen at other festivals before. It was really refreshing to see.
Here are some photos of my booth from this weekend!

Thanks to my wonderful family for helping me so much this weekend!!! Hugs:)

Royally Romantic and Nostalgic

2011-05-02T08:00:00.001-04:00

Yes, I did get up at 4 a.m. Friday to watch the Royal Wedding :) I honestly could not wait to watch it! And I am so glad I did. William looked so handsome and proud and Kate was just glowing. Some of my friends and family keep asking me, "what is it with them that you had to wake up that early and watch". And honestly it was a refreshing moment that focused on LOVE! What better reason to wake up but for LOVE!! There may be some skeptics but I really believe that they are really in Love. Of all those people who asked me about my fascination with Will and Kate, my hubby never did. He just let me revel in it! And I Love him for that :)
I have such a soft spot in my heart for England! I found myself there, literally, when I studied at Digby Stuart College in 1998. I was fresh into my 20s and the world was scary but so open to possibilities. I remember missing home terribly but I knew that I would be okay and I was going to be so changed by this experience. And I was. Then about a year and a half ago I went back with my sister and friends. I was almost 5 months pregnant but went anyway and again was so happy I did. England to me is like a friend you don't talk to for a while but when you do talk it is like you haven't skipped a beat. So my glass is raised and I say cheers to Love.

Spring Inspiration

2011-04-28T08:00:00.001-04:00

Last week was a very productive week! I was able to organize my thoughts on how I wanted the new spring and summer line to look. Then the creative flood gates opened and I couldn't make things fast enough. My brain was working over time with ideas and I couldn't keep up. So I made notes and worked, made more notes and really worked :) I love these bursts of creative energy.
What came out of all this creativity was a love affair with tiny yo-yo flowers backed by crocheted flowers and adorned with vintage beads and buttons. Then strung on an a-symmetrical hand beaded chain. They are so sweet. I don't know about ya'll but I couldn't wait for spring and now that it is here I am enjoying it as well as inspired by it daily.

Thanks Easter Bunny

2011-04-26T22:25:00.000-04:00

To cute not to share! We gave Wren his Easter basket before church and he carried around all morning before we left and even when we got home. He loves it so much that we even brought it to Nonie and Papa's house for Easter dinner. It is filled with plush fruit. His favorite being the banana that you can peal. He LOVES bananas and even announces them when he is eating them. It is so cute! It was such a blessed day!

He just gets cuter and cuter! Be still my heart:)

Happy Easter

2011-04-22T08:00:00.001-04:00

Hi all, I hope ya'll have a wonderful Easter weekend. We are going to my mom and dad's house for some yummy food and our annual Easter Egg Hunt. This year Wren will be able to participate. He was only 2 weeks old last Easter. What a blessed year we have had since.
Good Friday! Have a Great weekend and I hope your Easter baskets are full of your most favorite candy. Mine will hopefully have a dark chocolate bunny:)

Estate Sale Finds

2011-04-21T08:00:00.001-04:00

Another year another giant wear house estate sale! If it wasn't for a friend of mine I would of missed this one. But gladly I went, not once but twice.:) This year I was on a bit of a tighter budget but I made it stretch and I was so happy with all my finds.

my friend tiffin found the owl for me! the pillow is going on my wooden bench. The birds kissing is actually a small planter that I will put flowers in and take to festivals with me and the vase I just couldn't leave behind. Everything was $8. Can't beat that :) I got a couple of vintage table clothes and crocheted coasters. (not pictured bc they were in the wash:))

the second day I picked up this metal table for $7. I wish I had an entry way because that is where it would go. But for now it gets to go with me to festivals and be my make shift sewing table.

Goodies From Jane Austen House

2011-04-20T08:00:00.002-04:00

I check in every so often to see what is going on over in Chawton, England at the Jane Austen House Museum. This past time I was browsing through the online gift shop and spotted a tea towel that wasn't available when I visited a couple of years ago. So I had to order it immediately! Well, last week I received it and it made my day. I didn't even have the package opened yet and I was swooning in excitement over the stamp. Once I got over stamp love I opened the small brown package and there was a thank you note attached to the loveliest tea towel from Ann Channon, House Manager. I was so, so, so excited about it all. If you love Jane as much as I do go to the site and browse or order away. It helps keep Jane Austen's wonderful memory alive. And if you are ever in England go and visit the museum in Chawton. The ladies who run the house are so very nice and kind.

Spring/Summer Earrings

2011-04-19T08:00:00.001-04:00

I am currently getting ready for the Dunwoody Festival. I have my to do lists written out. What I need to make and on what days. The lists seem to keep me focused and on track. This is my attempt at Balance (previous post :)). So lately I have been extremely inspired and motivated to make earrings. Which I can tell you is very unusual. I haven't been inspired to make earrings for a while and I am glad that I have been bitten by the bug again. I came up with the design of these earrings five years ago when we lived in Seattle. I made a ton of them, sold them, and just let them be until now. They take a while to make but the out come is so great. I just love them. And they are so beautiful on. With all that said I introduce you to the Molly Earrings. Back into the JoyaJewelry rotation and a big part of the spring/summer line.

I don't have the ear wires on them yet. This is a sneak peek :)

Balance And An Open Heart

2011-04-18T08:00:00.002-04:00

I have been taking a bit of a blogging break these past weeks to clear my head and to remember to breathe. I find myself feeling a bit overwhelmed with being a stay at home mom and trying to fit my creative self in the whole mix. I am finding out that I have become so very hard on myself. For example I wake up and all I really want to do is be with Wren but then I struggle with my creative time management and focus. Which makes me feel extremely frustrated and quite exhausted. Then when he goes to bed I am up quite late catching up on orders or getting ready for a festival.

Bare with me because I know I am completely rambling. But isn't that exactly what a blog is supposed to be about. The ramblings put out into the universe that then take a fanciful turn into the truth. I think it makes me realize that I am going to be alright and that I am only human. I am seriously learning to be more forgiving and more nurturing to myself. I can't keep getting caught up on what I used to get done in a day but what I can now get done in a day. And be okay with that. I find myself writing these very words from time to time. And every time it does help me to breathe a bit deeper. I really do understand what my mom was talking about when she would say to me, "you will see what I am talking about when you are a mother". Boy do I ever. It is the best job in the world I am just still learning to balance, breathe, and keep my heart wide open.

Schiaparelli Hat Love

2011-04-04T12:12:00.000-04:00

Last week a couple of my gal pals and I went thrifting. I always keep my expectations low because you never know if you will hit the jack pot or walk away with nothing. This latest trip proved to be a great one. I specifically look for vintage clothing or house hold items. But my mood was more about the clothing this time. I always start in sweaters and just snake my way to the dresses. As I headed to the dressing rooms I passed the hat rack and spied this beautiful woven hat with a bow. I thought how lovely and sweet this would be to wear for Easter.
But that was just the start of it all. I finished up in the dressing room but could hear one of my friends talking to a lady outside the door. So, as i joined up with them. My friend was like "did you see this adorable golf hat", and I said "no what did it look like"? She said "come over here this lady has it in her cart". So we walked over to her and there it was the sweetest green beret with a tassel and the most intricate stitching across the top. I asked the woman if I could take a closer look at it and she said "sure go right ahead". Then out of the blue she said you can have it. I was stunned and said "I can't take this you were going to buy it". And she was so nice and said "I like to share and you take it". How wonderful was she.
So later that evening I took my new hats out of the bag to admire them. I thought to myself how did I miss these giant tags inside them that stated their names and where they were made. The name in the beret sounded very familiar and so I googled it. Schiaparelli..... O my geez!!! I am now the proud owner of an Elsa Schiaparelli hat! What! How very special and what a piece of history. Then my mind began to race. When had this hat been purchased? Who was the lady who owned it? What of the changing world had it been a part of? So many questions.. Then I could not stop reading everything I found on Elsa. Her revolutionary impact on fashion with the way she transformed Surrealism into fashion art. It inspired me as a jewelry designer to think about how I can take what I do to the next step. Don't question who is doing what! You do what you see fit for you and your design aesthetic. I came across her book the Shocking Life by Elsa Schiaparelli on line. I will be reading it soon. What I have read about it so far is that it is full of details about her life, her work and her travels. She sounds quite amazing and inspirational! Can't wait to read more and I am still on cloud nine that I have one of her hats thanks to a very sweet stranger who shared!:)

Elsa Schiaparelli had 12 commandments for woman to live by...

1. Since most women do not know themselves they should try to do so.
2. A woman who buys an expensive dress and changes it, often with disastrous result, is extravagant and foolish.
3. Most women (and men) are color-blind. They should ask for suggestions.
4. Remember-twenty percent of women have inferiority complexes. Seventy percent have illusions.
5. Ninety percent are afraid of being conspicuous, and of what people will say. So they buy a gray suit. They should dare to be different.
6. Women should listen and ask for competent criticism and advice.
7. They should choose their clothes alone or in the company of a man.
8. They should never shop with another woman, who sometimes consciously or unconsciously, is apt to be jealous.
9. She should buy little and only of the best or cheapest.
10. Never fit a dress to the body, but train the body to fit the dress.

11. A woman should buy mostly in one place where she is known and respected, and not rush around trying every new fad.
12. And she should pay her bills.

Elsa Schiaparelli in one of her signature hats

This beautiful straw hat is made by Betmar or Belmar still doing research on it? Anyone know anything about this hat company?

Wren's ''Gnome Sweet Gnome" First Birthday

2011-03-30T00:48:00.000-04:00

Where should I begin! These past two weeks have been a whirlwind of first birthday planning. I think I really went a bit crazy but I was so excited and could not believe Wren was turning one already. So this past Saturday we had so much fun celebrating his first birthday with friends and family.
The theme was woodland with gnomes, owls and toadstools. All week Wren kept calling the gnomes "gocks" it was so funny. He would crawl up to them and have little conversations with all of them on the floor. So I knew that mommy picked a great theme that he loved. I don't know if he will remember it all, but at least in the moment I know he had such a fun time.
It got a bit crazy at times so some of the pictures are before the crowd showed up. I hope someone took a picture of his cute smash cake. Neither Kenon or I took a picture of it. Crazy, I know because I really thought I had a photo of it. I will add it once someone sends it to me.:)
I loved decorating for his party. It really gave me a great creative jolt to do something other that jewelry for a couple of weeks. Refreshing:)

Happy Birthday our sweet boy!

I have been using this giant tin tub for everything! I thought it looked as if gnomes would live there:)

The cake plate with out his cake. I will add that soon.

My gnomes fattened up as they cooked and so did the toadstools. They tasted really yummy!

The magic acorns were made of hershey kisses, icing, and mini nilla wafers. The green candy is white chocolate melting chips on nilla wafers.


A went a little silly on the food names but it was so much fun:)

I had seen the photo booth idea on so many other blogs and had to have one for his birthday.

I found these fun masks at Michaels. In the dollar section. What a lucky find:)

Mr. Logan what a cutie!!

All the moms, aunt, sister and cousin. The Family:) Having fun in the photo booth:)

This is me and my hubby and our precious birthday boy!! Playing in the photo booth.

My favorite! I made a tree of pictures that represented Wren's first year! I cried because I got really nostalgic making it and I still can't believe a year has passed. He is our Love and I am so blessed to be his Mom:)

The favors were dark chocolate owl lollipops! They were so yummy to make!

Wednesday Love and The Start of Spring Festivals

2011-03-08T11:24:00.000-05:00

I hate when I get so behind in blogging!I enjoy writing so much and have so much to say but so little time to say it in. Baby and I have both been under the weather lately and it has been really hard to get anything done. Thoughts of what I want to blog about are written on sticky notes and stuck all over the house. It is really funny actually.:)

So with all that said this week is a busy one. Thank God for my hubby for taking care of Wren this past weekend so that I could get back into my jewelry making groove. I just need the jump start to get a jewelry rhythm going again and then I am really off and running. Love how I just described myself as an old Chevy pick-up truck.:) I am preparing for a show this weekend. It starts the spring festival season off for me. It's kind of funny that I get butterflies right before I do the first show. I think it is because I have new products. Pieces that were once swirling creative ideas in my head, but are now three dimensional and ready to be worn and loved. I am so excited to present my fabric flower garden necklaces this weekend. Excited to see how they will look in my booth space and how my customers will relate to them. It always makes me beam with delight when someone sees a piece I created and lights up and has to have it. Then I know that it will be enjoyed and loved. I do get quite attached to my jewelry.

Someone who does Love the new garden necklaces is Kelly Rae Roberts. I was so excited to blog about her Wednesday Inspiration post. She named one of my necklaces as something she was inspired by that day. I was so, so, so excited that she was digging the new necklaces. It made me smile the whole week and still when I think about it I am still smiling. I was lucky enough to meet her for the second time at the Atlanta Apparel Mart this past January. As always she was such a delight and so sweet to talk to. If you get a chance check out her wonderful art. It is amazing and speaks volumes.

Now back to work! Long necklaces coming soon. Hope the sun is shining where you are and if it isn't then dance in the rain. :)

Here we are meeting Kelly Rae (2) at the apparel mart. My friends Jenni (1) and Tiffin (4) were my partners in crime we had so much fun!

Flowers in Abundance

2011-02-21T21:17:00.001-05:00

I have now added yo-yo flowers to my secret garden necklaces. So I am currently surrounded by felted/yo-yo flowers. I am not complaining. When you have an idea floating around in your head you've got to work, work, work until the idea is three dimensional. In other words I love seeing these garden necklaces come together. I think they may take over my entire booth during this springs art festivals. I have just newly listed three new flower garden necklaces to my shop. Enjoy:)

The Magic of Biltmore

2011-02-15T09:00:00.095-05:00

I can't believe it has been a week since I visited the Biltmore House in Asheville, NC. What an amazing trip it was. The gals and I toured the entire house and also went on a private tour. When we first got there and rounded the corner heading towards the house my eyes popped out of my head. The size of the Biltmore was breathtaking. It was so much grander than I thought it was going to be. Amazing!! The tour was fascinating and I couldn't stop asking the guides question after question. On the private tour we learned so much about George Vanderbilt, his wife Edith, and the friends and family that stayed and or visited the house. They had clothes that they would have worn during that period and they were amazing. I couldn't believe how tiny the woman's waists and feet were back then.
And you know I couldn't go on a trip and not stop at an antique mall. We stopped at the Antique Tobacco Barn. This place was huge and it was raining, cold, and had no heat. But it was worth it. Once my junkin adrenalin started pumping I warmed up a bit. If you are in Asheville it is a great place to rummage thru. From tables of milk glass to vintage Christmas decorations. Large scale Christmas deco.:) Quite amazing.
This was a well needed trip that invigorated and inspired me.


Just Magical

I loved these mischievous little characters

I was the most inspired by Edith and George Vanderbilt's daughter Cornelia. Something about her elegance spoke to me. She is going to be my muse for this springs new joyajewelry line for sure! Photo Credit: Biltmore House Museum

A dream vision for a milk glass lover like myself!

The only heated area in what I think was 77,000 square feet of antiques! We huddled together :)

Valentine's Day is Brownies and Music

2011-02-14T21:10:00.000-05:00

Today was a beautiful day in my neck of the woods and all I wanted to do was spend the day out and about. I also had a craving for some Valentine's Day sweets so I got Wren packed up and we headed out to run some errands. One stop, was to get brownie mix so that we could surprise daddy with some brownies with heart sprinkles. He loves him some brownies. So much that for Christmas I got him a special brownie pan.
A jump to when Kenon got home he walked in holding a bouquet of balloons for Wren and a little Red bag for me. So sweet to see Wren light up when his da-da put those balloons next to him while he was sitting in his high chair. So cute! He got me a CD that I have been secretly wanting for a while now. Katy Perry's Teenage Dream. I love it and I will be dancing with Wren all over the house to it. Funny I know but there is something about her tunes that get my toes a tappin. :) He surprised me with this one but I am happy he did. I hope your day was filled with surprises, love and hugs. xoxox

A Secret Garden Party and Your Invited!

2011-02-01T23:28:00.000-05:00

I am surrounded by tiny felt flowers, yarn, vintage buttons and brooches . I am lost in the world of my secret garden. The weather has been so dreary lately that I have decided to bring spring indoors by turning my design space into a flower garden. :) I am swooning over each and every necklace. Each one tells a romantic story. I recently updated my etsy shop with the newest batch of my new garden necklaces. The pink floral piece has the sweetest engraved pin on it. I would like to think it was given to someone in Love. Who ever the woman was, she was someone's valentine and he gave her his pin. So sweet and enchanting. Enjoy the party. I hope they tickle your senses as much as they do mine.

Rockin B's

2011-01-28T21:30:00.000-05:00

Rockin' B Antiques is my newest haunt. It is a mini version of an antique mall. Just the right size to view each space. They also have very good prices and every time I go, there are always new items to look at. The weather lately has been quite dreary so I packed up the babe and called my mom and we took a ride.
As always as soon as I walked in the front door my head was swiveling in all directions at all the new inventory.

I found a mannequin that I wanted to buy so badly but alas she was not for sale. My mom found a carousel horse she wanted to purchase. Wren really approved but it was very large and mom talked to herself out of it. I think the question, where the heck would I put it, nipped that purchase in the bud. :) Fun times.

And then we turned the corner and came across Booth 116. It made me dizzy and I was swooning. I didn't want to miss a thing in the space. I kept saying to my mom "Oh mom look at this, Oh geez look at that" I was so giddy. I later found out that it is a new vendor. What wonderful eye candy and if I had more money, wowza I could of done some damage. :) Enjoy the pictures and if you live in the area you have to check this place out. Have a great weekend Everyone!

Isn't she lovely!! She is from London:)

He loved this horsey!!

Swooning!!!!

A necklace and a ton of LOVE!

2011-01-16T00:37:00.000-05:00

I had such an amazing day today!! My two artsy gal pals,Tiffin (Linwoodavenue), Jenni (Mattie's Social Circle) and I went to the Atlanta Gift Mart and just had a world wind of a day! The place was insane but in a way that makes you want to take everything you see and everyone you meet in with such a big breath.There were so many amazing vendors and artists. It was great to see Kelly Rae Roberts again at the Demdaco show room! She is so kind and her work is just spectacular! I will post a pic of all of us soon.

I don't know if you are like me but to get ready for this day, I must of changed three or four times until I felt my artsy best :). And then I put on my new necklace that I had made just days ago. I so wanted to wear it and what a better place to test it out, but the mart. Can I just say I got so many compliments on it! It was so amazing and humbling. I really am so proud of this piece it is 100% me and it feels great! I mean this woman wanted to buy it off my neck!! She must of asked me two or three times. So with that said I am getting to work on making as many as I can. If you are interested in being notified when the necklaces are added to my etsy shop, send me your e-mail address to joyajewelry@hotmail.com . Thanks again to all of you who embraced me today! This is why I love what I do!

Icy Outside and Inspiration Inside

2011-01-12T22:00:00.001-05:00

This winter storm has turned Georgia upside down! I don't think we have seen a winter like this in some time! Sunday night the snow started to fall and then Monday, we woke up to a winter wonderland. Since the roads were not safe to drive on Kenon had to work from home and I was so happy about that!
He loved that he could play with Wren all day and I got to create all day. The ideas in my head were waiting for a good 3 days like this to take effect. I was a crafting and creating machine. I worked on a tag blanket for my friends little girl who turns one on Sunday. I made the yarn wreath that I talked about a couple posts back. It was so much fun and if you have the time it was so super easy and the end result will just make you smile:) But the piece that inspired me the most was the necklace. Not any necklace but the one in my head that I have been wanting to make for some time now. Crocheted, felted flowers and vintage buttons and brooches. And yesterday it just came to me and I started and couldn't stop until I was finished. I was so thrilled to have it in my hands and out of my head. So now I am making lots and lots of them. Or as many as I can :)

Our Backyard Winter 2011

Yarn Wreath! I will be making more of these! I think one for each holiday!

I giggle!!! It is exactly where I want my jewelry to be going in this New Year:)

Renewal and a Message to Self

2011-01-07T11:26:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! I know we are already a week into 2011. But I have taken this week to get my thoughts together, take Christmas Decorations down and think about what I want out of this new year. I don't necessarily set new year's resolutions, but I do try to set goals for myself to accomplish. Real ones and sometimes silly ones, like standing up straighter, for the new year.
There are so many wonderful moments to look forward to this year. I know new wonderful memories will be formed with Wren. I have yelled it out into the universe that my jewelry will take the next step needed to be greater than last year. And my hubby got me a wonderful Christmas present that says it all, "Keep Calm and Carry On". I know that this is a saying that has been around for a quite a while, but this is the year it speaks to me. I hope there is something out there that speaks to you for the new year! Whatever it may be go get-um!

Christmas Sales and just one more holiday craft project

2010-12-30T19:49:00.000-05:00

I have never been an after Christmas shopper! But this year something has come over me and I am going nuts compiling garland, ribbon, ornaments, and a popcorn tin. All on sale (the popcorn will certainly be eaten by next year ;)).
It is crazy but I blame it on being a new mom. I want the house to be as festive as I remember my child hood home being as I grew up. It probably already is but I had all these new ideas for next year. As I am writing this I need to write these new ideas down, as well as the whereabouts of all this new stuff :)
So, Tuesday I had no intention of looking or buying anything holiday oriented. We were out getting a suit for Kenon when low and behold I passed these gorgeous vintage style ornaments at JCPenneys. I couldn't believe how cute they were and I snatched them up immediately plus it didn't hurt that they were 75% off. As we were driving home I remembered that I just read a tutorial on making yarn-wrapped wreaths the other day. And how pretty they would look as the centerpiece on one of those wreaths. With that thought I headed to Hobby Lobby today to get all the fixins to make this craft project a go. :) I cannot wait to finish these them and I will have pictures when I finish, but until then here are the FABULOUS ornaments I found! Oh, and the hubby found a really nice suit too! Win win day :)

The Gals and Beautiful Homemade Ornaments

2010-12-20T22:44:00.000-05:00

Every year a handful of my girlfriends and I get together for our annual homemade/handmade ornament exchange. It is so much fun! We eat, drink and eat!! I was so stuffed and had such a sugar high from the yummy whoopie pies and peppermint cupcakes.
Every year, I think all of us rack our brains on what we are going to make or create to top last year's ornaments. The girls blew me away with what they came up with. This year did top the last. I am so proud of the creative juices that flowed thru each one of us. We all definitely took home really beautiful ornaments. But I have to say it is the gathering of friends, laughing, sharing, and just being that really makes this get together such a wonderful tradition. So with no further adieu here are this year's homemade ornaments :) Enjoy!!!

Etsy Update: Whimsical Necklaces

2010-12-15T20:33:00.000-05:00

I just updated and listed new necklaces to my etsy shop! They are so whimsical and lovely. This past year I was fortunate enough to have found some really wonderful vintage component to repurpose. Re-working and designing these lovelies was fantastic. Now that festival season is over for the winter everything is finding its way into the shop. Enjoy :)

Fabric Circles O Plenty

2010-12-14T22:01:00.000-05:00

Okay, I don't know about you but when I see a scrap of the past it stops me in my tracks. Well this time I found a boat load of scraps but just not any scraps. I found bags of pre-cut fabric circles from the 60s. Some bags had solid fabric and others were patterned. I bought four bags. I do think I lost my mind but I just couldn't leave them there.
I found them at a local antique store as I was browsing around. I turned the corner and there in a baby cradle were bags of these circles. The booth owner was there and told me she purchased them at an auction and that she wondered who would want them. HELLO I would! And I told her my friend Tiffin would want them too! So after I filled my basket with my treasures. I called Tiffin to tell her what I found and that she needed to see them for herself.
I had a flurry of ideas on what to do with them. I knew I would definitely be making flowers and rosettes out of them and adding them to my crocheted necklaces. But what to do with the rest? No matter, I know they will become something unique and beautiful.
So I have to pose the same question to you that my friend asked on her blog: What would you do or create if 1,000 circles of fabric suddenly landed in your lap?

Lists

2010-12-11T12:24:00.000-05:00

Wow, sorry for the blogging absence! We have been battling the seasonal cold around our house. The baby got it, which was his first cold, and then we got it. I can't remember the last time I was sick and it was miserable. I hated it more for Wren. But now we are all feeling much better and able to start enjoying the holidays. Which means my obsessiveness with lists. I am very behind in all I need to do, that I have started making lists left and right. But as crazy as it sounds I love my lists. I think with out them I wouldn't be able to function :) And what a satisfying feeling it is when you can cross off all the things that you have accomplished that day.
So whatever lists you have hanging around your house. Have fun accomplishing what ever it is you need to do and enjoy the season :)

Sunday with Family

2010-11-10T11:45:00.001-05:00

It is so nice to get out of our little town and venture elsewhere in the state sometimes. This past Sunday we packed in my sister's mini van and drove to Dahlonega in the North Georgia Mountains. There is something so magical and mysterious about Dahlonega. Probably due to the fact that he was part of the first major U.S. Gold Rush back in 1833. The town displays wonderful black and white photos that you can't help but disect with your eye to see every little detail of what once was. But surprisingly the town has kept its original buildings and style. It has the most charming city square. And with older city squares come wonderful antique stores. You know I wouldn't be me if I didn't seek out vintage treasures. But, before we shopped we ate at the Smith House. It is the most amazing country cooking and for a set price you eat as much of it as you possibly can. Family style. You sit with other people and you just keep passing the food. I was stuffed to say the least.
After lunch I pulled out my camera and was finally able to play around with my TTV contraption that so many of my fellow bloggers have posted about. Hula Seventy has the best explanation of how the contraption works as well as the best instructions for making one of your own. It was so much fun but you do get some side ways glances from passers by trying to figure out what you are doing. But no matter, because the pictures come out so romantically beautiful.
It was the best day with my family and a wonderful outing to enjoy the splendor of fall.

Yummy strawberry shortcake from the Smith House

Dahlonega City Hall

I peered into the window of this charming barber shop and was so happy when I discovered my photo captured all the wonderful barber chairs. Love!

TTV photos of the city square

This is my favorite photo of my two loves :)

I fell head over heels for all this vintage clothing racks of it :) shoes and purses too :)

My Birthday in October

2010-11-03T23:40:00.001-04:00

I didn't get the chance to blog about my birthday last month due to my frantic and busy festival season. My family and friends always make it the best day possible. And yes, my mom still buys me balloons that have a cute kitty or a butterfly pictured on it, even though I am now 34. But the day wouldn't be the same without them. I know I will do the same for Wren. He was the biggest and best change this birthday. Being a mom and being able to celebrate with him just made it that much sweeter.
Speaking about sweets. My friend Tiffin hosted girls game night/ birthday party for me. She made an amazing lemon cake from scratch and iced it so beautifully with pink icing and adorned it with a flag that had my name in glitter. This girl loves me some glitter. It was delicious plus it was like having my own little slice of heaven. The reason I say this is because a couple of weeks back on ruffled blog they had this insanely gorgeous and magical post of all these desserts on vintage cake plates in this Lewis Carrol like day dream. It was amazing and I wanted to recreate in my back yard so badly. Thanks to my hubby, family, and all the girls from game night for making my birthday so wonderous :)

Happy Halloween

2010-11-01T00:10:00.000-04:00

Our first Halloween with Wren was wonderful!! He went as Tigger due to the fact that this crafty momma just ran out of time making his costume. There is always next year though :) But I did go a tad nuts with decorations this year. I think I am turning into my mom. She beyond decorates her house for every major holiday and now that we have Wren, the gene has been activated in me to do the same :) I hope everyone had a spooktacular Halloween!!!

The Country Living Fair came to Atlanta

2010-10-25T15:09:00.000-04:00

So as soon as I heard that Country Living was coming to Atlanta I bought my tickets online in advance. And this weekend finally arrived and I couldn't contain myself. The gals and I piled in the car and headed to Stone Mountain, where it was held, this past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We thought if we went Friday we would hopefully beat the crowds. Boy were we wrong!!! This place was packed. Try jamming a ton of women in a 10 x 10 tent. Looking, grabbing, oohing ahhing O and did I mention grabbing :) It was crazy!
And rightfully so, there were so many amazing and talented vendors there. The first tent hands down set the tone for the whole show. It housed the ladies that made up the group Earth Angels . They were the most talented woman and so very nice. I had the pleasure of meeting Krys Kirkpatrick and Melody Elizabeth.
Krys is amazing she has created this whimsical world in nature. I couldn't catch my breath in her booth because there was so many wonderful things to look at. My mind just couldn't keep up with all the enchantment I was feeling. I was lucky enough to walk away with one of her water color cards. So lovely!!! Melody Elizabeth creates jewelry out of found objects like i do but on a level that is so fantastic. I do aspire greatly to learn from her. Her jewelry is amazing and she was so kind and inviting to talk to. She gave me some great advice about my own business. An open heart was abundantly felt with all of these talented ladies.
The rest of the vendors were just as interesting and amazing as our first stop. The way some of the booths were displayed was just magical. Like they had been there among the trees just collecting their wears for years. I had so much fun and came home with some amazing art and vintage finds:)

I love old photos but there is something so sad about them up for sale. I bought one of two women and written across the bottom was the words best pals and their initials. I had to rescue it.

I so want to make a Christmas Tree made up old wood. This tree I believe was made of drift wood. It was so beautiful!!!

This is Kelly McCants booth. Her company is called Mondern June and she designs things using oil cloth and many other household goods. So adorable!!

This booth is wear we all fell over and lost our minds a bit. Shawna Robinson, creator of Happy Chair, recovers vintage chairs but in the most amazing way. Nothing I have ever seen before!! We all wanted this love seat. BADLY:) and the chair with the fabric giraffe was so clever and I could so see it in a nursery. You have to check her other chairs out. Believe it or not she is a race car driver turned designer. Her story is so cool.

I regret not buying some of this yarn for making my crocheted fabric flower necklaces. I hate when that happens. They were so beautiful:)

Festival, Friends, and Wonderful Weather

2010-10-05T11:11:00.001-04:00

The Norcross Festival was wonderful and full of fun times. This past weekend the charming town square of Norcross Georgia turned into tent city. It was a sea of 170 white tents housing the most talented artists and I had the pleasure of being a part of it all. I was lucky enough to be next to my pals tiffin with linwoodavenue and jenni with mattie's social circle. It makes a festival so much more fun when you get to do it with friends and talented ones at that:)
I hadn't participated in a show on the northside of Atlanta before so I was quite nervous. But it was wonderful and I want to thank all the gals who came by my booth and walked away wearing a joyajewelry design. The festival love was felt, so thanks to everyone for supporting joyajewelry and handmade in general.
We couldn't of had a better weekend for the show. It finally felt like Fall. Though Sunday got a little scary when the wind picked up. Our tents are like sails and let me tell ya, when it starts to shake back and forth with each gust, your heart feels like it going to jump out of your chest. We were packed in like sardines so if one went I was afraid they all were going to take off. It was a great weekend and now I am gearing up for the Hummingbird Festival in Hogansville Georgia in two weeks.

I was so happy with how my booth looked at this show so here are some festival snapshots :)

Here is Jenni, Tiffin, and myself on Sunday morning :)

Six months of Wonder

2010-09-27T12:52:00.001-04:00

I can't believe our little man is 6 months old :) It has been such a magical journey so far that I thought I would share some of what I have learned and feel about being Wren's mom!

He smiled at me for the first time when he was about a month old and I melted immediately and then to get him to do it again i acted like a monkey hanging from a tree :)

I now know how to make a bottle with one hand, change a diaper in the back of the car, buckle and latch wren in a car seat, stroller, bouncy seat, swing etc.... flip open his stroller with one hand while holding the car seat:)

Singing songs in our quietest moments even if it is the police or bob marley. I just can't remember all of the nursery rhymes like I should and he doesn't seem to mind :)

Sniffing a tush is second nature and poop talk is the main topic of the day:)

That I can survive with little sleep. I get a tad slap happy but I am ok :)

A look from wren can melt my heart instantly :)

It is possible to take wren yard saleing and junking!! I think he really loves it:)

He loves looking at every little thing and will climb all over me to see what it is that has him in a trance at that moment. I don't mind being a mommy jungle gym.

Before Wren arrived I was afraid I wouldn't know what he wanted when he would cry or fuss. My mommy intuition kicked in immediately and I now know what every little sound means. This is a wonderful feeling to have. I believe in it.

When we go out he is so social and enchanting. He just loves people and faces and is not afraid to grab them if you get to close :)

I wake up more than I need to to check the video monitor just to make sure he is sleeping okay.

When he wakes up from a nap I can't wait to run in and see him smile back at me as if he just had the best sleep ever.

He talks to me as if we are having our own little conversation. Sometimes he really gets going and I believe he is already telling me all about his day.

My diaper bag is my purse now :)

I love my husband even more and love watching him be a super loving dad :)

I love wren's smell it radiates throughout the house.

I know more about Yo Gabba Gabba than I ever thought I would. But love that show and my favorite theme song is to OLIVIA!! Love that little pig:)

As I write this I am realizing I could just go on and on but I will stop here and save some for the next 6 months :)

Shakerag Arts and Crafts Festival

2010-09-20T23:04:00.000-04:00

What a great weekend it was to start off this years festival season. It was a bit hot, but I would take the heat over rain any day. Last year it rained so hard we just through up our hands and just partied in it :) This years turn out was so great. It was so nice to see familiar faces come back this year and search me out. I love ya girls for supporting joyajewelry and handmade.
Plus, I grew up in Peachtree City where Shakerag is held every year and there is something so nostalgic about being a part of it now. I used to come to it as a child every year with my mom and now to be a vendor is so fantastic. I have to give a couple of shout outs to Ashley A for putting on such an awesome show this year, to Tiffin for helping me out on Sunday and to Sheila at J93.3 FM for interviewing me on the radio and for being such an inspiration. A definite first for me and a kind of dream come true. Thanks a bunch gals. Now it is back to the studio to get ready for Norcross Fest in two weeks.

My teen age self and a challenge for fashion

2010-09-09T23:19:00.000-04:00

A quirky thing I used to do when I was a teenager was to throw my YM magazine on the bed so that it would land wide open on whatever page. That whatever page turned out to be my inspiration for what to wear to school the next day. It was such a fun challenge to try to recreate the outfits I saw on the pages. I was all about finding the look in my closet. Or find it for much cheaper. Same idea but on a budget. Hence my love for thrift stores.
So with all that said it brings me to present day love for my monthly subscription to Lucky Magazine. September issue is FANTASTIC. So many great fall looks and I knew right were to find them on a dime. So my friend Jess and I hopped in the car and headed to our local Goodwill Emporium. You should of seen our cart. It was a mountain of clothes, shoes, accessories such a funny site. Why we had only one cart for two ravenous girls was crazy but we made it work. It was so much fun and I couldn't believe that I found everything I was looking for. I tell ya if you are a thrift store junky it can be hit or miss. But that day was a HIT! So here are some photographs of the treasures I found. I apologize for some of the photos but I was so excited I just had to share my finds with everyone.

I am in love with these lady like ruffled tops and I was happy that I found two very beautiful ones.

Also in the magazine was this homage to menswear flats, laceless oxfords and rugged boots. LOVE them and found some very similar ones for only $3.99 and $7.99.

Gearing up for festival season

2010-08-23T22:24:00.000-04:00

I am getting so excited for this years fall festivals. The other day I was driving to my parents house and I had this feeling, you know the one that starts in the pit of your stomach, like change is coming but change that brings a smile to your face. Kind of nostalgic! Summer coming to a close and a hint of fall approaching.
And with fall approaching that means FESTIVALS. I have been doing festivals for years now but every year I still get butterflies and what I like to call, "a field trip belly ache" :) With this anticipation comes the drive to create the most beautiful booth space. I know I only have a 10 x 10 space to work with but I want it to be fabulous!! I am working on all new displays that I hope will engage festival go-ers. I want them to be able to come in and feel a wonderful presence. I think about what I would love to see in this type of space and I know if I were to go into an aesthetically beautiful booth I would have to leave there with an item in hand. This is my goal. And of course the new jewelry I am creating reflects this renewal of energy I am feeling. Plus, I have to be honest this is my first festival season post baby. So I am so excited to get back out there and meet and greet everyone who comes by to see me. If you are in Georgia or happen to travel this way please come by and see me. For festival info just click on the events tab above.

Giveaway # 2

2010-08-17T09:27:00.000-04:00

Hey all, Indiespotting is sponsoring another joyajewelry giveaway. So head on over to the site to find out how to do to enter to win this one of kind rabbit charm necklace. The winner will be randomly picked by Indiespotting on August 30.
Also, stay tuned for some new jewelry to pop up in my etsy shop. So so busy over here in joyajewelry land getting ready for a ton of fall festivals. Happy Tuesday Everyone :)

1000 Ideas For Creative Reuse and Me

2010-08-02T23:50:00.000-04:00

Last year a friend of mine sent me a link to Quarry Books. They were calling all crafters and artists who remake, restyle, recycle, and renew as their way of creating art for a book called, "1000 Ideas For Creative Reuse" by Garth Johnson. I jumped at the chance to send a couple of my pieces and to fulfill one of my goals to get published. I sent two pictures of my soldered vintage stamp necklaces and a picture of my vintage button bracelet. And to my excitement six months later I received an e-mail stating that I had made it into the final copy of the book. I had my husband read it after I had read it several times to make sure I wasn't imagining it.

The brilliance and creativity that go into some of the artists pieces is quite amazing. I am humbled to be a part of such a stylish and well put together ensemble of crafters and artists.

Tick Tock

2010-07-27T23:39:00.001-04:00

So lately I have been inspired by vintage watches. I keep buying them at estate sales and taking the broken ones apart. I love how the faces, even behind the glass, are worn and distressed as if time seeped right on in and aged them. I also love utilizing the gears, the hour and second hands in the construction of the neckaces. I hope my joyajewelry fans love them as much as I do. I will be making a couple more necklaces and then I will put them up in the shop soon.

Before and After

2010-07-22T23:16:00.000-04:00

Early this year we inherited one of Kenon's grandmother's rocking chairs. I loved the vintage look to it but I knew I wanted it for Wren's nursery. So we scrubbed it down and painted it bright turquoise. I am thrilled with how it turned out. We had a large arm chair in his room but he seems to like the rocking motion of his new chair much better.

Determination and Love

2010-07-15T11:58:00.001-04:00

Have you ever had a feeling you just couldn't put your finger on? Like I know I am feeling this way but what is it that is pressing on my mind and my heart. Well, yesterday the light bulb went off while at a friends house. She was talking about something she really wanted to happen. She said I am determined for it to be. And I just started to tear up out of no where. But it wasn't out of no where, she said what I couldn't figure out. Determined or in my case determination. I have missed this feeling in my life for sometime now. I had such determination about where my creative business was headed a year ago and I was determined to be a mom as well. But being a new mother has changed the way I look at balancing all of this. I can't start a project and finish it in one sitting. I have to plan around naps and my hubby coming home to help. I love my new role as mom but I am just being honest with myself about how tedious the balance is between having a creative business and being the best mom I can be. With all that said, I am determined to nurture and love where this needs to go. It is so important for me to acknowledge my feelings instead of repressing them as nothing. I am so glad to have figured all of this out yesterday so that I can move forward and focus on my little man and all of these amazing creative ideas swirling in my head.

An Estate Sale Find

2010-07-06T10:41:00.000-04:00

Going to estate sales is like a treasure hunt for me. I think I get a bit of a junkin high when I get to a sale and I think to myself, what room should I start looking through first. Lately there have been a lot of estate sales in my little town and they have not disappointed. I had to blog about this incredible 60s style danish desk/table I just recently found. It was in the back room of this modern 70s style house on the golf course. When my eye caught it I had to have it. The only question was how was I going to get this thing home. But where there is a will there is a way. And in my case, I called my dad to bring his truck. I really didn't know where I was going to put it but when I got home it just fit perfectly as a buffet in my dining room. The best part of the whole story is that I didn't pay that much for it. I'm telling you finding great pieces at estate, yard, or garage sales can really make your space beautiful and unique.

And The Winner Is...

2010-07-03T23:28:00.001-04:00

Happy 4th of July and thank you all so much for stopping by my blog and following me. My necklace giveaway is now finished. I placed every ones name in a bowl and had my little man pull the winning name out. Congratulations Sara Mason!! I will be in contact with you via your profile e-mail.

I will be hosting another giveaway in August. A special thanks to Erika over at IndieSpotting for letting my necklace be a part of the latest roundup of giveaways on her blog.

Charming Giveaway

2010-06-10T22:35:00.000-04:00

I am posting my first joyajewelry giveaway!! This is so exciting and I have been thinking about doing it for some time. I am feeling a sense of renewed energy from the e-course I am taking and it has motivated me to celebrate what I post on my blog. To welcome this celebration I am giving away a one of a kind repurposed vintage charm necklace. It is so sweet and dainty. All you have to do is "follow" my blog. Just click the follow button in the right hand column and you are entered. On the 4th of July I will post the winner. I will put all of your names in a bowl and have my hubby pull one out. Thanks for following.

Creative Circle

2010-06-09T19:46:00.003-04:00

Monday was a great meeting of like minds. I am so thankful for the circle of creative friends that I have in my life. I met Tiffin about three years ago in my mom's bunco group, of all places. We started gabbing about antiques and then creative aspirations and the rest has been a whirlwind of fun times. Jessica and I met through Tiffin when we were at our first photo shoot. Jess was our photographer extraordinaire. Good times ever since. I recently met Jenni at a local festival and can't wait to get to know her better. I introduce these fine woman because they help me. And when I say this, I mean it so sincerely. We support one another whatever creative dreams we are chasing. The part I love the most is that there is no jealousy just love and support. When one succeeds we all succeed. We try to meet monthly and this gathering was about revamping our blogs and finding new ways to get ourselves out there into the world.
So, if you would love to surround yourself with other creative people, go to etsy and click on the shop local section. There you will find other artists in you area. You would be surprised at how many of you are looking for one another. I tell ya it helps to have the support.

Taking Flight and Setting Goals

2010-06-01T00:12:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I started this wonderful e-course taught by Kelly Rae Roberts. The course is designed to help me (and other artists) really think about where I want my creative business to go. But with a twist!! It is so spiritually driven and so personal that I am, after the first day, realizing how badly I want my creative business to grow. We were given the challenge of setting goals for ourselves and it got me thinking and motivated to right them down in my journal. And now I am going to put them out there into the blogosphere.

List more jewelry regularly on my etsy shop.
Reorganize my blog and make it a wonderful place for inspiration and honesty.
Get published in a national magazine ( Lucky and Country Living magazine I am talking to you)!
I would love to be a jeweler featured on the Today Show.
Publish a book about repurposing vintage jewelry.
BE DIFFERENT IN A SEA OF OTHERS CREATING JEWELRY. I AM NOT THE SAME!! (This one is very important to me hence the all caps)
Becoming a legitimate business
A big goal I would love to accomplish is to design a jewelry line with any of the greatest costume jewelery houses: Lisner, Trifari, or Monet. A line that would bring back the beautiful jewelry of the past. I would even like to see Sarah Coventry bring a line back to life and I would love to be a part of it.
This goal is the biggest of them all. I really want to find a successful way to juggle being a first time mom with being a successful creative artist. This I know will come to me:)

I know these goals are very real and tangible and I am very excited to have them out of my head and out there to come true. The universe knows my hearts desire to do what I love. And being a designer, artist, crafter... whatever you want to call it. It is my bliss. So, whatever it is that swirls in your head, write it down, yell from the roof tops. It can happen. I have seen it.

first beach trip and antiques on holiday

2010-05-29T00:38:00.000-04:00

   On June 8th Kenon and I will have been married for 8 years. We got engaged in Destin Florida so we thought it would be fitting to take Wren there for his first big trip away from home. So at two months old we packed him up in the car and headed to the beach. He did so well in the car and was not even phased to sleep in a foreign place.
This trip was also to help me restart my creative juices. So where else to jump start creativity but to go antiquing off the beaten path. I have a radar for finding thrift stores, antique malls, and Goodwills when on vacation. My mom just said to me "how do you find these places" and I responded "I just do". Plus google on my blackberry is fantastic!!!
     So, I hit a couple of local antique malls but one stood out among all of them and that was Antiques on Holiday (105 N. Holiday Rd. Miramar Beach, Fl) This place was amazing!! Every booth space was a vignette of beauty. I walked thru these black french doors and I was immediately surrounded by vintage clothing, scarves, shoes, jewelry and hats. I just wanted to spin and giggle with delight like a little girl getting ready to play dress up. One room after the next just blew my mind. I got just a couple of pictures with my blackberry but they certainly don't do the place justice. You will just have to check this place out for yourselves.
     In the end of our short but well needed trip to the beach my most favorite part was laying Wren on his favorite blanket and putting his little toesies in the sand.

A boost and a wish of Luck

2010-05-07T15:12:00.000-04:00

My very talented friend Jessica with Peachtree Photography recently had the opportunity to submit images to a magazine cover!! So excited for her. She was kind enough to ask me to design a necklace for the shoot and I was more than happy to do so. I so needed this challenge after having my son. It was a great motivator to get back into the swing of things. I so miss being creative right now. But, like my mom says I am technically still on maternity leave:) With that said, I still am jonesing to get back to creating the new joyajewelry line and posting new pieces on etsy . So thanks Jessica for giving me a boost and good luck!!!

Our New Little Man

2010-04-15T17:02:00.000-04:00

So I have been MIA for a while now. A very good reason for that. Kenon and I just had our first child ,Wren :) He was born March 26 and weighed 8lbs 8oz and was 22 inches long. What a wonderful blessing he has been for our family. It is the truest form of LOVE I have every felt. It is quite amazing how you can't imagine your life with out this little person in it. We learn from one another everyday and I can't believe he will be 3 weeks old tomorrow.

Jewelry Show

2010-03-11T22:06:00.000-05:00

This Saturday March 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. you can find me at the Kedron Fieldhouse and Aquatic Center in Peachtree City GA. The Recreation Department is hosting 60 jewelry vendors. All handmade and unique. I am booth 11. So come by and say hello!! Ok, back to making lots of new jewels:)

Nesting

2010-03-03T12:52:00.000-05:00

Creating jewelry has really taken a back seat lately. I have been nesting like crazy. I am now nine months pregnant and Kenon and I have finally finished the babies nursery. We have a couple of shelves to put up but other than that we are ready:) I really haven't been able to focus on anything else but waiting for Wren to enter the world. His room used to be my old jewelry studio and it took us about a month to move everything out. I have to say it was a great way to purge stuff I didn't need. Long story short I went from a whole room to a closet in our media room. It feels good to be organized and ready to move forward.
I have a show on March 13th and I am hoping he cooks a bit longer (his due date is March 23) and I get my creative juices moving toward a new spring line. It will come it always does. Happy Wednesday everyone!!

Depression Glass?

2010-02-18T10:06:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago my junkin pals and I happen to run across the best estate sale. This woman was a collector of all things glass and much more. When ever I go to these sales I always like to ask about the person who lived in the home and owned all these great items. The funny thing is this woman was still living and had remarried and her new husband told her that he had everything she needed at his house. So she had so get rid of all her stuff. And when I say stuff I mean STUFF. She had a lot for one woman. But I can't judge I love pretty stuff too:)

I found all kinds of unique pieces but when I saw this beautiful green cake plate and glass canister I had to have them. The lady who was in charge of the sale said that they were depression glass from the 30s. If anyone knows for sure please comment and let me know. I am curious about them. The plate has the sweetest daisy pattern. I just love them. The canister went in my kitchen and houses my tea bags and the cake plate is going to be the center piece of my spring decor. Isn't funny how these types of "things" make you so happy:)

Valentine's Day A Couple Of Days Late

2010-02-17T10:20:00.001-05:00

I woke up Sunday with this drive to blog about a really great Valentine's Day message. But then as I started writing and I was like this sounds so crazy I need to experience the day first and then write about it later. So I scratched it. I have a special place in my heart for this day because it just reminds me that no matter if you are in a relationship or not you are loved. Either by family, friends, or yourself. It can be a really big day filled with deep thoughts or a day filled with handfuls of red, white, and pink peanut M&Ms!!
My hubby and I exchanged our cards and he surprised me with the movie Bright Star the romantic, yet sad, love story between poet John Keats and fashion forward Fanny Braun. (I was so excited).
Then we took a ride over to my parents for lunch. That is were the Valentine's Day light bulb went off. My mom is a holiday decorator. She has a flag that she hangs outside the house for every major holiday and I think ones she makes up:) So the house was a treasure trove of everything that represented the day. I feel like you walk right into LOVE when you are at my parents. I may a bit bias considering that it is my childhood home. You just get a sense that everything is right with the world when you enter a place that just makes you feel so warm and fuzzy. I hope your Love holiday was filled with lots of warm fuzzies too!!

Showers of Love

2010-01-29T16:09:00.002-05:00

    I haven't really talked about how hard is was for kenon and I to start our family. But last June we found out we were pregnant after trying for three years. We were over the moon!
    This past Saturday was another one of those moments in life where you are just so thankful. My friends Tiffin, Jessica, Jessie, and Kim thru me the most magical baby shower! It took my breath away and at that moment I felt so loved. Being pregnant has been so surreal and magical in itself that having a shower filled with family and friends all gathered to celebrate this miracle was very emotional.
   It was like they reached right into my head and pulled out all the whimsical ideas I had swirling around about what I would have wished for. I will let the picture speak for themselves (taken by Jessica/ Peachtree Photography).
If this is how I reacted to this shower I can't imagine how the next one will affect me. My mom is throwing a big Italian dinner/shower.. I am truly blessed!!! Thanks girls!!!

Cash and carry jewels with a heap of possibilties

2010-01-12T10:13:00.000-05:00

I should have blogged about this two days ago. But it took me that long to recover from all the excitement of being at the Atlanta gift show and meeting one of my favorite artists and bloggers, Kelly Rae Roberts. It was literally a spur of the moment change in plans to go. Thanks to my friend Suzanne, my other friend Tiffin and I were in at the last minute. Being 7 months pregnant and running thru the temporary jewelry area of the cash and carry section and then huffing it to another building to wait in line was a little like an Olympic event. Once we were in line outside Demdaco's permanent showroom I was so excited to meet Kelly Rae.
She was there signing wall canvases and promoting her inspirational line of paintings, ornaments, and wall plaques. I was so excited to meet her. She was as lovely in person as she is in her wonderful blog posts. I know it was seconds of conversation but you can tell she is where she is for a reason. So fantastic to have met an indie artist that has made it doing exactly what she loves to do. It gives me inspiration that it is very possible to be a full time artist and be successful at it. Put it into the universe and believe in possibilities:) I don't think I would be where I am today if it were not for believing in possibilities with so many things in my life right now. What a great whirlwind of an evening.

Snow Day!!

2010-01-08T12:35:00.000-05:00

We always get so excited when we get snow down here in Georgia. It may not be much but we lose our minds:) There is not a loaf of bread or gallon of milk left on the grocery store shelves.
Nonetheless it is magical and I love it!! The pool is still open if anyone is brave enough to join the polar bear club:)

Etsy Update

2009-12-15T00:11:00.000-05:00

Finally I am getting around to updating my Etsy site. It takes a lot of work or should I say concentration and lately that is fleeting due to this new found affliction called pregnancy brain:)
I listed new jewelry last night and I did some more tonight. Tomorrow is a new day and I am positive more will show up as well.

Baby boy revealed:)

2009-12-11T10:48:00.000-05:00

My hubby and I are officially 25 weeks pregnant and we recently found out that we are having a little boy!! We wanted to tell our whole family in a special way so we got our local Publix to bake us a cake and in the center was the color blue or pink. In our case blue.
We had the two grandmother's, to be, cut into the cake to reveal the sex. How fun when the room erupted into laughter, tears, and shock. Blue it is. And the consensus before the reveal was a girl. So those were the shocked people. It was so much fun!! We are so excited to start this next chapter in out lives. It has been a long time coming and we are so happy:)

Inspiration vs. Theft

2009-11-21T19:13:00.000-05:00

O.k.! I have to rant for a second so bear with me.
Today I went to a really well known festival and came across lots of jewelry designers that share my same aesthetic in jewelry making. Even though they use vintage components in their jewelry they each had their own style in how they created and presented their pieces.
I then turned the corner and was hit in the face with my own designs staring back at me. My signature style of jewelry design had been pirated. Felt a little like identity theft and it was sitting on someone else's table. Her and I were at the same festival earlier this year and our stuff was very different, until today. This bothered me to the core. This was personal and I couldn't believe how similar in construction she copied my pieces. I think that was the hardest to handle. No twist of her own just straight up copying.
This is where the question comes in to play; when does being inspired by someone turn into theft?
I am inspired everyday by so many things but you find inspiration and make it your own.
Jewelry is tricky because it is fair game. You can't protect it but you can put your own artistic eye and love into it to make it unique. Make it YOU!!!
This is why I blog. I just had to write this frustrating moment down so that I can get over how angry and disappointed I feel.

Fall and Rainbows in Clarkesville Georgia

2009-10-27T14:43:00.000-04:00

My favorite parts of Fall are the leaves changing, the way the sun casts shadows differently in the house, and the excitement of the holidays coming.
My hubby and I also love taking road trips and so this past weekend we drove up to the North Georgia Mountains and came across this really beautiful town outside of Helen called Clarkesville.
We past the center of town and ended up on a side street right outside the square. That is when the window art of bumbleberry caught my eye. We had to go in and explore further.
We walked in and there was the cutest cut out wooden trees, cards, local art and then the color of the rainbow taunts you to the back of the store. Rows and rows of the most beautiful/colorful yarn. I had to take pictures. So I was lucky enough to have met Bonnie, the owner, and she said to go for it. Yaaay, now I could share bumbleberry with all of you. If your ever in the area their address is 1345 Washington Street Clarkesville , Georgia. Their e-mail address is bumbleberry@windstream.net Check them out.

Buttons and Buckles for a rainy day

2009-10-27T14:17:00.000-04:00

Since it is pouring down rain in my neck of the woods. I have a fun project for such a day.
I love vintage buttons and buckles. So I decided to marry the two together to make a wearable piece of art.
What you will need are some lovely buttons, an old buckle, strong glue that adheres to plastic, jump rings, and some chain and you to can make your own personalized button/buckle necklace. Lay them out however you would like and just glue. Make sure you glue a 4 hole button to the back of the buckle so that your jump rings can go through to attach your chain. I just love them!! Have fun:)

My visit with Jane

2009-10-04T21:12:00.000-04:00

It has been 11 years since I last visited London. This time around was just as enchanting as the first time. I knew right away that I had to visit a tiny town 45 minutes outside of London called Chawton in Alton, Hants. This is the place where Jane Austen called home for the last 8 years of her life. Where she experienced life and then wrote about it. I cannot even explain in words how much this particular visit excited me.
When my sister and I arrived, I could hardly contain myself. We asked the cabby who was outside the train station to please take us to Jane Austen's house. He replied jokingly, "I will take you to Jane's house but she ain't home". But something told me she was there in so many ways. Ten minutes later we were dropped off in front of the most enchanting brick building that was being hugged by beautifully colored flowers.
We walked in and were immediately greeted by the loveliest two ladies who were just as excited to see us as we were to be there. Into her home we went. Into her life where she watched society and its "follies and inconsistencies" with a fine eye.
When I saw Jane's writing table and chair I was silenced to just stand there and envision her creating her characters one heroin at a time. So unbelievable. But the more I was in the house the more I felt a peace and a sense of calm. She was happy here with her mother and sister, Cassandra.
I think I could have stayed there all day. But I took my last moments in the garden and realized I had just experienced one of those moments you check off your life long list of things to do. This was a big one.
"Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies do divert me I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can" Jane Austen

Sneek Peak to ShakeRag Arts and Crafts Festival

2009-09-15T21:56:00.000-04:00

Fun vintage button rings
dainty vintage charms

vintage lucite from the 50s just yummy
Canceled old stamps encased in glass

I always get so excited when Fall Festival season rolls around. Especially Shakerag Arts and Crafts Fest right here in my hometown, Peachtree City, Ga.
I remember attending it as a child and now this is my third year with my own booth. Last year was such a blast and I got to recruit and be next to my creative gal pal Tiffin with Linwood Avenue.
So many talented artists participate and it just makes you believe that the spirit of art is alive and thriving.
I have been MIA for a while because I made the decision, a leap of faith, to leave my job and do jewelry full time. I couldn't be happier. I feel like if you put something you love to do, want, dream about, into the universe it will listen and you will be richer for it.
I keep a promise to myself not to let a job define me. I define myself and who I am by kindness, love, and a full creative heart.
Funny how my entries seem to always turn into deep thoughts with JoyAnn:) I just get so inspired. Can't help it. I hope this fall season finds you inspired.

Breathe

2009-07-27T15:04:00.000-04:00

Alright the creative juices are starting to flow again. I am feeling I need to get my butt in gear for Shakerag which is Sept. 19 and 20. But, I will blog more about that soon to come.
I just listed some jewelry on etsy and I am hoping to get some more listed tomorrow. My goal is to try to list up to 5 pieces a day.

Lots of changes going on right now and I am again regrouping but in a really good way. I recently found my old journal from highschool/college. It is so funny how my old self was telling my future self to breathe. Some advice I think I was searching for. So funny how you can be that person then and this person now. I do love it though. So often we forget that we were once a certain way and then we grew like flowers into the person we are today. Always growing. Happy Monday!!!

Unbalanced

2009-07-08T23:08:00.000-04:00

You now those moments in life you have no control over. Like when your neighbors tree decides to fall in your yard and skewer your pool. That would be that moment for us. May 3 we had a bad Georgia storm and in an instance it happened. According to the insurance company if the tree is viable and not diseased it is considered an act of God and the neighbor is not responsible. NOT FAIR! But here we are two months later and we have decided to house rogue tranformers in a hole that was once our pool (my husbands idea).
I think the sarcasm comes from an unbalance I feel. I am a Libra and balance is super important to me. Especially for my creativity. I feel like ever since this happened my creativity has been null and void. This frustrates me to know end. Why must this control my ability to make jewelry. No clue but it just does. It could have been a lot worse and I know this. So, I think that is why we are able to joke about it now. But, still I want my pool back and my creativity!!!

junkin finds

2009-05-25T17:37:00.000-04:00

Lately all i want to do is plant, plant, plant. On a recent yard sale jaunt with some of my junkin gal pals i found this fantastic plant stand. I also came across these charming metal containers. I think i was inspired by all the beautiful landscaping in the frog hollow area of east point. Charming houses with charming gardens.

the 70s are still alive

2009-05-23T21:25:00.000-04:00

Today, I visited my favorite Goodwill store and found a fabulous sparkly top straight out of Studio 54. You know when you find something but your like "when am I ever going to wear this?" This butterfly top is one of those things. But, I just could not leave it there, I had to buy it. I only spent $2 so that helped with the decision not to leave it. I know a time will arise where I will adorn this sexy hot top and dance my butt off.

Happy to be "Beyond The Door"

2009-05-20T20:32:00.000-04:00

If you haven't had a chance to check out Senoia Georgia, it should be on your list of places to visit. Recently this small town underwent a beautiful face lift. The town is filled with lots of history, beutiful homes, unique stores, and yummy restaurants.
I met Ann Busey recently at an art show. She invited me to visit her store in Senoia named Beyond The Door. She was so kind to carry some of my jewelry in her lovely shop. She has so many unique hand made pieces. Art, Jewelry, and so much more. The builiding her shop resides in used to be the old hardware store. So it has beautiful esposed brick and it feels like if the walls could talk they would tell the best stories.

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T13:07:00.000-04:00

My earliest memories of Easter are waking up and looking towards the foot of my bed and seeing my Easter Basket. My mom did this every year until I went to college;) I couldn't help but look this morning out of nostalgia! I did however get a cute lamb from my hubby.
I hope your Easter is filled with fond memories and fun times.

Thanks Dayna At Be-Teen

2009-04-09T21:42:00.000-04:00

I was recently introduced to Dayna Davis by my good friend Leigh. Dayna and her friend Allison Firestone have created www.be-teen.com a wonderful web site for teens through their masters program at UC Berkeley’s School of Journalism. The site is all about empowering young woman to be unique and true to themselves. It was an honor when Dayna asked if she could interview me regarding joyajewely for her site. Check out my interview at www.be-teen.com
Thanks Dayna for letting me be a part of such a wonderful place where young woman can go to be inspired.

Daydreaming

2009-04-07T21:38:00.000-04:00

Spring is trying its hardest to break through all of this unseasonal wintry weather. I find myself daydreaming of flowing dresses in pastel colors and making jewelry using fabric and long chain. I want to try taking vintage fabric and deconstructing it into these really beautiful flowers to adorn my pieces. We shall see how it turns out. They look beautiful in my head.
I just participated in my first festival of the season this past Saturday - Newnan Market Days. It was the kick I needed to get in gear for the rest of the summer. My next festival is May 9 and 10 in Griffin. The event is called Hatch Market and I am partnering up with my very talented friend Tiffin from Linwood Avenue. It will be fun times for sure. So, if you live in Metro Atlanta come by that weekend and say hi.
Back to daydreaming about lovely things. Warmth, vintage brooches, flowy tops, scarves, and of course the start of yard/garage sales in town. Hope all your daydreams come true this summer.

Antiquing in Colorado

2009-03-28T18:47:00.000-04:00

Of course!! I can't go anywhere and not find an antique or thrift store. I have a radar for them. As we were on our way to visit Keystone yesterday we stopped at a rest stop and low and behold we stumbled across this little place called Georgetown. And yes, right there around the corner was the cutest antique store. This is where I found my name in old letter press, a beautiful blue vase, and a dainty tulip necklace. So lovely.
My next find was in Granby, right on the main drag. It is called Crafter's Corner Antique Mall. Not quite a mall more like a "keep your purse really close to you or you will knock everything over" type of place. But, no matter the size I found a small milk glass vase, a wonderful old Colorado post card, and some old buckles. The buckles are a find. Look for them to be a cool piece of joyajewelry in the future. I can say I am fulfilled; great skiing and a couple of antique stores what more can I ask for.

Winter Wonderland

2009-03-26T19:20:00.000-04:00

KP, my family and I have been in Colorado since Sunday. This is a momentous trip because I am skiing for the first time since the 8th grade. Mind you that has been 19 years ago. So, with my expectations high I went to ski school and now three days later I am hooked, hooked, hooked!! My hubby is a great skier. My instructor, Steve, awesome by the way, asked me what I wanted out of the class by the end of our 2 hour session and I said I just wanted to keep up with KP and be able to stop:) Stopping technique - check, but keeping up with KP, still need some more practice. But I am proud to say by the beginning of day 2 I was skiing the green and blue runs with ease.

We are at Granby Ranch and we have been skiing SolVista Basin. I love this place and so want to come back next year. So, for all you beginners or non-beginners I highly recommend this place. The people have been so great here plus it is not packed with people like some of those bigger ski resorts.

Thrift stores, Yard sales, Antique stores oh my!!!

2009-03-11T22:25:00.000-04:00

I have an addiction!! I am a self diagnosed junkin addict. I love finding beautiful things in the most unlikely places. Most of my home is decorated using items from either thrift stores, yard sales, or antique malls. Let me explain some of the madness. I see something for example in the lovely Anthropologie catalogue but cannot afford it. Well, I take the idea and I go in search of it but in a more economical way. Hence, the thrifting and junkin stores. It is possible to be aesthetically satisfied on a budget. I think in the months to come I am going to highlight what I Love now. This will be a blog about what it is that is intriquing me at the moment. For example, I am a in love with Milk Glass. There is something so beautiful and elegant about it that I just Love and can't get enough of. So, I invite you all to join me in sharing what it is you Love at the moment. It can be anything not just a object but a feeling, a observation, etc....

Book Excitement

2009-03-11T21:16:00.000-04:00

My mother-in-law Diane is a very talented artist and crafter. She has written two books and her third book will be out in April. It is entitled Hand Made Paper From Naturals. So, as she was working on it, or should I say up to her elbows in handmade paper, she needed one extra project which she offered to me. I immediately jumped at the chance and decided to design a piece of wearable art using her handmade paper. I created a pin made with rose and hydrangea petals and hasta leaf paper. It is so exciting to be published especially since my mom- in- law believed in me enough to include me. Also, I am so excited to have been published for what I love to do. I think this might have created a monster in me to write and publish my own book. We shall see wink, wink. If interested the book will be available on Amazon.com and at Barnes and Noble.

Inspiration

2009-03-01T21:57:00.000-05:00

February and March have always been the months of the year that get me feeling a little antsy, creative wise. I have all these ideas for a new spring jewelry line swirling in my head but feel like I have no time to follow through with it. Working a day job and then coming home to get in the mind frame, you wish you could be in all day, is hard. But I have to vow to myself to find the inner crafter and run with it. Ok, enough about the pity party and more about being inspired.
Lately, I cannot get enough of Jane Austen. The movies old and new and of course her novels. I just re-read "Persuasion" and can't help but feel inspired with love lost and found. The pastel colors that come to mind when Austen describes the scenery of the time. Blues, pale pinks, and the way I envision the light surrounding the English gardens and her heroin Anne Elliot as she searches for love once more. Austen's characters are so flawed yet rich with life. That is what I am trying to embrace in my jewelry. Wearable art that tells a story. The vintage pieces I so happily find in all the antiquing I do will some how come together in this romantic way and become someone else's story.
"Who can be in doubt of what followed? When any two young people take it into their head to marry, they are pretty sure by perseverance to carry their point, be they ever so poor, or ever so imprudent, or ever so little likely to be necessary to each other's ultimate comfort. This may be bad morality to conclude with, but I believe it to be truth; and if such parties succeed, how should a Captain Wentworth and an Anne Elliot, with the advantage of maturity of mind, consciousness of right, and one independent fortune between them, fail of bearing down every opposition? They might in fact, have borne down a great deal more than they met with, for there was little to distress them beyond the want of graciousness and warmth."
Jane Austen "Persuasion"

Ode to Ena

2009-01-22T23:10:00.000-05:00

My Uncle Steve recently lost his mother Ena who until last weekend I knew little about. I met her when I was a little girl and that was the last time unfortunately.
My Aunt and Uncle invited my family and I to Ena's house to be a bit of support.
Being in someones house when they are no longer there felt a little intrusive at first but then the stories began to flow. As I walked through her house you knew that she was of Austrian decent and proud of it. Austrian crystal, Austrian paintings, Austrian food etc..... She was very crafty as well. So many cross stitch pieces, knitting, crocheting. I would have loved to have watched and learned how she did some of her pieces.
As we began to clean out cupboards, closets, cabinets and dressers her life just seem to speak for itself through the beautiful things she surrounded herself with. I hate using the word "things" so loosely but she was a lover of so many beautiful pieces. The fanciest china, silver, and linens. Then I found out she loved to entertain. I can just imagine. After a while my Uncle was willing to let us have some of the pieces we found. I was given some of Ena's beautiful linens and I can't wait to use them in my home. I also received a faux Hummel made in Japan. She is so cute with her little ducky. I was also given some of her vintage purses and some vintage gloves that I wish I could see on her in their hay day.
I am writing this blog to thank my Aunt and Uncle for letting us be a part of such a personal journey. I will cherish all of the lovely things that I was given and think of Ena every time I use them. They will be loved.